Partner Nintendo 3DS Central Social

Will most mini game consoles be more popular than gaming tablets in the future?

froggyboy604

froggyboy604

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Manager
Full GL Member
28,675
2007
759
Awards
20
Credits
9,965
Mature Board Viewing
Unlock full profile styling
Mini game consoles are cheaper to build, so they can be sold for $60-100 and more like the SNES Mini Classic which cost $80. A lot of people are more likely to buy a mini console which they can afford instead of borrowing money to buy a more expensive gaming tablet which cost more.

A good gaming tablet like the Nintendo Switch, Razer Edge tablet, Nvidia Shield tablet, and Wikipad, or a faster regular tablet like the iPad and Microsoft Surface Pro can cost $300-1000 depending on how expensive the screen cost, and how much the other parts like controller, CPU, RAM, and speakers cost. Fewer people can afford a gaming tablet, so they maybe less popular. There are also probably more people who rather play popular game categories like shooters and RPG games on a TV than a smaller tablet.

I think there will always be companies like Nvidia, Nintendo and Sony making mini consoles like the Shield TV, SNES mini, and Playstation TV to sell to people with less money or just want a cheap mini console. There are also a lot of people who use mini consoles to play older console emulators, and retro games on Android, Linux, and Windows based mini consoles. But, there are probably fewer people who regularly play game console emulators, and retro games on a small screen device like a laptop, tablet, or small TV.
 
Last edited:
Mini consoles are generally just side products.
NES/FC and SNES/SFC mini are basically emulators packed in a nice looking piece of hardware.
PlayStation TV is basically a PS Vita that depends on an external TV (and often doesn't work).
Shield TV is basically an Android phone that also depends on an external TV (and often doesn't work too).

Looking at the tablet market, it generally doesn't look too popular any more.
Android tablets are premu non-existent these days (maybe except in gaming tablets?), since they basically got replaced by Windows tablets, which on their turn are slowly dying as well (anyone even saw a Surface Pro tablet newer than 4, and its main USP is not a laptop with a detachable screen?).
Apple's iPad is still doing well among elderly folks, since they're very easy to use for what they're using, and the amount of problems they can create on an iPad are very limited compared to the amount of problems they can create on a PC.

And a Nintendo Switch is in my opinion not a tablet, only the fact you can use the system menu with a screen alone is not enough for me to consider it a tablet.
 
SuwakoMoriya said:
Looking at the tablet market, it generally doesn't look too popular any more.
Android tablets are premu non-existent these days (maybe except in gaming tablets?), since they basically got replaced by Windows tablets, which on their turn are slowly dying as well (anyone even saw a Surface Pro tablet newer than 4, and its main USP is not a laptop with a detachable screen?).
Apple's iPad is still doing well among elderly folks, since they're very easy to use for what they're using, and the amount of problems they can create on an iPad are very limited compared to the amount of problems they can create on a PC.
Click to expand...

I agree Android tablets are being replaced by Windows tablets which can cost about the same. Most larger screen size Android smartphones can also be used as a small Android tablet, and a lot of new Android phones are six inches in size.

The iPad is also popular with students, richer people, and some people who don't like Android and Windows.

The Amazon Kindle Fire tablets are still popular in the US because you can get one for $50, and Amazon Fire Android OS is also simpler to use than most Android and Windows tablet. But, may not be as simple as an iPad because the Kindle Fire uses the Android operating system which is more vulnerable to viruses when you install apps downloaded from un-official app stores, and websites which are not run by Google and Amazon.
 
Like Suwako said, they are merely side love. They are good for in between games or you just feel like an old itch that needs to be scratched.
 
Demon_Skeith said:
Like Suwako said, they are merely side love. They are good for in between games or you just feel like an old itch that needs to be scratched.
Click to expand...

Mini consoles can be a cheaper alternative than buying re-release of the games for PC and newer consoles or many old consoles, and the old cartridges or discs which can be expensive because some of them are now considered antiques.
 
froggyboy604 said:
Mini consoles can be a cheaper alternative than buying re-release of the games for PC and newer consoles or many old consoles, and the old cartridges or discs which can be expensive because some of them are now considered antiques.
Click to expand...

more of a legal way than anything. Only way you're getting a copy of Super Mario kart is buy the old game from some ebay/flea market deal or download the ROM.
 
Demon_Skeith said:
more of a legal way than anything. Only way you're getting a copy of Super Mario kart is buy the old game from some ebay/flea market deal or download the ROM.
Click to expand...

I agree mini consoles like the Snes Mini is more of a legal way of continue playing classic games.

There maybe some clones/knock off of Mario Kart which are available for PC, web browser games and Android.
 
SuwakoMoriya said:
No C&D, she just had different priorities and ended up forgetting about it entirely.
At least, that's what she said.
Click to expand...

I notice free software like Winamp, Aol messenger, etc sometimes get abandon because they are not profitable, or the amount of users is becoming smaller.

I wonder if she will ever start working on the project again, or make it opensource, so other people can finish her game.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top