Gaming On Phones?

BigBoss

BigBoss

Your Local Scrub
I ask because after my phone service stopped allowing people to use WiFi hotspots and USB Tethering (allows you to connect other devices to the net through your phonesuch as laptops) I am now forced to spend more time on my phone than I'd like, time I would prefer spending on the computer.

In any case I have downloaded several games from Google Play, such as Clash of Clans, Plants v.s. Zombies, and the more simple solitaire.

This games aren't bad and can keep you occupied, but I still have a few problems with phone games:

1) They are fun, some of them surprisingly advanced past what you think smartphones can do, yet I still can't shake the feeling that they're nothing more than cheaply made "arcade class" games. For example I liked the first Plants v.s. Zombies, which I played on my laptop, however the second one which was made more for phones than PC'S seems much more cheap and arcade/platform style, and seems to be designed more to take your money than to entertain/be a good game in general.
2) Again, these games seem to be more focused on getting you to spend your money on in-game products than they are on being a good game. Some games, especially the multiplayer ones, seem like you can't survive without eventually spending cash in their stores.

So the topic isn't on any of the games I mentioned, but rather smartphone games in general. What's your opinion? Money hungry pieces of crap, or is the smartphone a new gaming platform with potential.
 
Yes to both questions. They're clearly cash-grabs, but that doesn't make everything available a bad game. Some of them are very clearly excellent games (I liken Angry Birds' design, simplicity, and addictive nature to Tetris) even though their nature is far more distilled into being very simple to play. It's the old "consoles vs PCs" all over again, sadly, and it's just as stupid this time around, as well. After all, the presence of smart phone games doesn't undo the existence of Steam or Playstation Network. There can be a PS4 while there exists an XBone. There can be college labs filled with Macs even though you can still buy the parts to make your own PC on newegg, amazon, or even at Fry's. "One man's meat is another man's poison". If someone doesn't like smart phone games, they don't have to play them. I for one don't like em and I won't be playing them, though I too feel the pangs of wanting SOMETHING to do with my time in those moments of sheer, ruthless boredom, but that's all down to preference.

It's all a mixed bag of good an bad. Business as usual.
 
Smartphones are excellent gaming devices, I think. The only issue is that the market is ultra casual. I generally don't like real-time games on smartphones, but for turn-based RPG and strategy games it is a perfect medium. There are some great customizable card games, like Shadow Era. I'm at the final level of XCOM: Enemy Unknown on an Iphone 4. I played through a lot of Final Fantasy Tactics on Iphone 4 as well.
 
Smartphones are excellent gaming devices, I think. The only issue is that the market is ultra casual. I generally don't like real-time games on smartphones, but for turn-based RPG and strategy games it is a perfect medium. There are some great customizable card games, like Shadow Era. I'm at the final level of XCOM: Enemy Unknown on an Iphone 4. I played through a lot of Final Fantasy Tactics on Iphone 4 as well.
 
for my phone, i pretty much only play solitaire. draw 1, infinite deck run throughs of course.
 
The Adventure Time card game is kind of cool, but for the most part Phones are for calling and browsing stupid websites, I have my 3DS if I need on the go games.
 
Akratus said:
No no no. Phones are for books and comics. Not games.
Click to expand...
To each their own. I for one wish I can maintain this outlook when I FINALLY get a smartphone. Knowing what became of my laptop (it went the way of my 360... it collects dust) I probably won't need to worry. XD
 
There is something great about not owning a cell phone. I hate the stupid games I see my friends playing while they ignore my boring conversations.
 
Protip for that:
Have poor friends.
It was great this summer to unplug and actually spend most of my day talking and laughing. I ache to return to that.
 
I briefly misinterpreted the context of "poor" when you said that... That gave me a chuckle. XD

I do want (if not need) a smartphone, though. If only to have a phone that can connect to the internet and has a built-in GPS, cause I am unfathomably bad at finding places I've never been to, before, regardless of directions. I'm still in the camp that has a sharp dislike for the way people just sink into their phones when by all rights could be having a conversation with the people around them, but then again I'm the kinda guy who considers his gaming console is still there for gaming purposes, not to replace a computer...
 
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