What is the best hand held/portable system?

[KulorXL]

If she's a 9-year old girl...call this a crazy assumption, but she's image-conscious, isn't she? And an image-conscious girl wouldn't want to be lugging around an old-skool Game Gear, Lynx or Game Boy. I'd suggest either the SP or the Micro.

The SP moreso, 'cuz it can play old games as well...but if she's gonna leave it in her dresser drawer all the time 'cuz it looks too "geeky", then go for the Micro -- afterall, that's what it was primarily made for, the image-conscious gamer.

And if she's not one to care about looks (or breaks that boundary), then I'd say go for the SNK Neo Geo Pocket Color. Great games, great value...great system!

[Serguei2]

I think everybody is forgetting the Turbo Express.  It was by far the most powerful and gorgeous handheld of its day.  With the right games, it still holds up very well today and you can find brand new units on line.

972490[/snapback]

 

Really? Where? Or were you referring to ebay?

 

I'm just curious. It's one of the few handhelds I'm still looking for.

972667[/snapback]

 

 

You can get a new Turbo Express at www.tzd.com , i think they're $180.

976093[/snapback]

 

The link does not work.

 

I've got 'cannot find server'. I use Internet Explorer.

[+remowilliams]

Well how bout giving us a link where you got it from? 

973304[/snapback]

It was a private sale, sorry

 

Anyhow for a 9 year old - definitely a GB SP. DS and PSP are too expensive and breakable.

[sega saturn x]

DS and PSP are too expensive and breakable.

 

I can't speak for the psp but the DS is a very solid system, just as long as you don't use say a car key on the touch screen.

[silverpoodleman]

So...update?  Any idea which way you're going at this point?

976094[/snapback]

Well, I'm leaning towards the Game Gear. The arguments here have my head spinning so I think I'm going with my gut.

 

Even though she is a 9-year old girl, she is her father's daughter - meaning she is hooked on retrogaming. Her absolute favorite game of all is RISTAR for the genny (mine is Solar Fox for the 2600). I already have the Game Gear version of RISTAR (even though I don't have a Game Gear - long story).

 

I think what I need to do to seal the deal is to take a look at the Game Gear library of games and see if her favorite Genesis games (Sonic 2, Bonanza Brothers, Championship Bowling, etc.,) are available as I know she would want those.

[Shannon]

You can get a new Turbo Express at www.tzd.com , i think they're $180.

976093[/snapback]

 

Oh ok thanks. I had forgotten about that site.

 

Funny quote, reminds me of the PSP

 

Every new Turbo Express may have several bad pixels. This is the nature of the technology of the time. This is not a warranty replacement issue.

[bergbros2]

I can't stand the Game Gear's crappy screen and crummy battery life. GBA SP has got a lot of Sega games like Sonic Advance and Gunstar Heros but if you are really going retro and she likes all those Sega games why not a Nomad? It's a portable Sega Genesis for pete's sake. She can play Ristar, Golden Axe, Shaq Fu, whatever till the cows come home. I like the sound, screen and controls on it, much better than the Game Gear.

 

I hear someone said Neo Geo Pocket and I have it and love it to death. Phenomenal batery life, great albeit not back lit screen. Even has a great Sonic game, but unless your kid loves 2d fighters and golf games, and you don't mind getting the games loose becasue the ones in the boxes are pretty expensive then Neo Geo really is not an option.

[Shannon]

I agree. Go for a nomad. The game gear leaves alot to be desired.

[NE146]

In my humble opinion... you really miss out on a lot if you just don't get 'em all

[n8littlefield]

I agree, if you're going with an older system do the Nomad. I hated my Game Gear, the games just don't play that great, the screen is absolutely terrible, and the battery life sucks (not that the Nomad would be much better!).

[silverpoodleman]

I guess I'll look harder at the Nomad.

 

Thank you all for the input! I'll let you know how it goes.

[silverpoodleman]

Update - I picked up a Nomad on ebay. The selection was somewhat limited. Many were selling for $150+ and came with games. Since I have more than 400 sega Genesis titles (and close to 70 duplicate titles - anyone interested?) I was only looking for the basic system.

 

What I got was the Sega Nomad system (just the unit) and the battery pack (the one that takes the AA batteries). The screen is perfect - no scratches!

 

I plugged in her favorite game (Ristar) and played for about an hour and am totally hooked! I know this is bigger and bulkier than the newer systems - hell, it makes my original gameboy look tiny - but the picture and playability (hell, even the sound) are fantastic. Plus, I have a rather detailed library of games.

 

I need to find a car power adapter and carrying case (so the screen doesn't scratch. Also, I was under the belief that the DC power cord that comes with the Genesis system would work with the Nomad. Neither of the two that I have work. Is there a separate power adapter for the Nomad?

 

I know my daughter will love the Nomad. In fact, a few days before the holidays, I am going to take RISTAR and wrap it with the Nomad. She will go crazy trying to find it. When she opens it in front of her cousins, grandparents, Aunts and uncles, it should be a sight!

 

Thanks to everyone who contributed suggestions and information.

Edited December 18, 2005 by silverpoodleman

[Cheese007]

congrats on getting the nomad i have one too.

[8th lutz]

Congrats on getting one, My brother and I each own one too.

[Atarifever]

I think I'd give up half my collection for a Nomad. Congratulations and good choice.

[sega saturn x]

I'm rather surprised a nine year old girl would want one of those. What's more surpriseing is you wanted a portable system, and what you bought is a system that is hardly portable at all. It's huge and drain batteries like crazy. No playing that in study hall that's for sure. (Yes I know 9 year olds don't have study halls)

[8th lutz]

I'm rather surprised a nine year old girl would want one of those.  What's more surpriseing is you wanted a portable system, and what you bought is a system that is hardly portable at all.  It's huge and drain batteries like crazy.  No playing that in study hall that's for sure.  (Yes I know 9 year olds don't have study halls)

984926[/snapback]

Your right about the nomad as a portable. A nomad can be used to play games on TV and a power Supply is needed not to drain it. It is better then a Game Gear though.

Edited December 19, 2005 by 8th lutz

[bergbros2]

The Nomad ain't as portable as GBA SP but with an AC power adapter you can play anywhere and the beauty of it is that you can hook it up to your TV as well. And with that mongo library it is probably the best option for the Sega phile. I really can't recommend the Game Gear at all. It really isn't much more portable than the Nomad and the screen and library just blows.

[Shannon]

Nomad uses the same power pack as the game gear.

[classicgamingguy]

Since it's already decided, I'll still put in my bid!

 

New-DS

Old-Gameboy original

 

There....not that it matters, but heck, I needed to post something here.

 

Postaholic Steve

[sega saturn x]

i know it's over and done, but if you bought a psp couldn't you have just downloaded all the genesis games you wanted? I don't like emulation, but you aren't me so I just thought I would throw that idea out there.

[jdrew]

Also, I was under the belief that the DC power cord that comes with the Genesis system would work with the Nomad. Neither of the two that I have work. Is there a separate power adapter for the Nomad?

984802[/snapback]

 

 

The Nomad uses the MK-2103 power supply. That's the same as the Genesis 2.

[Atarifever]

i know it's over and done, but if you bought a psp couldn't you have just downloaded all the genesis games you wanted?  I don't like emulation, but you aren't me so I just thought I would throw that idea out there.

985075[/snapback]

Emmulation is to the real thing what masturbation is to sex. The Nomad basically is a genesis system that runs the real carts, and it doubles as an extra system to hook to the TV.

Edited December 19, 2005 by Atarifever

[n8littlefield]

i know it's over and done, but if you bought a psp couldn't you have just downloaded all the genesis games you wanted?  I don't like emulation, but you aren't me so I just thought I would throw that idea out there.

985075[/snapback]

 

I would say with a younger kid you really don't want to worry about stuff like "Aunt Edna bought her a new PSP game, let's go make sure it won't update her firmware" type of stuff. I understand that Sony is continually trying to fight emulators and such so it would likely be a bit of a pain.

[8th lutz]

I would say with a younger kid you really don't want to worry about stuff like "Aunt Edna bought her a new PSP game, let's go make sure it won't update her firmware"  type of stuff.  I understand that Sony is continually trying to fight emulators and such so it would likely be a bit of a pain.

985330[/snapback]

Agree. What is happening is the emulaters are being update to beat the firmware. Both sides have been going back and forth towards homebrews and emulators. It would be too much of a pain to keep up. Buying a system for emulation doesn't make sense.