3ds Or Ipad For Portable Gaming?

Discussion in Mobile Apps & Games started by eagletal88 • Jan 18, 2015.

  1. eagletal88

    eagletal88Active Member

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    I travel quite a bit and am thinking about either getting an Ipad, or 3DS for the plane rides. I like the Ipad because it is more functional for multiple needs, but I like the fact that 3DS games seem to have more longevity to them.

    Ipad pros: Multi-functional
    Large game selection

    3DS pros: Deeper games
    Nintendo "magic"

    Any thoughts???
     
  2. troutski

    troutskiWell-Known Member

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    It just depends on what you want. If you already own a 3DS, then it's obviously the better choice and more portable than an iPad. Then again, the iPad actually can outperform the 3DS as far as graphics and performance are concerned. There are some pretty "deep" games available for iOS. Still, you can't always beat the first party offerings from Nintendo.
     
  3. DrRipley

    DrRipleyExpert

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    I think if you're looking to entertain yourself mainly with games then you can't go wrong with a portable console like the 3ds. You'd hardly find any other games on an ipad that would offer the same experience as most of touch screen games are only entertaining for a while. You're right though, being able to do something else after gaming like browsing online or watching some movies might prove to be much more valuable.
     
  4. Aladar

    AladarWell-Known Member

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    Depends on what kind of games you like. I wouldn't even call half of the stuff iOS has "games", and the few they have are just ports from consoles anyway. So I would go for a 3DS, myself. It's also WAY cheaper, second-hand 3DS can be had for a hundred dollars, while new 2DS can be found for 80-90..
     
  5. lindbergh

    lindberghWell-Known Member

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    If you're a serious gamer, then you should go for the 3DS. But if you're not, then the iPad is for you. Personally, I'd go for the iPad. There are a lot of games that you could download and a lot of them is free too! Also, not only can you use it for gaming but for other purposes too. IMO, handheld consoles are slowly going extinct. It's the age of mobile phones and tablets.
     
  6. Aladar

    AladarWell-Known Member

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    Slowly going excinct? Is that why they are still moving tens of millions of units every iteration? :) That really is a silly thing to say, there.
     
  7. GoldenWing

    GoldenWingMember

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    I think it depends on what games you want. I recommend you do some research to find games and see which one has the type of games you wish to play.

    Another element to consider would be the battery life. I think that both would have enough energy to last for a place ride, but it won't hurt to check first.
     
  8. lindbergh

    lindberghWell-Known Member

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    Compare that to the sales of mobile phones and tablets and your rationalization goes out the window. Just to try to put you up to speed, here are some articles for you to read:

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    Handheld gaming is slowly going down. More kids are holding mobile phones and tablets than handheld consoles. Look around...
     
  9. Aladar

    AladarWell-Known Member

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    You do realize that these numbers are completely irrelevant, right? People aren't buying phones or tablets to play videogames on them. They buy it to, you know.. make phone calls and somesuch. "Mobile gaming" market is also a completely separate one from actual gaming, as evidenced by tons of research. So no, unless you will have actually fully-fledged titles to come out on phones, which doesn't really happen, handhelds are not going anywhere. 3DS alone is enough to keep Nintendo afloat for next decade.
     
  10. lindbergh

    lindberghWell-Known Member

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    You do see that a lot more kids are holding tablets and mobile phones and using them for gaming right? And haven't you noticed the console-quality games that have been coming out for mobile devices lately? Final Fantasy series, NBA 2K series, Real Racing, Real Boxing, GT Racing, Modern Combat, Street Fighter IV, Soul Calibur, Virtua Tennis and a slew of other games. Mobile phones and tablets are multimedia devices and not just for making phone calls. They're entertainment devices which also allow users to play games. That gives them the edge over handheld consoles. Look at Sony. They're trying so hard to make the PSP a multimedia device. Even added skype to it. 3DS may be Nintendo's ace right now, but sales are slowly dipping. Let's come back to this thread 10 years from now and see what happened to the war between mobile phones and tablets vs the 3DS.
     
  11. Aladar

    AladarWell-Known Member

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    Those kids don't matter to the market, because they don't buy anything.
    And pretty much all of those games you just named are ports from handhelds or home consoles, sooo, that's not really an argument.
    We've heard that for years now. Mobile gaming is going to kill the PC gaming market, mobile gaming is going to kill consoles, mobile gaming is going to kill handhelds... none of that happened or is even close to happening. So.. yeah.
     
  12. deathbyprayer

    deathbyprayerActive Member

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    Hardware wise, there's really not much to pick at since both devices are great although different. The real clincher here are the games. If you want games that play a bit better and has more depth then go for the 3DS although most 3DS games are just the typical Nintendo stuff. IOS also has a lot of dedicated games but the problem here is the actual device. Tablets aren't really made for gaming so playing an intense game like a FPS on an iPad is a bit daunting.
     
  13. Aladar

    AladarWell-Known Member

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    Actually, I think 3DS has plenty of games that wouldn't be considered "typical Nintendo". Stuff like Etrian Oddysey or Virtue's Last Reward, Shin Megami Tensei too, to certain degree (I know they were all on Nintendo platforms, but most people don't really think of SMT when they think "typical Nintendo stuff").
     
  14. deathbyprayer

    deathbyprayerActive Member

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    True but most of them are Japanese games which targets a very specific audience, most of whom are the 'anime crowd' which might not click as much when it comes to the western audience. Of course it's apparent since Nintendo is a Japanese company.
     
  15. Aladar

    AladarWell-Known Member

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    Not really.. out of the ones I've named, none of them are being targeted toward anime fans. I mean, yeah, 3DS has Senran Kagura and Love Gun (was that even released outside Japan?), but I really don't think there's any anime games beyond that... at least in America and Europe.
     
  16. Atlas_Hope

    Atlas_HopeNew Member

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    If we're talking strictly about gaming the 3DS is the way to go, hands down. I have both and whilst the iPad can be used for multiple things, the one thing I don't spend time on is gaming. Touchscreens are just so non-intuitive it makes gaming more frustrating than using a controller ever could, forcing you to buy a bluetooth controller.
     
  17. deathbyprayer

    deathbyprayerActive Member

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    I mean the design wise, most Japanese games have the 'anime' feel and look to it which targets a very specific demographic.
     
  18. ZenShopper

    ZenShopperNew Member

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    I'd go with the iPad, although my heart says the 3DS.

    While the 3DS offers completely immersive gameplay, it still has outdated graphics as compared to the iPad. And iPad has a massive library as opposed to the 3DS, where every game is an investment.
    Also, let's not forget the multi-functionality of the iPad. 3DS just pales in comparison.
     
  19. thepieeatingjay

    thepieeatingjayMember

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    I don't care how far Tablets and phones advance. When it comes to gaming, I'll always go with things like the 3DS or the Vita. First of all, there are certain games that you only get on those systems. Secondly, I myself am not a big fan of "touch screen" gaming for everything. I prefer to have buttons.

    Lastly, most of the tablet and phone games are hardly close to "hardcore" gaming.
     
  20. Squigly

    SquiglyActive Member

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    I'd go for the iPad since it allows you to perform many other functions easily, like surfing the net, watching videos, even reviewing documents. Unless you're a dedicated gamer who really likes Nintendo games like Pokemon and Monster Hunter I wouldn't recommend buying a 3ds.