We might be witnessing the last generation of mobile gaming consoles, or all gaming consoles for that matter. With cloud gaming, large tech companies like Google are figuring out how to run games on remote server farms, on very powerful hardware, and stream them right to the device. This allows gamers to stream games to any device (tv, tablet, phone, etc...) without specialized or powerful hardware, or without even installing the game. This is a huge game-changer. Here are the most recent handheld gaming consoles and the innovations they brought to market.
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Nintendo DS - Looks a lot like the old Game & Watch.
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Nintendo DS - 2004The Nintendo DS revolutionized the mobile gaming industry so much. It has two screens, one with a touch screen, the other with a LCD back-lit display. It was also one of the first devices to have a built-in mic. It included a Game Boy cartridge slot just in case you wanted to play a Game Boy Game. One of its biggest features was its capability to play with other DSes wireless. It costs $149.99 and the best selling game is "New Super Mario Brothers"
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Play Station Portable - 2004
The Play Station Portable (PSP) was Sony's first handheld. It has a beautiful big screen and lots of power. It can connect to the PS2 and the PS3 as a secondary device. Its web based capability was far better than Nintendo's DS. It cost around $200 and "Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories" was its best selling game.
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PSP - Beauty and Brawn, but still doesn't compare to Nintendo's products.
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Nintendo 3DS - Neat technology, but is 3D a fad?
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Nintendo 3DS - 2011Nintendo's 3DS was the first ever 3D handheld console. The 3D worked pretty well, but it brought nervousness to long-term effects. It had a front facing and rear facing camera, which let some games introduce AR. AR allows the video game to react with the real world. It has better online support, allowing friends to easily play with each other. Its original price was $249.99, with its best selling game being Mario Kart 7.
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Nintendo Switch - 2017Nintendo, yet again, chose innovation instead of power when they introduced the Nintendo Switch. While it's not as powerful as the current generation Xbox one or PlayStation 4, it is currently the only gaming console that is both a home and handheld device. It looks great in your hands and even better on the TV. So far, Nintendo sold 34.75 million units at $300, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best selling game.
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Nintendo Switch - Finally, the moment we've all been waiting for. A home console that you can play on the go.
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