A rivalry to, well, rival, Sonic and Robotnik or Mario and Bowser.
It’s a choice that divides gamers, with many choosing one side or the other. There’s fierce competition between developers and players alike over which is best And no, I’m not talking about Microsoft vs. Sony. I’m talking about mobile gaming vs. console gaming.
And I’m taking sides. I’m Team Mobile.
The Case for Mobile Gaming
Since the release of the earliest iPhone models, the world has been almost surgically attached to our smartphones. And while their primary function is to make and receive calls, the top three things we’re using our phones for are social networking, texting, and gaming.
Playing games on our phones has become such a big part of our lives, and it’s only becoming more popular. The history of mobile gaming is an illustrious one – starting with the heady days of Snake – and has been on the rise ever since. Here then, are six reasons why mobile games trump console games.
1. Play from Anywhere
Sure, it’s obvious but it’s one of the biggest reasons mobile beats console.
Playing console games leave you shackled to your TV set every time you play. Sure you can play on another television in another room, but you can only ever play your favorite games when you’re all plugged in. While you can get wireless controllers which give you back some freedom, you’re still restricted to playing in one place.
Mobile games, on the other hand, can be played from anywhere. On the sofa, while you’re watching TV, during your lunch break at work, while you’re sat on the train; as long as you’ve got some battery life, you can play anytime, anywhere.
2. Hugely Affordable
Console gaming is expensive.
When it went on sale, the Playstation 4 retailed at an average price of $400 with individual games costing anything from $50 upwards on release. It’s an expensive hobby, especially when you think the average console gamer buys around five games a year.
Mobile gaming, on the other hand, costs much less.
Most of us pay monthly for our phones rather than buying them upfront (instant saving right there), and you can download games from the App Store and Google Play for just a few cents. Oh, and did I mention the vast array of free-to-download games available?
Even those apps where you can purchase in-game content let you do so for tiny sums of money. Much, much less than their console counterparts which offer the same service in many of their compatible games.
3. Commitment-Free Gaming
There’s no denying that the storylines in console games are epic, with many rivaling films for their depth and dimensions. But the problem with these ambitious games is that you can’t just “dip in and out” of them. You need to play for hours at a time to make any progress.
Mobile games, on the other hand, require much less commitment. Many feature levels that can be completed in seconds and most let you save your progress on the fly. And with games staying open in the background, there’s even less worry about losing your progress.
This is perfect for casual gamers who don’t want to spend hours playing complicated levels or struggling to find a save point when they’ve had enough of a game. Mobile games give you the freedom to play little and often.
4. Wide Variety of Titles
The video game industry is big business. Millions of dollars are spent on the development of console games, with games such as Destiny costing an eye-watering $500 million to make!
Mobile games, on the other hand, are much more affordable to produce.
Because they can be made faster and cheaper than other games, developers can afford to take a risk. They can try out new concepts, it’s an even playing field for indie publishers, and there aren’t huge loses if games aren’t hugely popular.
This has resulted in a huge number of titles, topics, genres and styles of games available to play on your phone. From phone-specific titles like Angry Birds to phone-based apps for console games and everything in between, the choice is seemingly endless.
5. 3D Touch Compatibility
Console games have always had much more sophisticated controls than their mobile counterparts. That is, until recently. When Apple launched the iPhone 6S, they also launched 3D Touch, which is adding a whole new dimension to mobile gaming.
The new touch-sensitive technology lets users press and hold the screen to “peek and pop” new content. In mobile games, this introduces new controls and commands to bring a new element to the gaming experience.
While this tech isn’t commonplace across all devices yet, it’s having an impact already and will only continue to grow.
6. Collaborative Gaming
There’s room for both consoles and mobile games, and this is something developers are taking note of. While most players are firmly in one camp or another, many do enjoy playing on both devices and are looking for ways to bring the two together.
Collaborative gaming is an emerging trend where your console and phone game are connected. FIFA 15 for example, was an early adopter of this. The game allowed players to create and edit their teams on their phone, before playing a game on their console.
It’s a unique gaming experience that hasn’t been hugely explored yet but is certainly set to be a game-changer for both the mobile and console gaming world.
What do YOU think?
There you have it – six reasons why mobile gaming beats console gaming.
What could be better than having hundreds – probably thousands – of games just a few clicks away and always at hand whenever the mood to play strikes?
Now don’t get me wrong; console games are great and there is a place for them. But mobile trumps them for me.
What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? I’d love to hear your thoughts on which is better and why!
