Evolution of Handheld Consoles

By agarci38

  • Microvision (Milton Bradley) - The first commercial handheld videogame console (that used cartridges) to ever be released. The processor, which is required to play the games, is located within the cartridges. It retailed for $49.

    Microvision (Milton Bradley) - The first commercial handheld videogame console (that used cartridges) to ever be released. The processor, which is required to play the games, is located within the cartridges. It retailed for $49.
    Most people are probably not familiar with this console, but since it was the first of its kind, it played an important role by paving the road for future handheld gaming systems. The Microvision featured a 16x16 pixel display and 64 bytes of ram. The second revision of the system was powered by one 9V battery. Unfortunately, these units would not stand the test of time. Due to poor manufacturing techniques, they withstood screen rot, keypad destruction, and electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage.

  • Nintendo DS - The best-selling handheld console of all time. It features two separate screens, of which one is touch-capable. The device also supported Wi-Fi connectivity. Games are loaded onto the console through cartridges. It retailed for $149.99.

    Nintendo DS - The best-selling handheld console of all time. It features two separate screens, of which one is touch-capable. The device also supported Wi-Fi connectivity. Games are loaded onto the console through cartridges. It retailed for $149.99.
    The Nintendo DS made a fundamental breakthrough in the videogame industry; it has two screens, and one of them is touch-capable. Both screens are 256 x 192 pixels. The DS was a critical point in Nintendo’s history. Translated from Japanese, the former president of Nintendo said "If the DS succeeds, we will rise to heaven, but if it fails we will sink to hell." Thankfully, it succeeded as the most popular handheld console to date, and it made itself a home in many childhoods.

  • Steam Deck - One of the newest-released handheld gaming consoles. This device features a screen with a control panel on both sides. The screen resolution is 1280 x 800. Users may take advantage of the widest selection of games released for any console.

    Steam Deck - One of the newest-released handheld gaming consoles. This device features a screen with a control panel on both sides. The screen resolution is 1280 x 800. Users may take advantage of the widest selection of games released for any console.
    This console is unique in a sense that it mainly serves as a “compatibility layer”. Steam is the largest digital distribution platform for games. To join the handheld console market, it simply had to build a device which supported its library of games. It required relatively low effort for, potentially, a huge payoff. The device also incorporates a docking mechanism. While it is docked (charging and connected to an external display), it can run games at a higher power.