Tapwave Gets Duke Nukem, Genesis Classics

Thanks to BusinessWire for hosting the press release announcing pre-order availability and new software for the Tapwave Zodiac handheld, following advance news of the Palm-compatible's specs a couple of weeks back. But newly announced as "...coming in January 2004 is 'Duke Nukem Mobile,' which will open a new chapter of Duke's Universe for the mobile-minded gamer", and Tapwave have also hooked up with Sega, so that "several classic Sega Genesis titles will also be available for the Zodiac console in the months ahead." Forbes has an enthusiastic preview of the Zodiac, noting "Bluetooth wireless connectivity" and "its gorgeous screen display" as positives, although quibbling with the "convoluted interface" for Palm software.

saturation?

[Neppy]

Just how many new handhelds can the market handle? I don't see how this can succeed with 2 other companies (Sony, Nokia) also entering the market, and one competitior (Nintendo) already entrenched.

Forbes???

[Acidic_Diarrhea]

Forbes likes it? Well well well, that's great! I mean, the people at Forbes always know good hardware and good software when they see it. After all, they are one of the most respected names in the video game magazine publishers...

HEY! Wait a minute...

Queen of the Ports

[acxr is wasted]

If nothing else, it's going to inject some new life into a product niche that until very recently had just started to look boring and short on new ideas.

Man, if that isn't the understatement of the century, I don't know what is. In context, he's referring specifically to the Palm platform, but I think the same can be said about handheld gaming. While several of the games coming out for this system are remakes, the GBA is the Queen of the Ports.

The business mags like it!

[superultra]

I think the Tapwave looks a heck of a lot more promising than the N-Gage. That said, the only people who've reviewed it are business magazines. They love it. Maybe there's a market there, who knows, but if Tapwave is going for the gaming market they need to start showing up at these game shows to win some people over.

I mean Sony's really showing them up with the PSP. I can't wait to get it so it can mow my lawn during the day, cook lobster during the night. Oh yeah, and maybe play games! Sweet!

Re:saturation?

[twalk]

Don't view this as a game machine. View it as a high-end Palm that also is the best for playing games.

In that view, $399 for a hi-res+ screen and 128M is pretty cheap. I know of several people interested in buying it, and they have no interest at all in playing games on it.

Re:Perhaps this is the one!

[Anonymous Coward]

This just in: Not everyone is a geek like you.

The GBA is < $100, and has *hundreds* of games available.

The Zodiac is out in one month, and has almost *zero* 3rd-party support. And it's *way* more than $100. Hell, the N-Gage is lined up to do better than this piece...