Portable-izing: Why?

Nope, but a DS or PSP can.

 

I knew someone was gonna say that. While those games do play on DS and PSP it's still emulation and I personally detest that. I know Super Mario 64 DS was made specifically for the DS hardware but it's pretty much a whole new game and therefore doesn't count as a N64 game in my opinion.

Emulation and remakes for newer hardware just doesn't replace the original thing that was designed to run the games with no problems that emulation, even the really good ones like Fusion for Sega emulation on PC, tend to have.

 

I detest emulation generally. At least for playing games. Emulators certainly have their uses but 9 times out of 10 I'm going to pick original hardware. Some unofficial hack job isn't going to cut it either. Just how I am.

 

The PSP has a god awful N64 emulator. Last time I tried it, it could only play Super Mario 64 and it was glitchy.

 

I did have a go at portables for a while- the parts I found to be the hardest was the casing. I just didn't have the proper tools to make up a functional case, much less attractive.

They are quite fun and there's a certain quality to using the original game cartridges/discs as media, unless a modchip is used.
My first one was a portable PS1, complete with disc drive and all. I had a custom battery built for a PS2, but I swapped to a PS1 to save some money. As such, the battery lasted about 6 hours while gaming.
I've also attempted a Gamecube- which was going well, until I got sidetracked by life. I still have the parts, ready to be assembled on a baking tray in my parent's house.

I still have my sights set on making a portable PS2, given that I kept the battery from the PS1 and sold the rest to someone.

 

I never even bothered trying it, as the PSP just doesn't have the right controls to play N64 games, even if the emulation was 100% perfect. Regarding the quality of the emulator, it's amazing that it can even run at all, given the low speed and memory of the host PSP, so the authors deserve serious credit for making it as good as it is, though perhaps their efforts would have been better spent on a project that was not beyond the PSP's abilities.

 

Speaking as someone who knows their beans on this subject, as you guys will know. A few comments if I may:

Ben Heckendorn did not "invent" the idea, there were others like Portables of Doom who did it first, he just made it popular as a hobby, at least helped anyway, years ago.

Emulation is not perfect on most systems, but there again those that have not played on original hardware cannot know so will assume it is; emulators are pretty glitchy; saw a recent emulator for DreamCast which has same issues BTW as N64 emulators that work ahem, "perfectly" - you get pauses every few seconds in gameplay; hardly "perfect".

The reason people make portables is mostly for the challenge - why do people climb mountains - you could say they could use a helicopter to get to the summit but the fun and challenge is doing it yourself. With portable building, there is a lot of fun working things out, making new concepts, ending up with a quality product and also tuned to how you want the gadget to play and perform (eg button location, etc).

As to why people pay a lot of money for one, probably down to the fact these are hand made, unusual, nothing their mates will see in any shop; a talking point; and a way to play games as they were originally designed to play via original hardware.

Consider the zombies who buy Apple products or whatever - there is nothing special in buying a standard product, nothing unique millions of others haven't also done, no unique point anyone is interested in - but something like a game portable, unique, custom built, looking different; that is special. The fun is making the system though IMO.

Emulation works for some games better than others, and some systems better than others; some emulation is bad on some systems (Intellivision is an example); original hardware is always 100% and no slowdowns or image tearing or audio issues, like you get on emulation. Those who consider emulation is 100% as good as original hardware are not right; apart from systems like NES - probe them and you get comments like "yes, apart from...", "yes, glitches but" ...

 

you are so right and being a member on your forum has shown me some awesome console mods, I just wish I had the skills to do what some of the guys do. its all about the fun and challenge

 

Amen to the maximum level. Very rarely is emulation better than original hardware. There are a few exceptions and I thinks that's mainly with simple consoles like the NES. Even then the games that look better emulated than on console are fewer and farther in between.