How to Unleash the Full Handheld Gaming Potential of the Android

True handheld gaming died about ten years ago with the retirement of the Gameboy console. Obviously there have been a string of different Nintendo DS renditions as well as the PSP Vita, but these consoles are a far cry from the simplistic and additive core gameplay of the Nintendo Gameboy. With the release of the original iPhone and the Android mobile phone platform, handheld gaming has taken on a whole new meaning. The android platform is a powerful ally to mobile gaming, with the ability to emulate almost every console available thanks to open source emulation, and a growing library of true mobile games the android is a true player’s best friend.

The beauty of the android is that it is cross platform as well, which means that you can play android games on any mobile phone as long as it has an android operating system. I have recently gotten fully back into android gaming, and I have been impressed with the sheer volume of games and emulators that are available as well as the support for accessories such as controllers and sound add-ons. In this article I am going to detail a few different methods for turning your android into a fulltime gaming machine, the one that you dreamed about having when you were a child.

The Ability to Emulate your Favorite Consoles:

There is one huge attribute that the android platform has in terms of online gaming, and that is the ability to run emulators. The Google Play Store has a huge assortment of different console emulators from Sega Genesis to the Nintendo DS, making the android a very gamer friendly platform. Depending on how powerful your phone is you should be able to run many console games without issue. I have a variety of emulators that I stick to, depending on which console I feel like playing that day. I have been a Gameboy fanatic since the first day that I got my original Gameboy Color in 1998 with a copy of Super Mario Deluxe. The app of choice that I use is My Old Boy which is free of charge, and it supports 99% of all games in the original Gameboy and Gameboy color library.

I have to say that there is nothing better than playing a copy of the original Mario Land with a backlit screen. These games look and play phenomenal on any android phone, thanks in part to how far technology has brought these small screens. Another great thing about running an emulator is that it can emulate many of the add-on features that the Gameboy had. One such title Kirby-tilt-n-Tumble made use of a special cartridge with a sensor on it. The point of the game is to tilt the console to control Kirby, and the android is able to emulate this feature perfectly. Another couple of games that are worth playing are the original Pokémon titles such as Red and Blue which look absolutely amazing on the new screen. Just being able to emulate the original Gameboy has been such a treat for me, but

A Library of Great Games for The Android itself as Well:

The android as a whole has thousands of great titles that have been developed for it, both by big developers and independent developers as well. The android because of its open source code has attracted all kinds of developers to make games for it, and there have been many games that have been adapted into movies such as the angry bird’s franchise. Whether you want to play a generic matching game, a casino game, or an intense full featured racing game chances are there is an android title for you. Sega recently released a few renditions of their old classics for the android such as Crazy Taxi, Sonic the Hedgehog and a few others. The release of Crazy Taxi was groundbreaking because it featured the same great graphics as the Dreamcast game in which it emulates.

EA has also not been shy to jump into the fray, with their NBA Live Mobile and Madden Franchises. EA has been able to bring full console quality sports games to the android platform. Nintendo has also released a Super Mario game for the android as well, and they released the popular Pokémon Go title which has well over one hundred million downloads. With these quality titles there is no shortage of stellar games on the android, making it one of the most superior handheld platforms to be released.

Utilize Your Android Phone To its Full Potential:

If you love playing handheld games there is nothing better than the android platform for enjoying all of the handheld games that you could dream of. From full size console emulation to android specific titles, this platform is the ultimate device in handheld gaming to ever be released. If you are fortunate enough to have an android phone or tablet, you probably have not utilized it to the devices full potential yet. Checking out some of the stellar emulators and android games will definitely showcase the platforms excellent potential when it comes to portable gaming.