Okay, so the weekend is here, and you can’t wait to get back to the latest gaming epic that you’ve entrenched yourself in. Whether it’s a first person frag-fest with Call of Duty 4, a deep story-driven RPG like Mass Effect, or simply the latest hack ‘n slash adventure game, you are a single-minded gamer. You’ve got a 2-liter of your favorite gaming beverage, a pack of your favorite snacks, and fresh batteries in your wireless controller. But you’ve no sooner pushed the power button, when all of a sudden your significant other reminds you that you agreed to go visit their family in another state. Or maybe your boss calls you and tells you that he needs you to take an emergency trip to the Minnesota office for a weekend meeting. Another crushing defeat at the hands of fate and relationships, right? Never fear my friends, your jet-setting nerd Crash is here to assuage your travel troubles and fill you in on some of the best on-the-go gaming options available.
Now I do a lot of traveling for my job, and I’m certainly not one to let a simple trip get in the way of my Nerd-tastic enjoyment. The key to gaming on the go is to assess your personal needs and desires. “What the hell is he talking about?” I’m talking about all of the important questions, such as space restrictions, environment, travel accommodations, and the social scene when you arrive. All of these factors need to be considered when preparing for a trip. I’m going to break the list down by major options, and then discuss my recommendations for each. Here’s the first part in a multi-installment series.
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Playstation Portable or Nintendo DS
 
Most gamers will agree that these two portable powerhouses are the #1 choice for on-the-go gaming. The obvious advantage is their extreme portability. These are a quick, drop-in-the-pocket-and-go choice that is ideal for nearly any situation. With an ever-expanding library of titles, you will be hard-pressed to run out of gaming opportunities any time soon.
The Sony PSP is the Sports Illustrated swimsuit model of the two, with processing power that rivals the PS2. It has a gorgeous 480 x 272 pixel, 16:9 widescreen TFT LCD screen, which is backlit. There is a title (or a handful) for fans of any genre. My personal recommendations include Monster Hunter Freedom 2 for you hack ’n slash fans, Lumines 2 for the avid puzzle person, and Tekken Dark Resurrection for the violent among you. All of these games, along with a host of others give you the ability to play online, You even have the ability to watch movies that have been released on the UMD format. The option of filling the PSP’s memory sticks with songs and your own video files make it an even more attractive option (for video conversion, check out PSP Video9. It's free!) Truly, this is a pocket-sized bastion of Nerdification.
Never fear Nintendo fanboys, because your favorite little handheld packs quite the gaming value as well. Less like a supermodel and more like a Librarian with a wild side; Intelligent, unique, and still a hell of a lot of fun, the DS is the choice for the more casual travel gamers. DSers have a cornucopia of unique titles to choose from, featuring some of the most thought-provoking and innovative games of the last few years. Brain Age is a perfect companion for those of you with daily commutes. You’ll actually feel smarter after playing it for a week or two, and for once you can make a legitimate argument that games are actually good for you. Even the newest Pokemon is an excellent pick-up-and-play option. Some of my other recommendations include Elite Beat Agents, the Phoenix Wright series, Jam Sessions, Hotel Dusk: Room 215, and Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck. Now I know some of you may think that I’m kidding about the Looney Tunes game, but trust me, it will have you laughing out loud. …On second thought, maybe that’s not the best thing if you’ll be traveling.
Well, that does it for the first installment of The Portable Nerd. I’ll continue updating this article as time goes on, but why don’t you make my job easier by posting your favorite solutions to being away from your couch in the comment section. Until next time Crash-keteers, keep your controllers charged, Game Genie in, and your optical mice clean.
-His Crashed-ness
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So there you have it folks! Got some of your own portable gaming ideas? Discuss it in the forums! Also, be sure to keep an eye out for our next installment!
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