The alsoran feels compelled to write about his most celebrated recent purchase, which saw him entertained well over the christmas break. Though the DS is relatively only slightly more expensive, the alsoran opted for the micro on account of the DS looking like a folding brick that is unable to fit in even the largest of pockets – even despite the recent release of Mario Kart DS, which has entertained via multiplayer LAN on colleagues’ DS’s.

This comparison is important as it highlighted one thing regarding handheld consoles that the alsoran had previously underestimated – that is, the size and look of a console designed primarily to be played on the move, (ie. in public).

Though it has yet to reach the levels he witnessed on Japan’s public transport, hand-held gaming is noticeably becoming more prolific in the west. However, the PSP’s long length, expensive and therefore fragile design, and large screen (do we really want everyone to see what we are watching, or even that we are playing at all?) and the DS’s aforementioned bulk and gimmickly peripheral scribbling action all count against the systems as far as playing in public, (not to mention that all mobile phone games are shit).

Now, the alsoran will be the last person to champion the social stigma of gaming, but it is a sad fact that whenever he exposes his small plaything in public, the reaction from male audiences is far more appreciative than the female contingent, which should at least spark some thoughts on the subject of priorities.