Handheld consoles are famous for making gaming outdoors easy and fun. But what if we cannot go outside? Let us take a look at the advantages of indoor mobile gaming.

Personally, I am not a big fan of going outside to play games. The old Game Boy handheld consoles from Nintendo did not have background lighting. So, it was difficult to play with the sunlight reflecting from the screen and it was impossible to play in darkness. The Sony PSPs and Nintendo 3DS’ of today do not have this problem anymore. But I still feel reluctant about gaming outside. Then again, I am not a fan of going outside in general.

However, I do still enjoy playing on handheld consoles. It is so simple to grab a 3DS, open it up, and play. We do not have to close the curtains, just because the sun is reflecting on the TV. It is enough to just shift our hands a little. Instead of discussing TV sharing agreements with anyone, we can sit next to someone else, who plays on the big screen. We are independent.

And we are free! We can play wherever we want. Of course we can go outside, but who needs outside, when we can play in the bathroom, in the kitchen, or in the bed? I often play on long train rides or on holiday trips. Indoor mobile gaming has saved me many times, when I visited my dear grandma, who does not have Wi-Fi. Currently, I am sitting in a hospital bed with my 3DS next to me.

Part of this freedom comes from headphones. Even in a quiet place like a hospital or a loud place like a train station, we can just plug in our headphones and hear everything the game tells us. In Battle Chatter, I describe why sound in games can be critical.

If you want to develop a game, think about porting it to a handheld console. Even epic games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim have sold many more copies on the Nintendo Switch years after its initial release, just because gamers wanted to play it wherever they go. Smaller games that can be played in five minute sessions benefit even more.

What are your favorite experiences of indoor mobile gaming? Share them in the comments below. I look forward to reading them. In the meantime, I enjoy playing in the comfort of my bed.

(Photo by Yelr on Unsplash)