It is time…
Tiny Cartridge’s favorite Tiny Cartridges of 2012!
This year was a crucial one for handheld game systems, a statement year even. Tablets and smartphones continued to make their case as the rightful successors to the portable gaming throne, and so the onus was on handhelds to argue their relevance in this mobile era, if not through sales (real talk, PS Vita’s hardware numbers aren’t going to get it done), then through the quality of their software.
It wasn’t enough for the 3DS and PS Vita to deliver enjoyable games in 2012; this new handheld generation needed to separate itself from the last, setting new standards in their visuals, online services, and concepts’ creativity. Fortunately for us, portable game developers met that challenge, and gave us a year of platform-defining titles — even the ports kicked the butts of their big-screen counterparts.
Below you’ll find our favorite 3DS, eShop, PS Vita, and PSN games that helped make 2012 a killer year for handheld fans (presumably you’re one of those fans, since you follow this site). Oh, and we have plenty of GIFs too, of course! I say “of course” because a lizard hijacked this Tumblr, and threatened to blow it up if we don’t meet a weekly quota of animated images. Please excuse the loading time!
