Gizmondo: giving the PSP a run for its money?

By Guy Cocker on 06 July 2005, 11:33am

Normally, it's really easy to blag the latest gadget, but some companies can be less generous than others. Strangely, the UK gaming device Gizmondo has proved to be the most elusive yet. After three months of email tennis with Tiger Telematics, we borrowed one from someone in the office.

Quite honestly, we don't know why Tiger Telematics is so afraid of sending the Gizmondo to us. The PSP comparisons are inevitable -- not only is Sony's console the best in the handheld market by a considerable margin, it's the most exciting gadget since the iPod. But the Gizmondo has more in common with the Nintendo DS, with unique features that include a camera, Bluetooth and most interesting of all, GPS compatibility. This means that games like Colors can actually pit you against other nearby gamers in a kind of modern turf war. We just hope that there are enough people out there with a Gizmondo to make the game work, and that the 'fun' doesn't descend into real-life gang killings.

The console itself is pretty durable and the shoulder buttons are comfortable, despite their grotesquely ugly protrusion. The operating system is based on Windows, so it's about as friendly as a drunkard with a flick-knife, and we managed to royally crash it within 24 hours. The camera has a very quick refresh rate though, and the box contains a Vodafone SIM card with which you can send SMS text messages.

We also managed to get hold of two games -- Sticky Balls, which started life as a free online game, and Trailblazer, which is effectively F-Zero crossed with Tron. Sticky Balls is a little confusing at first but shows promise in quick five-minute doses, and Trailblazer is diverting enough if you've never seen Wipeout Pure.

We've got a preview of the console here, but we'll be updating with a full text and video review soon. -GC

Update: this review is now live here.