I just found the GP2X yesterday and from the start it sounded great. but the more i learn about it, and the more i see it's capabilities and limitations. i'm wondering, is it worth the money? i mean it sounds great, like the movie, music, game, photo player, and stuff like that. but, is it worth 189.99$ for classic games? if i'm missing something that the GP2X can do, please inform me.

To me it would have been worth even more than that.

worth is dependant on how much you want it... itsup to you if you think its worth it for classic emulators and homebrew

homebrew being...homemade games? i mean, it sounds good. but, am i missing some great function that it can do? like, can i play 3D or GBA or anything like that? i saw a neogeo emulater, so GBA shouldn't be a problem right?

Currently, for me, personally, no. I spend 90% of my time infront of my computer... No use for 2X, really. Were I studying, or in working life, it'd be different. GP32 was in constant use last year, while still at work...

GBA has only just started some work on it by someone.. but i dont think it'll ever reach a stage like megadrive/sms etc, and if it does it wont be for a long time i dont think, so dont base your purchase on it

well, it all seems too complicated. i feel like if i bought one, i wouldn't be able to unlock the full potential of the GP2X. i have been looking at some of the downloads and all that.

The only way it becomes complicated is if you don't follow the instructions from the readme. Or if you are trying to work with Gngeo2x...

Really, don't be scared of linux =)

It's worth it.

Just go look at the wiki ( wiki.gp2x.org ) and see some of the stuff available. The emulator pages also list compatibility of various games.

Overall, it's a GREAT little device. I don't use mine 24/7 at the moment(various games and friends playing them have drawn me in like a moth to a giant stompy robot flame), but it is DEFINITELY worth every penny.

Plus, show me some other handheld that lets you output to your TV.

so, it can run any emulater i can download from the internet?

No. However, it CAN run the ones made for it, available on the download section of this site. There's plenty of stuff available.

No... Only ones made for the gp2x or ported over... But there are plenty

what are they?

Just look at the wiki I linked. They're listed in software.

EDIT: http://wiki.gp2x.org/wiki/Software_Directory Lists all the software. This doesn't include games made for the GP2X, though, which is in the games section.

http://www.gp2x.de/cgi-bin/cfiles.cgi

also, i saw a rumor about armoured core, is it true? AC for GP2X?

Why don't you find out for yourself you lazy rat. If you aren't capable of finding things out for yourself, you shouldn't be looking at a GP2x

You don't seem too enthusiastic about classic games. Perhaps you should stray away from the gp2x and buy a psp or ds....

i don't want a PSP or DS! the whole reason i looked into it was because of the classice games! and the only reason i'm asking is becuase most of you guys know what you're talking about and i thought you would help me

Then buy it. We are here if you are stuck and need help, but we won't hold your hand on setting things up.

That's your quote. I don't know, that's the feeling I got from you.

I think it's worth it if it helps. I have one, and love it to death

Exactly. All the readme's explain things just fine.

ok then, just explain one thing. what is the "firmware" and what does it do?

The GP2X isn't for you. Don't waste your money.

how can you tell?

He means instead of asking us on the forums, here's what you SHOULD have done:

This:

http://www.google.com/search?q=firmware

Then this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firmware

ok then, sorry for wasting your time

Funny thing. I got a DS and I went on a crazy spending spree and bought every good game for it. I did this until about four months ago. Then I got my gp2x and I spend all my time either watching movies, just finished watching underworld evolution, or playing old school games, like double dragon 2. To be honest I'm not one for classic gaming but when ever I'm on a long trip or just bored it really helps time fly by. I've also discovered new systems, like pc engine, that are worth trying out.

Honestly the best thing about gp2x is that every once in a while you come to this page and there is some crazy news about something new. You never know what to expect. I think that makes it worth while since the gp2x is a system that is constantly improving and you dont get that with a psp or ds. Also you save a bunch of money with it.

gp2x with a bunch of accessories (including 2 gig sd card) and shipping: about $300

used ds with 8 games: about $395

gp2x currently: take everywhere with me
nintendo ds currently: with gf playing nintendo dogs

If you really really like commercial games dont get it, cuz its never going to have a large library of commercial games, but if you want a device that does a lot of things including playing classic games, homebrew games, and is "different" then this might be for you. If not get a ds or even a psp.

It sounds to me that you might just want an easier system to handle. The GP2X is amazing once you get everything set up, but you need some patience or you might just throw it out the window when you can't get the Neo-Geo emulator working

There's more stuff to do on the gp2x than I have time to explore, and I have never even installed an emulator.

thanx, that helps.
i love the classics. i guess i'm just worried over nothing!

A GP2X distributor detracts potential customers...

i don't know why

Experience...

I would have bought it at Play-Asia.com were I you. I payed $256 for the 3-day shipping and a TV-Cable, and a 2GB 150x SD(bought that from Newegg.com, $51 with shipping, I think it is even cheaper now, like $46)
Sure, that sounds about right.


Agreed, I don't have the time or the energy to look into half the homebrew in the archive, and I don't even play the emulator's all that much.

I did have fun with X11 and GPE with my mouse and keyboard plugged into USB, try that on another handheld for under $200 . (X11 provides services to programs to display to the screen, and GPE is a desktop on the service, think Windows CE for Linux)

More and more is being ported and written every single day, it is an amazing device with a lot of potential even if you never run an emulator.


Buy from Play-Asia.com if you want the best price, $196 total with 3-day shipping, and $205 with a TV-Out cable. Buy SD from Newegg.com, check prices against eBay if you don't believe me .

because the gp2x is not a DS or PSP where you take it out of the box, put in a game cartridge, and it runs. You need to tinker, play, modify scripts, read readme files, and in general spend some time reading FAQs and WIKIs to find out what/how to do things.

The OP has shown in several of these posts that he doesn't have that type of personality...so it's actually good to recommend he look elsewhere as he'd likely end up a discouraged customer who would then post all over the place about how the GP2X is crap.

I actually agree with Craig, I don't think that you're right for this system. It sounds like you're already negative on the GP2x and classic gaming in general. Also, you said that you've done reading on this, but it doesn't sound like you comprehended much of it, if any.

In the end, it's your choice. But you have to be ready to read a lot, and accept the system's limitations. If basically the entire collection of NES, Gameboy, Gameboy Color, Sega Master System, PC Engine, Game Gear, Neo-Geo, an assload of MAME games, and homebrew isn't enough for you still, nothing will sway you.

And it WILL cost you more than $189 because you have to buy a GOOD set of rechargable batteries and an SD card.

Buy a DS, that will play all the GBA games you want.

::edited to make it less rude::

nice one ! What PSP scene !



Oh yer the Scene where you have to have a certain release and/or a copy of GTA ???

No thanks !!



I would still with the gp2x, portable neo geo is worth it alone and no hassle...

(PS I have a PSP also !!- dont use it, and no its not for sale, will keep it as a reminder of how wrong a big company can get something !!)

Why are so many people trying to discourage him? Believe it or not, people can learn new skills. Before I got the gp32, I was in a similar situation to many of the new people on this board; I had only ever used game systems like the gameboy advance and I was completely unprepared for the gp32. I did some research, but probably not enough. I was under the impression that it would emulate snes and gba just about perfect (yeah, it sounds funny now, but people used to say it would happen on the gp32 some day...).

When I first got it, I was disappointed. I had read all of the speculation about it and it didn't live up to the speculation. Finally I decided to set up some emulators for systems that I initially had no interest in (c64, colecovision, etc.) and I found that I LOVED these simple old games (I am STILL addicted to M.U.L.E., it is better than about 99% of modern games). I began to get into the community and checked this website every day for updates and it was always great to get home and find that there was something new (especially when rlyeh released his f-day preview and when I tried out DrMD. On the homebrew side of things, coming home to Nazca Dreams was quite a pleasant surprise).

After awhile, I actually started to make my own games for the gp32 (well, I only released one, Fate). When I heard about the gp2x I preordered it immediately and I have been thoroughly enjoying the gp2x since it arrived.

The gp2x isn't for everyone, and it requires a bit of patience to truly enjoy. However, you don't have to be a computer expert to enjoy it, as many people seem to think (although being a computer expert would definitely help). If you're willing to research things on your own, try to fix things on your own (or at least search these boards before posting), and read and follow all of the readmes, I don't think you will have much trouble with the gp2x. For the most part, it works exactly as it's instended to, and if you follow all of the instructions everything will work (however, this isn't ALWAYS true, I'm still having trouble with SCUMMVM, for example).

If you are willing to spend some time getting things to work on the gp2x and the sound of playing classic games, homebrew, and videos is appealing, I think you will really enjoy the gp2x.

Yeah, i was editing that while you were replying just to make it 'cleaner,' but, I actually agree with you. It just seems that he'd fit in more there. I have a PSP and I hardly ever use it, especially since the UMD laser is broken already, so all it can do is homebrew (which the GP2x is better at, anyway besides the SNES)

I'd hate to see someone get a gp2x and not have the skills or the patience to use it, they're just gonna get pissed off when their batteries don't work or when they see the colored lines for the first time. Next thing we know - there's another JaqMS on the boards.

I'd spend lots of time editing and testing stuff on the GP2X and that's what I like about it! Like now, a new firmware will be released in a few days and everyone really wants to know what's changed. It'll only get better every day!

personally, I'm fed up with PCs because I always have to make sure things work and I have to fix things when they don't, which is relatively frequent. And yet, here I am with my Gippex, and I'm loving it. It's been frustrating many times (still can't figure out why Quake won't let me overclock with my scripts or why - after trying to overclock so many times - it doesn't even start up normally any longer) but overall, my feelings toward the system remain positive.

Some of that positive attitude comes from looking at the future of this little thingy. The community thrives already, and it's only getting bigger. All the separate competitions are really going to put some nice games on the table (I hope) and the emulators keep getting faster and more reliable.

It's not really cheap, since I have to buy the AC adaptor and the batteries separately, but it's not so expensive it'll cost your shirt, either. Especially with all those games you don't have to pay for. Most of the time playing my Gippex is not spent on emulators, but things like Nethack and the Minigame Project. I also don't have to pay to play games I already own on it. Games like Doom, Quake, Beneath a Steel Sky. All games that plagued my childhood and now plague my travel-time to and from work.

I'm loving every minute of the GP2X, even though my technical expertise is next to none.

(I wouldn't have known what firmware was if I hadn't worked in a photo store, for example. Well, maybe I would. I like Wikipedia, so I'd have found out about it sooner or later.)

Virtually each day with the GP2X brings something interesting/different/exciting/etc
If you wanna system that brings back that 'bedroom coders' scene, then this is it for me.
Given some time I would love to start coding on it.
[Just wish it had a catchier name though...]

Yes, the GP2x is a great system. It plays emulation as good as that on PC's, sometimes better; and what is also great is that everyone has the same spec of system, so "if it works for you it can work for me". I get a lot of fun playing games on the GP2x, at the detrement of PC games!

I agree, GP2X is quite a mouthful. Then again, PSP and DS aren't exactly catchy either.

Genious guys. The guy said he wants classics. Where else should he turn? Does PSP have lots of classics? Is it easier to set up homebrew on PSP? If the GP2X is harder to set up than the GP32, something is terribly wrong. I never had to mess with scripts and LCD tweaking crap with the GP32. Unlike the GP32, GP2X barely even has a organized file system among the programs. Things eventually become disorganized and cluttered on the SD card. Also, there shouldn't be 10+ steps in upgrading the firmware. Not to mention there shouldn't be 10+ threads of people that bricked their GP2X. Homebrew handhelds shouldn't be so tough to configure. Handhelds SHOULD be user-friendly. Scripts and crap CAN be eliminated with user-friendly programs. It's like buying a computer with DOS rather than Windows; unnecessary confusion.

If you have an idea for a menu replacement, please let us in on it. Otherwise you are just making obvious critisisms on a menu system you have never even used.

If you actually had one instead of making assumptions then you'd know that you don't have to set up a script for everything. I've never set one up and have never had a problem running everything. I have all my files organized great. I have an emulation, roms, games, and apps folder...how much more organization do you want? And the LCD tweaking, once again, you show your ignorance - you have to set it once in the settings of the firmware and it's set. You don't have to change it everytime. Firmware install is simple - throw the file in the root of the card and let it autoboot it. What's the big deal? Is that 10+ steps?

Seriously - just go away JaqMs you're constant bashing is not needed here. And if you were around when the GP32 was still being manufactured, then you'd know that the GP32 had it's fair share of bricks also. But you don't seem to mention that, do you? Putz...

BobBorakovitz, it's simple for YOU, but it might seem confusing for many others. Don't you think GPH should have improved upon the faults of the GP2X to make it more user-friendly (ie. harder to brick)?

The gp32 also had other problems that the gp2x has fixed, such as their online registration program. Initially, you couldn't run emus/homebrew code on the gp32 without going to gameparks site, registering your gp32, and then following their (terrible) instructions through a series of processes to use their buggy software to copy freelauncher over to your gp32. I had to do that, and as I was a newb to the scene it was quite a pain. The gp2x seems to be much smoother at the beginning than the gp32 was.

EDIT:
They actually did, but I guess you don't know what you're talking about. Check out the new firmware.