The New York Times claims the new video game Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is “one of the most important” because of its story telling and maturity.

But really, it’s just because this is a violent video game on a stereotypically kiddie and girlie gaming system, the Nintendo DS. The article praises game developer Rockstar and Nintendo for being “bold” and making a “vital statement to the public” that video games are not just for children.

Didn’t we already know this?

How is it bold of Nintendo for approving one of the best-selling video game series of all time to make a game exclusively for their system, almost certain to sell millions of copies. GTA is a safe-bet, not bold. And as amazing as Chinatown Wars is, it’s not a “crucial moment in the maturation of the gaming industry.” It’s a well-known franchise in an industry more known for violence than child-friendly fare. The New York Times itself has pushed flawed research about how all this violence is harmful.

Video games are still maturing yes, and Chinatown Wars is a helpful step to spreading the rich storytelling potential of the medium. But it’s a miniature version of the also adult GTA IV released only a year ago. Just as adult and arguably more visually spectacular. Adult is not always maturity.  Video games can be mature without violence, but talking animals and magic spells don’t get the same headlines as blood and gore.

I recognize the DS itself has expanded the video game market. Yay. It’s more than four years old. About time the New York Times realized violence can sometimes make good storytelling.

Forbes provided some hyped linkbaiting today with an article on why Apple’s iPhone could kill, not compete with, but kill the Nintendo DS. I’m taking the bait to quash Apple’s gaming might once and for now.

Tech pundits love finding that new “killer” app to quash the incumbent which, in recent memory, always seems to be something Apple related: iPod “killer”, iPhone “killer”, and even Apple TV “killer” (do you need to kill something that isn’t even selling?).

Nintendo’s DS is the powerhouse of handheld gaming, the benefit of almost 20 years and more than half-a-dozen hardware generations. Sony launched its first handheld competitor, the PSP, barely clutching to 30 percent of the market, a credit to the system’s power and Sony’s well-established Playstation brand. Apple comes to the gaming world with no experience (except the tragic Pippin), no game studio, no retail presence or expandable memory, and most importantly, no interest in killing Nintendo.

Forbes writes its article ahead of Apple’s release of 3rd-party software include, presumably, an assortment of games. When Apple announced its developer’s kit for 3rd-parties, major game publishers Sega and EA were there to show off the first games for the platform. These high-profile releases led blogs to speculate on the iPhone’s potential as an actual handheld gaming platform.

This assumes Apple wants to be a handheld platform. The recently announced $25 for games sales Apple has other priorities. Gaming platforms have relied on low priced hardware subsidized by royalties from game sales. Sony’s PSP struggled initially at its $200 price point - how can Apple’s $400 iPhone think to fare better.

The other point against Apple’s gaming interests are its lack of actual gaming. EA’s cute flOw clone, if holding to Apple’s aforementioned price, costs $8 on the PS3. A rare $20 game on the PSP, Patapon, featured dozens of hours of gameplay. The DS offers assorted casual games like those likely to dominate on the iPhone, but also offers a varied library of epic stories and varied genres. Casual gaming is big business, yes, but hard core gaming is still bigger. The Wii sells amazingly, but software beyond Nintendo (first-party) fails to sell like games on the Xbox 360 and PS3.

Games will never sell the iPhone. The iPhone sells itself because of its variety of features and solid casual gaming will appeal to that user base in ways even the Nintendo DS can’t. The result will be different markets, not competitors.

As Gizmodo reveals, there’s this unique new band (can we really call them that?) called iBand with a creative new YouTube video featuring the original sounds of two iPhones and a Nintendo DS with Electroplankton.  I only fear when Philip Glass creates a 150-person iPhone orchestra.  The future is now people.

With costs exceed $20 million dollars to produce games for the next-generation, publishers a looking at every avenue to defray costs, from producing cheap multi-platform ports, to sequels, to charging for updates.  But my question is, with the slow growth for this next-gen of gaming, why aren’t publishers putting the effort into handhelds?

Square Enix chief executive Yoichi Wada is committing his company to the handheld market for the year.  He responds to the demographics of the massively dominate Unintended DS. and criticizes the PS3 and Xbox 360 for being too complex.

“There are too many specs – and you also need a high-definition TV, a broadband connection and a deep knowledge of gaming – these consoles are mismatched to today’s environment. In a year or two years they will fare better,” says Wada.

Square Enix plans to put one of its flagship series’ next installments, Dragon Quest IX, on the DS.

Other publishers may follow Square Enix’s example.  The gaming industry has enjoyed the console dominance in the PS2 that provided detailed, 3D worlds compared to the pale colored sprites of Gameboy games.  But this generation of handhelds provide unique gaming experiences without sacrificing graphics and gameplay. 

Unfortunately, game developers do not seem to put their best work on the handhelds.  The PSP receives an army of poor console ports while the DS enjoys more mini-games and causal gamer experiences than it does Pokemon spin-offs.  In fact, not since Pokemon has there been a successful handheld only franchise. 

The DS has more than 35 million units sold.  The PSP numbers over 25 million.  Both challenge the less than 25 million consoles sold.  That includes the Wii, Xbox 360, and PS3.  Handheld games cost less to make and have a larger, more diverse audience than consoles.  Upcoming God of War and Final Fantasy spin-offs are good starts, but it’s questionable the innovation they offer being products of the console generation.  Just think how much Pokemon console games suck.

But maybe us hardcore gamers, developers included, are still glued to our television sets.  I know I am.