As someone who grew up with technology and always had the latest gaming systems (I’ve waited in line during system launches in good ol’ Wisconsin winter weather) one would think I’d be a little more accepting of it.

However, I’m more akin to my grandfather when it comes to new technology; I’m very slow to adopt it and try to put it off for as long as possible.

The new tech gadget that I have finally adopted is the iPhone 3GS.

My attitude toward the phone had always been similar to the rise of online gaming for consoles with games such as SOCOM for PlayStation 2--I just don’t care for these new things changing my established order in life.

I eventually accepted online gaming with the release of Xbox Live for Xbox 360, and am constantly on there gaming with friends and downloading new games on the Arcade service. It’s a blast and a part of my gaming lifestyle.

Oddly, the iPhone has become a staple in it as well.

I’ve never used a phone for much more than anything besides, well, sending and recieving calls.

Aside from that, my phone seconded as an alarm clock and calculator and I only played one game on a phone before.

The iPhone has changed everything.

I can’t stop gaming on it. When I’m done playing big releases such as Dragon Age: Origins or Halo with friends, I like to crawl into bed and take a few moments to engage in a short session of iPhone gaming.

The fact that the platform is a phone is deceiving. I try to make myself believe that games on a phone can only be casual at best and I’ll be bored or done within minutes at most.

Now I get done with these gaming sessions to find my clock to display times well past my bedtime.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney on the iPhone.

Games on the iPhone are cheap, and many of them are well done. One of my favorite games so far is Beneath a Steel Sky–Remastered. It’s a remake of an adventure PC game from 1994 with art drawn by Watchmen co-creator Dave Gibbons.

The remastered version with touch controls and the added bonus of portability make the $3 purchase an easy one.

I’ve spent massive amounts of time sifting through iPhone games to find other remastered games, ports or brand new titles to play. Like all systems some are winners and some are stinkers.

Downloads can be free or up to $10. It’s an easy choice to plop down a few bucks for a game I can take anywhere.

And that’s another huge plus about this new gaming platform I’ve embraced.

As a big fan of portable gaming I’ve experienced and owned just about every handheld known to man.

Most of the time I don’t even use my handhelds as portable devices on bus rides, plane rides or in during lunch breaks at work like it is intended for.

I usually sit at home and game on my handhelds because I like the games enough to keep my eyes fixated on their tiny screens, but also because I don’t think they are that portable.

The Nintendo DS can take a beating, but I’d still rather not carry it around all the time, case or no case.

The PlayStation Portable is out of the question for brining anywhere for fear of damaging its screen.

The iPhone to me is truly a portable system.

It is a bit larger than some phones, but it is way smaller then Sony’s and Nintendo’s handhelds.

I can actually slide the thing into my pant pocket or coat pocket.

The much more sophisticated iPhone cases put my mind at ease if I accidentally drop or bump it into something while occupied with whatever game I’m playing.

Now I’m not saying the iPhone is better than what Sony or Nintendo offer--far from it in fact.

However, having some truly unique games like Trees of Doom coupled with ports of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Final Fantasy Tactics and Shining Force is quickly making my iPhone eat up gaming hours usually set aside for the more mainstream systems.

With that in mind, gaming on Apple’s device can only get better. Keeping up with the new iterations of the phone, however, is something my checkbook can’t embrace just yet!