Gamepark GP2X F200 released at last

I love handheld gaming and can regularly be found swearing loudly because I missed my bus thanks to being too enraptured in a game of Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass on my DS. What's best about handheld gaming though is the blooming homebrew scene which is filled with free games and apps for these portable consoles.

The DS and PSP aren't the only gaming platforms with strong homebrew followings though and for a while now there has been another handheld on the scene, just below the radar. The GP2x is a Linux-based handheld platform created by GamePark which has dual 200MHz CPUs, a 320x240 3.5 inch screen and SD Card storage. It also has USB ports and runs on 2x AA batteries, weighing only 161g without power. That was just the old version though and now there's a newer kid on the block.

The new version of GamePark's GP2X portable gaming platform has finally been released, boasting a fair few enhancements over the original model.

The main new feature of the F200 is the touchscreen which offers homebrew developers a new input to fiddle with. The F-200 also comes with five new games, including the popular indie game Cave Story, an improved joystick and new support for multi-tasking. Oh, and it's white too.

The F200 is now available and costs around $169 or £85, which makes it cheaper than a DS Lite or a PSP. Check the official site for resellers and links.

If you've already got a GP2X then you may want to check out some of the new homebrew games available, some of which are very well made.

Fancy picking one up or putting it down on your Christmas list or do you think indie platforms like this are doomed to fail? Let us know what you think in the forums.