Android console gaming still awaits its king

As you can imagine, many, many devices pass through Engadget's proverbial review bunker. Most start their lives as nebulous market research data presented on PowerPoint slides, and gradually coalesce into something real. It's all part of the time-honored product-development process. Thanks to the popularity of crowdfunding, though, some products start life elsewhere -- as a dream, or even a hobby. The PlayJam GameStick is one of them. This $80 portable Android-based game console enters the market at a curious time. Two gaming giants are poised to launch their next-gen platforms this month, and OUYA -- that other Kickstarter Android console -- is gaining traction through wider availability in retail.

PlayJam (the company behind GameStick) may be established in the TV-game market, but, despite not having dangerously high expectations to live up to, it's still got its work cut out. As for taking on the giants? That's never been its intention. Either way, with the gaming universe about to experience a tsunami of media attention, will GameStick be able to ride the waves of excitement, or will it find itself splashing in the ankle busters? We took to the thumbsticks to find out.

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