The iPhone is the Best Gaming Platform. Period. Potentially.

Yes, it's sure to ruffle some feathers, but I'm ready to say it: The iPhone/iPod Touch is the best gaming platform, period. Potentially...

Let's get that potentially out of the way first. Looking at the current offerings in the app store, one could be forgiven for thinking the iPhone / iPod Touch is nothing more than a novelty gaming system. After all, what platform can be taken seriously with such engaging titles as "See How Long You can Keep Your Finger On The Dot."

But don't be fooled. This new platform is the best for three key reasons:

1. Accessibility. A great gaming platform means nothing if no one plays it. With the iPhone, you have a device people will have with them at nearly all times. Whenever there's time to kill, they can whip out the iPhone and start playing. No one's lugging their xBox or PS3 around. And even PSP owners don't have the device with them all the time.

2. Fusion of console and computer. The iPhones brings together the coding simplicity of a console, by having only the iPhone and iPod Touch to code for. A longtime gripe of PC gaming has been the need for different video cards, input devices, etc to completely enjoy the game. Now programmers have the same baseline hardware specs as if they were coding for a console. Of course, the iPhone isn't a console though. Which means its robust OS can be used to open new features, and innovative ways to intergrate, music, contacts, GPS, etc into gaming. It's the best of both worlds.

3. Marketing muscle. Ask any fans of the Atari Jaguar, Sega Dreamcast, or even, ironically, the Apple Pippin, and they'll tell you you've got to have marketing muscle behind a gaming system for it to catch on. Obviously with Apple's interest in music/movie/TV show sales, they'll be promoting the iPhone and iPod touch far more than any other handheld gaming system.

It's ironic, but whether they intend to or not, Apple, once regarded as loathing gaming, may just end up on top the gaming wars.