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Portables (Games)

PSP And DS Duke It Out 483

Posted by Zonk from the xtc-vs.-adam-ant dept.
With the looming launch of Sony's handheld console, X-Play has a series of articles comparing and contrasting the new and shiny portable gaming consoles. The articles are broken into three parts, The PSP vs. the DS, The DS vs. the PSP, and The Final Verdict. From the final article: "Are two screens better than one? Are graphics all that matter? In this third and final edition of my Sony PSP vs. Nintendo DS editorial, I'll compare each handheld bit-by-bit and determine which of the two is worth your hard-earned cash."
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PSP And DS Duke It Out More

PSP And DS Duke It Out

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  • Warning, Spoiler ;) (Score:5, Interesting)

    by tquinlan ( 868483 ) <tom&thomasquinlan,com> on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:25PM (#12015386) Homepage
    He recommends the PSP. However, it's an extra $100, so only for those with disposable income.

    • Re:Warning, Spoiler ;) (Score:4, Insightful)

      by dmf415 ( 218827 ) * on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:57PM (#12015760)
      yes, I think $250. is way too much for a handheld device, anyone else agree?

  • mallrats quote... (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward
    hell hath no fury like a womans scorn for sega...

  • IMHO DS is far better and the review is comparing (Score:4, Insightful)

    by cOdEgUru ( 181536 ) * on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:28PM (#12015414) Homepage Journal
    apples with oranges as well..

    This review reads like a hastily put together altar for PSP for whatever reasons. For e.g, the author gives a lot of credit to PSP for something it will have in the future, meanwhile comparing the same with what DS currently has. True the touchscreen may not be the best option for navigability, but a button pad will pale before what a stylus can do when it comes to writing, careful manipulation of onscreen items. Sure yes, in a game you dont need much fine control, but what when DS starts supporting movies, mp3s and productivity apps for kids? Are you going to type using a button pad or are you using a stylus?

    The PSP costs 250 or more. DS is available now for around 120. Are you willing to pay more than double for the promise of better games, graphics and a better screen? Havent we learned enough from forking over hundreds to the Nvidia and ATI's?

    PSP Loading times??? A kid can be all grown up with in that time..

    In the end the author gets it right when he stops comparing PSP with DS since the PSP should be compared with what Nintendo would throw next in to the ring.

    I feel Sony is almost at its death throes after poking their finger in to far too many verticals than they could manage. And quality went downhill as well for almost everything they make.

    • Re:IMHO DS is far better and the review is compari (Score:5, Interesting)

      by GFLPraxis ( 745118 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:30PM (#12015453) Homepage Journal
      Definitely. Not to mention the upcoming games list!

      DS:
      http://www.gamesarefun.com/gamesdb/platform .php?pl atformid=84

      PSP:
      http://www.gamesarefun.com/gamesdb/platfor m.php?pl atformid=74

      DS definitely wins!

      • Re:IMHO DS is far better and the review is compari (Score:5, Insightful)

        by GFLPraxis ( 745118 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:38PM (#12015550) Homepage Journal
        Hm, after reading the whole review...I've gotta question the last page.

        Firstly, beter controls. The analog 'nubs' are known to not control as well as an analog stick. And if you've played Metroid Prime Hunters...

        Which has better controls depends on the gam eyou are playing. For example, I would take the PSP's analog nubs for a racing game any day. But for an FPS game, I would take the DS's touch screen any day.

        Second, value. What the heck is up with his verdict? He proclaims the PSP has better value?

        Okay, firstly, the initial cost. The PSP cost twice as much.

        Of course, many people know that initial cost is not what matters (thats why people use Macs). Let's look at the other costs.

        Want to use the PSP as a media center? 1 GB cards start around $150, but you still get less than TV resolution. For that price you could buy an extra DS.

        Just want to play games? PSP games are $50, compared to DS games at $30. So you pay a LOT more for PSP games over DS.

        So it seems to me that in value, the DS blows away the PSP. Cheaper priced system, cheaper priced games.

        • Re:IMHO DS is far better and the review is compari (Score:5, Insightful)

          by vrai ( 521708 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:53PM (#12015717)
          Except that in the modern credit happy world 10 dollars a game and 100 dollars a console doesn't mean shit. I've got both machines - the PSP is better, period.

          It is more powerful, has a bigger screen, has the capacity for larger games, has standard's compilant wireless and looks the business. The DS has the better battery life, and the touch screen is cool (the mini-games in Mario DS kick arse) but it's basically a gimic. A slightly better one that the Virtual Boy that sits atop my bookshelf, but a gimic none the less.

          The battery life isn't really an issue for most people as Ridge Racer can last five hours on a single charge, and very few people with jobs get to play video games for more than five hours a day. I took a spare battery with me last time I flew and it lasted all nine hours with juice to spare. That was mostly gaming, but with a three hour stint of watching Neverwhere off a memory card.

          I have a feeling that my DS is going to go the same way as my Gamecube. Dragged out to play the latest Mario Kart and Zelda, but otherwise gathering dust.

        • Just to correct some facts:

          PSP games are $50
          First party PSP games are $40, third party are $50. That's current pricing anyway, we can expect changes I'm sure over time.

          1 GB cards start around $150, but you still get less than TV resolution

          Actually, they start at $110. And a 512mb (which will easily hold a couple of hours of video at excellent quality) starts at around $55. The picture quality on DVD rips is stunning, the screen on the PSP really is top notch.

    • Re:IMHO DS is far better and the review is compari (Score:5, Insightful)

      by oGMo ( 379 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:42PM (#12015589)
      Are you willing to pay more than double for the promise of better games, graphics and a better screen?

      No, I'm willing to pay $100 more for better games, graphics, and screen this Thursday. The PSP launch lineup is suprisingly strong. Far stronger than even the PS2 launch. Launch titles are getting high ratings from both players and reviewers. I can't wait to see what we get in 6 months, a year, or 2+ years.

      The DS isn't offering anything significant, hasn't been for nearly 5 months. It's not promising anything significant in the future. I'll probably pick one up eventually for Katamari and FF3, but only if they really get solid reviews. (If and when they actually happen.)

      I buy a game unit for the games. The PSP already has those. Thus, I'll buy a PSP.

      In the end the author gets it right when he stops comparing PSP with DS since the PSP should be compared with what Nintendo would throw next in to the ring.

      So first you're complaining we're basing our decision on "promises" (which are actually "deliveries"), and now you think we should base our decision on something nebulous Nintendo is just starting to conceive? After the DS, the Cube, the GBA (yes the GBA with its very meager lineup of original games and overabundance of ports), and the N64 (and dare I say the Virtual Boy)... Nintendo needs to prove they've still got it.

      I love Mario and Zelda like the rest. I grew up with them, the NES, the SNES, and I forever hold a special place in my heart for those platforms. But here and now, Nintendo needs to get off its ass and work on producing new stuff. And giving Mario a water gun doesn't count.

      I feel Sony is almost at its death throes after poking their finger in to far too many verticals than they could manage. And quality went downhill as well for almost everything they make.

      I think you're in denial.

    • Re:IMHO DS is far better and the review is compari (Score:4, Insightful)

      by tehshen ( 794722 ) <tehshen@gmail.com> on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:44PM (#12015610)
      Although I agree with what most of what you're saying (potential PSP versus current DS) I have to argue about the buttons/stylus issue.

      The PSP, although it has other uses, is a games console. I want to press a button to accelerate, for example, and move an analog stick to change direction - I don't need any fine control of what I'm pointing at at all, just a vague "go in that direction". Don't argue that the DS has more programs that need fine control; in the same way, the PSP has more games that require an analog stick.
      Also, I have a long history of losing pens and styluses, where buttons tend to stick with the device.

      As for the price... I can buy a G5 from $1299 and a Dell box for $649. We've obviously learned from forking over thousands to Apple.
      • The PSP's controls are not very good though though -- the analogue nub is badly placed and quite fiddly to use, and the digital pad is the same horrid painful thing Sony's been inflicting on players since the PS1.

        It seems like Sony spent all their time obsessing about the display and simply didn't think very much about the controls. [I should say "SCE", not Sony -- it's a very SCE thing to do...]

        I kinda like the PSP, but the crappy controls put me off quite a bit. A shame. Maybe Nintendo's future GBA r
    • I'm not sure if you're a Nintendo apologist/fanboy or what, but you're ignoring the obvious allure of the PSP. I'm as big a Nintendo supporter as the next guy. Gamecube was my first console of this generation, I have a GBA, GBA SP, and a DS, and I probably won't end up with a PSP for a while. That said, the DS is lagging far behind in games with wide appeal. So far I've bought Mario 64 and WarioWare Touched for it. The standard game types on the DS (racing, etc) are getting mediocre reviews at best, while t
    • Ive had a DS since xmas and I havnt been able to play it much. Ive done a little bit of mario 64 but thats it. there are no games out yet. sprung isnt my idea of a game. Right now its just a $150 alarm clock. I'm still optimistic though. wheres my pokemon puzzle league
    • apples with oranges as well..

      Actually, it's more like Macintoshes and Golden Delicious. Both are very similar.

      True the touchscreen may not be the best option for navigability, but a button pad will pale before what a stylus can do when it comes to writing, careful manipulation of onscreen items.
      Personally, an analog stick does a better job. You also don't cover one of the screens when using it.

      Sure yes, in a game you dont need much fine control, but what when DS starts supporting movies, mp3s and p

    • Re:IMHO DS is far better and the review is compari (Score:4, Insightful)

      by Momoru ( 837801 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @05:11PM (#12015918) Homepage Journal
      I like how everyone has to make this a versus thing...buy both! If you have to buy one, just look at the games, since that is the biggest "real" difference in my opinion. PSP can have graphics that make me feel i'm looking through pane-glass at the real world, but if none of the games interest me, i don't care. DS can have a plutonium battery but if it doesn't have any good games whats the difference? All the random specs only matter if they offer the same games, which they dont. As its stands now, DS is the only system of the two that has games that interest me...and its cool it still plays my old games. But thats all anyone needs to base it on, unless your just looking for "show off" appeal, which i think the psp wins hands down just cuz you can be like "look at me i'm watchin' spiderman 2!", but if you like Ridge Racer better then Mario buy a PSP, and vice versa.

    • So you're asserting that:

      • The comparison is inherently flawed, like comparing apples and oranges, and that
      • In your estimation the victor of the inherently flawed comparison should be Nintendo.

      You just blew my mind.

    • Nah, I'm a big nintendo fanboy, but I'm gonna have to say the PSP is by far a better machine. But frankly, at four times (import) or more than twice (if and when it's released locally in .au) the damn price, it'd sure better be.

      I've had a go at both in stores, and I must say I'm _very_ disappointed in the ds. I don't care that it's not as pretty, a flip-top makes up for that. The dual screen is definitely a gimmick though, and the graphics are in no way better than an n64. There's no filtering, and the tex

  • X-Play (Score:5, Funny)

    by Nomihn0 ( 739701 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:28PM (#12015417)
    Because X-Play is the pinnacle of games journalism. An ideal blend of style and content that all should strive to match. . .

    • Re:X-Play (Score:2, Interesting)

      by minginqunt ( 225413 )
      Well, it's not much of a review. Notwithstanding the obvious anti-DS bias (which is obvious from the outset) being unhelpful in a shootout review, they also missed the fundamental point that the Nintendo DS does have analog control!

      Perhaps they missed the thumbstrap in their box? I found that it offered fantastic control of Mario 64 DS and the Metroid Prime demo, and whilst it feels weird at first, I find it more comfortable than the PSP analog control once I had adjusted.

      You're not supposed to be playing
    • If EGM was in it's prime, or even GamePro, I'd laugh.

      I'm sad because when I look at the state of gaming media today, XPlay's the only thing I can actually sit and consume with out wanting to vomit.
  • Given that it is roughly comparable in gameplay with desktop systems we were using three years ago, and will have grittier titles geared towards mature players, I'd have to say that it's got the edge over the DS.

    I don't see myself buying either given the price point (I could get a good Pocket PC for that), and I'm frankly surprised people would sink that kind of cash into any handheld electronic with smash potential, but I suppose that's just priorities. It does look like a lot of fun.

    • Re:The PSP is technically better... (Score:5, Insightful)

      by AuMatar ( 183847 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:36PM (#12015534)
      Who the hell wants "grittier titles geared twoards mature players"? We want games that are *fun*. Grit doesn't do that. In fact it usually detracts from it, it tends to be an added layer just so they can claim its "hardcore" or "GTA-like". And if I'm going to put money on which company will manage to produce fun games, its Nintendo all the way.

      • Agreed. I think the GTA horse has been beaten to death, and corpse burned. Nintendo has a long history of producing games that are just fun to play, without shocking people by pushing the envelope of insane violence in videogames.

        Alot of the increasingly gory games were fun for a time, but the shock of extreme violence has long since worn off for me. It's time for more games that are just fun to play.

  • I will pick up my PSP this Thursday. (Score:3, Interesting)

    by FireballX301 ( 766274 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:31PM (#12015468) Journal
    I will not pick up the DS. Because frankly, although the DS is innovative and unusual, the PSP has the goodies. MP3 playback, media, etc.

    Plus, Sony's 3rd party gaming support is superior. I buy the PSP not because I particularly like Sony, or dislike Nintendo, but because it will provide me with a more satisfactory general experience. That's all there is to it.

    • Re:I will pick up my PSP this Thursday. (Score:2, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward
      The GBA and DS are getting MP3 support via a third party flash cartridge, the Play-Yan. http://ds.ign.com/articles/590/590680p1.html

      And I haven't really seen the listings for UMD movies, so, pardon me if I'm a bit dubious as to the use of that particular venue. All in all, the gulf between the two systems isn't nearly as big as you paint it.
  • from the xtc-vs.-adam-ant dept.

    Heh, -1 Flamebait, although I'm not exactly sure which is which...

  • cant treust xplay (Score:2, Insightful)

    by sknja ( 196640 )
    I would rathar flip a coin than heed to anything that comes from G4... expecially X-play

  • In MY day... (Score:3, Funny)

    by Cr0w T. Trollbot ( 848674 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:32PM (#12015477)
    We didn't have no fancy E-lec-tronic games! For "handheld games" we had a paddleball! And some days we didn't even have the string! Or the ball! Or the paddle! And we liked it! We liked it justy fine!

    You tell kids that these days, and they just don't believe you...

    - Crow T. Trollbot

  • I'll wait for the real review (Score:5, Funny)

    by Grayden ( 137336 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:32PM (#12015480) Homepage
    I'll just wait for Penny Arcade [penny-arcade.com] to make a comic comparing the two before I make any decisions.

  • Loading Time (Score:2, Insightful)

    by fembots ( 753724 )
    The final verdict is to recommend PSP, even with insane loading times.

    I find it hard to swallow. For a portable gaming device, I want it to be up and running instantly, even better if it knew I am about to play and already started and waiting for me.

    I have a PDA, and usually-in-suspended-mode laptop and a usually-shut-down PC, guess which one I use most for those tiny yet urgent stuff?

    • Re:Loading Time (Score:3, Insightful)

      by TobyWong ( 168498 )
      The power button on the PSP puts it into sleep mode which has negligible impact on battery life and allows you to "turn on" your psp and return to playing pretty much instantaneously.

  • My take (Score:5, Insightful)

    by th1ckasabr1ck ( 752151 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:33PM (#12015494)
    I have had a DS since launch and it has basically felt like a complete waste of money. There are very few good games for it, the thing hurts my hands when I play it for too long, and it definitely seems like a solution in search of a problem. I honestly just bought it for the upcoming Castlevania - which is a system seller for me.

    Two weeks ago at GDC they had the PSP on the floor with a bunch of games to demo, and I was extremely impressed. After playing it there I don't see how there is any way I can NOT own a PSP. There were five times as many good games right there on the floor than have come out since the DS launch.

    Also I get a little annoyed at all of this "innovation" talk. Just because something is different doesn't mean it's better. I really believe that the DS is a weaker handheld system with all of the extra crap than it would have been without it. People talk about innovation and all of these wacky ideas for games.. Why not start with at least an analog stick for the 3d games? Playing Mario 64 with the directional buttons is not the experience it should/could be.

    • "After playing it there I don't see how there is any way I can NOT own a PSP."

      Have you heard the term "runaway consumerism"? Look into it and get some help.

      Here is a good starting point. You can NOT own a PSP by NOT buying one. See how it works?

    • Re:My take (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Psykechan ( 255694 )
      I bought my DS about a week ago primarily for Wario Ware Touched [warioware.biz] and also to play around [slashdot.org] with it. I didn't care about any of the other games and frankly couldn't have cared less if anything else was ever released for it.

      I also picked up Super Mario 64 DS because I figured "why not".

      After about 10 minutes of SM64DS I about gave up on the game. The control was terrible. I was either using a poorly designed cross pad or using the stylus on the touch screen which was awkward. That was not the end though.
      • The demo units tend to have Metroid Prime or Wario Ware Touched, though, both of which are better played with the stylus.

    • Re:My take (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Grey Ninja ( 739021 )
      Well, I personally bought my DS on a promise. A promise of games like Zelda, Advance Wars, Xenosaga, Baten Kaitos, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Wario Ware, Mario Kart, and others. Since then, I've gotten news of gems like Lost in Blue, Soul Calibur, and Katamari Damacy.

      I find that the touchpad is amazingly good, and as another poster mentioned to you, you should really try playing it with the thumbstrap. It's how the game really works.

      And you also forget that DS has built in 802.11b (all it's

  • Duke? (Score:4, Funny)

    by isecore ( 132059 ) <isecore@NOSPAM.isecore.net> on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:35PM (#12015524) Homepage
    Hmmpf, the header fooled me into thinking they were using Duke Nukem Forever as a benchmark!
  • It seems to me that your choice should depend less on the hardware and more on the games available for the platform.

    Personally, I love the Mario series, so it follows that the DS is the only option. Are there going to be many games available only for the PSP?

  • It's all about the games (Score:5, Insightful)

    by tyagiUK ( 625047 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:38PM (#12015548) Homepage
    There are two sides to any new console launch and the purchasing decision.

    Firstly, and the one that probably influences the vast majority of less professional reviews (such as this one in my opinion), is the WOW factor. This is that burning desire to own the latest, greatest, most powerful, coolest, piece of gaming kit. The excitement and anticipation of getting hold of that highly powerful and sleek piece of hardware is a very very strong pull.

    However, now we need to look at the other side. Once the novelty of having this rather expensive toy has started to wear off, it really comes down to what software is available to run on it. It's quite rare that any new console has very high quality titles available at launch that will still be classed as "classics" in 12 months' time. Generally, they're a bit rushed in order to meet launch deadlines and based on limited experience with development equipment and console hardware.

    So you may have this nice, new, slick, piece of harware, but at the end of the day, it's all about the games. I can guarantee (because I've been there myself several times) that once the novelty of having the hardware has worn off, unless the games are there to actually engage you and keep you playing, it's a bad purchase.

    The best thing to do, in my opinion, is to look at the launch schedules for both consoles. Look at which titles, coming out over the next six months, you actually want to play. If there's a good handful of titles for a given console, then it's probably worth buying. Otherwise, I can guarantee that it'll end up sitting there gathering dust, or get traded in for the next big thing.

  • Give it time (Score:5, Insightful)

    by stratjakt ( 596332 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:38PM (#12015554) Journal
    Many have come to challenge Nintendo in the handheld market, and many have died.

    Sony is no doubt the most serious contender, but they have some problems, the way I see it:

    - First party development. Face it, N makes good games that sell well. Sony relies on third parties. Until Sony has an answer to Pokemon, Mario and DK, there are millions of kids with 0 interest in PSP (and that's a big market wrt handhelds).

    - The discs. The drive will suck batteries, and if it's anything like any DiscMan I've owned, it'll skip with even the slightest bump. Unlike a serial-reading cd discman, you can't buffer everything in their ESP system, either.

    - The battery life. From what I hear, the DS battery life is on par with the GBA, which is outstanding. I've never had the battery die in my GBA, and I played it both ways on a 5 hour direct flight (forgot the charger.. didn't need it).

    We'll see in the end. IMO, if Nintendo was a couple years earlier to market with N64, PSX never would have gotten a foothold, and would be in my "obsolete console collection", next to 3DO and Jaguar.

    Either way, competition is good, and I'm looking forward to being able to afford to get both for my kids by christmas time. Right now, they're all about the DS, and couldn't give a rats ass about the PSP, for the first reason I mentioned.

    • Re:Give it time (Score:2, Interesting)

      by stratjakt ( 596332 )
      It's also worth mentioning that every kid in the US, at least, already owns a GBA, and already has an assload of games that will play on the DS.

      So when they inevitably lose/destroy the GBA (mine have been through about a half dozen so far), the SP will be the likely replacement.

      Also, it was the GBA SP's battery life I was praising. I'm quite impressed with it, and I generally always have the backlight on. Not that the original unit had bad battery life, either.
    • PSX was born as an addon to the SNES and sony continued developing it after nintendo decided to cancel the project.

    • Re:Give it time (Score:5, Informative)

      by necrognome ( 236545 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @05:17PM (#12015991) Homepage
      I have a DS and a Japanese PSP and several games for each (including one US game - Wipeout Pure - for the PSP). In response to a few of your concerns I can say the following:

      - First party development
      The PSP has better launch titles than the DS currently has DS-specific games. I say this as a Nintendo fanboy (my opinion will change when Kart and Zelda games are released).

      - The discs.
      My PSP has handled the not-exactly smooth NYC subway for a month w/o skipping (the disc only spins during loads, not continuously during play). This could be an issue with movies, but that is what high-capacity MemoryStick Duos are for. :) YMMV.

      - The battery life.
      Battery life is decent, enough for one or two gaming "sessions" (i.e. 1+ hrs. of gaming in one sitting) a day. If you want to whip out the PSP for a quick race or ten (of Wipeout, for instance), while sitting in the cafe, battery life is not an issue.

      Technically, the PSP is superb and the screen is to die for. The games will be there, though PS1/2 games may not make the console->handheld transition as well as SNES titles did. The cost is going to set folks back $350+ (assuming they want to use their new toys), and whether folks are willing to pay is the real issue.

  • Key feature (Score:5, Funny)

    by m50d ( 797211 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:39PM (#12015556) Homepage Journal
    Can you use the PSP to draw penises at your friends? What's the use of it then?
    • Ironically, I can't call this a troll. Pictochat does seem to do pretty well with the generally younger market that Nintendo aims at; PSP doesn't have anything like it, and never will.

  • Confusing Headline (Score:5, Funny)

    by obender ( 546976 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:44PM (#12015617)
    Duke is out

    For a short second I thought that Duke Nukem Forever has been released.

  • Bah! Here's the real indicators of.... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Dolemite_the_Wiz ( 618862 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:49PM (#12015666) Journal
    ...the DS and PSP's success.

    DS - Will Nintendo pull it's proverbial head out of it's backside and develop games that aren't amied at 12 year olds and start developing games that challenge the marketplace. This is the age old story of Nintendo not moving out of consistent 'Mario' releases.

    PSP - Will the US public be willing to slap down $250 (US) for the PSP and another $250 (US) for 1GB + Memory Cards. This is even before games or movies are even purchased.

    I personally have a DS and am sickened by the lack of attention that Nintendo is STILL giving to the crap titles that are coming out.

    The DS is an amazing product but no one has even shown that they can not only take advantage of what the DS has to offer but to push the limits of the console with an amazing game.

    From what I've seen so far, the types of titles that have come out or are coming out are either kiddie games or re-packaging of old games that have come out of previous incarnations of Nintendo products.

    Xbox had Halo to show off what their console can do, I have yet to see an equivelant for not only the Nintendo DS but for the PSP as well.

    Dolemite
    _______________

  • Game Boy Advance SP All (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Lobster Cowboy ( 605052 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:50PM (#12015673)
    I recommend the GBA SP over either system. It's insanely cheap, plays great games, and the batteries last forever.

    I only play portable games when I have a few minutes to spare. GBA SP lets me do this perfectly. What's with the PSP's lame-ass battery life and long load times? Did the designers forget the purpose of a portable console?

    And screw the DS and its two screens. Stop overcomplicating matters. If ANYTHING needs simplicity, it's a portable system. Lose the stylus, drop a screen, and go back to what made Game Boy great.
    • One dimensional games that are short in length and aren't very graphically appealing?

      P.S. GBA games last at least 11 hours on DS systems. The most I've gotten on one DS Battery Charge is 12 3/4 hours playing Final Fantasy - Tatics Advanced before the battery died.

      I know this may get a flame mod but try playing the DS first before commenting on it.

      Dolemite
      ______________________
    • But that's why there's a new Gameboy in development right now. The DS is not a Gameboy replacement.

  • Are graphics all that matter? (Score:4, Funny)

    by dfn5 ( 524972 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:51PM (#12015689) Journal
    Do all your base belong to us?

    I say no!!!!

    ----
    -...#########
    |>{|
    |@(|
    ----

  • Old-School (Score:3, Interesting)

    by alucard963 ( 542262 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:52PM (#12015691) Homepage
    I have a GameCube and a PC when I'm interested in 3D games. I have my GameBoy Advance for old-school classics that are in 2D. Fire Emblem (on the GBA) is easily one of my favorite games ever, and I've yet to play a good 3D Castlevania. Thing is, three-dimensions doesn't hide crappy gameplay.

  • DS also plays GBA carts (Score:5, Insightful)

    by enderwig ( 261458 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @04:52PM (#12015704)
    Wonder why the author didn't mention that part at all? If you were thinking about buying a GBA, then it's almost a no-brainer to go with the DS instead. Also, there's that built in library of >500 games right there, and those games cost a lot less then $50.

    Value going to the PSP? Isn't "value" too subjective? If the PSP isn't able to play the games I want, then it's got no value. Vice versa for the DS.

    Giving the DS a win in gameplay, when most of the DS article was lambasting the lack of games and gameplay... WTF?
    • Well, so long as you don't mind having no multiplayer on GBA games and no option to do any of the link-up features with the Gamecube. Oh, and as long as you don't want to play original Gameboy or Gameboy Colour games.

      Let's face it, Nintendo's implementation of backward-compatibility on the DS is pretty half-arsed.

    • They also forgot that the DS has MP3 and movies (Score:4, Informative)

      by PxM ( 855264 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @06:20PM (#12016692)
      You need a $40 3rd party extension, but that's still cheaper than the PSP. And it has good reviews [lik-sang.com] too. This was an SP product that happens to work on the DS due to backwards support. The good thing about this is that it isn't controlled by Sony like their fucking UMD that no one else can use. Anyone with a flash card reader can use the DS for movies. The downside is that it's another item to carry with you which is bad for those without big pockets or bags. Given that the old GBA roms are a known format, I'm guessing that there will be a lot more third party apps for the DS than with the PSP. Particularly when someone figures out how to get the DS to play games over WiFi without a physical disk. This is a known feature of the DS, but it's not a public spec yet.

      --
      Want a free iPod? [freeipods.com]
      Or try a free Nintendo DS, GC, PS2, Xbox. [freegamingsystems.com] (you only need 4 referrals)
      Wired article as proof [wired.com]

  • Don't like either (Score:3, Insightful)

    by NYTrojan ( 682560 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @05:01PM (#12015800)
    and I'm a game nut. It's taken me a long time to come to this conclusion, but I really just don't like either of the new handhelds.

    The DS is just plain too gimicky for my blood. I don't WANT to use a stylus or reach my thumb all the way over to play a game. Cute idea, could result in a handful of fun games like Wario Ware, but we're talking glorified palm pilot games here, not console hand held quality. You end up with a handful of refreshingly different games that lack any substance whatsoever. What about Metroid Prime Hunters you ask? Well it only works because you use the touchpad as an analog controller. Can you really look at it? do you even look at what you're touching? No.. your eyes are fixed on the one action screen while you control with your thumb extended across the device uncomfortably.

    Then there's the PSP... It looks beautiful, really does. And it has a ton of features like MP3 and video playback... but the battery life is an absolute KILLER for me. 2.5 hours of gameplay? You have to be kidding me. As a person who flys a lot I find the fact that this thing won't make a typical flight greatly disturbing. I don't need 20 hours like the SP gives me, but less than 8 or 9 and I get uncomfortable. less than 3 is simply unacceptable. The features aren't really a selling point either since I can't see using this large thing as an MP3 player, and dropping the big bucks for a big sony mem card for video doesn't appeal to me either. 50 dollar games for a handheld is pushing it, but I could swallow that pill if only I could play them for more than a couple hours at a time.

    I really wanted to like one of these... I've been spending time trying to find a system seller... but both of them have drawbacks that seem far too severe to drop big money on.
    • "2.5 hours of gameplay? You have to be kidding me. As a person who flys a lot I find the fact that this thing won't make a typical flight greatly disturbing. I don't need 20 hours like the SP gives me, but less than 8 or 9 and I get uncomfortable. less than 3 is simply unacceptable."

      Where the hell did you get the number 2.5 from?

      It's easily 5+. I know this because I've had a PSP for months now, I own both japanese and US games and there is no way in hell the battery runs out in 2.5 hours. Another case o
  • I will by a PSP the moment i find out how the hell i can play ripped DVDs on it.

    1. Can the optical drive in it read/play mini-DVDs/mini-CDs?
    2. Can you use the craptacular cheap Memory Sticks (not the Memory MG Sitck Duo Extra Gate Super WHAT THE FSCK?!!/Denis Leary) ones?

    if i can drop two or three lowly compressed DiVX movies on a 1 Gig stick, i'm in.

    Seriously, i hate fscking Sony and their stupid ass memory cards... i have a $90 2GB microdrive i'd love to use as a movie hard drive to watch on a protab
    • Can the optical drive in it read/play mini-DVDs/mini-CDs?

      No - it can only read UMD discs.

      Can you use the craptacular cheap Memory Sticks (not the Memory MG Sitck Duo Extra Gate Super WHAT THE FSCK?!!/Denis Leary) ones?

      No, it will only take DUO (which means small in Sony speak) cards - either Pro or not-pro, that doesn't matter.

      if i can drop two or three lowly compressed DiVX movies on a 1 Gig stick, i'm in

      Yes you can, I do that already. It's not strictly-speaking Divx (it's some baseline mp4 cod

  • I think the deciding factor for me is expectations I have from portable gaming. When I want to play a portable system, it is usually in short increments. For this reason, I'm looking for 1) Fast Load Times, 2) Simplistic gameplay. This is one of the reasons I love my GBA SP. I can turn it on, play for a little bit, and turn it back off. I also enjoy the fact that I have a large selection of more "old school" classic-style gameplay on my GBA SP since they aren't offered much on the consoles anymore.

    When I look at the PSP, I see a mini-console. I don't know if I'm really interested in that sort of thing. I don't want all of the same games I play on my console, I want something different. Now, with that said, the library of DS games right now suck, so I'm passing on that as well until we can see what Nintendo can do.

    I thought the writer made an interesting point about women digging the Nintendo DS. I've found that women generally seem to like the things Nintendo has to offer, and not just with the DS. When my wife and I have our couple friends over, it's funny to see the women in the group actually WANT to play video games because they want to play things like Mario Party and Donkey Konga. And my wife loves her Nintendo DS with Wario Ware (although she is wanting another game at this point). I think there is a real opportunity for Nintendo to capture a large number of non-traditional gamers with its products. Unfortunately, it can be a difficult proposition because it seems that most women get their video game experiences through more hardcore gamers, so unless Nintendo can get a foothold in with the hardcore gamers, they may not be able to capture anthing.

    • "I thought the writer made an interesting point about women digging the Nintendo DS. I've found that women generally seem to like the things Nintendo has to offer, and not just with the DS. When my wife and I have our couple friends over, it's funny to see the women in the group actually WANT to play video games because they want to play things like Mario Party and Donkey Konga. And my wife loves her Nintendo DS with Wario Ware (although she is wanting another game at this point). I think there is a real op
    • I've noticed this. Mario Kart is like the Errol Flynn of video games.
  • on a few things related to the DS.
    First of all why did he "forget" to mention the backwards compatibility of the DS with GBA games? That alone brings 2000+ games to the DS's library.
    A definite plus that the PSP does not have.
    Another thing, although the DS does not support MP3 playback, movie playback, picture viewing, etc out of the box you can purchase an adapter (the SuperCard) for 40$ US that allows you to plug in a CF card which allows you to watch movies, play mp3s, view images, and whatever else deve
  • This is just My opinion, but.. are you aware that there IS a new game boy in the works? that the lifetime of the DS could be seriously affected by it? Even the article said it:

    "Is not fair to compare the DS vs the PSP it should be compared to the GBA 2."

    Imo: This explains it quite well I believe: [domaindlx.com]
    Oh yes, mod me down as much as possible. I still wouldnt buy a DS or recommend anyone to buy one, at least not now.

    Why do you have to buy a handheld now anyway? just because is new? Ill sit and wait
  • Call me crazy, but the PSP will win, here's my reconing:

    - PlayStation typically has more adult games (an audience more willing to plunk down the cash for it).
    - PlayStation has somewhat dominated the console market recently.
    - PlayStation has much more buzz than the billion+1 attempts Nintendo has made over portable device. Good marketing is key.
    - Playstation has the movie ability. Something that parents will like (for those long car rides). Keeps kids quiet for a while. Nintendo DS isn't as multi-purpos
  • You need a $40 3rd party cartridge, but you can play divx movies, mp3s and read text on the GBA and DS off a flash card. It's an import called Movie Advance [movieadvance.com] There is a good review on Lik Sang [lik-sang.com] but that site seems to be having troubles so here is a Google cache [64.233.167.104]. Another review is at PlanetGC [planetgamecube.com]. The good thing about this is that it isn't controlled by Sony like their fucking UMD that no one else can use. Anyone with a flash card reader can use the DS for movies. The downside is that it's another item to carry wi
  • I wonder how that meeting went:

    "We seem to have a reputation for only making kiddie games."
    "I know, we'll add a pressure sensitive screen!"
    "So...like...we'll be touchy *and* kiddie?"
    "Yes! Who above the age of 16 could possibly be creeped out by that?"
    "But sir..."
    "Quiet! Now fetch me the heart of a gamer."

    I kid, I kid. Though seriously, GBA games are pretty hard to stomach after, you know, facial hair. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, with your lets-start-the-game-as-an-eight-year-old-throwing - snowball

  • Deja Vu (Score:5, Insightful)

    by BlastM ( 663010 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @06:29PM (#12016804) Journal
    What follows is a story of portable gaming of olde.

    When I first saw the PSP I felt like i had seen it somewhere before. Indeed, after a bit of googleimagery I thought I was seeing double.

    Compare this [torstensson.com] to this [myatari.net]. And this [noticiasdot.com] to this [mauco.net]. Similar, no? The console pictured is the infamous Atari Lynx.

    Back in the day, the Atari Lynx launched and had better graphics (they were colour!) and had a 16-bit processor, as opposed to the Nintendo Gameboy's 8-bit Z80. The Lynx was undeniably better in the hardware department. It was meant to trigger a worldwide revolution or something. There would be rioting in electronics stores and wars fought in playgrounds.

    And you know what happened to the Lynx? It faded into obscurity. Why? Gaming historians all agree; the Lynx had poor battery life. The system simply wasn't as portable as the Gameboy, nor did the games feature that Nintendo charm that you can't quite describe.

    Nintendo has triumphed over every competitor that has launched an assault on their portable gaming stronghold over the last decade and a half. Now Nintendo faces what few would argue is their toughest competition yet. The Big N got complacent and Sony caught them off their guard with the original PlayStation, but battle-hardened Nintendo won't be giving up the portable domain so easily. This battle is going to be tough, and it's going to be decided on which console has the games that are the most fun. And that little battery life issue that lead to the downfall of the notorious Atari Lynx all those years ago.

    • Re:Deja Vu (Score:3, Interesting)

      by boarder8925 ( 714555 )
      "The PlayStation cannot beat Nintendo, because the N64 has more power."

      Guess what happened. The PlayStation beat the Nintendo 64.

    • Re:Deja Vu (Score:3, Interesting)

      by DingerX ( 847589 )
      Was it battery life?
      The Lynx had many cool things going for it. You could hook eight of them together (hmmm, and I think the hardware would support up to 256, or in any case a helluva lot more than the 2/4 that the GB had), and play all sorts of games. The active-matrix, backlit color screen was bright.
      The real problem was the lack of software support. Of course, while gaming historians may point to battery life, it could have been something else. Perhaps, if my memory serves me right, it was because Epyx

  • Flamebait! (Score:3, Funny)

    by Jonny_eh ( 765306 ) on Tuesday March 22, 2005 @09:41PM (#12018671)
    I have a DS, and love it, but since I've passed both mario DS and warioware (rather quickly, they were a blast!) I've gone back to reading, gasp, books! Small paperback novels are highly portable. The graphics aren't the best, but they also don't cost $250 + n x $50. Warning: batteries not included.

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