PSP Launch Coverage 461
Sony's handheld console has launched with great fanfare, and already there are plenty of places to get opinions and reviews. Shacknews has a nice hands on with the player itself, Gamespy has reviews of the launch titles, and Gamespot has coverage of just about everything on its PSP Launch Center page. From the Shacknews hands-on: "Technically speaking, the PSP is a far superior machine to the Game Boy Advance or Nintendo DS. It's a powerhouse device, capable of displaying modern graphics, playing robust sound, and can even replace a portable DVD player. However, many of its launch titles are just watered-down versions of PS2 games and Sony has no experience in portable gaming. Nintendo has been doing it right for a decade and half, why should we think the PSP can just waltz onto the scene and take over? Can it even be done?"
Because it's never been done is not a reason... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Because it's never been done is not a reason... (Score:4, Interesting)
Another selling point is that, from what I understand, PSP games aren't region-coded in any way. As such, I'll be totally stoked if I can play some anime-related and dating sim titles that are sure to come out over in Japan that will never be sold domestically.
Re:Because it's never been done is not a reason... (Score:5, Informative)
Movies, however, are region-locked [wikipedia.org]. That won't stop me from eventually getting the PSP, though.
Re:Because it's never been done is not a reason... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Because it's never been done is not a reason... (Score:3, Informative)
They didn't claim it was that, either. Nintendo has always said the DS is a third platform. They're not only still making GBA games, but they haven't even slowed down making GBA games.
Re:Because it's never been done is not a reason... (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Because it's never been done is not a reason... (Score:5, Insightful)
When the Genesis came out, sure it was a better system, but Nitnendo had the bigger names and more titles. Not neccessarily better titles, but more. The same thing holds true back with the NES.
When the PS1 came out, though, Nintendo was in a different position. They had aging console hardware out, new titles were slowing down, and most of those big core names they had (Metroid, Mario, Zelda) hadn't had a major, successful release two to three years.
Not only did Sony come out with new hardware, new names, new titles, but even stole some of the big Nintendo names (Squaresoft, Enix, etc).
On the same note in handhelds, the Gameboy has always had several things in its favor: It's had the major game franchises, it's had far, far more games. In some cases, it didn't even have better games, just more. It didn't have a hardware advantage. Most of the other handheld challengers have been superior hardware, but they've all lacked a solid lineup of games. (The N-gage had the extra strikes from marketing and design issues).
However, things have changed now. Nintendo does have new hardware out, but it doesn't have the titles behind it. It's got a few good games, but Sony just plain has a lot of games. One of the Gameboy's selling points was the massive library of games.
The DS is Nintendo's mistake, I think. They brought it out, they made it the focus of their handheld strategy, but they didn't (and still don't) have the games behind it that it needs. Imagine if the GBA came out and all we had were a handful of games? A lot more people would have stuck with their GBCs rather than spend $80 on new hardware to play mostly the same games. The GBA had a very strong launch list, though.
The DS didn't, and a lot of people I know (myself included) stuck with their GBAs. Have you heard much from Nintendo about the GBA lately? Seen any GBA commercials since the DS came out? I haven't. I've gotten a few new games for it, but the push is behind the DS, not the GBA.
Sony has some hardware issues, but let's face it: So did the GBA. Bad screen, annoying buttons, too big. It still did great, even before the SP came out. The hardware issues are something people should know, but did they kill the GBA? While we're at it, did they kill the PS1 or PS2? Nope. It's going to come down to the games yet again, and this time, the PSP has them.
The GBA could win it with the PSP. It's cheaper, and Nintendo can probably afford to drop the price even farther. Throw in bundled games with the hardware like they used to, make it something like Super Mario Advance or Zelda or something with more or less universal appeal. It doesn't have the graphics, but it does have the games.
But, Nintendo's pushed the DS too much. I'm afraid of it ending up like the Visual Boy. At this point in the game, that would be far worse for Nintendo than the Visual Boy was - at the time, the Gameboy wasn't up against any serious competition. Now it is.
Re:PSP and DS not comparable (Score:4, Insightful)
I do think the fallout will be pretty minimal, though. The PSP is going to be big, oviously. It looks like it'll be bigger than the DS by far, and challenge the GBA.
But, something that people have largely stopped pointing out is that Nintendo and Sony target different groups for the most part. Nintendo targets younger gamers more than older ones. Yes, they sell to older gamers, like me, but Sony's games and systems have appealed to me more for a long time.
Sony doesn't have the "kids" games that I've seen. Nintendo doesn't have the "grownup" games. Both of them will be able to have solid places in the market without wiping each other out.
Re:Because it's never been done is not a reason... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:2D ban (Score:5, Insightful)
2D games like Guilty Gear X (and sequels)? Alien Hominid? DDRMAX? Contra: Shattered Soldier? Gradius?
(OK, at least with the last 2 they're rendered with 3D, but they're still 2D sidescrollers.)
You're full of shit -- there is SNK on PS2 (Score:4, Informative)
Uh, mods, this is wrong (Score:4, Informative)
hmm. (Score:5, Insightful)
Maybe I'm crazy, but it looks to me like Sony already has experience in the whole "beating someone after over a decade of dominance" thing.
Re:hmm. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:hmm. (Score:3, Informative)
Re:hmm. (Score:4, Informative)
What can a Gameboy play? (Score:3, Insightful)
Maybe im crazy too, but I loved that quote (Score:3, Interesting)
WTF? If MS had done to the PC what Nintendo did to the hand held gaming market, it would make the current and past antitrust cases look like a walk in the park.
remember the Sega game gear or the Atari Lynx?
Those other hand helds that are also dam close to a decade and a half old.. remember colour screens and the ability to watch TV on them(well i only remember the GG having a T
Re:Maybe im crazy too, but I loved that quote (Score:2)
I have played both Atari Lynx and Sega Game Gear. (I still play Game Gear every so often). There were a few problems with the systems that held them back.
1) Battery-Life: Both systems sucked batteries. Depending on the game (and lighting) you would be lucky to get a few hours out of a pack batteries (which aren't cheap for kids). Rechargable packs didn't last long, and needed to be recharged, (which takes forever). The first game boy would run forever on less batteries.
2) Size, Both of these systems we
Re:hmm. (Score:2)
There will *ALWAYS* be room for sony in the portables market because nintendo has very tight control over what kind of games can appear on their system. Sony basically invented the market for *adult* videogames.
Just my thoughts, but (Score:5, Insightful)
Wait, no, that isn't it at all. The only reason Sony got anywhere with the original Playstation was everything else at the time fucking sucked. The Jaguar and Saturn were jokes, the N64 wasn't what consumers wanted and only had like three good games max (all by Nintendo), and Nintendo was such a jackass in the mid 90s under the old CEO that nobody wanted to work with them.
Sony's takeover of the video game industry in the mid 90s and their capable defending since of the ground they took shows an enormous degree of business saavy. What it doesn't show is skill. Sony grabbed the market in the startling way they did less because of what they did right than because of what everyone else did wrong; all their competitors were either incompetent or, in Nintendo's case, incompetent and repulsive.
Well, the handheld and media player markets that Sony is trying to slip somewhere indeterminately between right now are a good bit different from the video game industry when the Playstation was released. The media player market is extremely rich right now, and on the video game side the PSP (unlike the Playstation) actually has a viable competitor; Nintendo is no longer particularly repulsive to developers, and they're even doing things lately that you could almost call competent, sometimes. Meanwhile, frankly, looking at the Playstation, the Playstation 2, and the PSP, the first two of these are just plain good products. The third... how shall I put this... seems to me rather lacking, and doesn't really seem to serve any utility at all unless you really want a Video iPod and don't mind spending lots of money on memory sticks. This seems likely to be a bit of a hard sell given alternative systems with a fair degree of quality really do exist.
I'll agree the person you quote is being silly; I don't think there's any reason to think that Nintendo can magically and eternally defend itself from all challenges to the Game Boy. But if you look at the products on the market right now... meh, I think it's pretty safe to say they can defend themselves against the PSP.
Re:Just my thoughts, but (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:hmm. (Score:2)
Just thought I'd provide at least a slight counterpoint to that.
Watered down? (Score:2, Insightful)
Yeah because it's not like the biggest appeal of the GBA/DS games are all the SNES ports/rehashes.
Re:Watered down? (Score:2)
Seriously, ten minutes with Lumines can convince even the most thick-headed brand bigot that Sony's developer lineup is solid.
Re:Watered down? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Watered down? (Score:2)
Plus the DS has a *more* advanced version of the N64s Mario 64, not a SNES rehash.
Anyway, the point I think the original comment was trying to make is that Nintendo (et al.) has lots of experience making portable games whereas if you look at the PSP lineup you'll see that they're all the kind of thing you'd rather play on a proper console and big TV. Conversely the Tetris/Pokemon kind of
Re:Watered down? (Score:2)
Gamestop (Score:5, Interesting)
I cannot remember the last time a system launched and 100% of a store's inventory is gone.
Re:Gamestop (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Gamestop (Score:3, Insightful)
I'll hold out (Score:2)
Give me Bejeweled and Galaga on the PSP and I just might get one!
Market Dominance? (Score:4, Insightful)
I think this is kinda like when the XBox came out:
Microsoft has no experience in console gaming. Nintendo has been doing it right for a decade and half, why should we think the Xbox can just waltz onto the scene and take over?
While these are not quite the same scenarios, both MS and Sony have advantages in these new markets: MS had a hojillion dollars and Sony has the console market by the balls. PlayStation fans will probably pick up the PSP, and that could really make the PSP turn up in the black (not to pun the PSP's color)
Re:Market Dominance? (Score:2)
s/Xbox/PlayStation/g
s/MS/Sony/g
Sony have already taken over a market owned by Nintendo and Sega. Sega no longer make hardware, and Nintendo are left with one marginally successful line (GC), and one which supports their company (GB/DS). I wouldn't be comfortable if I worked for the big N right now.
Bjorn3d article (Score:2)
A problem? (Score:5, Insightful)
In fact, playing these games on the GBA is almost an excuse to return back to the simpler, yet highly addictive, 16-bit era where pixels were the rage and polygons only existed in arcades.
When I think of Sony, I think of Gran Turismo and realistic RPG's, not quirky sprites with catchy music that makes me want to play my GBA.
Maybe if Sony could get something like Bubble Bobble or another old franchise, PSP would have more appeal.
Just my two cents.
Re:A problem? (Score:5, Insightful)
Personally, what I most want on the PSP is MAME. The default 32Meg Memory Stick will hold approximately 1.37 metric buttloads of old arcade ROMs.
It's like a friendlier PS2. (Score:3, Interesting)
But remember, emulating those old games is much easier on a portable because the screen, large and beautiful as it is, is still smaller. You can get away with less detail and let more things slide because people just won't be able to notice. Much like the free anti-aliasing effect consoles enjoy when displayed on televisions.
Oh,
Lag... (Score:2)
Need for Speed Underground Rivals
A couple times I experienced some pretty bad slowdown. At one point during a race, all four cars were basically ramming into each other and the game dropped to about three frames per second. When I came around to that same point the next lap, there was no collision and no slowdown. I've read that I'm not alone in this situation.
Is this a hardware or software problem?
Re:Lag... (Score:2, Insightful)
Sounds like rushed software.
Re:Lag... (Score:2)
Re:Lag... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Lag... (Score:2)
Re:Lag... (Score:5, Informative)
There are different ways of approaching this.
- Check your collisions once a frame and bounce or something when you collide.
DOWNSIDE: If you have a car running at really high speed you could actually run through a wall or another car, totally unacceptable.
So you have to do a time-sweep. In other words trace the entire movement of the object from time when the movement started until the end, ie do the calculation between 2 consecutive frames.
Now all collisions are detected, but how do you handle the collision?
- Stop the object at location it had in the previous frame.
DOWNSIDE: if you are chasing another car and bump into the rear your car would loose all speed. totally unacceptable in a racing game but could work in a platform game. Another illustration is a box sliding down a slope, it would never get down the slope because it would be stopped from "falling" each frame without sliding.
- Create bounces to be calculated next frame and forward the time.
DOWNSIDE: if your car rams into a wall at high speed it could possibly be stuck, the problem would manifest itself as an erratic bouncing. You can sometimes notice this problem when throwing grenades in various games for example.
- Stop the time when the first collision occurs, recalculate trajectories and do a new collision test to see when the next collision occurs. Do this over and over until you've reached the target time.
DOWNSIDE: Every iteration of the collision tests has to be run several times for each frame. This will take ALOT of time and could cause bad stalls if you don't have plenty of CPU.
The last solution shown above could possibly be the one they selected for the game, that the problem occurs when all the cars collide is almost the type case for the problems. However the method works in a stable way and they probably couldn't get any tweaked way to work in a reliable way so this was the least horror.
/ Jonas Lund
Got a PSP, need more puzzle games... (Score:5, Informative)
I also picked up two games, Tony Hawk and Lumines. I've had the chance to play each for about 30 minutes, and I must say, the PSP needs more games like Lumines (which is a puzzle game similar to Tetris, for those unaware.)
The great thing about those types of games, is they are quick to play. You can pick it up and put it down at any time, without having to get into a story or finish some long drawn-out goal or mission. I'm hoping both Sony and the game studios see a benefit in creating more games like this, especially for the PSP, but also stand-alone consoles.
I've posted links to pictures and more info to my blog [backdrifter.com], if you are interested. More info will be posted as I get a chance.
Re:Got a PSP, need more puzzle games... (Score:2)
Though first im getting a Nintendo DS as it just has more portable titles, I dont see the PSP as being direct competition right now as the games its offering are far closer to the home systems than to mobile games.
This is hopefully a lesson sony will learn , as we have seen the gameboy and kin come up against technicaly superior pro
Re:Got a PSP, need more puzzle games... (Score:2)
When I went to the DMV to get my license renewed, I put my Zoo Keeper game in my DS. It's a bejewelled clone basically, easy to play for a quick session while I'm waiting for something. Not too big of a deal to
re: skateboard games (Score:2)
Maybe if MAME gets ported over... *sigh*
Re:For longer games, there is a nice feature (Score:3, Informative)
Full PSP Coverage (Score:2)
One of the most popular PSP titles with critics and gamers has been Lumines [gametab.com]. It has also been one of the games flying off the shelves the fastest. It's being hailed as the best puzzle game since Tetris. Only time will tell if Lumines performs as a system seller in the same way that Tetris did for th
Hhhhm... (Score:4, Insightful)
I don't know a single person who's even considering getting a PSP. Sure, we all agree it looks like a great little machine, but it seems that almost all it's selling features are just so... limited. The comment from the post is right on. Do I really need another Wipeout or Ridge Racer game? Wasn't I playing those on the first Playstation, like um, ten years ago?
I can play more music on a dedicated mp3 player, and for less money. A 4 gig iPod Mini costs 199, and this is 249 + another 119 or so for a gig of storage. That's not very good. I can also use an iPod for days before it dies, when a PSP will probably wear out in about five hours, which is shorter by far than your average work day.
Oh, but it can play movies! Yeah, but I'm not going out and buying the same movies I already own just in case I randomly want to watch them on a 4 inch screen (assuming they even come out), or spending the time to convert a movie to the MP4 format, then copy it to a huge memory stick, only to erase it again if I'd rather take something else on the go, well, that just seems like a pain in the ass to me.
So, I'm left with games, pretty much. Games that I played and got sick of ten. years. ago.
Re:Hhhhm... (Score:2, Flamebait)
This device isn't for you. In fact, this device isn't for me either.
But I really don't give a shit that it costs more than an ipod mini. I really don't care that you can buy 2 of X when you can only buy one of the PSP.
I saw the unit today... Lemme tell you, if they come out with a few of the games I like, I may just fork up the money.
So, when a new product comes out, let's compare it to ALL THE THINGS it isn't. Jesus.
I hate slashdot.
Re:Hhhhm... (Score:2)
Re:Hhhhm... (Score:3, Informative)
In what alternate reality? An iPod mini lasts about 6 hours (if you drain it completely), and my 4G iPod lasts about 10 hours. In IGN's MP3 test, the PSP lasted 10 hours and 39 minutes.
Re:Hhhhm... (Score:2)
I just wrote my local paper about this (Score:5, Interesting)
I just read about this in the Seattle Times, and wrote a letter to the columnist (the article is: PlayStation Portable: Sony's new handheld does a lot more than play games [nwsource.com]):
Hi Mark,
Long time Seattle Times reader here....
Liked your article on Sony's new playstation... a few thoughts though...
I too have long considered Sony to be a great innovator but here is what has frustrated me for sooooo long and here is why I probably will NEVER buy a Sony product again unless and until they change some of their practices.... I'll illustrate by example:
Come to think of it... I'm not so surprised, or maybe it's a lucky thing Sony's Beta never became the standard, while I wasn't really there to be part of that decision in my purchasing power... but maybe VHS was the better choice after all (even though it wasn't quite as good technically).
Just my $.02
Anyway, thanks for the article, a good read....
what about battery time on these? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:what about battery time on these? (Score:2, Informative)
Re:what about battery time on these? (Score:2)
Re:what about battery time on these? (Score:3, Insightful)
Depends on how you use it. (Score:5, Informative)
--
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]
Anybody have the Vegas Over/Under (Score:4, Funny)
Just picked up two (Score:2)
Very easy to use and comfortable grip. The screen is so high gloss/brite whatever. It makes you hesitant to breath on it though. So shiny..
Ok back to playing.
Check out my site for more reviews later. Nothing there right now
Thoughts from a retail drone (Score:3, Interesting)
Ahh but is it playable? (Score:4, Interesting)
The other day I bought a snes controller from ebay, & a snes adapter. To be perfectly honest, the idea of reliving a bunch of *hard* hand/eye reaction platform games from 1996 got me a lot more excited than I was when I received the latest GTA clone (as great as that game is)...some games are designed for long hours in comfortable conditions (high res rpg's) - others are just quick, skillfull and fun. In an era where platform games are becoming extinct thanks to every console manufacturer bragging about their console being better soley on the basis of hardware specifications (before a games line is even released), I took solice in the fact that, as good as the latest armchair console gets, I could always go retro with some hardcore platform/strategy games (has bomberman even been ported to the X-box/PS2)??
This might not be such a good thing. There's no way I'd consider completing (and hence for that matter starting) half the games in my PS2 collection on a portable device.
The question is age... (Score:2, Insightful)
A System Was Released Today?! (Score:2)
I will preface this with I am a game nerd so I usually follow these launches with incredible interest. That said, this one was rather a dud here as you could still pick one up about 30 minutes ago.
This morning, the Best Buy stores here (of which there are two) started their day at 8:01 a.m. Seems they expected demand to be extremely high for this and planned accordingly. I have a friend that still works for one of the stores and he mentioned there was a line when he got
Too bad if you have a dead pixel(s) (Score:4, Informative)
Is it me.. (Score:2)
PSP is creating a new market? (Score:2)
Don't forget PSPVideo9 (Score:5, Informative)
/. circa Sept 1995.... (Score:4, Interesting)
"Sony's Playstation console has launched with great fanfare, and already there are plenty of places to get opinions and reviews. Shacknews has a nice hands on with the player itself, Gamespy has reviews of the launch titles, and Gamespot has coverage of just about everything on its PSP Launch Center page. From the Shacknews hands-on: "Technically speaking, the Playstation is a far superior machine to the Super Nintendo. It's a powerhouse device, capable of displaying modern graphics, playing robust sound, and can even replace a CD player. Nintendo has been doing it right for over a decade, why should we think the Playstation can just waltz onto the scene and take over? Can it even be done?"
I think we know how history played out...
Flawed logic (Score:3, Informative)
Huh? (Score:3, Informative)
Look back (Score:2)
Some notable differences were that
Must Have Games? (Score:4, Interesting)
- Ridge Racer : This game is an awesome arcade racer. The multiplayer is terrific. The graphics are practically PS2 quality.
- Lumines : This game is the puzzle game I've been pining for for years. And it's drop-dead beautiful.
- Metal Gear Acid : A tactical/strategy game? Metal Gear Franchise? Card-based mechanics that don't suck? I may not be as eloquent of Tycho about strategy games, but I'll still try to say what I feel: Gimme! GIMME NOW!
You may not like these games, but I sure do. Ridge Racer is a high quality racer with fun multiplayer that's also on a handheld! What more do you want from a racer? Whatever it doesn't give you, NFS:R will.Metal Gear Acid is an awesome strategy game. You know, strategy? Where you have to think? Occasionally?
And for puzzles, which are a big portable genre, Lumines is a big deal. It's fast, fun, has a good multiplayer, has a good soundtrack, looks good, and has good short-session playability.
You can wait as long as you like, and that's prudent. But don't assume these titles aren't must-have just because you don't like the genres. For anyone who's into these kinds of games, the PSP has some kickass titles.
Re:shoot me (Score:3, Interesting)
A 1gb MS Duo is $110, so 40GB would be $4400. Sure it's a lot, but you are out by more than 100%. PSP is not an iPod, plenty of people use flash mp3 players with less than 1gb on them. It might not suit you, but it might suit others just fine.
I can get a portable DVD player, and have all my DVD extras (because I'm fairly certain all the bonus features I buy DVDs for won't be on UMDs), and not have to buy my movies all over again.
Or you can rip your exising DVDs t
Don't knock it till you try it (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Don't knock it till you try it (Score:2)
1) Watch TV episodes while I'm on the bus or at lunch or on a plane. I don't like watching tv as it's broadcast; I prefer to watch on my own schedule.
2) _Rent_ a UMD movie for a plane flight.
3) How about an external TV tuner add-on to watch TV wherever you're at? Or listen to radio? That'd be nice. (XM & Sirius, are you listening?)
There are a lot of accessories due out by the end of May (che
Re:shoot me (Score:2, Insightful)
but seriously, you can put any movie you want on a gigabyte memory stick, and considering there's always new music, I always preferred flash memory for mp3 players. I can play my favorites on my home stereo if I need to.
And I don't even know where the hell you pulled that stupid 40k figure out of. ZipZoomFly had a sandisk memory stick pro duo 1gb for 67 dollars
Re:shoot me (Score:5, Insightful)
Mod Up! (Score:2)
Re:Mod Up! (Score:2)
As I mentioned in another post, I'm hoping a 2nd-gen PSP will have:
1. DVD resolution OLED display (720x480)
2. stock high-density battery (hopefully AA format)
3. modular bay where UMD is for multiple devices
4. cellphone ability (use with bluetooth earpiece)
With lots of modules available for various things like tv/
Re:shoot me (Score:2, Insightful)
But, seriously, the PSP isn't meant for people who are going to be having 40gb of music. It isn't meant for people to backup their harddrive onto. Its meant for people to buy 2gb of memory and put some music on it, and fill the rest with movies. And when you're done with those movies and bored of those songs, you swap them out for new ones.
You can't really compare an iPod, a music-only device, to only the music function of the PSP. It woul
Re:shoot me (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:shoot me (Score:2)
And now you have this huge thing to lug around everywhere. My roommate picked one up today and it's neat (the graphics are great!) but as an MP3 player, no thank you. An iPod is REALLY small, especially compared to this thing. You can't fit this in a pocket well. Maybe a jacket pocket but things like song selection are simply cumbersome with the d-pad/buttons, etc (try going through 10,000+ songs!). It's large (for an MP3 player)and doe
Re:I guess... (Score:2, Insightful)
The only thing Nintendo has is the handheld market, and with Sony's might in the console market they will be bringing a whole lot of people who would never consider a handheld into that market. Since the PSP has so many more features than anything Nintendo has, the outlook isn't so rosy for them. They will be in the unusual position of playing catch-up even though they are the dominant player in that area.
Re:I guess... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:I guess... (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm sorry. But I don't class:
* Analog sticks
* movie-playing ability
as a whole lot more features. Nintendo has one feature this doesn't have. Dual-screen. So PSP has 1 more feature then the DS.
Re:I guess... (Score:3, Insightful)
The DS can do a lot more than the PSP a
Re:I guess... (Score:3, Insightful)
You think that touch screen is not an extraneous feature? If Nintendo was going to do something with it, they had a chance at launch.
Because the DS has so many more games! Wait, that's wrong. You realize how few games the DS has, right? The PSP has some strong launch titles and some good games are in the pipe allready. The DS, on the other hand, seems almost stagnant.
We're still waiting for Nintendo to release that darn Metroid game that has been demoing since launch, and I've tried using the DS'
Re:I guess... (Score:3, Insightful)
Can't argue with you about the lack of games, yet. Nintendo really needs to get moving on that.
Most of the PSP's launch titles, from what I've read, are pretty lame. Lots of PS2 rehashes. They seem to be in the same boat with Nintendo on that.
Personally, I think the DS is a much better handheld gaming platform. But that's just me. The whole
Not so fast (Score:3, Interesting)
Plus, there's been a huge game library built up for the past Gameboy systems, and I'm sure backwards-compatibility will, again, be built in. It's
Re:Not so fast (Score:5, Interesting)
The Gamegear had (compared to the Gameboy) horrible battery life, small game selection, a screen that tended to blur/look washed-out, a propensity for overheating, and so on.
Its death isn't quite as suprising if you actually used one for an extended period. Not that the Gameboy didn't have its own flaws, but I think it was just more balanced with good vs. bad.
Re:Not so fast (Score:3, Informative)
Long live the DS.
Re:I hope not (Score:2)
Strangely depressed (Score:2)
Nintendo, it's time to knock one out of the park.
Re:How portable is portable? (Score:2)
The controls also kinda suck.
I'd far rather see something like a wider GBA SP -- not DS wide, but about 50% wider than the SP -- with a screen that completely occupies the top half, and a decent analogue controller in the sweet spot on the lower half (unlike the PSP, which has Sony's horrid digital pad there).
Re:How portable is portable? (Score:5, Informative)
So you missed the NGage? (Score:2)