PSP vs. DS

[doc_bean]

Which is the better handheld and why ?

[econ21]

I asked about the PSP just before Christmas and got some useful advice - have a search of this forum to find it.

People were not that keen on the PSP, but in the end, my son got a PSP and he likes it. I haven't tried it. But it is an awfully pretty looking thing - both as a piece of hardware and in terms of the screen, which is excellent. One worry was the fragility - I confess I have not inspected it for scratches, but he uses a protective screen and I've heard no complaints.

For me, the key thing is the kind of games you can play. The DS is Ninetendo stuff and I am not sure what age group they are targeted at, but they seem rather cutesy and naff to me. The PSP has Playstation type games and these seem closer to the kind of PC games my son and I like.

That said, there are not a vast number of PSP games available and they are pricey. IIRC, he's only got two games - Need for Speed, which he likes, and a shooter Socom, which I bought for him and he has not really got into. He's got a desktop, so really the PSP is only for casual or mobile gaming e.g. on the couch or bed, on a coach trip, a long haul flight or a holiday abroad.

[John86]

PSP.
Its amazing.
You can do just about anything, and the graphics are awesome. I reccomend Syphon Filter, best game out there for a handheld.

[Ab Urbe Condita]

Whoo boy. This thread is basically an invitation to trolling.

And I'm more than willing to oblige. The DS is by far superior because, well, it actually has games. All the PSP has are half-hearted ports of PS2 franchises.

It's pretty much gamer canon now that the DS has had the superior library since august of last year (in the US at least). Seriously. Look around some hardcore gaming forums like neogaf.com and Penny-arcade's messageboards and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Ooh, and DSlite coming out June 11th for 129 bucks means that the PSP doesn't even have the form factor over the DS anymore.

[Samurai Waki]

My PSP was invaluable to me during College. Middle of boring lecture, strap on the ear phones watch Spiderman 2 or Kill Bill...maybe play some GTA: Liberty City Stories. A good bit of fun.

[Xiahou]

The DS. It has a better library and far more innovative and engaging gameplay.

[Fragony]

PSP is a lot more powerfull, but it is fragile and it battery life could be better (I heard the new batch is better), but graphics are amazing. It could use more games but at least it has Luminos which is awesome. It's best feauture: you can use it as a ROM player. I prefer the DS though, the touchscreen is a bit gimmickry but some games make good use of it. If I have to recommend anything: neither of them. Get the GBA instead, it has TONS of games, most of which are very cheap. Especially if you are into turnbased strategy games, or console rpg, there is no better system. There is supposedly a way to make it a ROM player as well, all your c64 classics on your gameboy, how awesome is that?

[doc_bean]

Okay, a little background for the question.

I am considering getting a handheld after the exams (end of june), by that time I'm probably sick of staring at a PC screen and getting a big console isn't really an option since I don't have a tv in my college room.

So I was looking at the DS (Lite), it had a new Mario game and a new Zelda game coming soon, plus access to the GBA library. It's also a hell of lot cheaper (the DS Lite would cost 150€, the PSP is 250-300€). But comparing the DS to the PSP it really seems like the screen(s) are a lot smaller. I've never played with a DS before, but I did play with a PSP, and was very impressed with the screen (far better than I had ever expected from a handheld). So I'm a bit worried the DS won't even come close to the screen quality of the PSP.

Game wise, it seems like the PSP is really living up to its name, becoming a portable Playstation and have games you'd expect on a Playstation and not an a handheld. I'm not too sure this is a good thing, since those are the kind of games you really have to make time for, while most DS games seem like they can be played for a couple of minutes to an hour at a time, and still be fun (except Resident Evil DS, but then I never liked the original anyway). And the DS has Castlevania, SOTN is the only game I have ever missed playing since my PS broke. The DS also has a bigger back catalogue (due to GBA compatability) but the PSP *seems* to be getting more new games (including metal gear games !).

So it's going to be a tough choice and any advise would be appreciated.

EDIT: Fragony: the GBA micro (only one I've seen still being sold) costs about 100€ without a game, the DS (normal, without a game) costs about 130€ and is backwards compatible (at least Nintendo says so). It would seem like it would be worth the extra 30€-50€ (for a DS Lite)

[Fragony]

EDIT: Fragony: the GBA micro (only one I've seen still being sold) costs about 100€ without a game, the DS (normal, without a game) costs about 130€ and is backwards compatible (at least Nintendo says so). It would seem like it would be worth the extra 30€-50€ (for a DS Lite)

Micro is for rabid nintendo fanboys such as myselve, I just had to have it, it is so small and shiny you see. The normal costs 30 euro, and the SP 50, that isn't that bad. SP is probably the best buy as you can play GBC on it as well.

[doc_bean]

Micro is for rabid nintendo fanboys such as myselve, I just had to have it, it is so small and shiny you see. The normal costs 30 euro, and the SP 50, that isn't that bad. SP is probably the best buy as you can play GBC on it as well.

Really ? A quick look at Ebay tells me people are trying to sell the SP at 100€ too, maybe they're special editions ? I'll look into getting a GameBoy SP, the DS only library isn't too interesting at the moment.

EDIT: nope shops seem to selling them at 100€ too, did you mean second hand ?

[Azi Tohak]

HA! 6 vs 6. Seems about right. But I chose DS because I believe it simply has the better games. Period. Sure, the PSP can do more, but I don't want nor need that. All I want is a mobile gaming platform. The DS is it. And with games like Castelvania, MP: Hunters, Advance Wars, the new Super Mario Brothers, Nintendogs it has a huge array of very good games. I know the PSP has some good games too... but I believe the DS is superior. Just like the PS2 is superior to the GC.

Azi

Edit: Silly Azi. I forgot what was probably the first AAA list title, Mario Kart.

[Xiahou]

What? No one mentions Brain Age? I think it's awesome, myself.

PSP is a lot more powerfull, but it is fragile and it battery life could be better (I heard the new batch is better), but graphics are amazing. It could use more games but at least it has Luminos which is awesome. It's best feauture: you can use it as a ROM player. I prefer the DS though, the touchscreen is a bit gimmickry but some games make good use of it. If I have to recommend anything: neither of them. Get the GBA instead, it has TONS of games, most of which are very cheap. Especially if you are into turnbased strategy games, or console rpg, there is no better system. There is supposedly a way to make it a ROM player as well, all your c64 classics on your gameboy, how awesome is that?

With it's first round of games, I would've agreed that the touch screen is gimmicky- but now that more and more games are becoming available, game developers seem to be making excellent use of it. I've owned the orignal Gameboy, a GBA, a GBA SP, a DS and will most likely be getting a DS lite when it's released- the better stylus, adjustable brightness, and compact size are just too good to pass up for me.

I'd definitely say go for the DS lite over a GBA SP. It gives you access to the GBA library plus access to a fast growing library of innovative, quirky DS games and online play.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

What YOU Should Do

1: Buy a DS.
2: Get all the Fire Emblem and Castlevania games you can afford.
3: Get two or three months rations.
4: Lock yourself in a room with a charge cable and PLAY.


Time well wasted.

[Ab Urbe Condita]

What YOU Should Do

1: Buy a DS.
2: Get all the Fire Emblem and Castlevania games you can afford.
3: Get two or three months rations.
4: Lock yourself in a room with a charge cable and PLAY.


Time well wasted.

Give this man a medal.

I have just one more thing to say about why the DS is totally awesome:

New Super Mario Bros.

[The_678]

I would have to say DS as well. Although I'll agree graphics, and probably most games are better on the PSP, really it's just another console that happens to be handheld. Playing the DS is great because of teh many things possible with the Stylus.

I played my friends DS and made him lend it to me because I got obsessed with Tiger Woods. In ways I prefered it to the PS2 version, because that was so easy, and it really enjoyable swinging the club with the stylus.

All in all it depends on what you want. Innovative gameplay, or steller games and graphics.

P.S. Can someone confirm this for me? I heard that the PSP has no rechargable batteries but uses AAA. If this is true, that reason alone brings the DS alot higher than the PSP.

[edyzmedieval]

PSP all the way,

I'm getting one after the exams(June),

[doc_bean]

PSP all the way,

I'm getting one after the exams(June),

But why ? Which games do you want to play on it ? Why is it better than the DS in your opinion ?

[Phatose]

For me, it's the DS. Castlevania sold me on it, and M&L sealed it as a good buy IMHO. Plus, you've got that who GBA compatibility thing going, which is a pretty darn large library of games.

The PSP...pretty or not, it's had nothing to grab my attention. No must have games, questionable technical choices. Then there's that loading time video, and while I'm sure that's the extreme example, I've heard load times on the thing are a major problem.

[Ab Urbe Condita]

PSP all the way,

I'm getting one after the exams(June),

Pfft, screw that, the DS Lite is coming out June 11, for 130 USD.


Battery life is up to 15 hours, the LCD screen is brighter than either the PSP's or the Ipods', and of course, it looks sweet as hell.

You could get a DS lite and like, 3 games for the price of 1 PSP.

[John86]

My PSP has no problems with battery life. Just two days ago I got 6 hours out of it, and there is a charger you can buy to get up to 15 hours.

Althought the PSP may cost more, its well worth it. Its basically like playing PS1 anywhere you want. Speaking of that, Sony will soon be reformating tons of PS1 games and allow you to download and play them on your PSP.

Another good feature is the internet browser, which works great in my opinion. Soon, it will support flash websites as well.

I reccomend Syphon Filter or Tony hawk, both are awesome games, and provide a service you cannot get on the DS. Especially in Syphon Filter. The graphics are AMAZING for a handheld, there actually way better than any ps1 game.

[edyzmedieval]

But why ? Which games do you want to play on it ? Why is it better than the DS in your opinion ?

Doc,

First of all, I played with PSP. One of my friends has a PSP, and I played with it for about 3 hours. I played some games like the World Rally Championship and FIFA Street, and I must say, it's great.

The graphics are really excellent, the screen is very bright(which I like) and plus, there are tons of games. Plus, more titles will come on the market. Also, it has a net browser and many other goodies inside it. Battery life is good, I won't play 5-6 hours non stop.

EDIT: I also has one of my favourite PlayStation games: Gran Turismo series

[doc_bean]

First of all, I played with PSP. One of my friends has a PSP, and I played with it for about 3 hours. I played some games like the World Rally Championship and FIFA Street, and I must say, it's great.

Ah, I don't care much for racing or sports games, the PSP does probably have the better selection of those.

The graphics are really excellent, the screen is very bright(which I like)

Yes, technology wise the PSP is definatly superior, so it's purely the games that are driving me towards the DS.

and plus, there are tons of games. Plus, more titles will come on the market

Besides MGS it really doesn't seem to have anything I would like.

Also, it has a net browser and many other goodies inside it.

Bleh, that's why i have a desktop.

Battery life is good, I won't play 5-6 hours non stop.

Yeah, that problem is probably overrated.

I guess we just have different tastes in games then, which probably proves something about Nintendo and Sony having their own market, or something...

[Arrowhead]

I really think the ds is the one to buy. Partly because i bought it (hehe) and partly because it has better games and you are assured a quality console. its comes from the company who made the gameboys unlike sony who have done nothing to do with handheld games before.

[John86]

I disagree with those who say the DS has better games. Its really a matter of opinion. Personally I dont enjoy such games as Mario which I can easily play on my gameboy anyday. Something you get on the PSP is extradionary graphics combined with some great games.
My Favorites:
Syphon Filter
Madden
Tony Hawk
NFL Street
Socom

[BDC]

My Sony Ericsson K700i plays a fully featured version of Worms 2.

It is therefore the best gaming device in the universe, and also acts as a phone.

[Ab Urbe Condita]

I disagree with those who say the DS has better games. Its really a matter of opinion.

It really isn't. You are wrong.

At any rate, the Attach rate for DS games are much higher worldwide than PSP games.

Speaking of which, New Super Mario Bros launched last week in Japan, and it sold every copy available, IE, it sold 900k units its opening week.

[John86]

Doc I reccomend going to your local store and trying out both. Most have sample PSPs and DSs to try out.

To Ab:
It is a matter of opinion. Like between the PS2 and Gamecube, I felt that I wouldnt enjoy Gamecube due to its oldschoolish games. For me, the PSP provides a better lineup with some great graphics.

[Ab Urbe Condita]

That still doesn't change the fact that you're wrong.

[Fragony]

I think Hiji suffers from a nasty condition called personal prefference, which is very hard to cure. But he should still be able to live a meaninfull life. DS and PSP are entirily different systems so it's no surprise the PSP gets different games. You won't find a game like SOCOM or Metal gear acid on the DS.

[doc_bean]

I felt that I wouldnt enjoy Gamecube due to its oldschoolish games.

The GameCube has games ??

In all seriousness though, it has RE4 (an exclusive originally), Eternal Darkness and the Metroid Prime games. Hardly oldschoolish.