DS Worth it?

[RaiderJ]

Originally posted by: beat mania
The only thing I don't like about the DS is that it relies too much on the gimmick controls.
I got Zelda and you basically control the whole game with the stylus! Won't even let me walk with the directional pad. And you have to blow at it, talk to it, and do all sort of that stuff.

That's why in public I only play my PSP

Yeah, I don't like that about the Zelda game. Got to a point where I had to blow into the DS so I quit

But, there are a lot of cool games for it.

 

[BladeVenom]

Originally posted by: JackBurton

Are there any other uninformed fanboy comments you'd like to make about the PSP BladeVenom?

That Sony fanboys are the most obnoxious.

Admittedly, I haven't looked at the PSP since it first came out.
It came out with:
Bad buttons
faulty screens
awful battery life
worst selection of games
UMD was a universal failure
long slow load times
Memory sticks costed twice as much for half the storage
and it was overpriced

It was a product only the most slavish fanboys would be like.

Nintendo is kicking Sony's butt. Last week DS sales were more than 3 times higher than PSP sales. So HA HA!

Sony Marketers are Horrible Liars, Pretend to Run Fansite

 

[BladeVenom]

The only good thing I heard about the PSP was the homebrew, and Sony's trying to shut them down.

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: BladeVenom

Originally posted by: JackBurton

Are there any other uninformed fanboy comments you'd like to make about the PSP BladeVenom?

That Sony fanboys are the most obnoxious.

I agree, but there aren't any in here. Just one DS fanboy.

Admittedly, I haven't looked at the PSP since it first came out.
It came out with:
Bad buttons
faulty screens
awful battery life
worst selection of games
UMD was a universal failure
long slow load times
Memory sticks costed twice as much for half the storage
and it was overpriced

It was a product only the most slavish fanboys would be like.

Nintendo is kicking Sony's butt. Last week DS sales were more than 3 times higher than PSP sales. So HA HA!

Sony Marketers are Horrible Liars, Pretend to Run Fansite

Then stop talking because you've got old information.

 

[supesman]

I love my psp. I had a choice between DS and PSP and decided to go w/ the PSP only because I like to be able to play PS1 games and mine has a flashed firmware so i can play bunch of emulators like NES, SNES, etc. I'm sure the DS can do that too. I can't understand ppl who are saying the screen is too small to watch movies on it. If it's fine for games it's fine for movies. you can always connect it to your tv if you buy the UMD discs. Plus a lot of games you can't get on DS, eg. Man hunt 2, GTA, god of war, etc. The only game I kinda want to play on the DS is the new Mario.

 

[Imaginer]

The DS wins in my book hands down. If anything, it sports a very well wireless moblile local multiplayer experience if there is a good game that takes advantage of it and makes it work with other people.

If you have a group of friends or people with DS systems at hand and one tetris game copy or a copy of Mario Kart... Fun ensures!

Not to mention other titles I heavily enjoyed while playing it such as Elite Beat Agents, Zelda Phantom Hourglass, and yeah despite the stigma surrounding it and despite its exterior childlike nature, Pokemon for its a fun rpg.

Despite what people may say about the small screen, it is sufficient enough considering the graphics aren't to a point where it is very detailed to where a bigger screen is needed. Its pixels per area is enough for the handheld. The dual screen and stylus a gimmick? Beats just twiddling your thumbs and squinting at a screen for the intricate detailed graphics. It is only a gimmick if companies do not take advantage of the controls to its potential.

I somewhat agree with the directional pad for Zelda but at the same time, I really got use to using the stylus the whole time.

The only thing about the DS is that it is NEVER meant for hours and hours on end gaming. Your hands, big or small, will just feel uncomfortable, I know mine does after a bit with my DS lite. Another small small detail is the internet play with the DS's 1Mbit transmission and the friends code. Given its technical specifications, It kind of makes sense in a way. 1Mbit is probably chosen because it wouldn't eat up the battery life. Not sure about the friends codes but each game has it's own memory for storage. To have the DS to store it so any game can access it would mean a built in dedicated memory that would probably eat into the costs per unit and probably Nintendo did not design or developed thoroughly a network system for its games.

Despite all of that, I haven't had fun with video games in a long while until I got my DS. And not to mention gave them as presents to my siblings which we had a blast with multiplayer games.

 

[beat mania]

The only comfortable way to hold the DS is the way Brain Age does, hold it like a book.

 

[Robor]

My friends son (he's about 11 years old or so) has the DS and *LOVES* it. I'd say it's pretty durable because he takes it everywhere and AFAIK no problems thus far.

 

[EvilComputer92]

PSP wins over the DS simply because of all the things you can do with it when you put on a custom firmware. I have a SNES, N64, and PS1 emulator on mine. Also Dosbox to play those old DOS games. The games on those systems surpass anything on the DS or PSP.

PSP is only good because of all the awesome stuff Sony doesn't want you to do with it.

 

[techwanabe]

I think a gaming system's worth also depends on how mature it is and how long its been out. I saw the PSP selling initially in the $250 range and few games at launch so it was for me a no go at that point in time. The DS was in a similar boat too but at least its initial cost was much lower. Now the DS has been out well over two years and the PSP a little less. Both systems have a fairly large selection of titles and so likely there are going to be some good games for both.

For me, being the father of a 12 year old girl, the DS is really the onl logical solution as it is more girl and kid friendly. Now don't get me wrong, my daughter isn't your typical barbie or kitty type who likes that girly stuff - you now, Hanna Montana and HS Musical blah blah. I did get her the Dogs game but other than that she like real video games like Zelda, Bleach, Naruto, Mario Bros, and Sonic etc. No she isn't into the FPS type games and neither am I. RPG's yes.

I think the PSP was more weak on RPGs when it came out but I"ve noticed a D&D game out and maybe a few others so I might consider getting a PSP in 2008, especially if I can get a good deal on it bringing it down to the price range of the DS. As I said above, I did just recently buy a DS for myself, but only because there was an offer from Nintendo to trade in my old GBA-SP and get a $30 off. I'll pick up a few titles for it just to have something to play once in a while when I'm stuck somewhere. I do most of my gaming on a PC or sometimes my Game Cube.

 

[adairusmc]

R4 or M3Simply + DS > any PSP

 

[vi edit]

I will preface this by saying I speak only on "out of the box" abilities. Not potential abilities based on modding.

That being said - they cater to two different types of players.

The PSP is essentially a portable Playstation and gives you a generation or two old gaming graphics in a handheld device. It really nothing new or gimmicky. Just basic gaming with higher end graphics previously not available on a portable gaming device. It's basically a supplement to existing gaming consoles. It adds nothing new, just simply extends the functionality out of the conventional console.

The DS is a much more interactive system that trades off hard core gaming for a wider variety of gameplay types. The games are more quirky, offbeat, and not necessarilly aimed at your hardcore console gamers. It's an alternative to conventional console games.

It just comes down to what type of gaming experience do you want.

Do you want to basically extend your console gaming experience to a portable device, or do you want a different type of gameplay with a library of games that you wouldn't normally have available?

 

[Ramma2]

I play my DS all the time; on the toilet, in traffic, on lunch, at bedtime, etc etc. Love the thing to death.

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: BladeVenom

Originally posted by: Injury

Originally posted by: BladeVenom
If you want to do more than game, get a laptop. What does the PSP have that can compare to Advance Wars, Age of Empires, and Panzer Tactics?

Because a laptop fits ever so comfortably in your pocket and costs >$200.

Your PSP fits well in your pocket???

Add the cost of a battery pack, charger, and memory stick and a PSP costs as much as cheap on sale laptop.

You gotta be shitting me here.

a) Yes, it DOES fit in pockets. Maybe not perfectly, but unless you are planning on playing for more than 4 or 5 hours straight you don't need an extra battery pack or charger. I'm pretty sure that comes with it.

b) The memory sticks aren't that expensive especially considering that once you have one, you can put a lot of games and movies on it for no charge.

c) A laptop is more or less a pain in the ass to haul around all day, especially if you live in an area where you have to do some walking. Even the lightest of notebooks get heavy after you walk a dozen blocks or so, and then you have to factor in that you'll probably need a bag to carry it, you'll need the power cable, you'll more or less need to keep it chained to your body as you walk to avoid someone doing a snatch and dash, and as previously mentioned, pulling a laptop out in a public place or on the bus/plane isn't exactly the easiest thing to do. The keyword here is "LAPtop" versus "HANDheld".

d) "Cheap" laptops are usually just that... cheap. There are SOME good performers out of them, but from experience, walking around with a laptop is a surefire way to get plenty of nicks and scratches in it, and if it wasn't for the super-padded bag I have, I'm certain it would have dents or loose parts. No matter how protective you are of it, it's going to get beat up. A PSP would be much easier to tuck away and protect.

e) What if you want to use it as a music player? It may not be the MOST practical, but which is more absurd, walking around holding a laptop with headphones on or walking around with a PSP in one hand with headphones on?

f) The games you listed earlier suck balls for mobile gaming.



And for the record, I think Sony products suck, so don't say I'm a Sony/PSP fanboy.

 

[ChaoZ]

Originally posted by: EvilComputer92
PSP wins over the DS simply because of all the things you can do with it when you put on a custom firmware. I have a SNES, N64, and PS1 emulator on mine. Also Dosbox to play those old DOS games. The games on those systems surpass anything on the DS or PSP.

PSP is only good because of all the awesome stuff Sony doesn't want you to do with it.

There are working N64 emulators now?

 

[BladeVenom]

I think the Asus Eee PC is a valid contender for a portable diversion.

A PSP is 31% longer than a DS, while an Asus Eee PC is only 32% longer than a PSP.

Right now solitary PSP's seem to be out of stock and there's just the $199.99 package available at many places (I checked EBgames, GoGamer, Best Buy and Newegg).
So that makes the PSP 54% more expensive than the DS, while the Asus Eee PC is only 50% more expensive than a PSP package.

The step up from PSP to laptop isn't that much greater than from DS to PSP.

According to VG Chartz, 2,293,923 DS games were sold last week, but only 565,416 PSP games were sold. While there's twice as many DS systems, there games right now are selling almost 4 times faster. Doesn't look like PSP games are very popular compared to DS games.

 

[Dumac]

Originally posted by: BladeVenom
I think the Asus Eee PC is a valid contender for a portable diversion.

A PSP is 31% longer than a DS, while an Asus Eee PC is only 32% longer than a PSP.

Right now solitary PSP's seem to be out of stock and there's just the $199.99 package available at many places (I checked EBgames, GoGamer, Best Buy and Newegg).
So that makes the PSP 54% more expensive than the DS, while the Asus Eee PC is only 50% more expensive than a PSP package.

The step up from PSP to laptop isn't that much greater than from DS to PSP.

According to VG Chartz, 2,293,923 DS games were sold last week, but only 565,416 PSP games were sold. While there's twice as many DS systems, there games right now are selling almost 4 times faster. Doesn't look like PSP games are very popular compared to DS games.

And that matters how? Some of the greatest games sell like crap. Zack and Wiki, Okami, and Ico come to mind. If the best games were those that sold the most, we'd be looking at Madden or something for GOTY.

Also the silly Asus Eee PC you are talking about is HUGE. It is not only 32% longer than the PSP; the thing is also much wider (I would guess about twice as wide, but that is a simple estimate). Not to mention, it's a laptop, which means the damn thing opens up, occupying even more room. I don't feel like lugging around a stupid laptop everywhere, unless I'm wearing pants with impractically large pockets.

Plus, what am supposed to do with the thing? It's not as if it could effectively play any games that I would want to play on a laptop. Sure, it could play movies, but the linux OS on the thing leaves only 1.4GB available for personal files (on the 4GB model, which I assume you are referring to since it is the main model).

Also, let's talk price. The DS Lite is $129.99, and that is simply a DS Lite. The $199.99 package of the PSP you are talking about includes not only a 1GB memory card with the PSP, but also a GAME. Then, the Eee PC 4G model (with only 1.4GB designated to personal files) cost $349.99, which is a significant jump.

When you said 50% price increase from the PSP, you may have been referring to the Eee PC 2G model, but I am unfamiliar with the specifics of this model and forgo commenting.

There are other problems I have with the product; just go to the wiki article and read the criticism section.

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: BladeVenom
I think the Asus Eee PC is a valid contender for a portable diversion.

A PSP is 31% longer than a DS, while an Asus Eee PC is only 32% longer than a PSP.

Right now solitary PSP's seem to be out of stock and there's just the $199.99 package available at many places (I checked EBgames, GoGamer, Best Buy and Newegg).
So that makes the PSP 54% more expensive than the DS, while the Asus Eee PC is only 50% more expensive than a PSP package.

The step up from PSP to laptop isn't that much greater than from DS to PSP.

According to VG Chartz, 2,293,923 DS games were sold last week, but only 565,416 PSP games were sold. While there's twice as many DS systems, there games right now are selling almost 4 times faster. Doesn't look like PSP games are very popular compared to DS games.

Ok, this is the stupidest sh!t I've ever heard. Quit posting already.

 

[VIAN]

The DS games don't appeal to me. I find using two screens and the stylus awkward and uncomfortable. I guess I want more traditional games and the DS doesn't offer that. It tries to use those uncomfortable controls as much as possible.

I have no clue why it's selling as good as it is, unless it's because it is cheaper than the PSP. I've owned a PSP and a DS and I've enjoyed the PSP a lot more than the DS.

 

[Azeroth101]

Originally posted by: BladeVenom
If you want to do more than game, get a laptop. What does the PSP have that can compare to Advance Wars, Age of Empires, and Panzer Tactics?

Laptops are better in some instances, but they are more of a hassle than psp's or DS's plus it depends what you like!

 

[randomlinh]

Originally posted by: VIAN
The DS games don't appeal to me. I find using two screens and the stylus awkward and uncomfortable. I guess I want more traditional games and the DS doesn't offer that. It tries to use those uncomfortable controls as much as possible.

I have no clue why it's selling as good as it is, unless it's because it is cheaper than the PSP. I've owned a PSP and a DS and I've enjoyed the PSP a lot more than the DS.

It all depends on if a game is trying to force the controls or not. And the DS sells a lot more because... like the wii, it's shooting at a far broader audience. Playing puzzle games like sudoku and picross are what I spend most of my time with. Just pick up and play for 10-20 minutes and I'm game.

I find the two are completely different audiences really. Just play what you like. There's nothing on the PSP that interests me so I could just as easily say why the hell is it selling too.

As for ergonomics.. I find both to be crappy to be honest. The PSP with grips is very nice, and the DS with the nerf armor is awesome (altho, for games played in the book form, i prefer the DS naked).

 

[Dumac]

Originally posted by: randomlinh
It all depends on if a game is trying to force the controls or not. And the DS sells a lot more because... like the wii, it's shooting at a far broader audience. Playing puzzle games like sudoku and picross are what I spend most of my time with. Just pick up and play for 10-20 minutes and I'm game.

I find the two are completely different audiences really. Just play what you like. There's nothing on the PSP that interests me so I could just as easily say why the hell is it selling too.

As for ergonomics.. I find both to be crappy to be honest. The PSP with grips is very nice, and the DS with the nerf armor is awesome (altho, for games played in the book form, i prefer the DS naked).

That game is a true gem amongst puzzle games. I love it.

Yes, the DS caters to a much wider audience, especially in Japan. In Japan, they have a multitude of crazy games, such as face training or etiquette lessons.

 

[beat mania]

Originally posted by: Dumac

In Japan, they have a multitude of crazy games, such as face training or etiquette lessons.

Those aren't games!

 

[techwanabe]

Well, my daughter has had her DS Lite since Christmas 2006, and I just got me a black DS with the GBA-SP trade in deal. I didn't play her DS, or at least enough to get a feel for it.

I got myself a Sonic Rush game and its a nice game in the vein of the Sonic Advance series and getting used to the game action passing from one screen to the other isn't too hard. I do not have big hands by any means but find holding the DS and operating it isn't the most comfortable. I'm wondering if there are any good things I can buy that act like a holder to suround the base while it is open to make it comfortable to hold and play?

It will be interesting to see what Nintendo comes up with for the next gen hand held, but that is probably a year off considering the DS is what 2.5 years out?

I was in the mall recently in Game Craze and noticed they didn't have a huge selection of PSP games - I did look over the titles just to see if there was much to interest me. Not much if anything for me on the shelf but I imagine there are more title at other places for me to get a better idea. I'd like to see more than a couple of titles I like before buying a system. Even with the higher number of DS titles, there are probably only 5 or 6 that I'm drawn too but again, I'm more of a computer gamer and some console. It is nice to have a hand held for certain times tho - airports, long lines, 15 minites in bed before turning out the lights etc.

 

[BladeVenom]

Emulators on the Eee PC, Gameboy Advanced, Sega, Super Nintendo, and Nintendo 64.
Even some PC gamesHalf-Life 2.
And a few more.