psp vs. nintendo ds
 

lately i've been thinking i might like a handheld console for christmas since sometimes i really don't want to sit at the computer. i'm having trouble deciding between a psp and a nintendo ds.

can anyone with a preference tell me why they like one better than the other? in terms of games, does anyone know which has better games. i'm an adventure gamer and i know ds has a few adventure-ish titles but a lot of the other games seem really young. then again, psp games look great but might be a little too combat focused for me.

anyone wanna weigh in?

Nintendo DS without a doubt.

Why?

depends entirely what you're into but i can tell u right now that the best value u can get by far is investing in the psp.

if ur into simple gaming and just want a handheld that does exactly that then DS is the choice.

if however u want much more than that then psp is definitely the best. psp offers the ability for homebrew software meaning u can add emulators, videos/movies and music etc. with emulators u can play ps1, nes, snes, sega megadrive and MAME games on it. it does require a bit of research though but in the end it's more than worth it.

basically in terms of features: PSP >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> DS
the only area DS trumps over the PSP is within their own game libraries.. due to the nature of the DS more innovative games are released on it with more variety and originality.

the PSP however is superior in the technical department and as such can have games with much better 3d environments and the like. something that was considered near impossible before has been proven true with the port of the arcade fighting game Tekken: Dark Resurrection which aside from a couple of minor flaws is a near perfect conversion of the arcade game.

as of right now though the libraries on each side stack up to each other pretty well according to gamerankings with a few more 80%+ ranked games on PSP than on the DS.. the negative part is that a good amount of them are ports from ps2/ps1 but the technical aspect of it leaves room for more options than the DS.

personally though i've always known that PSP has the best long term appeal simply because there's so many options available.
the main feature of the DS has always been the touch screen and it looks to me like it has worn out its welcome seeing as alot of games don't even put it to good use anymore... exceptions are zelda:phantom hourglass and the upcoming ninja gaiden game.

anyways hope it helps.

If you want to play especially great games, then Nintendo DS is your choice.

It has had amazing adventure games, it will have even more amazing adventure games in the future.

To top that, it has other amazing games from all possible genres and many of them have a great working Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection support over the internet.

Simply the best travel pocket console you could have.

The PSP has plenty of fantastic games to choose from. Ridge Racer, Syphon Filter, Daxter, LocoRoco, Sid Meier's Pirates!, Valkyrie Profile, Final Fantasy Tactics: War of Lions, Disgea, Castlevania Dracula X, Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops, Grand Theft Auto, Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters, Outrun 2006 etc etc.

The DS has a lot of great games too, but I don't think you could go wrong with either one.

Though I do not own one I'm inclined to agree with phillyX that if homebrew software is your thing, the PSP is a superior device. The DS has its own vibrant homebrew scene but if you care a lot about technical specs, the PSP is the handheld for you...

HOWEVER. If we are to compare existing game libraries, the DS wins by a long way. I can think of only a handful of games that interest me on the PSP (LocoRoco, Echochrome and Crush) while the DS has things like Hotel Dusk and Another Code in addition to old favourites like Mario, Zelda and Tetris. The stylus and touch-screen make a great interface when used properly. Trauma Center: Under the Knife, for example, is one of the most fascinating and original games I've played in ages. Basically you get to be a surgeon with a stylus.

But, if I had to give only one reason to recommend a DS to an adventure enthusiast it would be: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.

Thanks for the info...even though you have not made the decision any easier :)

I'm leaning to the PSP just because I love Silent Hill and Silent Hill: Origins have just come out for PSP. Though I am swayed by the adventure titles on DS. My only problem there, though, is it seems a lot of DS games use anime graphics, even ones people rave about like Phoenix Wright. And I know this may sound closed-minded but I just don't see myself playing anything anime, I really can't stand it.

And in the end I think it will come down to what games I like better. Though the extra things offered by PSP are attractive.

I can't really comment on the PSP since I've never tried it, but I will say that I bought a DS bundle (with Worms Open Warfare 2) a few months ago and honestly it's the best £105 I’ve ever spent, because I haven't been able to put it down since I got it.

I've tried a couple of full 3D games like Mario 64DS and though I think graphically they look great, I don't feel the DS's controls and layout are very well suited that style of game...When it comes to the touchscreen however, now that's a completely different story. It's a fantastic innovation that offers near infinite possibilities, and has certainly not "worn out it's welcome" as one previous poster insinuated, one look at the titles being released should quickly disprove that theory.

And I wouldn't write off Phoenix Wright so easily. The game contains so many things that I usually despise in an adventure game (i.e extremely linear gameplay, first person perspective, dialogue heavy) but the quality of the writing and colourful characters completely won me over.

I own both a PSP and a DS.
They both have advantages and disadvantages. Personally though, I would take my DS over my PSP anyway. I really dislike the PSP. It's large, clunky, and has a horrible 'joystick' ( if you can call it that ) attachment. Sure, you can play those awful UMD movies, and copy songs onto it ( if you want to go out and buy GB memory sticks ), but the game library is pretty bland. we <3 katamari and lumines were the best things on it. The touch screen on the DS makes it so much more interesting. Plus, it has such great titles as Tetris, Zelda : Phantom Hourglass, Meteos, Metroid, Mario, and the great little adventure game, Hotel Dusk.

There's also the option to run ScummVM on the DS. But you need to have the appropriate homebrew stuff for that to work. Still though, Monkey island portable ? Yes please.

I never play my PSP anymore.

The screen is fantastic and technically it is superior to the DS. The battery life is pathetic, the UMD drive slow and noisy and the analogue nub is next to useless.

There are a couple of decent games however they are mostly pointless PS1/2 ports.

My DS gets played constantly from the fantastic range of adventure games on or due to be released on the DS to Zelda Phantom Hourglass or the Mario games to the ScuMMVMDS allowing me to play Sam and Max with the stylus.

The DS is vastly superior in terms of games over the PSP.

If your favourite genre is adventuregames then there is no doubt about what you should buy. DS it is. SH:Origins is the only reason I know to own a PSP but there are more reasons for the DS, anime graphics or not.

well the DS is made by nintendo... so most of the games are going to be soft colours and anime style whether u like it or not. there are some serious games like castlevania, ninja gaiden, metroid prime, hotel dusk(adventure game) and the like.

don't know why most people say there aren't any interesting games on the psp... i for one love fighting games and the psp is pretty much the only handheld in existance where fighting games don't suck(apart from the awful dpad... but that can be modded easily).

alot of the other games have already been mentioned in here and regardless if they're ports they're still there to prove that the PSP stands out as a powerful handheld as well as the ability to upload and play every single game from the classic consoles.

I forgot to mention that if you have a PS3, you can download PS1 games for a small sum and use it on your PSP.

Personally, I find the games selection for PSP has surpassed all expectations. It was a long running joke that the PSP didn't have any good games, but now that's changed and it has them in bucketloads. If you're interested in a pocket version of PS2, then get a PSP. If you're interested in short bursts of fun, get a DS.

And while Another Code was good, I would definately not base a buy on that. It took around six hours to complete, and you'll never pick it up again. This fact actually made me stay away from Hotel Dusk, although I will buy it if I can find it cheap. Personally, I have no interest in Phoenix Wright, simply because I don't feel like yelling "objection" to a dead object.

Not even a problem, the voice recognition is purely optional.

Hotel Dusk is worth all your money. It surpasses Another Code in every aspect.

I have both DS and PSP. Both is good.

DS have more adventure game lineup than PSP.
(ex.phoenix wright, hotel dusk and many many..)

And PSP have a lot of good non adventure games.
IGN » Games » PSP » Release Dates

recently, I'm interested in God of War: Chains of Olympus ,Silent Hill Origins and Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law :D

i still thinking i'm leaning toward a psp because, aside from the few adventure titles on ds, there aren't that many other ds games that interest me.

so here's the new question. if all the same games were offered on both system, which would you choose. i guess a big aspect for me is which is most comfortable to play, which is lighter and has nicer controls. i know it's different for everyone but for those of you who've tried both, which system was better, games aside?

thanks!

I really wouldn't hold the anime visuals against Phoenix Wright. I don't generally care for that either (with the exception of Miyasaki and a few others) but it really doesn't get in the way. You won't even notice it eventually cause you'll be too engrossed in the great writing and puzzles. Seriously most fun I've had playing an adventure game in years.

Controlwise, I think the DS is a lot better. I always thought the PSP was a tad too broad for my tastes; I like to keep my hands a bit together. But as far as controls go; the touch screen of the DS is absolutely great in a fair few games. Play something like Animal Crossing or Phantom Hourglass and you'll experience a whole new way to play games. Honestly, the better graphics of the PSP don't stack up to this at all.

I get more play out of my PSP as of late. Between Castlevania The Dracula X Chronicles, Gradius Collection, Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops, and the ports of Disgaea and Final Fantasy Tactics, by golly, you really can't go wrong.

The DS has some great games, too, so there's really no wrong choice here. Hotel Dusk is definitely a game worth checking out, and I'll get around to trying the new Zelda as well.

OK, despite the criticism I've decided on a PSP. It was a tough call but in the end the PSP games appeal to me more. I mean, if I'm going to play an adventure, I'd prefer my PC anyway so I had to look at what other games were offered and PSP won.

But thanks to everyone who gave their point of view. That's one thing I like about this site, there's never a lack of opinion!

That question can't be answered, because some of the best games on the DS explicitly utilize the touchscreen, and can't be properly ported to a system that doesn't support it.

I got a DS from my girlfriend for my birthday, and it's the best present I've had in years. I have already bought a handful of games, and I'm enjoying all of them incredibly. Seriously, it's the best thing I've had in my hands in YEARS. Fantastic stuff!

I'm a bigger fan of the DS, but the PSP has some very nice features, especially the screen size and clarity. I couldn't pass up games like Elite Beat Agents, New Super Mario Brothers, Chibi Robo DS, and Mario Kart DS though. Too good!

I wish I had both... I only own a DS right now, with an R4 (for homebrew) and I can only say that the DS does what the PSP don't. And the PSP does what the DS don't. They're not really comparable, as they generally utilize very different control schemes. It's mainly about whether you want Fun vs Serious Gaming, or Originality vs Ports of "been there, done that."

I went for a DS because of the special features it has, and I'd go for the PSP (if I had the money) because of the special features it has.

It's like trying to compare a PS3 and a Wii.

Personally, a DS.
I've tried the PSP and I just like the DS overall, with being able to play GBA games and all those original games out on the DS.

^ upload a GBA emulator to the psp along with the games and u can play it on the psp.

For me the novalty of the DS and Wii has worn off. I've bought one game for the DS this year - Monkey Ball (cos' I'm a MB fan) and some pinball game for my mum to play on the Wii.

With games like Silent Hill Origins I'm starting to see what the power of the PSP is capable of. I really like the analog on the PSP - 3D games feel so smooth.

I say buy both (and a Gameboy Micro - the best handheld ever). You never know when you're going to want one of the games for either of them. And I don't feel guilty owning both like I would a PS3 & Xbox360, because the type of experience for each is completely different.

It's great to have both but if I had to choose one, that's very difficult.

I play a lot of US releases but I play a lot of imports.

At this current time, I'm putting more gametime towards my PSP because of "Final Fantasy Tactics" (which I beat two weeks ago) and now I'm playing "Disgaea" and trying to complete "Syphon Filter 2". As well as a few RPG's and the last Castlevania.

But I enjoy my DS and I have a lot of games that I bought that I need to finish like the Phoenix Wright games, Zelda, etc. And there are games that I love for the system like "Advance Wars", "Final Fantasy", "Castlevania", etc.

But in terms of imports, I enjoy the DS for games like "Bleach", "Ouendan", "Jump All Stars", etc. but I enjoy PSP games like the "DJ MAX", "Bleach", "Naruto", "Densha de Go", "Taiko", etc. games.

So, really, it depends on your taste. My tastes for video games is so wide that I enjoy playing everything and it also shows on my tastes for PC and console gaming. As much as I would like to limit myself to a console esp. to save games, there are too many games I want to play.

With the release of Patapon I'm seriously thinking of getting a PSP for easter as I have a long road trip ahead of me and when I've managed to talk my girl friend into driving I can kill some hours with a hand held.

By the way, the US retail price for Patapon is $20 it's more like €40 in the Sweden. :crazy:
WTF!?

Also with games like Cannon Fodder, Dracula X Chronicles, Puzzle Quest, Final Fantasy Tactics, Gradius Collect etc. I think there will be enough games to entertain me later on as well.

Anyway. Pata pata pata pon! :D

I have had both systems since they came out and I have gotten much more use out of the DS than the PSP. I have played all the big hits for each system and they both are quality units with much to bring to the table. Patapon and God of War are huge additions to the PSP's repertoire, making the system much more exciting of recent. I wish that I didn't have an analog stick problem with the PSP or the controls for platformers would be much more enjoyable.

How does the 3D games work on the PSP. Is the controls any good, is the screen large enough? I'm mainly going to focus on "simpler" games which I image work better on a hand held. For example I don't think I'll bother with Metal Gear Solid or God of War on the PSP. Or am I assuming too much about a 3D game not working as well in the hand held formats?

I personally like both the same at this point in time. At the beginning, I think the DS had a much wider selection of high quality games, but the PSP is slowly building its quality titles, with brilliant games like Patapon and God of War PSP.
My favorite DS games that I played are: Hotel Dusk, Advanced Wars, Phoenix Wright (first one mainly), Another Code, Professor Layton, Meteos, Picross DS, Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, the Brain Age games(if you are into those. I find them enjoyable).

The PSP on the other hand has: Crush(one of the best puzzle games out there), Exit, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Lumines, Locoroco, Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters, Jeanne D'arc, and Daxter. New great additions coming this year are: Patapon, God of War, Echochrome and Flow (if you don't own them on the PSN), Final Fatasy, and Super Agent Clank.

Now that Professor Layton and the Curious Village is out, I don't even LOOK at the PSP sitting in my bedroom anymore. MAN is this game good... Amazing.

Having bought a PSP Slim together with Patapon, Lumines II, Exit, Final Fantasy - Tactics and Gradius Collection; I have to say that I'm very impressed with what it does. The last hand held I owned was a Gameboy and I'm more pleased with the PSP than I ever was with the Gameboy. Since I'm a tech geek I think I made the right decision concerning buying a PSP in favor of the DS. It's even made me aware that the PS3 might also be something for me...

MdaG, I wouldn't neglect some of the 3D games that have come out for the system at all. Some of them have done spectacularly well with only one analog stick and it would be a crime to write them off your list. I understand your concern, but I think the PSP does much better with 3D games than the DS in terms of depth perception and control scheme and the way that the top PSP action/adventure games are created fit astonishingly. At times, I find myself forgetting that I have the whole system in my hand but rather just the controller.

I wholeheartedly recommend God of War, Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops, Daxter, Prince of Persia Rival Swords, Crush, both GTA's and Ratchet and Clank as shining examples of successful 3D handhelds that will entertain you for hours. Don't miss out on God of War, though. It is the most polished action/adventure on the PSP to date.

Might look in to them then. Just ordered Disgaea - Afternoon of Darkness as I'm absolutely taken by Final Fantasy Tactics - War of the Lions at the moment.

Make sure you get a good pair of headphones for 'Silent Hill: Origins'. It really does add to the experience. :) Lights off too!!!

EDIT: Oops! I just realised that I posted this much too late! How did you enjoy 'Silent Hill' fruithead?