Nintendo DS or PSP???

bigbadcon

Hi all,


Im looking for some advice on which console to buy. I have always been a fan of Nintendo but have heard from many people that the PSP is better.

I am only looking for a console to play games on,im not looking for any other multimedia features at all such as movies and music etc.

Im looking for unbiased opinions.I realise this is in the Nintendo forum but I didnt want to double post.

Price and graphics and game quality etc are all factors im interested in.

thanking you in advance

bigbadcon

Kimbot

Second hand DS in Xtravision for €40, I would prefer the DS in all honesty I thinks its down to the games for me really!! Mario, Mariokart, Ridge Racer, Advance WArs etc!!

RE*AC*TOR

There are very few games on the PSP that I would rate as very good. Lumines is one. The new one Loco Roco is two - that's about it in my opinion.

The DS has a slew of games that I rate highly, Advance Wars, Osu Tatake Ouendan, Castlevania, Super Mario Bros, Trauma Center, Phoenix Wright, Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, Meteos.... I'm sure you won't like all of those games but there's enough there to keep you going.

As for price the DS is substantially cheaper, the new DS lite is going for €150. I'm not sure what the PSP is going for these days, but I imagine its probably close to twice that price.

PSP wins on graphics. No question. Much more "powerful" machine. But it doesn't have the software to match that hardware.

The DS battery life is 2 or 3 times that of the PSP.

Also it depends what kind of games you like, for instance if you like racing games (Ridge Raaaacer etc) then you might prefer the PSP.

toomevara

If its games you're after it must be a DS, no contest at all...advance wars, metroid not to mention the entire gameboy back catalogue, really no contest. PSP overpriced and over rated.....got DS myself and can't rate it highly enough

Spuddie

bigbadcon wrote:

Hi all,


Im looking for some advice on which console to buy. I have always been a fan of Nintendo but have heard from many people that the PSP is better.

I am only looking for a console to play games on,im not looking for any other multimedia features at all such as movies and music etc.

Im looking for unbiased opinions.I realise this is in the Nintendo forum but I didnt want to double post.

Price and graphics and game quality etc are all factors im interested in.

thanking you in advance

bigbadcon

You should create this thread in the playstation forum too !! id love to see what the psp fanboys have to say !! Its obvious what the answer is goin to be if you put it in the nintendo forum or the playstation forum !! :rolleyes:

deadl0ck

I have a PSP and a DS,
I haven't even charged the PSP since I got the DS a few months ago..
They both have merits.
As a serious gamer, I get a lot more out of the DS, however, if you travel a lot the PSP is nice to rip movies onto, as well as playing games...

Retr0gamer

I have a PSP and a DS. The PSP is gathering dust for the last few months and I haven't even bothered charging it as well. The DS on the other hand is getting lots of play. The simple reason is that the software selection and quality is just so much better on the DS. Not only that but you also have the excellent GBA back catalogue to choose from.

Since you aren't going for multimedia functions you shouldn't even consider getting a PSP before the DS. Even if you were planning to use them then I'd still recommend the DS since the games are just so much better and the multimedia features are badly implemented on the PSP and tbh never get used by me.

steviec

I got a DS in December 04 and PSP in February 05... Over that time the PSP has comfortably gotten ten times more use.

The reason for that is mainly wi-fi, so if you don't know anyone with a PSP that would be a big downside. Both consoles have wi-fi multiplayer play by the way but nothing on the DS comes close to GTA multiplayer in entertainment value.

PSP has:
Loco Roco(fantastic sort-of platform game)
GTA(speaks for itself, the multiplayer modes elevate it above the PS2 version if you're in a position to play them but single player is nothing new)
Lumines(great puzzle game, modern tetris)
Mercury(very under-rated but very brilliant maze game where you tilt the level to roll a blob of mercury around and traverse various obstacles)
Along with games like Smackdown, Prince of Persia, FIFA, Pro Evolution Soccer, Wipeout, Tomb Raider that are all great games and faithful ports from the PS2. There's also a PSP port of Football Manager if you're into that series.

The DS has all the typical Nintendo franchises you'd expect, the highlight really being the new Mario Brothers 2D platform game. Animal Crossing, Mario Kart, Mario & Luigi, Advance Wars, Metroid are all there. Since the console is underpowered and has different input mechanisms they're not quite the direct ports that the PSP gets from PS2, but this means they give you a different experience if you've already played the original versions. Graphics are much lower quality than the PSP but they hold up well enough for a portable, it wouldn't concern me too much. Battery life is about double that of the PSP which more than makes up for the lower quality graphics really.

You won't be disappointed with either console, I think I'd be inclined to sway towards a DS Lite just because of its better portability than a PSP. Don't touch an original DS, it's simply not pocket compatible. The PSP is slightly on the large size too though it's manageable. The DS Lite on the other hand is just the perfect size.

1huge1

the psp has better graphics and multimedia stuff but as you said your not looking for multimedia stuff
the ds is the clear choice it has a much better choice of good games and online play is brilliant and it is really gaining popularity in europe in most countries here it is killing the psp (not sure about ireland though)

BOHSBOHS

one thing that put me right off the psp is THE LOAD times

man when my mate got a psp last xmas and he let me play it i was all excited... but the games took like 5 mins to load
another friend had a ds and the games loaded in the blink of an eye
something to remember if u want a quick game on the move

graphics : psp obviously better

games: ds games range from excellent to "htf did this get released"
the bad ones are really bad
psp some excellent games but most arent the best tbh

looks : the reason i didnt get a ds before now is the looks , the original was one ugly.... but the ds lite looks as good if not better than psp , altho the psp looks so easy to break!

media: well the psp umd is now basically a failed format for anything other than games , u can get multimedia capabilities on the ds if u want to, (m3 play-yan(official), supercard) etc , altho the resolution is SLIGHTly lower than a sony mem stick film and IS NOT widescreen obviously

sales: ds lite sold more than psp like 3:1 in japan
its unreal how big the ds lite is over there!
neck and neck in america and europe but ds lite just released and it looks like its going to storm away with a sizeable lead ,
strangely in the uk and ireland the psp has outsold the ds
but with the huge sony playstation fanbase here(highest ps ownership rate outside of japan) ,that might explain it.

CiDeRmAn

I guess this topic has been trawled over countless times, but everyone has there own opinion, best thing to do is try a mates for a while and see which one floats your boat more.
Otherwise consider what you are playing at home now, if its EA stuff and that type of mass appeal software you enjoy, Need 4 Speed, Fifa etc then get a PSP and good luck to you, if you enjoy the likes of MonkeyBall and Mario type platformers then plumb for the DS, both look lovely and both consoles have a good sized software base now, with both having things that while I am not interested in, have stuff that will appeal to everyone.
I have owned a PSP but got bored with it, that said I get bored quickly and I know many who have enjoyed it, on the other hand while DS games don't have the immediate visual impact PSP games have they do have great gameplay and innovative ideas that more than make up for any shortcoming in the graphics.
Anyway, I would go for a DS, but then you may think differently, the difference in cost is only €100 so both consoles are affordable, try before you buy then.

sprinkles

I have both. DS wins hands down. Bottom line, it's more fun

parsi

I sold my PSP today. Magnificent graphics, slow loading, felt fragile (even though well built), power hungry, not really kid friendly.

I bought a DS lite last week. Now I can play mario with the young fella and have a device that feels durable (the GBA SP was so solid). The games seem to be more fun. Poorer graphics but longer life..

bigbadcon

Thanks for all the replys.

Will prob go for the Ds now. Gonna try and see if I can get one of the second hand ones in Xtravision.

Cheers

setanta5

I say go with the DS. I had a PSP and sold it. Going to get a DS lite instead. The PSP is far superior hardware but the best games on it don't even come close to its graphical potential.

Load times are also a pain, as is the price and crap battery life. Also, i keep saying this, but that extra power makes it too easy for developers to develop games to look good simply because they can. Or more often to make cheap ports of games which don't work with the limited controls of the handheld.

thats my thoughts anyway.