The Hylian Domain News Box

[Bcdefg123]

This forum... it lives?! I don't believe I ever mentioned it here, but I got a PSP for my birthday a month ago. Thus, I decided to write a little comparison of the two.

PSP Vs. DS- The Not-So-Great Handheld Review

I remember back in the Game Cube days when I would scoff at anything Sony or Microsoft, gaming-wise. Time passed, and I found myself liking Nintendo, but respecting the other companies too. Only two of the three gaming giants have produced handheld systems for this generation. I had the DS since it pretty much came out, being a Nintendo fan. However, the allure of the PSP was finally too much for me, and I bought it last month for my birthday. Having spent some time with both, I now see myself qualified to write a review focusing on the good and not-so-good points of each. At the end, I will present my opinion of the better system, and even though at time of writing this paragraph, I do not know what my choice will be, I assure you there will be a winner, not a ‘Oh, both of these systems are equally great’ statement. Because that’s just an indecisive person right there. Yeah, that guy reading this over your shoulder. Anyway, let us begin!

Test 1: Price
The Nintendo DS is less expensive, at a starting price of $150, but has since dropped to $130. The Sony PSP started at $200, but is now $170. These prices are all for the systems only, no other games or accessories.

Test 2: Durability
It shouldn’t be an issue for anyone over 8 years old, but this IS the first thing you’d notice about a system, after all. The DS gets props in this category for being the more durable system. Not like I’ve actually tested them, but the first time I took my PSP out of its used box in all its used glory, it felt like it would shatter into a million pieces if it fell. Plus, given that the DS’s screens (at least the bottom one) are resistant from damage AND the fact that the DS folds up, protecting its screens even more, I’d say we have a clear winner, don’tcha think?

Test 3: The Interface
The next thing you notice on your system is bound to be after you turn it on. Yep, it’s the user interface. The DS, our winner so far, has a simple interface, helped by the fact that there’s… not… very… much… you can do. There’s the option to play your DS or GBA game, download play, Pictochat (a simplistic picture chat program), your options, which go to a separate menu, your alarm, and backlight settings. This, on the touch screen making it a cinch to navigate. The PSP uses a horizontal bar, which I believe is properly called Xross, and used for the PS3 as well. Everything you can do is sorted into categories- Games, Settings, and Network for examples- and once you highlight a specific category, options come up under and/or above the category symbol. Definitely worth noting is the system’s customizability. For the DS you can switch between 16 different colored borders, which have a light theme (No black, and the rest of the colors make you feel like its Easter). The PSP, however, lets you download wallpapers and, well, select them as wallpapers. Plus, you can mix wallpapers with themes, available from the Playstation Online Store, for a truly customizable piece of hardware, contributing to the PSP’s first win, and an interface you’ll enjoy navigating through.

Test 4: Hardware Features
So what can you do with these systems right out of the box? Well, the DS provides the aforementioned Pictochat, and the ability for one-card wireless multiplayer. That’s pretty much it. Oh, and it’s an alarm. Not good... The PSP has tons more. With the latest free upgrades, it’s a music player, an internet browser, a video player, an internet radio, RSS compatibility, a photo viewer, and if you have the new slimmer PSP model, it’s even a Skype internet phone. The PSP wins this category, hands down.

Test 5: Sound
The DS has excellent speakers, even scoring directional effects (although Super Mario 64 DS was the only game I have ever heard of doing this). The PSP’s speakers will take you a bit to find, but when you finally notice them, you’ll probably already find out that the sound is high-end cellphone quality, at best… It’s adequate for listening to any type of music you can throw at it (death metal is untested). The DS wins this one.

Test 6: Graphics
Anybody who is even faintly acquainted with these handhelds knows that the PSP has better graphics. Some of the DS’s ARE nice (it can play compressed movies on a game card), but still fall short. To put it into perspective: DS is a cross between the N64 and the GameCube, but the PSP rivals the PS2. And this is a handheld we’re talking about here.

Test 7: Games
Every gamer is different, and likes different games. So I’ve put together a list of games from every notable genre here. All games have a degree of excellency here. I think.

Platformer/ Action: For DS, you have your Mario 64 DS, New Super Mario Bros, and Sonic Rush, hailed as the best Sonic game in recent memory (unless its sequel tops it). For the PSP, you have Daxter, Sonic Rivals (1 and 2), and LocoRoco.

Adventure: For the DS, you have The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and Sonic Rush Adventure? For the PSP, you’ve got Ape Escape: On The Loose.

Puzzle: For the DS, you have Meteos, Picross DS, and Tetris DS. For the PSP, you have Lumines (1 and 2), and Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords.

RPG: For the DS, there’s Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, and Final Fantasy 3 and 12: Revenant Wings. For the PSP, you also have Final Fantasy games, and Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology

Strategy: For the DS, you have Advance Wars (Dual Strike and Days of Ruin), and that’s it. For the PSP, you have Thrillville (Original and Off The Rails), and Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions.

Other notables: For the DS, you have Elite Beat Agents, MarioKart DS, and any of the Nintendogs versions (why are you looking at me like that?), and for the PSP, you have Patapon, as well as any Greatest Hits titles.

The DS wins.

Test 8: Support
Can the handhelds provide new content over time? For the Nintendo DS, this means downloadables for Nintendo Wi-fi titles, like Professor Layton and the Curious Village, and Picross DS. For the PSP, this means firmware updates that add something new about every two months or so, in addition to an online game store. PSP wins.

Overall Winner: If you count it up, each handheld has an equal number of wins. So which one is worth it? The PSP is one heck of a multimedia system, but the DS has it where it counts- the games. Your enjoyment with the PSP is likely based on what you put on it- the memory stick, that is. I repeat: both systems are still enjoyable. Every person has different tastes and preferences, and will prefer different systems. Competition is the stuff of life.

This post has been edited by Bcdefg123 on Jan 8 2009, 09:37 PM

[Xyone]

Yes, thank you for finally stacking that up.

The PSP really isn't much of a gaming device - there are games, and their quality in some ways is better, but they don't actually consider the gaming aspect important. If you want a portable movie player, plus MP3 player, plus online-accessor, I suppose get a PSP.

But, still an iPod (nano, shuffle, video, touch) would be better in those regards, at least I think so.


Also: As much of a fanboy as I'll admit that I am, I still respect the other companies too. Honestly, I wish that I had an Xbox 360 right now. Perhaps not over the Wii, but alongside would be very VERY nice.

[Bcdefg123]

Sometime last week, the Playstation Network launched a movie and TV store. It's pretty expansive for just after release. Over 100 movies and maybe about 500 TV episodes (rough estimates by me). The prices are comparable to Itunes, with TV episodes going for $2 and movies going from $10 upwards. The only drawback is, of course, memory... A movie will take up about 2 GB (TV episodes are about a third of that). I have a 2 GB memory card.

[darkblade09]

PSP has more hombrew. They have music, internet, emulators, and many more.

I will admit but DS has games that are more than fun.

It really depends on my mood.

[Bcdefg123]

Ah, but I'm not counting homebrew here. I seriously think sometime that I'm the only person who wants to use a PSP legitly...

[darkblade09]

I would say PSP has a lot of good games but DS has more fun games. It's probably because of the stylus. I like the graphics on the PSP.

[Xyone]

Actually (commenting to the Homebrew), the DS has a number of emulator attatchments that can get you pretty much any game you could possibly want that came out on the DS - even the Third Party games and the unheard ones.

Plus, the attachment usually comes equipped with a linux-style operating system built in, so you can listen to music, watch movies, etc. Only restriction is you have to fit your files on a MicroSD card (very small in physical size).

...Not that I download illegal games or anything... *shifty eyes*


Also, commenting on what I said earlier about Wanting an Xbox360 - I WISH I HAD AN XBOX360! Argh, nintendo made me beyond angry with the last Press Conference. They're lineup this year is pitiful to say the least, and since all the big-hit games that I was looking forward to have already come out, I'm pretty much stuck with what I've got until the next-gen consoles come out (unless another Zelda game comes in through the cracks, or the Metroid team steps up again).

[Bcdefg123]

They say that both Zelda and Mario teams are working, but it takes time for an AAA game to be made...

And I do tend to hear more about PSP hacking than DS hacking. Possibly because the PSP is more of an 'anything' device.

[Xyone]

That's true, but you can hack anything. The only reason you hear people hacking the PSP more, is, like you said, because there is more to be hacked. The DS is more limited - but that's honestly why it's a better handheld.

[Bcdefg123]

The PSP just got Final Fantasy 7 as a downloadable title today, apparantly. Total ownage.