So I bought a Nintendo DS...

[kuyu]

After a month of debating it, I broke down and bought a DS last night. I also purchased Mario 64. For those of you thinking about buying one, here's some info.

1) The gfx are FAR better than N64. Screenshots really don't do this thing justice. It looks extremely good.

2) The touch screen is pretty useful, especially in a FPS. The digital controls act like WASD, and the touch screen is like a mouse, with shoulder buttons firing. Sorry Sony, but the DS will own FPS. (Can't wait for James Bond online!)

3) The mini games make excellent use of two screens. The puzzle games are especially cool. Touch screen means games can be very different from anything else out there.

4) When you close the unit, it sleeps instantly. When you open it, you're right where you left off. This should be a marketing point for nintendo. If you have 3 minutes to kill, the DS will give you 3 minutes of gaming. The PSP will give you 10 seconds of booting, 30 seconds of loading, 10 seconds of intro CG, and 5 seconds of save time (leaving 2 minutes of gaming).

5) There are ZERO loading times.

All in all, I give the system a 9/10. I have one dead pixel on the lower screen, but it's barely noticable. Sound is solid, gfx are better than expected, and FPS controls that don't suck are a HUGE plus. With confirmed (and free) online gaming via wifi on the way, this is a system you'd rather not miss.

****Since this will inevitably turn into a PSP vs. DS thread, let me say that the PSP looks very, very cool. But, they are different products. Comparing the two is futile. PSP wins in gfx, launch titles, sleekness factor. DS wins in portable gaming, battery life, and innovation.

If like me, you can't decide between the two, buy a DS now, and wait for the PSP to drop in price. For $300 you can get a PSP and one game, or a DS with Mario 64, Warioware touched, Rayman DS, and Feel the Magic.

[Macamus Prime]

We do have some pretty slim pickings as far as software goes. I am excited about future DS titles. Animal Crossing, Castlevania, Mario Kart and Metriod. Mario 64 is holding my interest really well at this point.

The clam shell design is key. Given that its portable, you want to slip it in and out of your pocket without having to worry about the screen getting scratched. I don't want a sock to cover it, or some 3rd party add-on. The SP and the DS have done this right.

Here is my wish list of DS titles.
- A Resident Evil game!! The touch screen would be your menu/map screen. NO MORE ENTERING MENU SCREENS!! Switch weapons and mix herbs on the fly!
- RTS game. Star Craft was brought to the N64,... why not the DS?!
- A new Ridge Racer game. The DS launch title blew. They can do better.
- A Zelda game. No ports! An original game.
- Some Metal Gear would be nice. I wouldn't mind a port with some additions. I still play through MGS on the PS1 about 4 times a year. I'm a sick man,.... I need help. :(

[ExoticFish]

i was up in the air about which one to get, the DS or the PSP. after reading up about them both i decided to get the DS. i've had it for just under a week and i love it thus far. i only have Mario 64 but i'm ultra excited about some of the upcoming titles like bomerman.

i excited to see how the PSP turns out but at $100 more than the DS i went for the DS for now.

[TEG]

I bought One too (from this site in fact.) I love Mario 64 DS, I find my self wasting time playing it. WarioWare Touched on the other hand seems a bit to simple, but it is helping me get used to the touchscreen. The Metroid Demo Rocks, I want the full game. I'd like to see a re-release of the SMB series (ala Mario DX and Mario Advance) but using both screens and M64/DS style graphics. I'd also like The Legend of Zelda (Old NES) with updated graphics, but with the same basic game, using the bottom screen for travel/navagation.

TEG

[Otto Rehhagel]

I just bought a DS and am very busy with Super Mario 64 DS. The mini-games alone have me addicted. The PSP can wait.

I traded in my gba and got a DS for $99 at gamestop. Total price for me was 123.99, including mario game bought at best buy for 24.99

Reasons why I got the DS:
The defect rate on the DS is almost none
Price with game (Super Mario 64 DS) is $180
Built in wifi--->Online service (mario kart 64!)
No loading, spinning discs
Great surround sound speakers
Excellent battery
Plays my gba games
Lid closes to protect screen--no need for case
Sony wants $400 or more for a PSP bundle right now. :eek:

[Sutekidane]

First of all, whether the graphics of the ds are better than the N64 is debateable. I saw a fair amount of blockiness while playing Mario 64 DS when I owned it. I even went as far as playing mario 64 and DS at the same time, and I think Mario 64 looked better. Second, the touch screen being used for FPS games and to control the camera depends on the person, I thought it was horrid. My PSP doesn't load to put it to sleep, it can sleep at any point and instantly just like the DS. Third, the PSP load times are not that bad and most of the in game load times are 1-2 seconds. Also note: The psp is $249 for the value pack which includes a bunch of stuff, and the DS does NOT support 802.11B! No wireless hotspot capabilities, and the range of wireless on the DS is like 45 feet.

I hate Sony with a passion, and even I like my PSP. The DS has dissapointed me, I don't want quirky mini-games, I want depth. Overall, I'm glad I sold it to get the PSP. I'm nearly positive though, that a DS game will come out eventually that will make me want a DS again, however.

I like both, but prefer the PSP. Different strokes for different folks.

[applekid]

- Some Metal Gear would be nice. I wouldn't mind a port with some additions. I still play through MGS on the PS1 about 4 times a year. I'm a sick man,.... I need help. :(

They really should. I remember the MGS on the GBC. Probably the greatest GBC game ever. I was disappointed that Konami really hasn't brought too many MGS games to the Nintendo platforms. We've got a few ports/remakes and the GBC was really the only original on the Nintendo since the PSOne version.

[Sutekidane]

I have the import version of Metal Gear Ac!d, and it's a lot of fun even though I don't know any Japanese. The graphics are nearly the same as the PS2 Metal Gear Solids.

[shortyjj]

DS does NOT support 802.11B! No wireless hotspot capabilities, and the range of wireless on the DS is like 45 feet.


Not currently, but soon

http://ds.ign.com/articles/594/594933p1.html

[Sutekidane]

Not currently, but soon

http://ds.ign.com/articles/594/594933p1.html

Interesting indeed. Thanks for the information.

[jalagl]

Recently, on a company trip, my coworker got a DS with Mario and Feel the Magic. I borrowed it for a little while on the flight back, and couldn't put down Feel the Magic. I loved the puzzles in that game. The one where you have to blow on the DS to move a sailboat is too original!!

I'll probably be getting one myself, but I'm waiting for additional games to be available.

[pgc6000]

We do have some pretty slim pickings as far as software goes. I am excited about future DS titles. Animal Crossing, Castlevania, Mario Kart and Metriod. Mario 64 is holding my interest really well at this point.

The clam shell design is key. Given that its portable, you want to slip it in and out of your pocket without having to worry about the screen getting scratched. I don't want a sock to cover it, or some 3rd party add-on. The SP and the DS have done this right.

Here is my wish list of DS titles.
- A Resident Evil game!! The touch screen would be your menu/map screen. NO MORE ENTERING MENU SCREENS!! Switch weapons and mix herbs on the fly!
- RTS game. Star Craft was brought to the N64,... why not the DS?!

A Resident Evil game would be great. I'm excited about Animal Crossing DS though. Knowing that this is coming out, I'm thinking about picking up a DS. That would mean I'd have to sacrafice all the spare time in my life again though. Skipping meals, ignoring people. But I'll do it if I get to play Animal Crossing DS. I still play Animal crossing for the GameCube once or twice a day. Yes it's geting a little repadative, and I spend more time play Call of Duty: United Offensive MP and Halo 2 Xbox Live, but that's because I spend a massive amount of time playing Animal Crossing a while back. but even so, I still play Animal Crossing on the cube.

Apprently Splinter Cell: Pandora Tommorow or Chaos theory, one of them, is also coming out for the DS. Plus some other great titles. There is no way I'm geting a PSP at this point knowing that there are these titles coming out for the DS. If I end up geting a new portable, then the DS will probaly be it.

Last thing, how exactly will a DS go online? Just like Xbox Live except it's free and portable?

[Otto Rehhagel]

the DS does NOT support 802.11B! No wireless hotspot capabilities, and the range of wireless on the DS is like 45 feet.

Where are you getting your information? The DS uses IEEE 802.11b for all its wireless communications. What you mean to say is that the DS is not compatible with IEEE 802.11a. It is backwards compatible with IEEE 802.11g. It also has a range of 30-100 feet, and in line of sight connections, up to 200 feet, (but that is unrealistic, since trees, walls always get in the way)

Use this for future reference
NINTENDO DS Faq (http://www.darkain.com/nintendo_ds/faq.php)

I don't want quirky mini-games, I want depth.
When on the go, many people prefer minigames, like on cell phones. Its just a preference. Usually a game with minigames has already a full game included, for those who want depth, like Super Mario 64 DS.

[acedickson]

Congrats! I still think I'll wait for the PSP. It's so much more advanced and has more capabilities than the DS.

[GFLPraxis]

- RTS game. Star Craft was brought to the N64,... why not the DS?!


Already announced: Age of Empires DS.


- A new Ridge Racer game. The DS launch title blew. They can do better.


Well theres always Need for Speed Underground 2 DS.


- A Zelda game. No ports! An original game.


Already announced. It'll be based on Four Swords for GameCube. Brand new.




If there could be one port I would immediately shell out $30 for, it would be Starfox 64. LOVE that game.

I also want to see a Super Smash Bros game.

[GFLPraxis]

Congrats! I still think I'll wait for the PSP. It's so much more advanced and has more capabilities than the DS.

More advanced in terms of graphics, yes.

More capabilities? What? How?
It doesn't have sleep mode, a better battery life, or a touch screen.
They both have wireless and internet capability.

I don't see any CAPABILITIES the PSP has the DS doesn't.

[risc]

Actually the PSP does have sleep mode.

[GFLPraxis]

First of all, whether the graphics of the ds are better than the N64 is debateable. I saw a fair amount of blockiness while playing Mario 64 DS when I owned it.

Texture quality is lower than the N64, but the rendering capability is greater so all the characters are more detailed. Thats why the walls look blocky.


I even went as far as playing mario 64 and DS at the same time, and I think Mario 64 looked better. Second, the touch screen being used for FPS games and to control the camera depends on the person, I thought it was horrid.


Were you using the Standard setup on the DS for Metroid?

My PSP doesn't load to put it to sleep, it can sleep at any point and instantly just like the DS. Third, the PSP load times are not that bad and most of the in game load times are 1-2 seconds. Also note: The psp is $249 for the value pack which includes a bunch of stuff,

Sony has said they're only going to sell the value pack in the US.
The Value Pack includes a 32 MB memory card. This is a requirement to play, not a luxury. If you pick up the $200 one in Japan you still have to spend $30-$50 on a memory card.

and the DS does NOT support 802.11B! No wireless hotspot capabilities, and the range of wireless on the DS is like 45 feet.


Yes, it does. It has 802.11b hardware. The current GAMES do not support TCP/IP so you can't go online, but future games will- it's official, Animal Crossing DS WILL be online.


I hate Sony with a passion, and even I like my PSP. The DS has dissapointed me, I don't want quirky mini-games, I want depth. Overall, I'm glad I sold it to get the PSP. I'm nearly positive though, that a DS game will come out eventually that will make me want a DS again, however.

Shouldn't have sold it, because there are only a couple good games at the moment- the really great games are still to come out.

I may eventually get both when the PSP goes down, but I perfer the DS.

Whats wrong with mini games when $30 gets you 180 in Wario Ware? ONE EIGHTY! lol. That is opinion though, so I don't expect to convince you ;)

[GFLPraxis]

Reasons why I got the DS:
The defect rate on the DS is almost none

The defect rate nationwide is almost none. I don't know how the heck it happened, but the city where I live must have gotten a bad shipment.

Out of 7 DSes, 6 had dead pixels. It was the weirdest thing.

Fortunately, Nintendo's policy is, 1 dead pixel = replacement. I got three replacements before my fourth had none. Weirdest thing ever, since there are almost no dead pixel reports elsewhere.

The rest of your post is fine though.

Price with game (Super Mario 64 DS) is $180
Built in wifi--->Online service (mario kart 64!)
No loading, spinning discs
Great surround sound speakers
Excellent battery
Plays my gba games
Lid closes to protect screen--no need for case
Sony wants $400 or more for a PSP bundle right now. :eek:

Isn't the bundle $250?

[GFLPraxis]

Last thing, how exactly will a DS go online? Just like Xbox Live except it's free and portable?

Yep, they'll just add TCP/IP support and a server browser on the cartridge.

[GFLPraxis]

Actually the PSP does have sleep mode.

I stand corrected.

[Cfly]

Well the psp allows you to watch movies through memory stick or on umd, and the support for umd movies is quickly growing.

It also allows you to listen to mp3s

And just wait till grand theft auto and gran turismo 4 come out. You will see what the advantage of a powerful system like the psp is.

Online play is going to be much better on the psp as well because nintendo doesnt really concentrate on online. They say that it will now support online, but so does the gamecube and look how it uses it.

also nintendo is going to copy some of the psps movie abilities by selling new add ons, which will cost extra money.

[Brian Hickman]

.also nintendo is going to copy some of the psps movie abilities by selling new add ons, which will cost extra money.

I don't see this as a bad thing. I, personally, would never use the movie capability of a portable game system. So why would I want to pay for a feature that I do not want?

Hickman

[GFLPraxis]

Well the psp allows you to watch movies through memory stick or on umd, and the support for umd movies is quickly growing.

Okay, so you have the option of:
1) Buying a really, really big memory stick- 1 GB costs $200 for the PSP. Might as well buy a portable DVD player or laptop.
2) Buy a UMD movie, that costs as much as a DVD, has a lower quality and less-than-TV resolution, and none of the special features, and cannot be played on a big screen.

No thanks.

It also allows you to listen to mp3s

Again, hardly unless you buy a bigger and much more expensive memory card.

Buy the PSP for games, not its cruddy media 'capabilities'.


Online play is going to be much better on the psp as well because nintendo doesnt really concentrate on online. They say that it will now support online, but so does the gamecube and look how it uses it.

BZZT! Person without a grasp of logic alert!
Nintendo went up there and said, "We were stupid with the GameCube. We're not making that mistake again. We are going to have an online service for the DS, and transfer that to the Revolution. All free."

Then you walk over and say, "They screwed up on the GameCube so they'll screw up again". What kind of reasoning is that? They're trying to FIX their mistakes, not REPEAT them!


also nintendo is going to copy some of the psps movie abilities by selling new add ons, which will cost extra money.

Nintendo is selling a CF card adapter and an SD card adapter. Check Lik-sang, the CF card adapter costs $25.
A 1 GB CF card costs $75.

So, a 1 GB CF card + the Nintendo adapter = $100.

How much does a 1 GB card for the PSP cost? $180.

Gee, Nintendo's solution is SOOO much more expensive, isn't it? :rolleyes:

I would rather not watch movies on EITHER of their screens. They're both lower than TV resolutions.

[Cfly]

Hey i didnt say that everything the psp did was perfect.

its just nice to have extra features. lets say a really good movie comes out, so u pay 20 dollars and u can watch it anywhere, not bad if you ask me. You could pick up a 256 or 512 mb sandisk card for pretty cheap, which would allow you to put a couple episodes of a tv show or a movie on, or a whole bunch of mp3s. also watching movies on the 10million color widescreen would be pretty good. From what i have read video looks really good on the psp./

Psp seems like it is gonna have lots of great games, and all these extra features are just icing on the cake.

[Phobophobia]

DS all the way, people. So confident in it, I bought Nintendo stock. Nintendo being the only company I would feel safe going long on at this point other than Apple.

[GFLPraxis]

Hey i didnt say that everything the psp did was perfect.

its just nice to have extra features. lets say a really good movie comes out, so u pay 20 dollars and u can watch it anywhere, not bad if you ask me. You could pick up a 256 or 512 mb sandisk card for pretty cheap, which would allow you to put a couple episodes of a tv show or a movie on, or a whole bunch of mp3s. also watching movies on the 10million color widescreen would be pretty good. From what i have read video looks really good on the psp./

Psp seems like it is gonna have lots of great games, and all these extra features are just icing on the cake.

512 MB is $80 (remember, you need a Memory Stick Duo). Almost the price of a 1 GB iPod Shuffle.

I dunno if you could fit a movie (doubt it) without HEAVY compression. DVD's are usually 4.7 to 9.4 GB, remember? It would look much less than TV quality. And its illegal to rip from DVDs so where do you get these movies?

TV shows, sure, if you have a recorder for your Mac, which most people don't.


DS all the way, people. So confident in it, I bought Nintendo stock. Nintendo being the only company I would feel safe going long on at this point other than Apple.

Nintendo might get some hurt when the XBox 2 comes out in 2005. It sucks terribly (PS3 is cool, XBox 2 has some terrible things in the spec sheets), but it's going to get the xmas 2005 season. That might hurt Nintendo stock.

The Revolution in 2006 should rebound it.

Then again, Nintendo will sell a LOT of Zelda in '05 :)

[Otto Rehhagel]

Isn't the bundle $250?

Well, technically yes. Online, ebgames.com and gamestop.com offer their bundle for 379 and up. Those are the only bundles available there. But I believe you need the bundle because you may want a few games. They are just capitalizing on high demand by making you pay for more games than you originally planned on buying

IMHO, not all PSP games will keep you excited for too long, so you kinda need another game or two. Many PSP games are so similar to the PS2 games. SOS. (Same Old Stuff)

Yeah, Super Mario 64 DS is also similar, but it has added so much more, especially the mini games. Also, Super Mario 64 for N64 will always remain a classic game that has replayability even after a decade. Same goes for Mario Kart.

[Sutekidane]

Well, technically yes. Online, ebgames.com and gamestop.com offer their bundle for 379 and up. Those are the only bundles available there. But I believe you need the bundle because you may want a few games. They are just capitalizing on high demand by making you pay for more games than you originally planned on buying

IMHO, not all PSP games will keep you excited for too long, so you kinda need another game or two. Many PSP games are so similar to the PS2 games. SOS. (Same Old Stuff)

Yeah, Super Mario 64 DS is also similar, but it has added so much more, especially the mini games. Also, Super Mario 64 for N64 will always remain a classic game that has replayability even after a decade. Same goes for Mario Kart.

I couldn't really agree less. I see many original PSP games announced and for release on launch day as well as some 'ports'. I say 'ports' because most of them aren't direct ports at all, they all seem to have major differences. I see Mario DS as Mario 64 with an expansion pack. Nintendo has been known for all of its ports recently on the GBA SP. All the classic NES games, and all those SNES games that were ported over. The DS may have more original games, but thats because it's easier to be considered innovative by throwing some minigame or touchpad or microphone support.

[kuyu]

Fortunately, Nintendo's policy is, 1 dead pixel = replacement. I got three replacements before my fourth had none. Weirdest thing ever, since there are almost no dead pixel reports elsewhere.


That's cool. I have a red pixel on the bottom screen. It doesn't really affect my gameplay though, so I think I'll just deal with it. But, since Nintendo technically owes me a new DS, I have license to be as rough as possible with my DS for one year. Awesome... ;)

[neoelectronaut]

Two points

1) The DS is more powerful than the DS. The reason the textures look worse is because the DS lacks any sort of texture filtering. it's like comparing PSX titles to N64 titles. The PSX has sharper textures in many cases, but they're very pixelated-looking. Whereas the N64 has smoothed, blurred textures.

In either case it's not quite as noticeable on the DS because of the screen size.

2) I want a DS SO BADLY...but I'm trying to force myself to wait for the white DS to be released here.

Mostly so I can put an Apple sticker on top and call it my iBook DS. :P

[GFLPraxis]

Two points

1) The DS is more powerful than the DS. The reason the textures look worse is because the DS lacks any sort of texture filtering. it's like comparing PSX titles to N64 titles. The PSX has sharper textures in many cases, but they're very pixelated-looking. Whereas the N64 has smoothed, blurred textures.

In either case it's not quite as noticeable on the DS because of the screen size.

2) I want a DS SO BADLY...but I'm trying to force myself to wait for the white DS to be released here.

Mostly so I can put an Apple sticker on top and call it my iBook DS. :P

I assume you meant the DS is more powerful than the N64 :D

[lordmac]

My god everyone who has posted on this thread is bias against one system or the other. So im going to take upon my self to state all the facts. First off the PSP dose have a sleep mode and it loading times are being majority exaggerated in both directions judging from what i have read in reviews. Also people keep saying that the psp will be all ports well im sure many of its game s will be as will the DS's I think ports will be abundant on both systems as time goes on. The media player Nintendo is coming out with (play yan) dose not use compact flash it uses SD card which are quite a bit more expensive, still cheaper then memory stick duo though. And just face it everyone the psp media capabilities while not that great are better then the DS. Although weather media capabilities on a handheld at all will do well in the market or are important is debatable. As for the psp, sony is having quite few manufacturing problems (ie. pumping them out and the weird square button thing that the system manufactured before 20005 were having.) Personally I haven't decided on which I will get im waiting to try them both personally. I think that if sony opens up the UMD format for any to use and make there own UMD's then I could see them really dominating but I doubt there is any chance in hell that they will, but you never know. These 2 machines are very different and I think both will do well in the market place. I just wish I had the money to just get both. :D

[GFLPraxis]

My god everyone who has posted on this thread is bias against one system or the other. So im going to take upon my self to state all the facts. First off the PSP dose have a sleep mode


That was already corrected. We know.

and it loading times are being majority exaggerated in both directions judging from what i have read in reviews. Also people keep saying that the psp will be all ports well im sure many of its game s will be as will the DS's I think ports will be abundant on both systems as time goes on.

Nope. Because the hardware (processors, graphics card, all hardware) is COMPLETELY different from the N64, porting isn't that easy so most developers are just making new games.

The PSP has the EXACT hardware of the PS2 and could even play PS2 games if it could fit them, therefore all developers have to do is add WiFi support and stick it on a disk.

As a result, the DS has very few ports while the PSP is mostly ports (after all, if any game you make for the PSP can be converted to the PS2 in two seconds, why make PSP-only games?). There are THREE ports for the DS (one hasn't been released yet) from the upcoming list.


The media player Nintendo is coming out with (play yan) dose not use compact flash it uses SD card which are quite a bit more expensive, still cheaper then memory stick duo though.

Duh. I didn't SAY Play-Yan. The Play-Yan is an SD card adapter. I SAID to get the CF adapter, NOT the SD adapter.

http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=246&products_id=3983&PHPSESSID=21096c4d019507bc37311219730b5fc7

Costs $25 and plays movies off CF cards.

And just face it everyone the psp media capabilities while not that great are better then the DS.

They both suck to the point that I wouldn't buy either system for media.

[Cfly]

a decent quality movie for the psp would be less than 512 mb

and the psp hardware is not the same as the ps2.

[andrewfee]

I've had a DS since it launched back in November, and a PSP for about 3 months now, so I thought I'd add my opinion.

To start off I have to say that I love both systems.

Although most people will compare the two, personally I don't think they really compete; you buy a PSP if you want PS2 quality games in your pocket, you buy a DS if you want to play games a new way and try something new.

The graphics always seems to be the first thing people talk about when comparing the systems, so I may as well start with that.

The PSP has amazing graphics, it's incredible that you can have near ps2 quality graphics on something that you can fit in your pocket.
However, I do think the DS's graphics are great too. Sure, the system isn't as powerful, but the graphics are suited to its size of screen, so the difference isn't actually as big as comparing a ps2 to an n64.

As for comparing the DS to the n64, in my opinion, the graphics are better for games that aren't just direct ports. (rayman, ridge racer) Yes, the DS doesn't have any texture filtering, but Mario 64 DS looks a lot better than its N64 counterpart. The character models are vastly improved, the textures are better (more detail, and a much better colour palette) and it's not overly blurry and saturated like it was on the n64.



Control: both systems have six buttons and a d-pad, the PSP has an analogue nub, and the DS has its touchscreen / microphone capabilities.
This means that pretty much anything that can be done on the psp can be done on the ds (with lower quality graphics) but the same can't be said about games going from the DS to the PSP.

Personally, I hate the analogue nub that the psp has. It's in a bad location, and is too small to get precise movemets out of it. I've not actually had a problem with the "analogue" touchscreen controls on the DS, and prefer them to what the PSP offers.

I made a video quite a while back showing off how the controls in Mario 64 aren't that bad.

http://frazmal.com/andrewfee/misc/Super-Mario-64-DS.zip

One thing I should point out though, is that I had my hands stretched around a tripod, and was trying not to move the system much. I then had my cat come in and start rubbing up against my arm at the end, which is why I missed a few jumps, but it does show you how, once you get past the initial learning curve, you can get pretty good with the controls.

The d-pad and buttons are much better on the DS than the PSP as well. With the PSP they feel like they're pushed out to the sides too much, thanks to that huge screen. I don't personally do this, but I've seen a lot of people playing the PSP, and their thumbs actually go onto the screen when playing and hitting right on the d-pad or the square button.



Load times:
On the DS there aren't any. You turn on the game and after the title screen, it's there. You hit start, and you're in the game. Perfect if you're wanting a quick five minutes of gameplay. When you close the system it goes to sleep instantly, and when you open it up, you're right where you were and ready to go.

The PSP on the other hand is quite different. If you turn on the PSP without a disc in, it takes a few seconds to load up its gui. Sure, it looks a lot nicer than the DS's one, but the wait can be annoying. When you then put a disc in you wait 5-10 seconds for the machine to spin up the disc, read the contents, and then display what game it is. You then hit O to load the game (on a japanese system O is ok, X is cancel) which sees you waiting anything from five to twenty seconds before you even get to the title screen. Then, when you actually want to go into your game, you have another annoying wait.
Yes, you can ignore these load times, and yes you're getting much nicer graphics, but I do wish sony had gone with solid-state memory of some sort.
When you flick the power switch up, rather than holding it, it puts the machine into sleep. This can take about 10 seconds for the machine to go off; the screen gets turned off right away, but you still hear the drive spinning down etc afterwards.
When you wake up the system, the same thing happens, the screen comes on right away, but you hear the disc spinning up again for about 10 seconds. It depends on the game, but in Ridge Racers, for example, if you sleep in the middle of a race, sometimes when you hit continue, it will pause the games a few times, or the framerate will go right down for about 20-30 seconds. Once the system has fully "woken up" it's fine, but it is annoying.

What annoys me more though, is that a game like Lumines, which is a puzzle game, probably takes close to a minute to even get a game started from having the machine off. If you pause the game for a few seconds and continue, you'll be playing without music for 10 or so seconds, and if you sleep the game, when you finish, there's an error saying it couldn't save. You can get it to retry, but it's far too easy to hit the wrong button instead and lose your new high score. (you have to hit X, then O to get it to try saving again, which isn't what you'd expect)



As for battery life, I must be getting about four or five hours on my PSP and at least eight on my DS. Generally both these are long enough to last the whole day, and I always charge both of them at night anyway, so neither is an issue.



Overall look / feel. This one is quite hard to choose really. While the PSP is a beautiful system, it doesn't look too nice when it's covered in fingerprints. (no matter what you do, as soon as you touch the machine you're going to leave a mark) That big screen will get scratched rather easily too, which won't look great. Out of the box though, the PSP has the DS beaten.

The DS feels a lot better though. The machine feels a lot more solid than the PSP does, and the ergonomics are better. The PSP is actually the first games system I've ever used that I've had sore hands after playing for any length of time. (it doesn't happen now that I'm used to the system, but I had to stop playing after my first three hours of having it)
The clamshell design of the DS is much better too, as it protects the screens. While the DS is actually thicker when closed up, when it's in your hands it's thinner and feels better than the PSP like this.



I feel sorry for you guys in USA being forced to buy the "Value" Pack for the PSP though, personally I bought the machine on its own. The included case is useless, it's a very tight fit, and doesn't cover the end of the machine. The headphones are pretty poor (imo) and the remote is very cheap feeling. (and not that much use) The headphones / leather wrist strap are white, which doesn't fit in with the machine, and you're forced to buy a 32mb memory card.

I bought my PSP for games, so I've actually got an 8mb card. (I was in a hurry to get one, and the store only had the 8mb, or an overpriced 512mb one which was over twice the price I could get it for online)
I have tried out movies/music with a bigger memory stick, but I wasn't impressed. Music is good, but I would rather listen to it on a device designed for music and not the bulky (in comparison to and iPod) PSP. I also wouldn't want to drain my battery with music either.

I was very unimpressed with videos off the memory stick. To start with, you can't play back videos in the PSP's native 480x272 format, the highest it will play is 320x240, which means that you have to stretch the video to fit the screen. This means you lose out on any fine details there might have been. I would definitely not be buying a 512/1024mb card to load up with videos.

UMD video on the other hand is very impressive. I bought the sampler disc with my PSP and the video footage runs at 480x272, the native resolution. It's very sharp, and looks fantastic. However, the PSP's screen lets it down. Dark areas lose all detail, and the response rate on dark areas isn't great, so you get a fair bit of ghosting in dark scenes. I also wouldn't pay DVD price for something that can only be played on the PSP and doesn't have all the extras that DVDs have. I will say that it looked better than any portable dvd player I've ever seen in action though.



I think that's me covered just about everything now. Personally, if I could only have one, it would be a difficult decision, but I would go with the DS, as it's something different. I do feel that the two systems compliment each other quite nicely though, which is why I own both.

[Sutekidane]

The Japanese version of Lumines has a lot of technical issues, I'm not sure why. It's the only thing holding me back from just importing it.

Thanks andrewfee for all the information. Finally a person giving opinions and information that actually HAS a psp.

[zelmo]

I was really, really tempted to buy a DS when they came out in the U.S., but decided to hold off until more info on the PSP was available. I probably don't do enough portable gaming to justify purchasing both systems.

My decision was made for me when Wipeout Pure was announced. I have been a huge fan of Wipeout from the first PS1 release, and I'll be buying the PSP next Thursday, along with Wipeout and maybe Tiger Woods. Don't know about Metal Gear Acid, though I'm a fan of the series. I'm also intrigued by the potential for email and internet applications.
Music? who cares. That's why I have an iPod.
Movies? whatever. Maybe in a pinch.
Photo viewer? might be worthwhile for those trips to Grandma's.

My nephew has a DS, so I've had a chance to play Mario. It rocks, and the system is nicely made. Hmmm, Father's Day is right around the corner. Maybe that DS is still in my future...
:) :rolleyes:

[andrewfee]

I was really, really tempted to buy a DS when they came out in the U.S., but decided to hold off until more info on the PSP was available. I probably don't do enough portable gaming to justify purchasing both systems.

My decision was made for me when Wipeout Pure was announced. I have been a huge fan of Wipeout from the first PS1 release, and I'll be buying the PSP next Thursday, along with Wipeout and maybe Tiger Woods. Don't know about Metal Gear Acid, though I'm a fan of the series. I'm also intrigued by the potential for email and internet applications.
Music? who cares. That's why I have an iPod.
Movies? whatever. Maybe in a pinch.
Photo viewer? might be worthwhile for those trips to Grandma's.

My nephew has a DS, so I've had a chance to play Mario. It rocks, and the system is nicely made. Hmmm, Father's Day is right around the corner. Maybe that DS is still in my future...
:) :rolleyes:
I've currently got Metal Gear AC!D, Ridge Racers and Lumines on my PSP, and while I've never been a huge fan of the Metal Gear Solid series, I love MGA.
These are really low quality, and don't have any sound, but should give you a general idea of how MGA Plays (did them a while ago for a friend) Mission 1 - Part 1 (http://frazmal.com/andrewfee/misc/mission1-pt1.MP4.zip)
Mission 1 - Part 2 (http://frazmal.com/andrewfee/misc/mission1-pt2.MP4.zip)
Mission 1 - Part 3 (http://frazmal.com/andrewfee/misc/mission1-pt3.MP4.zip)
Mission 1 - Part 4 (http://frazmal.com/andrewfee/misc/mission1-pt4.MP4.zip)

(I also have a video of the Metroid Demo (http://frazmal.com/andrewfee/misc/metroid.zip) and Lumines (http://frazmal.com/andrewfee/misc/lumines.mp4.zip))



I knew I would forget to mention something! While I don't personally use the PSP for this, if you crop/resize your photos to the PSP's native (480x272) resolution they look stunning. It really shows off the screen at its best, although I'm not sure how many people will be using this feature.

[GFLPraxis]

a decent quality movie for the psp would be less than 512 mb

and the psp hardware is not the same as the ps2.

Same processor, same graphics card, same amount of RAM.

Only difference I see is different media for memory cards and disks.

[agreenster]

I think everyone should run out and buy Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix as soon as it comes out (next week). It's an awesome game.

But I'm not biased...

[technocoy]

i will be buying a psp for the EXACT reason you stated and nothing more really... funny. Wipeout Pure will ROCK.

I currently own a DS and LOVE it. I like the forward thinking approach that nintendo is taking with their new systems.

I'm sure I'll eventually buy other games for the PSP but for me it's quality and not quantity of the games. I own a PS2 with like 30 games and a Gamecube with like 10. I am consistently playing the gamecube.

I bought the PS2 for final fantasy and wipeout fusion. Same thing with xBox, would only buy it for halo and mechassault.

[zelmo]

I've currently got Metal Gear AC!D, Ridge Racers and Lumines on my PSP, and while I've never been a huge fan of the Metal Gear Solid series, I love MGA.
These are really low quality, and don't have any sound, but should give you a general idea of how MGA Plays (did them a while ago for a friend) Mission 1 - Part 1 (http://frazmal.com/andrewfee/misc/mission1-pt1.MP4.zip)
Mission 1 - Part 2 (http://frazmal.com/andrewfee/misc/mission1-pt2.MP4.zip)
Mission 1 - Part 3 (http://frazmal.com/andrewfee/misc/mission1-pt3.MP4.zip)
Mission 1 - Part 4 (http://frazmal.com/andrewfee/misc/mission1-pt4.MP4.zip)

(I also have a video of the Metroid Demo (http://frazmal.com/andrewfee/misc/metroid.zip) and Lumines (http://frazmal.com/andrewfee/misc/lumines.mp4.zip))



I knew I would forget to mention something! While I don't personally use the PSP for this, if you crop/resize your photos to the PSP's native (480x272) resolution they look stunning. It really shows off the screen at its best, although I'm not sure how many people will be using this feature.

Thanks for the MGA footage. I still can't decide conslusively if that is a game for me. I'm not a huge RPG fan, and have never even tried a card battle type game. This seems like a little of both. My portable gaming is typically in short spurts of 10-20 minutes, which lends itself well to racing games and golf. My GBA SP seems to always have PGA loaded into it.

[andrewfee]

Thanks for the MGA footage. I still can't decide conslusively if that is a game for me. I'm not a huge RPG fan, and have never even tried a card battle type game. This seems like a little of both. My portable gaming is typically in short spurts of 10-20 minutes, which lends itself well to racing games and golf. My GBA SP seems to always have PGA loaded into it.
Probably best not to get it if you only play in bursts of 10-20 minutes. With MGA I only seem to get anywhere when I set aside a half-hour or hour to play it, which is why it's my least played PSP game.

[raggedjimmi]

i honestly cant wait to see what Ninty do with F-Zero for the DS.

i used to love Wipeout until i got F-Zero X.... GX rocks my socks now. its shockingly amazing.

[applekid]

DS all the way, people. So confident in it, I bought Nintendo stock. Nintendo being the only company I would feel safe going long on at this point other than Apple.

Good luck with that. I hold four shares. I bought them at about $9 each share, but it's been lackluster. I've only gained about $3 or $4. It's better than nothing, but after seeing something like Apple jump up like 4 or 5 times in value since I bought those shares, it's sorta a let down ;)

Nintendo is still a profitable company so it's got a future and so I'll stick around.

[GFLPraxis]

Good luck with that. I hold four shares. I bought them at about $9 each share, but it's been lackluster. I've only gained about $3 or $4. It's better than nothing, but after seeing something like Apple jump up like 4 or 5 times in value since I bought those shares, it's sorta a let down ;)

Nintendo is still a profitable company so it's got a future and so I'll stick around.


Woah, that's nearly a 50% increase!

[JeDiBoYTJ]

I dont see why everyone is falling for the PSP. Wow, it has the SAME GRAPHICs as a PS2... you know what, i'll just stick with the PS2 on my 65in TV plugging in through HD. I just dont see the need to take those PS2 graphics on the road. most normal people wont have too much time in the day to actually play it. most will only have time to play it when they get home... but if thats the case, why not play a PS2 on a nice big TV? the PSP is just a fad item high schoolers will bring to school just to show off. its just a simple novelty item.

Now on the other hand, the DS is a great concept. I have one myself, and I love the touch screen. the DS is a great 'pick up and play for a couple minutes' type of machine, and the games are AWESOME. yes, the DS is also a novelty item, but its a practical one at that. its great for anyone who wants to play a quick game or two.

[kuyu]

Well, I think we can officially state that both the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP are great systems.

Andrewfee, what games do you have for your DS. I just bought Mario (very fun) and don't know which game to buy next. Rayman looks cool but I already have a great platformer. I love the fact that the games are $30. I can buy two DS games or one ps2 game.

Also, since this is my first portable system does anyone know of any good gameboy advance games worth picking up?

[Cfly]

I dont see why everyone is falling for the PSP. Wow, it has the SAME GRAPHICs as a PS2... you know what, i'll just stick with the PS2 on my 65in TV plugging in through HD. I just dont see the need to take those PS2 graphics on the road. most normal people wont have too much time in the day to actually play it. most will only have time to play it when they get home... but if thats the case, why not play a PS2 on a nice big TV? the PSP is just a fad item high schoolers will bring to school just to show off. its just a simple novelty item.

Now on the other hand, the DS is a great concept. I have one myself, and I love the touch screen. the DS is a great 'pick up and play for a couple minutes' type of machine, and the games are AWESOME. yes, the DS is also a novelty item, but its a practical one at that. its great for anyone who wants to play a quick game or two.


why would people not have time to play the psp, but have time for the ds.

games like ridge racers, tony hawk, and need for speed would be great for 30 minutes of fun on the bus, or whatever.

[applekid]

Also, since this is my first portable system does anyone know of any good gameboy advance games worth picking up?

There's just so many! I'd look at GameBoy.IGN.com's reviews and check their best reviews. Most of the games directly from Nintendo are top-notch. Of course there's a few worthy third-party games as well.

[GFLPraxis]

Well, I think we can officially state that both the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP are great systems.

Andrewfee, what games do you have for your DS. I just bought Mario (very fun) and don't know which game to buy next. Rayman looks cool but I already have a great platformer. I love the fact that the games are $30. I can buy two DS games or one ps2 game.

There's Rayman DS. Haven't played it yet, but I know several people who played it on the PS1 and N64. They all said it was among the best platformers on any of the old consoles.

Wario Ware is pretty good, and Asphault Urban GT isn't a bad racer (no damage and somewhat weird physics, but really good graphics and 60 FPS instead of the normal 30, so it looks silky smooth).

Star Wars Episode 3 is coming out in a month and a half, as are several other good game. The best games are coming out this fall (online games, w00t).


Also, since this is my first portable system does anyone know of any good gameboy advance games worth picking up?


DEFINITELY.
Depends on the kind of games you like.
All the old Mario games are good, especially Mario World (extremely long game).

The GBA Mega Man games are actually better than the console games, I highly recommend any of them.

If you like platformers, I recommend MegaMan Zero 3. Awesome game- there's nothing like taking Zero and a saber and ripping through hordes of enemies (they literally split apart with the Z-saber) while flying through the level at full speed, accompanied by very fitting music :cool:

If you like RPG's, I haven't played a lot of the GBA ones, but one I can really recommend is MegaMan Battle Network 3 (not 1 and 2, which are crap, or 4, which is short and overcomplicated). I've put 70 hours into it, using an online strategy guide for the hidden items, and STILL haven't reached Alpha Omega (the ultimate last boss after you've beaten the original last bost light ears ago).

The game is incredibly difficult. It took me about 30 hours originally to reach the last boss, Alpha. I beat the game, thinking I was done, but there is a whole after-the-game-ends storyline, with a huge secret area hidden away. After boosting my character to insane levels, solving all the puzzles, and defeating three very, very hard bosses, and a boss rush mode where I have to defeat all 20 or so of the original bosses using only my weakest attacks within 10 to 40 seconds each (depending on the difficulty)...that was just IMPOSSIBLY hard...I reached Bass GS. This guy makes the last boss look like CHEESECAKE. I can beat Alpha without taking a hit at this point on a good day because I have become so insanely powerful after beating the game, and this guy still murders me every time. After a bazillion tries I finally beat him, then have to find and defeat Omega versions of every boss, and finally Bass Omega, which is just...yeow.

I'm almost to Alpha Omega, the final boss of the last bosses. I have 70 hours logged. I'm getting close. :(

Beware- the storyline is very childish- but the gameplay is very nice. And multiplayer is awesome (you might want to pick up an old GBA for $20 if you have any friends that have this game, because trying to get a better character to smack down your friend is the best part).

[JeDiBoYTJ]

why would people not have time to play the psp, but have time for the ds.

games like ridge racers, tony hawk, and need for speed would be great for 30 minutes of fun on the bus, or whatever.

because the DS is a unique experience, the PSP is not. everyone I know (including me) is too busy to play a portable system while at school or work. and when I get home, I dont want to play a PS2 in my hands on a small screen, i'd rather play it on a nice big TV. or, i'll pull out my DS and play for hours upon hours on my day off.

hey, if you have time to play a PSP while you are on the 'bus' or whatnot, then so be it. but not everyone rides the bus, or has enough time in the day to pull out a PSP.

[shortyjj]

Ok, I'm actually leaning towards the DS now, but as I still want to listen to music on it...

... how exactly is it done? I think somebody mentioned using a CF card, but how do I a) get the music onto the card and b) get the card into the DS? Will I need additional accessories?

Also, I imagine it will look silly to have the DS open just to listen to music, but I guess that's how it is.

And I don't look forward to settling for Ridge Racers on DS when the PSP is so much more beautiful. Hopefully it will be fun and beautiful in its own right.

[GFLPraxis]

Ok, I'm actually leaning towards the DS now, but as I still want to listen to music on it...

... how exactly is it done? I think somebody mentioned using a CF card, but how do I a) get the music onto the card and b) get the card into the DS? Will I need additional accessories?

Also, I imagine it will look silly to have the DS open just to listen to music, but I guess that's how it is.

And I don't look forward to settling for Ridge Racers on DS when the PSP is so much more beautiful. Hopefully it will be fun and beautiful in its own right.

You buy a $25 CF card adapter. It goes to the GBA slot on the DS (which doesn't support standby mode), so you CAN close the DS and listen to the music.

You'll need some way to get stuff on the CF card. If you have a camera that uses CF cards, put the CF card in the camera and plug the camera into the Mac. Or use a memory card reader.

http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=246&products_id=3983&
http://image.lik-sang.com/images//large/gba-movieplayer-2nd1.jpg

HOWEVER, some quick math.

Nintendo DS + CF card player + 1 GB CF card = $150 + $25 + $80 =$255
Sony PSP + 1 GB SMS Duo stick = $250 + $170 (yes, they are that expensive) = $420

Both of those give you a game console that also serves as a very bulky 1 GB music player.

OR

Nintendo DS + 1 GB iPod Shuffle = $150 + $150 = $300. $45 more than the DS setup, but you don't have to get a CF card reader and the music player is MUCH smaller (and you can listen to the music while playing the game).

Or go 512 MB iPod Shuffle and DS for $250.

It's a tiny bit more expensive, but it's cheaper than the PSP and more functional than the DS setup.

[manicdvln]

If you guys are considering getting a media palyer add-on for your DS or gameboy, i suggest you guys wait till E3, since there is buzz from nintendo's own mouth that they will indeed bring the official GB media player "play yan" to the states with a few surprises like free music download and micro games.

[GFLPraxis]

If you guys are considering getting a media palyer add-on for your DS or gameboy, i suggest you guys wait till E3, since there is buzz from nintendo's own mouth that they will indeed bring the official GB media player "play yan" to the states with a few surprises like free music download and micro games.


True. Play-yan is an SD card adapter, though...
http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=246&products_id=6239&

It appears to be selling for $80 instead of $25 :confused: