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DS vs PSP - Developers, Press Sound Off
Sean O'Neill writes "Over at GCAdvanced.com, we've got a large feature interviewing handheld developers and gaming press about the Sony PSP and Nintendo DS. Marc Nix of IGN says: 'I think a lot of system fans and game reporters are gearing up for a big Portable System War of 2005, but the problem is, gamers traditionally haven't cared all that much about handhelds.' However, it's also pointed out that 'incredible features for the new handhelds... will undoubtedly elevate their appeal' - the article then gets responses from more than 20 developers/press on their views of the conflict to come."
As someone who goes alot of game development, I think the DS offers more for developers, and is MUCH more appealing to program on. At first all the stuff looked gimicky, but it's really starting to grow on me. It should also be easy to program on, it's based off the same architecture as the other gameboys, which is fully documented on the internet and very easy to understand. On the other hand, anything sony has made has been difficult to program for, ask ANYONE who has, you spend way too much time reinventing the wheel and doing more micromanagment then you would think possible. They haven't said if the architecture of the PSP is the same as the PS2 yet, but I'm willing to bet it is.
not clear cut. the gamegear has terrible battery life and was expensive..
The same goes for PSP...
The Game Boy's librry wasn't all that much better. Game Gear had Sonic and it's share of puzzle games, I remember how I had to haul it around with it's massive battery pack with charger. But it came down to actual portability. The Turbo Express was also a great system with great games, but didn't have the battery power.
That may be true that Sega used the "get it out early" tactic and failed but Sega's consoles weren't exactly the most popular (though they did have a nice following). The analogy I was making was that the PS2 came out a year earlier than the competition and, since the PS1 was king over the N64, that only strengthened Sony's position as this generation's king of the consoles. The situation is the exact reverse in portables, so it will be interesting to see who wins, or if two giants can coexist. If nothing else, perhaps now there will be some good competition in portables.