PSP And DS Duke It Out

With the looming launch of Sony's handheld console, X-Play has a series of articles comparing and contrasting the new and shiny portable gaming consoles. The articles are broken into three parts, The PSP vs. the DS, The DS vs. the PSP, and The Final Verdict. From the final article: "Are two screens better than one? Are graphics all that matter? In this third and final edition of my Sony PSP vs. Nintendo DS editorial, I'll compare each handheld bit-by-bit and determine which of the two is worth your hard-earned cash."

Comments

Re:IMHO DS is far better and the review is compari

[faust2097]

Twisted Metal does internet play out of the box.

Re:Give it time

[necrognome]

I have a DS and a Japanese PSP and several games for each (including one US game - Wipeout Pure - for the PSP). In response to a few of your concerns I can say the following:

- First party development
The PSP has better launch titles than the DS currently has DS-specific games. I say this as a Nintendo fanboy (my opinion will change when Kart and Zelda games are released).

- The discs.
My PSP has handled the not-exactly smooth NYC subway for a month w/o skipping (the disc only spins during loads, not continuously during play). This could be an issue with movies, but that is what high-capacity MemoryStick Duos are for. :) YMMV.

- The battery life.
Battery life is decent, enough for one or two gaming "sessions" (i.e. 1+ hrs. of gaming in one sitting) a day. If you want to whip out the PSP for a quick race or ten (of Wipeout, for instance), while sitting in the cafe, battery life is not an issue.

Technically, the PSP is superb and the screen is to die for. The games will be there, though PS1/2 games may not make the console->handheld transition as well as SNES titles did. The cost is going to set folks back $350+ (assuming they want to use their new toys), and whether folks are willing to pay is the real issue.