DS or PSP? Help me decide

[plasticbathmonki]

It's played out to Hades and back, I know, but I am either going to pony up the cash for a new PSP or replace my aging old'n style DS. The DS is totally functional, but the buttons stick from time to time and it's just starting to get alittle worn.

So, opinion time: get a PSP 2000 (on sale for liquidation prices at Circuit City) or replace the DS with a DS lite?

Oh, and I can find more than a couple of games I like on both.

[Ryuukishi]

My opinion, definitely get a PSP, especially since you'll still have a DS that works okay. Both systems are awesome, really. Depending on your taste in genres, one may have a better library than the other-- I'm partial to JRPGs and I have enough games for both systems to last me a lifetime, but for instance if you like fighting games or 3D platformers then the PSP would probably be a better choice.

Also consider which system your friends have. Some of my friends have PSPs, but practically everyone I know has a DS, and there are plenty of awesome multiplayer games available, many of which will host 4-player games off one cart. For me this is a big win in the DS column.

(I wish I could say console connectivity was something you should consider, but IMO neither Sony nor Nintendo has done anything worth noting yet. But Resistance: Retribution and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time are interesting experiments that could eventually prove me wrong.)

But provided you can find plenty of games to enjoy in either library, and multiplayer is not a deciding factor, then I'd go with the PSP, because it is a generally more powerful machine, so all else being equal a PSP game will have better graphics and more depth than a DS game. Stylus control is nifty sometimes but IMO it does not balance out the PSP's power. Being able to download demos and videos from the PlayStation Store is also a big advantage in my mind.

[manthing]

http://www.handheldmuseum.com/Tiger/Tiger-BoJacksonFootballBaseball.jpg

[Chrasilis]

As far as I'm concerned, it depends on what you plan on doing with the device. Generally, people tend to lean towards the Nintendo DS Lite because it has a much larger and more versatile library overall. Even if you're a JRPG fan, there's a crapload of amazing games on DS. Yeah, it's true that the PSP has "more" JRPGs, but most of them are either generic or just more ports. That's not to say that a port is a bad thing, but the DS is better for completely fresh material, regardless of the genre. I'm not one to complain about bad graphics, so that's never a deciding factor for me unless it's a horror-themed game or something of the sort, but if you're a graphics hound, you may want to look more into the PSP.

That said, I say you just clean off/out your old DS, buy a PSP and call it a day. There's no reason that you'd "need" to upgrade to a DS Lite, after all and it'd surely give you more variety to own both. My advice? Do some extensive research and look over the game libraries, as well as what the consoles are capable of and go from there. On a forum like this, asking this kind of question is likely to start a flame war or just net you a bunch of biased opinions, so research is definitely the best overall route. I own both and I couldn't be happier, though. Both of them get equal amounts of play time, but I'm not biased, I don't really play 1 or 2 genres nonstop and graphics don't mean much to me. Such is life. Enjoy your new handheld, whatever the case may be!

[Monsta Mack]

Look at the libary of games and decide what is best for you. When the DSI is out it will have a robust feature of multimedia thingies like music and such, so I think both systems will be even in terms of "extra" features. I think it will all be down to what games you'll enjoy more.

Personally I play most of my RPGs outside of the handheld, but this year I would go with the DSes RPGs. Although in general the PSP has better RPGs.

If you don't have a console the PSP would be a better choice to because they offer games like R6 Vegas, Ghost Recon, etc. But those are still much better on the console.

Overall I would still go with the DS because of their variety of games and the slight cheaper price tag with the system and the games are usually $10 cheaper. That's just me though.

[Redeema]

DSi.

[plasticbathmonki]

Thanks for the input everyone, but the Bo Jackson game has my heart :P

No, seriously, I'm gonna jump on the PSP before they sell out.

[MillerTime2523]

Maybe you should hold off on the PSP..

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215847

[kurokubushi]

Maybe you should hold off on the PSP..

http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215847


I cant open this link, any care to fill me in?

[The Crotch]

Manthing: You have done well, my son.

Kuro: Out-of-date idiot says PSP2 coming this fall.

[kurokubushi]

Manthing: You have done well, my son.

Kuro: Out-of-date idiot says PSP2 coming this fall.




Lol, wow. I actually expect an anouncement on this at e3 this year, but now way it will be out this year, late 2010 at the earlest. My guess Mid-2011. This inspired me to read up on the latest PsP2 rumors, and they have evreything from touch screen, to removing the UMD drive and going with another format.

[MillerTime2523]

There's a thread about this rumored psp2 in the psp section if you're interested in reading up on it.

[Trollsmeesh]

I still say get a DS, but they are both really good systems.

[rumarudrathas]

Eh, think you should bite on that psp2k, and if anything, upgrade your DS to the new DSi that's around the corner, at a later date (around next christmas time) and I'll explain why. That PSP will be a steal, comperatively, and by the time you saved up for the DSi, the online offerings would have matured, and there could be a price drop for that handheld by christmas.

And since the earliest predictions for the PSP2 is not until late 2010, I think there will be no point in upgrading your psp2k for that until the PSP2 matures a bit, and of course, a price drop usually happens when it does.

[Nohbdy]

Price drop? On a Nintendo system? lawl

[rumarudrathas]

Price drop? On a Nintendo system? lawl

Didn't the DS lite underwent a price drop, from $150-$130? Or was it always $130 from the get-go?

In any case, call buying a used system a "price drop" :)

[Trollsmeesh]

Didn't the DS lite underwent a price drop, from $150-$130? Or was it always $130 from the get-go?

In any case, call buying a used system a "price drop" :)

I don't remember, but I think they would move down to 100ish when the DSis come out.

[Raconteur]

I'd suggest the PSP. I had a DS Lite and a PSP 2001, and I loved the PSP. I love nintendo, so the DS exclusives like new mario, zelda, were a treat, but you really have to like the touch screen and I found it got on my nerves over time.
The psp offers a LOT. Skype, internet browser, good games, watch movies and listen to music easily, and much more. So, not only can you easily play great games with good graphics, you can have a portable media player as well. Not only that, you have access to the PSX store to buy games, demos, etc.
To top it, if you want to, you can put emulation on it from atari to PSX, and it works great.
I found myself getting bored with the DS a lot faster since it was limited and harder to implement any extra features.

I'm not much of a hand-held person though, so I sold both eventually, but while the DS is a decent system, unless there's a list of games on it you want to play, go with the psp. You'll have way more options and better hardware.

[Xavin]

I say PSP, I just enjoyed mine more than I enjoyed my DS.

[OmegaSora]

PSP, because you already have a DS. Although like the others said, waiting for an announcement or lack of one for the PSP2 would be a good idea.