What portable system should I get?

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NoRain

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I'm about to start a new job which is going to require me to travel a LOT. So I simply need to ask which way should I go. PSP, DS Lite, or Gameboy Advance? Any constructive input would be nice, but here is basically my pro con list and why I'm on the fence.

PSP:
Pros:
I like the idea of playing Playstation games and older Roms on a portable. This would be ideal.
Cons:
I don't think I'd like fiddling with the firmware.
I don't like the need for memory sticks.
I don't particularly care for the library on the PSP other than ROMS and PS games.

DS Lite:
Pros:
I like that it has a nice library and a bunch of the old Final Fantasy games.
Cons:
Kinda frightened of the dual screen and stylus, I don't really see the point.

GBAdvance:
Pros:
Cheap and I already have final fantasy 1 & 2 dawn of sorrow.
Cons:
I kind of fear it starting to dissappear from the market and seeing more and more love for the DS.

So what should I do? I'm thinking a slingbox is a must have and then one of these consoles. I think the simple thing is to get both, but that seems a little wasteful at this point and time. So should I get a DS and buy a bunch of old final fantasy games or should I buy a PSP and a big memory stick and mess with the firmware and then go ROM crazy? Or should I just be cheap and get a gameboy advance to see if I can even tolerate playing handhelds?
 
Get the DS. It has the better lineup (compared to PSP) and can play the GBA games. There's bound to be lots of games you'll love.

I just don't think a PSP is worth it if you mainly would use it for roms.
 
Guess I'll be the first to say PSP.

If you get the custom firmware working on it, it is the best handheld ever. You'll have access to games from many systems.

Also, contrary to what you may hear, the PSP has tons of great games for it. There are many times where I'll end up playing only my PSP for a good amount of time and ignore every other system I own.
 
[quote name='sblymnlcrymnl']Get a DS.[/QUOTE]

2nd'd

i bought my first Ds at launch and i didnt like..and then i rebought it months later and then traded that in for a ds lite. i have to say..i put more time on my DS than on my consoles. dont let teh dual screen fool you. it makes gameplay so much better. plus its cheaper in all aspects than the psp..plus i think Nintendo is developing a web browser for it so that will take one thing away from the psp. The psp is a good portable too. i had one also and spent long hours playing Ridge Racer and Lumines on it. but when i got a hold of Phoenix wright and castlevania...the psp was gaining dust on it. IMO save yourself the 120 bucks and get a DS...i think that will be the consensus on what you will get from the others here.
 
DS.

The stylus is usually added to most games as an after thought and can be a nuisance, but with all the Marios, Final Fantasys, old NES games, GBA games and the price of it you cant lose.

I know there are people who enjoy the PSP but everyone I know who bought one ended up getting rid of it within a few months.
 
DS.

My PSP has been gathering dust for damn near a year now. I should try and get custom firmware on it and see if I'll stop regretting the $250 I spent on it.
 
I haven't touched my DS in a quarter-century.

My PSP gets far more attention... That'll probably change one Pokemans comes out.
 
I just bought a DS Lite and love it. I was also hesitant about the dual screen and stylus but it's all a piece of cake. First game I bought was the new Super Mario and I didn't put the DS Lite down till I finished the darn game. I absolutely love it!
 
DS!!! Just got one last week after playing the Wii and find out it was not for me. The only problem is my wife loves it as much as I do.
 
DS Lite

It can play your GBA games. The only problem is that that if you have some GB or GBC games you want to play you'll need a GBA instead.
 
DS. The Castlevania games on the ds are amazing! However the new Dracula X Chronicals may cause me to buy a PSP in the near future :)
 
[quote name='ITDEFX']DS. The Castlevania games on the ds are amazing! However the new Dracula X Chronicals may cause me to buy a PSP in the near future :)[/quote]

I'd also vote for a DS, but the Castlevania is also making me consider a PSP.

TBW
 
[quote name='ECW_fan'] The only problem is my wife loves it as much as I do.[/QUOTE]


I had to buy a second DS because of that.
 
If you're really only liking the PSP because of roms, I would say go with the DS. It may seem gimmickey, but it's really a great system.

However, if there's PSP games you like as well as homebrew, then that would seem to be a better choice.
 
I just want to throw my two cents in as a person that's had all three of those systems since their respective launch date.

PSP - This is a solid system under a few conditions:
1) Buy a large memory stick (2GB or more)
2) Get custom firmware running (it's not as hard as it sounds)
3) You're willing to spend time looking into homebrew games and emulators
4) Actually look into some of the games (Ratchet and Clank feels like a console game to me)

DS - It's a fun system. It'll play those GBA games and it has a great library at this point in it's life. The DS lite is probably the best designed handheld that Nintendo has ever produced. As you can tell by previous posters in this thread a lot of people love it and I can understand why and I'm one of them.

GBA - Forget it. Really this was great in 2001 when it came out but it's now in it's final phase of life before it dies away to the DS.

It really just comes down to what you want to play. Also the PSP demands more time to get things ready compared to the DS's simple plug and play.

Good luck on your decision and enjoy it no matter which way you go :)
 
Thanks for all the replys. I'm still stuck and I'll probably get both, but I spent a ton of cash today and I"m not really in the mood to drop 700ish on portable systems right now. I'm kinda shocked nobody tried to sell me a portable system in this thread thou. The one thing that puts me off about the portables is that it kind of hurts to drop 40 bucks on a game that well isn't going to get the love that say a PS2 game or good Wii game might get. This is especially hurtful on the DS when I try to consider that as a lot of the games I'm looking at are remakes of older RPGs that I've played thru.

Things I'd want to play are a lot of RPG's which I think the DS has a big upper hand in and then probably action sports titles like burnout and madden and maybe tiger woods or something which I think the PSP has a big upper hand in. So I continue to be stuck on the issue. The over whelming love shown in this thread for the DS thous is probably gonna make me buy it first thou as it seems to be an easier impulse buy. It is alot harder to buy a PSP knowing you gotta get a big memory stick and then fiddle with firmware and junk just to get running.

Someone feel free to offer me a PSP with a big memory stick and that new updated backwards compatable frimware for cheap thou.
 
Id personally say PSP, but as far as value goes DS wins hands down. Huge library of GBA/DS games. I still think PSP whoops up on the DS as far as hardware goes, and the library is comparable with if not better than DS (for me anyway). Just not quite worth it at the price that it was pushed at.
 
With hard drives becoming smaller and smaller, and flash base storage becoming cheaper, Sony should stop wasting it's time and add a 10-20 gig storage device built into the PSP. It CAN be DONE.
 
[quote name='Brak']I haven't touched my DS in a quarter-century. [/QUOTE]

You haven't touched your DS in 25 years?

Anyway, my vote goes to PSP. I had a DS but didn't find the touchscreen aspect very exciting, the only game I cared for was Kirby Canvas Curse. Since I sold it the only games that have interested me are Yoshi's Island and New Super Mario Bros. On the PSP, there are lots of great games such as Daxter, Syphon Filter, Ratchet and Clank, Metal Gear Solid, Grand Theft Auto VCS, Exit, Lumines, etc. in addition to the excellent homebrew scene.
 
I also have both, but I prefer the PSP. I use it mostly for the MP3's, as I have a docking station at work that I can listen to them. Or sneak in a movie...heh. Don't get me wrong, the DS is a great system, and honestly you can't do wrong with either, IMO.
 
[quote name='ITDEFX']With hard drives becoming smaller and smaller, and flash base storage becoming cheaper, Sony should stop wasting it's time and add a 10-20 gig storage device built into the PSP. It CAN be DONE.[/QUOTE]


And it would make the PSP run hot as hell and way a shit ton. Not a good idea.
 
[quote name='ananag112']Most people don't really know that the PSP actually has good games. What types of games do you like exactly?[/QUOTE]
I like RPGs, action, and sports titles for the most part. Final Fantasy Series, Digital Devil Series, Fight Night, Baseball, Football, Burnout, ect. I don't think the DS can compete with the PSP on sports and action titles, but the nice library of RPGs kinda make it even to me on selection if not a littlle better on DS. For some reason, call me strange, I never cared for Sony's platformers Ratchet and Clank, Crash Bandicoot, ect. So Nintendo for Platformers and RPGS and PSP for action and sports.
 
[quote name='NoRain']I like RPGs, action, and sports titles for the most part. Final Fantasy Series, Digital Devil Series, Fight Night, Baseball, Football, Burnout, ect. I don't think the DS can compete with the PSP on sports and action titles, but the nice library of RPGs kinda make it even to me on selection if not a littlle better on DS. For some reason, call me strange, I never cared for Sony's platformers Ratchet and Clank, Crash Bandicoot, ect. So Nintendo for Platformers and RPGS and PSP for action and sports.[/QUOTE]

Based on what you said, I recommend you get a PSP over a DS.

The PSP has the better action, sports, racing and platformers. I am a huge platformer fan and UG&G, the Megaman games are really good. Even if you are not into the Sony platformers, you should try out Daxter at least. I had low expectations on that game and it turned out to be fun.

RPG wise, the PSP is getting really good RPGs this year (mainly the Final Fantasy RPGs). The DS really doesn't have many good RPGs either, but DQIX looks pretty cool. Also, you said you would like the PSP for emulation and the PS1 and SNES had by far the best RPGs ever (in my opinion at least) so the PSP seems like the way to go.

Also, get a 2GB pro duo. They cost around $60 (if you look around) and are really worth it. If you decide to buy a DS, you should look into getting a M3 adapter for multimedia and playing import games.
 
I have both and I like both. I have to admit that the DS is a much more efficiently designed system. There are no whirling parts and the system is not heavy.

Still, I like playing Burnout on the PSP (which I heard did not translate well on the DS)
 
[quote name='naes']Since you like old school gaming, maybe a GP2X is what you are looking for.[/QUOTE]
Virtual%20Boy%20US.jpg
 
You're right. HOW THE fuck COULD I FORGET?!

A Virtual Boy has a stellar lineup of games.
[quote name='PKRipp3r']
Virtual%20Boy%20US.jpg
[/quote]
 
I have both and would say the psp just for the versatility alone. Its pretty much the one device you need. Tons of games, movies, mp3s, internet, and with homebrew its pretty much limitless.

For the record though, I hated my psp forever, but recently got the custom firmware on it and that changed my opinion completely.
 
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