Should I trade in my DS for a PSP?

This has been a tough decision, but I feel that it's for my own good. However, even tho the DS has higher-quality games, the PSP seems to have more bells and whistles outside of gaming, like iPod-style features. It makes me wonder, is the PSP worth the trade-in from a DS/DS Lite, or will Nintendo remain #1 as far as portable gaming? Who thinks it would be worth switching to Sony's little handheld from the almighty DS?

Surely that's a decision only you can make?!

Yeah, I know, but it had me scratching my head as far as whether to upgrade my DS to a DS Lite, or whether to stab Nintendo's back, and side with the PSP. I mean, they both have their pros and cons, that I can't sort out too easily.

Well, if you decide to stick with the DS, I'd definately upgrade to a DS Lite. However, if you want to play GBA games on it, the carts do stick out the bottom a bit. This doesn't bother me too much, as I find it quite useful to get a better grip, by pushing my little fingers against the side of the cart. :)

What strength does the psp have? That it plays expensive hard to find movies with no extras? Or that it's games look better but not a single one has been very good?

Or is it that you can play like 3 CDs worth of music?

I bet it is cause the screen updates slow and ghosts and because it is easy to crack. Great for those who like to wait 2-4 weeks for replacements.

Waiting rocks.

You could stick with a DS and check out the homebrew stuff.
Get a Supercard (there are different models for different storage mediums; I use Compact Flash, but you could use SD or Mini-SD if you wanted, although CF generally has the best support), and you'll have the bonus of 32 MB built in RAM which some software uses. It's also a reasonably small device (GBA cart size) with the only part that juts out being the CF card itself which actually looks fine even on a DSLite. The SD / MiniSD models do not jut out. (And I think there's even a DS Lite model now).

My homebrew stuff - a PassMe and a Supercard CF - costs about $65 and is well worth it.


Through Moonshell, I can watch videos (they all have to be converted, but it's mpeg1), play music in a variety of formats, and look at pictures. The music and pictures (and maybe videos...) are exceptionally cool because Moonshell has plugin support so further capability (to play WAVs, for example) can be added or removed :)

DSLinux is a really well done bit of Embedded Linux running on the DS. It is still in development, but at the moment it can use the RAM in Supercard and (I think) M3 giving it 36 MB of RAM to work with. (This is good because, since it's an operating system, every app then suddenly has 36 MB of RAM to work with).
At the moment there are two web browsers for DSLinux (which has wireless networking support): Retawq and Links. Retawq is for the people still left with 4 MB or RAM (it turns into under 2 MB pretty quickly when you have an operating system on top!), while Links is nice if you have a bit more than that. At the moment Links is just text-based for DSL, but a very adventurous fellow is currently making great progress to getting it running in graphics mode.
Currently Amadeus (one of DSLinux's geniuses; the guy who opened up support for using RAM in the Supercard) is working on porting Pixil, which is a very nice looking GUI PDA suite.
Also in DSLinux's library of great stuff is an IRC client, an SSH server (why somebody would want to run that I still don't know...), Mathomatic (an algebra solver), and Nano X (which is currently hardly used, but neat to see and it has a cool slider puzzle).
It's really easy to port some stuff to run on DSL, too! I've had one porting where I didn't have to touch code once :)

Then there's DSOrganize, a great organizing program with other neat stuff like IRC and streaming Internet Radio. Sadly its developer ran away so it doesn't exist anymore.

There's also Beup, an MSN client, and some other equally cool stuff (including games and game makers, of course).

I see zero reasons to get a PSP. The DS Lite is outselling it five to one in Japan, surely this tells you something? I`ve actually owned both at the beginning but there just aren`t any decent games on the PSP at the moment.

Jason.

DS Lite FTW!

Hmm, good point. The thing about the PSP that had my attention is that it goes a few steps above the DS as far as what the PSP can do. Like, I believe it's a 6-in-1 unit, is it not? It's a gaming machine, a UMD movie player, a photo viewer/movie player (as long as you have a digital camera/camcorder that uses the memory card that the PSP uses), PDA (of sorts, at least it uses Wi-Fi and connects to the Internet), and it's like an iPod for your music, so there, it's a 6-in-1 unit after all that's said and done. It's somewhat of a money saver, since it'll keep you from getting all those handheld devices separately. At least if you think of a PSP that way, it may be worth the while. Whether it does all that stuff as well as the next, that's another thing. I hear that the DS is looking to do more than gaming, according to some blogs I've been reading of late?

Think of it this way, PSP is a jack of all trades, but master at none.

My main beef with the PSP as a media device is that it's too big to slap into my pocket and carry it around without worry like you can with an iPod, and even when watching UMD movies, they drain the battery-life like you won't believe....
(not that the DS doesn't fit in your pocket either, but it's not like you play games in your pocket anyway)



And the only main reason to do so would be for surfing the web, which is excruciatingly slow on the thing, I had a better browsing experience on a 486 computer running Win95.


I just bought the thing for the games 4 months after its launch date, and at the rate the good ones are coming out, it'll be awhile before I pick the system up again.



Overall, it's not that I'm bashing the PSP, its just Sony tried to sell the machine on functionality it just can't excel at with regards to the competition, even if it is a somewhat "all in one" device, as you call it.
(they should have just focused the device on the main reason it sold at all, the games)

You've been grossly misinformed. The screen is sensational, and there are a lot of great games. The only reason I haven't bought more than six games for it is because I haven't finished those yet. There are plenty more I'd want if I had the time. Tales of Eternia is better than most PS2 RPG's ( which is saying something ) and Daxter is the best platformer I've played in ages.

Of course, games are personal taste, and it's like PS2 and GC but handheld really. DS games lineup looks stronger if you like those shallow but addictive kiddy games, and PSP games lineup looks stronger if like deeper, more adult games.

But even allowing for personal opinion, it's a long way off the mark to say the screen is rubbish and there are no decent games for it.

PSP games are way superior to DS games, the trouble is there aren't as many good games on PSP, there are loads on DS.

I wouldn't advise getting rid of your old DS for a new one.
The new screen is great, as are the DS pad and buttons, but the cartidge sticking out half way is very annoying, and some idiot decided the microphone should be above the screen instead of below. So unless you have eyes in your chin, you won't be able to play games that use this feature so easily.

Out of preference I don't know which is better, probably the DS lite, but to sell your old DS for a new one? That's just a bit of waste of money to me. I'm sticking with my old DS.

Yeah, I'll look into trading in my old PSX for a PSP (even if the PSX still works after all this time, I dunno, it's been since 1999 since I used it last). Not too sure what the trade would be on a console that old to upgrade to a portable unit.

Depends on personal preference regarding the screen then, I just can't stand games that run smooth as butter 60fps, but my screen only displays about 30 of them, with noticable ghosting/bleeding, especially on games with a darker color mood/tone.

If you're sick enough, go for it!

Ram,

COnnecting the PSP to the Internet is nothing short of frustrating. letter by letter entry, dire speed, minimum of memory available, and unless it is specifically designed for the PSP very few sites load totally into the PSPS. Mostly I get "Out of memory" errors.

DS has a browser now, and touch screen entry, much nicer. Both can connect via wireless (we have both on line) gaming on PSP sucks mainly. Gaming on DS is great fun if you like those kind of games.

PSP has Loco Roco - yes it plays UM Discs (which are generally great quyality - I have Spiderman 2 and it is just fab) but you have to pay through the nose for the films and they dont tend to have extras (cause there is no space left).

You can put your own stuff (videos, music etc) on to the PSP and the screen is wide and quite bright. Not as bright or as lush as the DS - but the DS is lower resolution.

We have Kong on the PSP and it blur and is difficult to see.

Power is okay lasta quite along time and recharges quite quickly. BUT it loses power very quickly when not charged for a week or so.

Just my thoughts.

IPete2.

I love my DS. I bought my DS Lite together with an M3 perfect, Datel MaxMedia card and 1GB MiniSD card and I couldn't be happier!

I can watch movies, play mp3's and play the 15+ games stored on the 1GB flash card by selecting from a menu.

It is the coolest thing I have every owned.

http://stefanholmes.com/nds.php

I wouldn't trade in the DS for the PSP, being a PSP owner with only 2 games that interest me.

Good luck trading in your PSX =]

I love my DS,... I love my PSP even more.

It is my favorite game system, and pretty much the only system I still buy games for. I have never watched a movie on it, never will. It did get used for a music player for a bit, but the battery life is too short for that and I wanted something that I didn't have to worry about carrying around when mowing lawn, or whatever. I've also never done any of the homebrew stuff on it, although I would have liked to. (I'd rather just play the new games than jump through hoops to get around things th cheat the system)

Anyways, with all that said,... You have to make the call. I would love a new DS lite, but I won't spend more money on it just to upgrade the screen a bit. If my PSP broke tonight, I would buy a new one tomorrow,... if it was the DS, I might wait a week or two! Get both!

Hmm, well, I guess I could probably go with a dual handheld setup, not too shabby to take, I'd say. Just as long as I go for the core system, and not the more expensive package bundle, I may be okay, then I'll trade up some old games from other systems I don't use anymore to get some good games (if any exist for PSP, and maybe a fast UMD movie or two).

maybe its me but I think its stupid to carry around brick sized devices.

Portable should mean that, it should be as small as a mobile phone when tucked away, and cute. Battery life should be amazing too. I don't think PSP offers either of those important features.

Another good thing about PSP, you can play Megadrive/SNES/Arcade emulators on them.

I actually find it quite funny that the majority of PSP owners slag off Nintendo for making "kiddy" games then they boast that their PSP`s can run SNES emulators.

This is not aimed at you ENAY just many of my friends.

Jason.

i think they are both worth owning but id stick with DS because there are more good games. plus the trade in will be a waste of your cash sell it on ebay if you have to and then buy a new psp. but like i said you will miss the DS because of the lack of choice games on the psp.

That's not actually as odd as it sounds. I know it's hard to remember now, but back in the days of the SNES, other people wrote games for Nintendo consoles, not just Nintendo ( plus a few of the most general games like EA sports and a few shooters! )

If the N64, GameCube, DS and Wii had games like Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, Star Ocean, Tales of Phantasia or anything vaguely of that ilk, it would be a completely different story. But even when they get a Squaresoft ( or whatever ) game or two, they're the rubbish ones no one wants like Crystal Chronicles and Children of Mana.

is this the 2nd wii?

Trade the DS.

after tat sell your PSP

Now u can afford a Wii :)

True, Wii60 (Wii and X360) for living room consoles, and PSP and DS to take on the road with you. That's the way I see it.

Sorry about that... Well, seeing as tho that the Entertainment Pack is $50 than the Core System, I see that the extras do seem to make the PSP worth it. Would you recommend that, or would you think that building a customized bundle would be the way to go (even tho it may cost a bit more)?

NO

Okay, well, I went into GameStop this afternoon, and thought it over. I wound up getting an Entertainment Pack, which includes the memory card, a good ATV game, and some movie I may watch once, then I picked up GTA Liberty City Stories and Metal Gear Acid on the side. Those should be good starters, but out of all the games for the PSP, the driving games seem to be the best types of games for that handheld, unfortunately, not to say that Metal Gear isn't bad, either, I mean, Sony PlayStation and Metal Gear are almost synonymous. Then again, Hideo Kojima did let ports of his games slip onto other systems as well (have yet to see Hideo release a Metal Gear game to the X360).

Just got my PSP and Medal of Honor Heroes. It's too good to be true. 15 shortish levels but then you can play online which works well for me or skirmish with 15 bots. Heck of a lot of fun just for the novelty of having world war two in your pocket.

Yeah, just got me a few driving games, I really, REALLY got addicted to that Burnout Legends, nice for a used game. It's interesting to see that you actually get POINTS for crashing into things. I only wish that other racing games designed here in Blitz would be like that.

Off topic, tho, was Burnout Legends actually a spin-off of Need for Speed, in any way? I mean, they're both done by EA.

Anyway, I'd like to find out more about the homebrew possibilities of the PSP, since you said that there was an open source thing about that. I'd like to try a Blitz game on there.