DS Lite or PSP; what would you get and why?

[Kensee]

I got some gift cards for Christmas, which would pretty much pay off most of the ds lite or the psp, and now I'm stuck....

Which one should I get?

Ds lite has fun games (elite beat agents, advance wars), but PSP has been getting some good games in recently as well (MGS Port Ops, Tekken, Gitaroo, Ultimate alliance, etc). Both also have other options too as to play music and stuff.

The thing that prevents me on a solid decision is which will last me longer, are more fun and more enjoyed in the long run. Anyone who has bought a dslite and or a PSP who can give me their input on how they like their systems and why I should get that would be great. Gift cards and cash only allow for me to buy either a ds lite or a psp, not both (so please don't say get both =P).

[UChessmaster]

If you can get the right psp i suggest getting it, it allows for some homebrew and perfect emulations of the psx, not to mention some near perfect emulations of most consoles, handlets, so you have a damn big game library

[complich8]

I voted DS-Lite, 'cause the DS has a much more compelling, much more interesting library than the PSP.

I mean, you named 2 games for the DS, and 4 for the PSP, but really I'd say there's better than a dozen particularly fun ds games that I know of, and I don't even HAVE one .

Not to mention backwards-compatibility with the gba and its insane library of games.

Everyone I know who bought a PSP enjoyed it for about two months ... it's a nice little system with some really good specs and nice graphics and all, but ... there's just not a lot of interesting games for it.

(this may or may not hold true for you, depending on your definition of "interesting" games...)

[dark maginn]

i would get a psp cause theirs good movies and some good games for it but ds lite is fun to.....i think its for kids like 7-12 years old.
this is my opinion.

[complich8]

i would get a psp cause theirs good movies and some good games for it but ds lite is fun to.....i think its for kids like 7-12 years old.
this is my opinion.

So, you'd seriously consider getting movies on UMD?

... seriously?

[Kensee]

If you can get the right psp i suggest getting it, it allows for some homebrew and perfect emulations of the psx, not to mention some near perfect emulations of most consoles, handlets, so you have a damn big game library

How well do the roms and stuff run on the screen of the psp? Does it also loose any graphic quality while playing them on the psp (in other words, the normally visable rom appears blurry on psp screen?)

I voted DS-Lite, 'cause the DS has a much more compelling, much more interesting library than the PSP.

I mean, you named 2 games for the DS, and 4 for the PSP, but really I'd say there's better than a dozen particularly fun ds games that I know of, and I don't even HAVE one .

Not to mention backwards-compatibility with the gba and its insane library of games.

Everyone I know who bought a PSP enjoyed it for about two months ... it's a nice little system with some really good specs and nice graphics and all, but ... there's just not a lot of interesting games for it.

(this may or may not hold true for you, depending on your definition of "interesting" games...)

Ah I always been a nintendo fan, and I know there are A LOT more fun games on the DS (just was in the bathroom while typing this .. so I couldn't list all that I could).

The people who you said bought the psp... did they still play around with their psps? Or is it just collecting dust somewhere. I'm curious how well the music playback is on it.

Edit: Oh yeah, how is the online game play on the ds? (DS seems like a good choice for me but a very stubborn picky side of me is still hanging on to that psp.)

[UChessmaster]

How well do the roms and stuff run on the screen of the psp? Does it also loose any graphic quality while playing them on the psp (in other words, the normally visable rom appears blurry on psp screen?)

The psx emulator is 100% perfect IMO it has an option to play it fullscreen or 3:2, same with GBA, but not EVERY psp has homebrew capacity, that`s why you got to make sure you get the right one

i was thinking about showin you castlevania for psx on psp but my cam quality is terrible

[ChaosK]

PSP, provided you can also get yourself a decent sized prostick duo.

The most fun two games of the DS I've played are phoenix wright: ace attorney and advanced wars 2. The PSP has some great other games such as the recent bleach heat to the soul (something like that) 3.

if you know what you're doing with the PSP it's definitely worth it to use Devhook so you can place PSP isos directly onto your memory stick and play from there. Basically, the only game you'd ever need to buy would be Grand Theft Auto: liberty city stories (to hack it).

the PSX emulator is also kickass and great, never thought I'd get to play narutimette hero 3 on the go.

Edit: also mentioned before with movies, with PSP video 9 you can convert any video (basically) to an MP4 so you can watch it from your PSP which means you don't need to buy the UMDs just download the movie and convert it and you're ready to go.

[Ryllharu]

As a proud owner of a DS Fat, I can say hands down that a DS is the only way to go.

1) Cheaper by a considerable margin
2) Stronger library (consistently better titles out there)
3) Load times are short
4) Nintendo knows the DS is their powerhouse device, and will continue to support it.

I can honestly say I've bought more games for my DS in the two years I've had it than for both the 360 and my PS2. The Phoenix Wright series, Mario Kart, Yoshi's Island DS (excellent platformer by the way), Trauma Center, Meteos, and the list goes on. There's variety with the DS that you really couldn't get anywhere else until the Wii.

The PSP "allows" for some great customizing, but you'll have to put a lot more time (and some money) into it to really get everything you can out of it. The DS, jam a cartridge in and go.

Battery life is a concern too. The DS defeats the PSP pretty handily on that one.

[UChessmaster]

PSP, provided you can also get yourself a decent sized prostick duo.

The most fun two games of the DS I've played are phoenix wright: ace attorney and advanced wars 2. The PSP has some great other games such as the recent bleach heat to the soul (something like that) 3.

if you know what you're doing with the PSP it's definitely worth it to use Devhook so you can place PSP isos directly onto your memory stick and play from there. Basically, the only game you'd ever need to buy would be Grand Theft Auto: liberty city stories (to hack it).

the PSX emulator is also kickass and great, never thought I'd get to play narutimette hero 3 on the go.

Edit: also mentioned before with movies, with PSP video 9 you can convert any video (basically) to an MP4 so you can watch it from your PSP which means you don't need to buy the UMDs just download the movie and convert it and you're ready to go.

you dont need devhook to play isos anymore nor GTA and narutimate hero 3 is not on psp o.0 you meant narutimate portable?

[ChaosK]

you dont need devhook to play isos anymore nor GTA and narutimate hero 3 is not on psp o.0 you meant narutimate portable?

I wasn't aware, I still use devhook. And yeah, I made a mistake.

As a proud owner of a DS Fat, I can say hands down that a DS is the only way to go.

1) Cheaper by a considerable margin

Really...yet in the next paragraph you say...

I can honestly say I've bought more games for my DS in the two years I've had it than for both the 360 and my PS2. The Phoenix Wright series, Mario Kart, Yoshi's Island DS (excellent platformer by the way), Trauma Center, Meteos, and the list goes on. There's variety with the DS that you really couldn't get anywhere else until the Wii.

2 things can be known from this
1) you've clearly spent a shitload (if we say each game cst $30, and you've listed 6 that's already $180 and you say "the list goes on") of money on the DS for all the games, making up for the "considerable margin" you say it's cheaper by.

2) you speak as an obvious nintendo fan.

After spending the money on the system and a decent sized card, you can play all the games without ever buying them...how is that cheaper?

The PSP "allows" for some great customizing, but you'll have to put a lot more time (and some money) into it to really get everything you can out of it. The DS, jam a cartridge in and go.

Battery life is a concern too. The DS defeats the PSP pretty handily on that one.

A great deal of time and money...one hour and about $270 (PSP 200+ 2gb prostick duo $50(sale)+20(GTA)=270)

Battery life has never been a concern with me, one thing you will want to get if you get the PSP is the extended warranty, for with mine, I've had systems with nothing wrong except a stuck pixel, I brought it in and they gave me a completely new one. So if you ever encounter one of these "battery problems" then simply trade it in a for a new one.

[Bucket]

I may not get either. GP2X, on the other hand, is an interesting prospect.

[FrogKing]

The psx emulator is 100% perfect IMO it has an option to play it fullscreen or 3:2, same with GBA, but not EVERY psp has homebrew capacity, that`s why you got to make sure you get the right one

i was thinking about showin you castlevania for psx on psp but my cam quality is terrible

I too am in the same boat as Kensee and was leaning towards the psp...how do i know which is the right one? I am very interested in the psx emulator. Thanks.

[UChessmaster]

if your psp is BEYOND firmware 2.80 then no homebrew for you, no isos, no psx games, nothing, the firmware that we want is 2.71 or lower, then you have to go to a process to make your psp to 1.5 and then 3.03OE-B wich allows non oficial sony programs, AKA homebrews

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqvcHhbN2Lk Castlevania circle of the moon on an old GBA emulator

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRVmOxx_bKg Castlevania simphony of the night on the psx emulator

[Ryllharu]

2 things can be known from this
1) you've clearly spent a shitload (if we say each game cst $30, and you've listed 6 that's already $180 and you say "the list goes on") of money on the DS for all the games, making up for the "considerable margin" you say it's cheaper by.
...
After spending the money on the system and a decent sized card, you can play all the games without ever buying them...how is that cheaper?

Oh no! I actually support the developers of games I enjoy instead of stealing them. What a horrible thought that they might use those sales to make more/better games.

2) you speak as an obvious nintendo fan.

So quick to call me a fanboy? Honestly tell me that I can play games like the ones I listed on the DS. I'm tired of playing fighting and racing games, why the hell would I want to play games on the PSP? That's what the best of the top rated games are (according to rating on Gamespot). GTA? I got tired of them after Vice City. MGS? After MGS3, same. Tactical Shooters like SOCOM? There's an original game concept. Lumines? Played it on XBL Arcade, hated it compared to Meteos. Compared to the shear variety of games I listed, what exactly am I missing out on? It's not an issue of nintendo versus sony. It an issue of 3rd party developers making innovative games.

A great deal of time and money...one hour and about $270 (PSP 200+ 2gb prostick duo $50(sale)+20(GTA)=270)

Why should I even have to spend more money than on the initial purchase of a handheld and a few games?

Battery life has never been a concern with me

Go on a trip across 3 or 4 states in a car. Tell me that the batteries will last all the way through 2 states.

[UChessmaster]

Oh no! I actually support the developers of games I enjoy instead of stealing them. What a horrible thought that they might use those sales to make more/better games.

A) You do know the amount of ppl that play iso are less than 3% right?

B) Don`t call us thieves, you download anime right?

So quick to call me a fanboy? Honestly tell me that I can play games like the ones I listed on the DS. I'm tired of playing fighting and racing games, why the hell would I want to play games on the PSP? That's what the best of the top rated games are (according to rating on Gamespot). GTA? I got tired of them after Vice City. MGS? After MGS3, same. Tactical Shooters like SOCOM? There's an original game concept. Lumines? Played it on XBL Arcade, hated it compared to Meteos. Compared to the shear variety of games I listed, what exactly am I missing out on? It's not an issue of nintendo versus sony. It an issue of 3rd party developers making innovative games.

C) In this post you did sound like a complete fanboy, or maybe you are right, who would want to play tekken dark resurrection, street fighter alpha 3 OR dragon ball z shin budokai? MGS same as 3? did you even played it?... you have meteos yet dissmiss lumines... and youre not a fan... tired of racing games? how is mario kart?, tired of fighting games? how is jump superstars? whats wrong with socom? o.0 you`re missing megeman powered up/maverick hunter x, narutimate hero, sonic rivals valkirye profile, exit, locoroco, btw

Why should I even have to spend more money than on the initial purchase of a handheld and a few games?

D) When people think of the money they spend of something they usually think of the total amount spended

Go on a trip across 3 or 4 states in a car. Tell me that the batteries will last all the way through 2 states.

E) sorry, battery have never been an issue for me

F) relax... no need to get agresive...

EDIT: edited to make it look less messy

[complich8]

The people who you said bought the psp... did they still play around with their psps? Or is it just collecting dust somewhere. I'm curious how well the music playback is on it.

In the couple cases I can think of offhand, they bought the psp, enjoyed it for a couple months like I said, then it sat on a shelf for a couple months while they realized they'd rather be doing other things, then they sold them for a maybe 10-20% loss, realizing they had no desire at all to do anything with their still-shiny still-new handhelds.

Which isn't to say that's what'll happen to you, but ... out of 3 people I can think of who bought it, all three ended up that way.

That said, all three of them also bought it closer to launch (like, within 2 months), so I'd hope that the library has gotten a bit better since then ... That's one of those"ymmv" statements though.

Generally, when I'm considering buying a console, it's for a couple of specific games. I bought the ps2 for 3 games (ffx, disgaea, dmc3)...

I can come up with three or four titles I'd probably call compelling to buy a DS (if I were into the portables deal, which I'm somewhat not), but I'm having trouble coming up with any such titles for the PSP offhand. That could very well be because all the people that I usually get game recommendations from went through their psp phases, got sick of them and sold them off . Regardless, I can't think of any other reason to buy a system than for specific games you want to play. So I'd say make yourself a list of the games you're really interested in, and decide from that.

2 things can be known from this
1) you've clearly spent a shitload (if we say each game cst $30, and you've listed 6 that's already $180 and you say "the list goes on") of money on the DS for all the games, making up for the "considerable margin" you say it's cheaper by.

The point being (all prices USD): PSP = $199 + Memory stick ($50) + we'll say $30/game average = for $400, you get a psp and 4 games. DS Lite: $130 + no memory stick ($0) + say $30/game again = for the same $400 you get a DS Lite and 8 or so games.

It's no fun to have a console with no games to play on it. If you've got $200 to spend, you don't have games for the PSP, you do for the DS. If you've got $300 to spend, you've got one or two games for the PSP, or you've got a reasonable library for the DS.

If you're gaming on a budget (and really, who isn't?), then spending an extra $70 on the base console and $50 on a memory stick is (assuming you want to ... you know ... save your games) ... not exactly appealing.

clearly, I spend way too much time composing replies

[RyougaZell]

I already have a DS Lite.
Will be buying a PSP when Jean d'Arc and FFVII Crisis Core comes out.

[Ryllharu]

F) You're right, but when I get accused of being a nintendo fanboy for talking about games I had more fun on, I get defensive. (or maybe the mere mention of a Wii marks me a fanboy.)

C) Kart is kart, somehow it never comes off as a racing game in my mind. It came with my DS. But you got me on that one. I suck at megaman games, but I do recall my roommate playing a DS megaman game. I've hated MGS games since 2 actually, I'll give you that one though.

D) Think paycheck to paycheck. I don't think, "I earned $8000 so far this year," I think, "Hmm, $200."
I can put down $200 for a DS Lite and two games. Or using Chaoskiddo's math, $270 for 1 game and a memory stick. You can really tell me that when you buy another game 2 months (and 4 paychecks) later, you're thinking...$270 + $30 vs $200 + $35? It's more likely you think, $35 or $30.

A question about the iso's then [non-threatening tone, well, debating tone]. If you have to ensure that it's an older PSP, doesn't that remove the entire homebrew advantage from the equation of which one is better? When it loses the capability for that expandibility, doesn't it come down to purely price compared to the games?

[ChaosK]

The point being (all prices USD): PSP = $199 + Memory stick ($50) + we'll say $30/game average = for $400, you get a psp and 4 games. DS Lite: $130 + no memory stick ($0) + say $30/game again = for the same $400 you get a DS Lite and 8 or so games.

It's no fun to have a console with no games to play on it. If you've got $200 to spend, you don't have games for the PSP, you do for the DS. If you've got $300 to spend, you've got one or two games for the PSP, or you've got a reasonable library for the DS.



clearly, I spend way too much time composing replies

Well, my whole point was that with a sufficient memory stick, there's no need to ever buy a game (besides GTA which can be USED to revert the firmware to 1.5)