I'm going to be doing a lot of travel with free time on (with) my hands. I don't have any GBA games, but am intrigued by a few (Advance Wars, Fire Emblem, Golden Sun). The SP is getting games tossed in with its $80 price, but the DS, at $150, seems to have more potential, and will play GBA titles.
Which way would you go? Do you think the DS is worth the extra $70+? Thanks....
The DS is pretty neat. My bro bought one at EB Games the day it came it out. The things pretty neat. The whole idea of the pen and the touch screen could lead to some great possibilities. The pictochat is built in the DS which is a very convienient tool. I guess it’s like a chat room. I think 16 people can join in the chat room and there are four different rooms you can join. When we went to EB games they had two DS systems back to back. A Metroid demo version also came in with the DS so he could play a little bit of Metroid training and multiplayer. The two EB game consoles were playing wireless multiplayer Metroid together. We sat about 10 ft away hiding behind a bench. When we joined they were already playing but we couldn’t just hop on in any game. We had to wait for the game to end. Once we joined it was crazy, the EB game consoles didn’t know where the hell we came from, they thought we were bots K. The controls were customizable so that wasn’t a bad thing. After a couple of games we wanted to talk to them on pictochat. Thing is you can’t go directly to pictochat, you have to turn off your DS. It’s a shame that there’s not in game chat. Later the other guys left and two other guys joined. They started playing with the pictochat feature. We joined in and the EB game guys got a little freaked out when they saw a third person join in. Since we were hiding behind the bench with our backs turned to them we could clearly see them, but they couldn’t see us. We then started to write creepy comments on what clothing they were wearing and what color hair they had. They freaked out but at the same time were excited that there was this mysterious third person in the chat room. Then we started drawing pictures, stick figures, and all sorts of things. I guess it’s like one of those MagnaDoodle things. The stylus works very well, and if you don’t want to use the pen you can use your fingers. There’s no color on the pictochat so it’s all black and white, you also can type if your handwritings sloppy.
Well, Costco had them in yesterday and, with their lifetime warranty + an included Mario game, I couldn't resist. Wow! I'm really impressed. The build and construction of the unit is first class. It's in a different league than the SP. The directional stereo sound is amazing, and it's too bad you don't see the Mario game as a demo in the stores, since that really shows the system off. 3D effect is very well done, and it really comes off as a little GameCube in terms of control and general play. The Mario game is so vast, that it alone could keep me entertainined on my trip, although I also want to pick up Tiger Woods DS.
The touch screen may take some getting used to, especially the thumb control thingy, but that's just a bit of a learning curve, I suspect.
Thanks for your input, and let me go on record as highly recommending the DS hardware, hoping more of the software will catch up with the potential present in the system.
The DS is definetly worth the extra $70, if you can swing it. It's an entirely new console with a pretty cool line-up of games, with GBA backwards-compatibility to boot.
Posts: 687 | Location: Adelaide, South Australia | Registered: 01 January 2005
The DS is worth it - althought the SP is nice and small. I'd say if you're doing alot of travel and want to play games - go for the DS - you get more of a console feel from the unit and it feels first class in your hands. Plus you can still play Golden Sun or the original Zelda while playing Rayman DS or whatever.
DS for sure. i got one for christmas and i just got kirby canvas curse. the DS is just really amazing. yes the stylus does take more skill to use but its totally worth it. DS all the way
Originally posted by I <3 Katie Holmes[M.Mori]: The DS is pretty neat. My bro bought one at EB Games the day it came it out. The things pretty neat. The whole idea of the pen and the touch screen could lead to some great possibilities. The pictochat is built in the DS which is a very convienient tool. I guess it’s like a chat room. I think 16 people can join in the chat room and there are four different rooms you can join. When we went to EB games they had two DS systems back to back. A Metroid demo version also came in with the DS so he could play a little bit of Metroid training and multiplayer. The two EB game consoles were playing wireless multiplayer Metroid together. We sat about 10 ft away hiding behind a bench. When we joined they were already playing but we couldn’t just hop on in any game. We had to wait for the game to end. Once we joined it was crazy, the EB game consoles didn’t know where the hell we came from, they thought we were bots K. The controls were customizable so that wasn’t a bad thing. After a couple of games we wanted to talk to them on pictochat. Thing is you can’t go directly to pictochat, you have to turn off your DS. It’s a shame that there’s not in game chat. Later the other guys left and two other guys joined. They started playing with the pictochat feature. We joined in and the EB game guys got a little freaked out when they saw a third person join in. Since we were hiding behind the bench with our backs turned to them we could clearly see them, but they couldn’t see us. We then started to write creepy comments on what clothing they were wearing and what color hair they had. They freaked out but at the same time were excited that there was this mysterious third person in the chat room. Then we started drawing pictures, stick figures, and all sorts of things. I guess it’s like one of those MagnaDoodle things. The stylus works very well, and if you don’t want to use the pen you can use your fingers. There’s no color on the pictochat so it’s all black and white, you also can type if your handwritings sloppy.
Yes, I agree. A Ds. Oh, And I've done that, Joining in on a multiplayer game of MEtroid, with the peeps at EB having No idea who i was.
--I see dead people. And with thouse dead people, I use them to attack other dead people. Who knew being a Shaman was such fun?--
Posts: 31 | Location: In your Friggin Toaster | Registered: 28 February 2006
You definitely want to get the DS, it has an adequate game selection along with the backwards compatibility. So it is most certianly worth the money. Buy the DS.
Metacritic's Review Alias: Dragon Knight of Final Fantasy
Posts: 33 | Location: Maryland | Registered: 28 September 2005
I bought the SP for my sig other for Christmas and then bought the DS for myself. I thought the SP would be better for him because he complained about the DS being more of a "kiddie" console. I tried out his SP and there is one HUGE difference in playablity that recommends the DS... the spacing. I have small hands, but even I felt crowded on the itty bitty SP square. It felt like there was no comfortable way to hold it. The DS, however, feels just like a console controller. Lots of spacing and comfortable positioning of the buttons.
The fact that it plays the fun DS games as well as GBA games is also "mad kewl".
A lot of 2d platformers are coming out for DS. So..if you're nostalgic at all for the NES/SNES/Genesis days, go with DS.
PSP is more oriented toward....well, people who like PSX/PS2 gen gameplay, like FPS and sports games.
So I guess..if you find that ad where the black fuzzball screams about how he'd marry every woman in the world then realize he married the ugly ones too funny, get PSP. If you're insulted by that ad, get a DS.
Posts: 1783 | Location: Around Boston. | Registered: 24 February 2005
The cool thing about the DS is that many of the games are developed especially for it, whereas the PSP has a lot of games that are just ported over. The games, while not as graphically pleasing, are more original in gameplay.
Originally posted by DukeTakamoto: The cool thing about the DS is that many of the games are developed especially for it, whereas the PSP has a lot of games that are just ported over. The games, while not as graphically pleasing, are more original in gameplay.
Plus New Super Mario Bros. comes out today....
On the contrary...
Yes, there are some games being ported over to the PSP, but if you see the DS games, there are are quite a few games, especially the first ones to come out, aren't specialized for the DS, therefore, work poorly on the system. For example, Super Mario 64 for the DS. It's the same with a few extras, but wasn't specialized for it, and therefore, worked poorly. The PSP may have a few ported games, but they work well on the system.
Originally posted by DukeTakamoto: The cool thing about the DS is that many of the games are developed especially for it, whereas the PSP has a lot of games that are just ported over. The games, while not as graphically pleasing, are more original in gameplay.
Plus New Super Mario Bros. comes out today....
On the contrary...
Yes, there are some games being ported over to the PSP, but if you see the DS games, there are are quite a few games, especially the first ones to come out, aren't specialized for the DS, therefore, work poorly on the system. For example, Super Mario 64 for the DS. It's the same with a few extras, but wasn't specialized for it, and therefore, worked poorly. The PSP may have a few ported games, but they work well on the system.
In a case of Import VS Import, I still say the DS pulls it off better. I have Super Mario Bros. for DS, and I think it's fine...
--I see dead people. And with thouse dead people, I use them to attack other dead people. Who knew being a Shaman was such fun?--
Posts: 31 | Location: In your Friggin Toaster | Registered: 28 February 2006
