Video Games Nintendo DS

well, i just threw down the 150 bucks for the Nintendo DS. there are a lot of pros and a few cons to this system against is competitor, Sony's PSP.

PROS
first off, being cartridge based like almost all of Nintendo's systems, its battery life is extremely good. somewhere around 10 hours. obviously this is all dependant on the backlight and whether or not both screens are being used. the battery light is like the Gameboy Advance SP's in which the light will change from green to red when at about 30% battery life. Charge time is approximatly 4 hours.

Dual screens make for a larger viewing area in some games and the touch screen is especially effective when using the program, Pictochat in which you can write, draw and send messages through a wireless system which is good up to 100 feet depending on interference. the main screen is the same size as the Advance SP and is still backlight. The lower screen is touch sensitive and mostly displays overhead views of games and in Pictochat is where you write and draw.

The DS has 4 buttons instead of 2 like the Advance. this allows for expanded game play. The DS is now playing some fimiliar titles from the Nintendo64 line of games hence the need for a Y and X button as well as an A and B.

The speakers are fairly good for a handheld system, and finally, the DS has a headphone jack built in, which was a problem with the SP.

Price. The DS costs approximatly 150 US dollars plus tax. the Sony PSP is probably going to be around 300 USD.

Cons
Cartridge based media is not very large, meaning that graphics and sound are still somewhat limited. The sony PSP has this well beat with its disc based media which can store full movies and entire albums of music.

The Touch screen can and will be scratched by repeated use.

The Stylus is small and can be misplaced fairly easily. Nintendo has made stylus replacments cheap and easy to afford however.

On/Off switch is now a button which can be hit by accident which can turn off the DS. Nintendo has somewhat remedied this, because you have to hold the key for it to actually turn off.

The DS is a fairly large system. its approximatly 6 inches long by 3 1/4 inches wide when closed. When open is closer to 6 inches long by 6 inches wide. The Advance SP was about 3 inches square when closed and about 3 inches wide and 6 inches long when open.


Overall, its hard to say which is a better system. The PSP will be able to play games and movies and graphics will be significantly better. but battery life will be extremely limited although Sony claims the battery will last up to 6 hours when playing a game. overall, id have to say that the DS is a better buy for those who are looking for the next step in gaming but also have a limited budget. If you have the spare 300 for when the PSP comes out then its quite worth it as well.

I personally, have 300 set aside for the PSP when it comes out as well. being a gaming junkie and a techno freak, i love to have all sorts of electronics (PS2, XboX, Ipod, DS, SP, soon to have a Sony Vaio X505). its all a matter of money, and what your a bigger fan of. Nintendo or Sony.

 

I agree. The PSp's true limits will be known when it is released. Although, I only think that its better to put the 300 aside for a PSp. The variety of games is already bigger and better than the DS's, even before release date.

Like I do to other people, I envy you for being so rich! All I have is Xbox Ps2 and I'll try to save money in my little bank for a PSp. *sigh*


KaiyonTormentor

 

well...either way, i think the DS and the PSP have very limited game selection already. remember, both of them are using brand new styles of media. The new DS cartridges are about 1 inch square. The PSP discs are about the size of a 3 inch CD but also have a cover somewhat like a mini-disc. So, the game selection still isnt that great for either game so...at the moment the game selection is about the same.

im not really rich either ^_^x;;; i just work my butt off...at 18 i work full time so...you know...i get bout 900 a month.

 

Well, the DS will be realised in Europe during the first quarter in 2005, so I don't know really yet. But from what I've heard from other sites and friends review, this DS is worth getting the money. It's N64 graphics, but when viewed in a small screen it looks good.

I like gadgets too, so I am getting both a PSP and a DS. <3 Metriod

- Teddz

 

the DS has dual processors which allows it to play accelerated graphics. basicly, it plays N64 games in quite good detail. the only thing i saw as a problem is that there still isnt a analog stick which can make walking or running a bit annoying.

 

Bear in mind the DS can also play all the old gameboy games, expanding its library to an obscene level.

As far as the PSP goes, I'm not touching it with a ten foot pole. Its battery life is going to kill it; it's becoming common knowledge that it only lasts 3-4 hours and thats on a game that is NOT using the system to its full potential. Having to sit at home and charge it kind of defeats the purpose of a portable system, no?

Anyway, I plan on picking up a DS once its exclusive games are greater in number. I only got a GBA SP in August. XP

 

I am pretty sure Sony will find that as a major problem, and they might fix it. Who knows, or might even realise a "SP" version of it

- Teddz

 

AGGH!!
The DS!!
My little brother wanted one for his birthday which was a few weeks ago and they've been sold out ever since.
We finally got one though.
I like how you can have user settings, like your favorite color for the screen and the time and date.
Did you know it also has an alarm clock?
And my brother told me that you can communitcate with other people who also have the DS.
I'm not quite sure how it works yet.....

 

I read about that. It has basically the same functions as a palm, but it's annoying considering you have to restart everytime you change a function. Windows 95 dilemma there

- Teddz

 

Indeed, truly I think we all would like to change this. *sigh* sadly we cant....
Well, you can still enjoy its pros instead of remembering the cons!


KaiyonTormentor

 

yes, the whole turning off the system is annoying, but considering the fact that it takes all of 2 seconds to restart the system, it could be worse.

as for the PSP battery life, its impossible to get around that problem majorly because you have a system that has spinning parts which sucks battery life like crazy. Sony is sure to release an external battery pack of some sort which will improve it but for the most part its only for die hard Playstation fans. im also pretty sure that they will release a car adapter which will make on the go playing a bit more mobile, but in the end its battery life will limit it in what it can do. unfortunetly, id have to say that the biggest draw back to the PSP along with the battery life is rebuying all the games you already have and movies and the such that will be made for it.

 

Not really. There are some cool titles coming out though, one thing is for sure, I won't be using it for watching movies, ok, maybe watch it sometimes, but it's mainly for gaming, and I think that's where Sony aimed it's "battery time". Don't really think it would be good to watch movies either, there are portable dvd players

- Teddz

 

Sorry, but the DS is not compatible with old Gameboy/Gameboy Color cartridges.
And the DS is compatible with Gameboy Advance cartridges, but multiplayer mode is disabled on them (the DS doesn't have the "multiboot" protocol the Advance had, and that protocol is needed to link with other Advances in multiplayer.)

 

Whoops, fair enough, but that's still an expansive library to begin with.

 

again, the PSP is really a "fad" type system. its not really an improvement over the PSX and the PS2 or the PS3 which is scheduled for release sometime the end of next year, its really just for those who have a bit of money to spend and are willing to deal with the horrible battery times and the costly games.