Topic: Is Nintendo DS really inferior to the SONY PSP?

[Gamebasher]

IGN has just had Matt Casamassina post a reply to someone, who muses over the whole Nintendo Revolution thing, supposed to be revealed to us all come May this year. The content of his reply is shocking!

He simply states that he has been toying around with BOTH handhelds for a while, and that... the SONY PSP is far superior (!) audio-visually to the Nintendo DS! Click on the link below, and let me hear what YOU have to say, after reading that reply (found under the "Revolution and DS" headline)!

final verdict in the handheld war?

I am mostly inclined to really try both, before I make a decision on which one to buy! Not out of disloyalty to Nintendo, but simply for the reason that the PSP may indeed be a better handheld in multiple ways! I had big problems with the GBA SP, because it was too small to hold in my hands and resulted in cramps after a few hours only of playtime. I am not going to see a repeat of that situation. Has any of you been fortunate enough to try both?

I really feel as if it is almost Sony winning here, but also only almost! Why? Same reason as when the GameBoy won it all before! Battery life!! Nintendo could still winn, since people will likely choose the longer battery life over the shinier graphics on the PSP! Handhelds are all about longevity on the road!

And, please, no fanboy rants! Let us have an honest discussion!  

[King of Twitch]

I really feel as if it is almost Sony winning here, but also only almost!

Well they're most definitely winning the free press, at the very least. All this harping on the DS is bound to add up, but it's still too early to tell. Nintendo doesn't seem to respond to any sort of competition.

[ruby_onix]

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I'll be learning more about the nature of the console in the next couple of months. So if I'm in a cheery mood and promising that E3 will be fine and dandy, you can probably guess that anything I've discovered is good news. If, on the other hand, I'm a real bastard and you notice that I'm writing more and more Xbox-related articles, you can assume that Revolution is, in fact, a physical board game with a microphone attached.

I now hope that the Revolution is, in fact, a physical board game with a microphone attached, in the hopes that it will drive Matt over to IGN-XBox and away from the rest of us.

[Hostile Creation]

"Has any of you been fortunate enough to try both?"
No, but DS is not near as small as the SP.  It fits very comfortably, and a lot of the time you're using the stylus, so I can't really see how your hand would cramp up too badly at all.  It even seems more likely that it'd happen on the PSP, by a narrow margin, but that's just speculation.

Not a fanboy rant here, but I've gotta say again that I just really freakin' hate Matt and IGN.

[mantidor]

now the only reason for me to see the DS succeed is to see IGN having to eat their own words, its going to be lovely ^_^

[VideoGamerJ]

I can't tell you how overwhelmingly awesome it is to go on a busride and play a FPS intuitively (meaning like a keyboard and mouse) against other people who happen to be seated at different areas. The PSP may have wireless gameplay as well, but once the WESTERN market finds out that FPS games on the DS work really well, the PSP might get squashed by both markets. Only speculation though. Some games will obviously work much better on the PSP, meaning what the PSP can do, the DS can do as well (maybe not as good). However, the big thing is, a lot of the future stuff that the DS can do, the PSP will not be able to. And it's not wise to make the assumption that I'm talking about Graphics or Audio...........

[KDR_11k]

So, the PSP is superior audio-visually? I.e. has better graphics and sound? WHOA! I would never have guessed! Perhaps Captain Obvious should gkeep in mind how well the Gamegear did with sound and graphics on its side.

[Artimus]

He's right about Metroid.

[The Omen]

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And it's not wise to make the assumption that I'm talking about Graphics or Audio...........

So you know something, or what?  Perhaps you know about this little *demasked* thing and the huge upcoming DS announcement ?  One more ...perhaps you would like to share any vague hints you may have?

[MaleficentOgre]

I can't wait for the DS to continue its worldwide rout of the PSP.  I can't wait for all these super smart indusrty wise journalist to eat their words. Even though we know they won't because they're going to do everything in their power to knock the DS.  If any game doesn't use all of the DS' new features its going to lose points like woah; while psp games will get brownie points for bringing the console experiance on the road.

[Savior]

DS with arguably an incredibly weak software lineup is selling well in Japan, Very Well in USA... yet it continously gets bashe by the media.

I really dont understand it myself.. Matt claims Sony will win the war in 4 years... When the DS is doing so well. Sheesh

I do have some ideas for the next GBA though. IMO, I kinda got the idea from a blog in Gamespot.  They should partner with Apple to provide a 1GB HD in the Next GBA (Check out the Ipod Shufle its very small) and it should play Video Games or MP3s..  Doubt nintendo parters with anybody but its an idea

[Infernal Monkey]

Matt's having a hard time facing the truth, the DS is popular. "Oh but whinge whinge, I've played PSP, you haven't! Blah blah, it has graphics! Nintendo have no graphics, they use DOS for DS, bitch bitch cry cry"

Next IGN mailbag:

Hey matt wassup lol, i was wundering if u know anythin about next sonic game for gamecueb??

Matt responds: Yes, there's a new Sonic game due out later this year but Sony has Ridge Racers and a big screen and can play MP3's while DS can only play childish games that I don't like because I'm very mature about my gaming PSP is going to crush Nintendo because it uses UMD's and has games like Gran Turismo 4 and Everybody's Golf while Nintendo has Super Hello Kitty Factory.  

[Noble~Feather]

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Matt responds: I think you're right. Nintendo has said on several occasions that the DS is the third pillar to GameCube and Game Boy. There's no doubt in my mind that a true successor to Game Boy is therefore in development. Probably well into development, even. And that makes the DS a bigger enigma.

I just got off the phone with Craig Harris, who runs our DS channel. I asked Craig if Nintendo has slowed development on Game Boy Advance now that DS had arrived, and he said yes, absolutely, that only a handful of GBA games were underway by the company through the end of the year. He added that its DS lineup is far larger. He also noted that many of the developers previously hot on DS have now cut back on games for the platform in favor of working on PSP, but that's another mailbag entirely.

I get the feeling that what Nintendo says and what the company actually does are two different things. It said that the DS was the third pillar, a machine that would complement the GBA. And then it pulls back support on GBA and focuses on DS.

So what happens to DS when the successor to Game Boy finally arrives? My guess is exactly the same thing: in other words, reduced support for the DS in favor of making games for the new Game Boy. DS owners get the shaft. This is not a good strategy. It dilutes Nintendo's market and confuses consumers. And I really think Sony is going to capitalize on it.

The successor to Game Boy could be the best thing ever. But it's not here yet. The DS is. That being the case, I think your point is moot for now, though it may be valid soon enough. Nintendo can take out a full-page ad in USA Today and proclaim in bold lettering that "DS is not competing with PSP." Nobody's going to believe that. Of course it is! They're both portables and they're both likely to sell in the same price range. How are they not competing? Nintendo said the same thing about GameCube, PS2 and Xbox, if you'll recall. Please note that GameCube is today lumped into the same category as the other consoles. It is not its own market. The simple truth is that no matter what Nintendo says on the topic, consumers are going to view DS and PSP as competitors and many of these consumers will likely choose one or the other, not both. As a consumer, I believe that right now PSP is the better machine. If Nintendo hopes to keep its market, it needs to convince buyers like me otherwise. And since the successor to Game Boy Advance is nowhere to be found, at least not yet, that's really not an option.

Nintendo is betting that consumers want innovation over technology. That concept is at the root of DS, although whether or not the device is truly innovative is, as I stated in last week's mailbag, entirely debatable. I'm not buying it. I believe that in a decade where consumers will pay $400 for an iPod, undemonstrated "innovation" takes a backseat to technology that gets the job done correctly. So unless Nintendo shows me why DS is truly innovative, or releases the Game Boy Next, not only do I believe Sony will with PSP be the handheld market leader in four years, but I'll also wager that the portable will redefine the handheld demographic, effectively aging it up and attracting a wider audience. If this turns out to be true, Sony will have done exactly what Nintendo set out to do and grab gamers normally uninterested in videogames. But it will have done it by transforming an existing market and not catering to an unproven new one.

The topics he brings up while talking about DS/PSP are:

1. Sony will own the handheld market sooner or later.

2. Developers are leaving DS in favor of PSP.

3. Nintendo has screwed themselves.


I'm sorry, but Matt is now talking absolute garbage. In one mailbag he claimed a developer said "why the hell would I want to develop for Revo when I can have my game on Sony or Microsoft's consoles?" I just have a strong, strong feeling that was fake.

It's almost as if Matt tries to bring people down. I also strongly disbelieve the developers "leaving" DS in favor of PSP. Unless he lists these "developers" I'm not believing it.

Matt needs to get his head out of his butt and realize that the world is full of "good news" as well.

Nearly everyone has no hope in DS right now, and I believe it's quite sad. Whenever people hear that I choose DS over PSP, they always say, "That's just because you're a Nintendo fan". But that isn't the case at all. When PSP is released, I hope people realize that whatever PSP can do, DS can do more. That's why I choose it over PSP. PSP games could easily be ported to DS, but DS games could never be ported to PSP.

I know it's wrong, but I for one hope the PSP gets crushed by the DS, just to see the looks on everyone's faces. When Sony crushed Sega, I've always wanted to have someone do the same to them. That would be good. You know, people did the exact same when GameBoy was compared to Linx, just what they do now when PSP is compared to DS. They honestly laughed at the GameBoy. And look who had the last, triumphant laugh.

Also, Matt constantly whines about the DS "giving him cramps", but the only game that does that to him is MP Hunters! He acts as if all DS games play like Hunters! I'm sorry, but his logic is completely out there. And I agree the DS is poorly designed, but Nintendo will almost surely release a new version ala the SP.

The DS is performing better then the GBA did at launch. People in Japan are honestly not buying PSP. Sony upped their shipments and so far, many of those shipments are staying on the shelves. DS is ULTIMATELY performing better than the PSP. And yet people are still chanting it's death.

Sigh. Ignorance is bliss.  

[KDR_11k]

Matt: You called?
Upper Management: Well, Matt, your little corner on our website isn't exactly bringing in the viewers, is it?
Matt: Well, that's because these people aren't that interested. With Sony and MS giving us more freebies we have to drive home the message that Nintendo better pay us if they want us to write positive things about them.
UM: Yes but Matt? You know, that seems to drive away the readership. Perhaps it would be more profitable if we just closed that section and saved on the staff costs?
Matt: But uh... Wait, how about this? I write up stories that all the Nintendo fanboys will be offended by and then they watch my every step, bringing in the ad dollars?
UM: And spread links to IGN to other fanboys who will subsequently bring in more ad views? That's the kind of talk I like, Matt. Go forth and spread some havoc!
*evil laughter ensues*

[SuperMario35]

One thing that I dont seem to get is that people keep saying that the next gameboy wont be in development until Nintendo see's that the DS suceed's? Is this true because alot of people are saying this?

[Gamefreak]

Erm. The DS is selling so well here because the PSP isn't out. And, most people in the US don't know it exists anyway. We'll see the sales trends at the end of the year when both systems have been out for a while.

It's also worth noting that in Japan the PSP is in a better position now than DS, but in America when the PSP comes out the DS will be in a better position. Right now in Japan the DS and PSP are both out, and neither systems really has any games worth having. PSP has Ridge Racers which has shiny graphics and fun, but shallow gameplay. DS has Mario 64 which is a great game but it's one everyone's played and the lack of analog doesn't really help much. So at the moment, since games are pretty bad for both, the only thing to go upon is hardware. The DS's advantages are it's two screens, touch screen, microphone, high quality speakers, better craftsmanship, and better battery life. The PSP's strengths are its more powerful hardware, larger storage medium, multimedia playback, better screen, and analog disc. So in Japan, gamers will be taking a risk to invest in the DS since its strengths are mainly innovations that may or may not catch on. With the PSP they will be safer because its advantages are purely technical, it's just a better GBA.

In America, when PSP is released it won't be even as far as software goes. The PSP will just be coming out with a few launch games (most Japanese games won't find their way over here anyway) and PS2 ports. However at the same time DS will be seeing the influx of it's second wave of games, such as Mario Kart, Metroid Hunters, Animal Crossing, and so forth, all of which will likely support online play and will be released sometime after E3 and before the end of summer, hopefully. And by the time the PSP even comes out in March or whenever, the DS will already have a significant lead. And heck, the DS will probably see its price drop this holiday season. With both a low priced DS and Xbox2 out this holiday, the PSP won't seem as great to customers. For half the price they can get the DS, or for a little more than can pick up a brand new console. And I don't know if even Sony has the balls to drop the PSP's price so soon. Either way they are going to lose money. Keep the price up at around 200 and lose some sales to MS and Nintendo. Drop the price and see those extra sales negated by the fact that they are losing even more money. And not only that, by the time the PSP is out the DS will be steamrolling out of factories. The PSP is still struggling to be produced (and they are rather fragile and shoddily made anyway) and that just for when Japan is the only source of demand. Sony has a lot of advantages with the hardware and coolness, but they are paying a steep price.

And before you scream about how the DS is selling better in Japan, yeah it is, but it is a Nintendo handheld and taking that into account the PSP is doing far better than expected. Yeah, it's not beating DS, but who expected that? I sure didn't. Many journalists are quick to proclaim their predictions and deduce about how so and so is doomed because the other company has such and such, but these people fail to look at the entire picture and just generally be smart.  

[ruby_onix]

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Originally posted by: Noble~Feather: Also, Matt constantly whines about the DS "giving him cramps", but the only game that does that to him is MP Hunters! He acts as if all DS games play like Hunters! I'm sorry, but his logic is completely out there.

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Originally posted by: Matt: So unless Nintendo shows me why DS is truly innovative, or releases the Game Boy Next...

I doubt that Matt has bought a single DS game. Actually, I doubt that he's bought a videogame since the N64 days. Except for maybe some XBox and PS2 ones. Nintendo gives him all the free games he could want. But Nintendo doesn't give him any DS games, because he's the freaking IGN-Cube editor, not the IGN-DS editor! He probably bought a DS (which came with MPH for free), so that he could wander over to the IGN-DS cubicle and mooch Feel the Magic off of them without looking like a total leech. He didn't like MPH (not that I blame him for that), so he whines about it.


I don't get why nobody can understand the "three pillars" concept. What's there to not understand? Did anyone bitch and whine about Sony claiming that they were able to sell PSone units even though the PS2 was coming out? Oh no, the DS is a "corporate distraction"! Steven Kent tossed that idea around too. It's from the Sega days. But guess what? Nintendo is selling boatloads of DS units. And they're also selling boatloads upon boatloads of GBA units. I'd say that their plan is working just fine. They launched the DS, and kept people from freaking out and abandoning the GBA. But hey, since we're talking about "corporate distraction", look at Sony. The reason why they're getting their butts kicked by the DS in Japan is because they launched the "PStwo".

Oh no. GBA game production is slowing down. Does Matt realize how old the GBA is? And I'm not talking about the GBA SP revision, since Nintendo didn't force Matt or anyone else to buy one of those.

One part of the "three pillars" concept is that the DS "isn't a GameBoy". What does that mean? Nothing! It's just a name! But one thing you can read into it is that if the DS tanks (which isn't really an option anymore), Nintendo might claim that it wasn't the "real" next GameBoy, and try to save face while taking another shot at it.

I am fully confident that Nintendo is working on "another GameBoy" right now, one that's "less weird" and capable of going toe-to-toe with the PSP. They could probably even launch it (a small launch) this year in Japan, if they wanted to. Nintendo is always working on things like that. But most of them never see the light of day. If Nintendo were to launch such a unit right now, and it were to take the wind out of the DS's sails, then you could accuse Nintendo of suffering from "corporate distraction". Until then, go look at a sales chart (Japanese or American) and STFU.

Matt simply doesn't like the DS. So he wants Nintendo to launch this "next GameBoy" and kill off the DS. And he's using that as an excuse for not liking the DS, and arguing that the DS is a failure and that we need the "next GameBoy". It's just a circular argument that says that Nintendo loses. Like how we had people making up those "self-fulfilling prophecies" about the PS2. And to think that this is the guy who constantly seems to think that he could run Nintendo better than Nintendo does...    

[Noble~Feather]

I'm starting to think he doesn't like Nintendo handhelds period! Did you hear him? He said that he thought the PSP would be the leader in handhelds in the next couple of years.

[Ian Sane]

The DS from a strictly technical perspective is inferior to the PSP.  The PSP has better graphics, better sound, and superior hardware at a similar price.  This isn't opinion it's a fact that the PSP hardware is superior.

The DS in theory negates this advantage by having extra features the PSP doesn't have so that games can be made on it that cannot in any way be replicated on the PSP.  It's a strong advantage in theory but in practice it so far is moot.  The "advantage" only exists if the DS contains software that PSP owners would want on their system but can't without buying a DS.  So far that's not the case.  Nintendo has not released a game yet that really sells the DS concept.  At best the touchscreen is a gimmick, at worst it's a really crummy alternative to analog control.  The DS provides a different way to play games but so far it doesn't provide a BETTER way to play games.  If the extra features provide no advantage then we're just left with a portable N64 vs a portable PS2 and the portable PS2 will win for sure.

I don't think the PSP "winning" is a sure thing yet.  The DS still could easily win provided Nintendo starts getting some games out that actually sell the DS concept as something superior instead of just a different but largely unneeded way to play graphically inferior games.

[Savior]

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Yeah, it's not beating DS, but who expected that? I

Everybody expected the PSP to clean the DS out...  except Hardcore Nintendo fans

[VideoGamerJ]

PSP and DS will compete together, and good bets aim that it will be close competition. For this, each will offer something the other cannot. If the PSP gets a Grand Theft Auto game for example, a lot of people will flock over to it. If the DS gets a new Mario side scroller game and promotes it well, it will sell well, and since everybody seems obsessed with old school mario, I'm sure it will do well. Of course there are hundreds of other contributing things that would help each other prevail.

My favorite thing about the DS, prior to it's launch and still to this day is that it seems like Nintendo is aiming for a new market. Take the Japan launch for directly, the advertisements were mostly aimed torward female and their launch lineup had many titles that drew to that particular audience. Of course Nintendo still aimed for their regular market, but nonetheless I think this was very bold and challenging of Nintendo and hopefully it will show it's result in the long run. Come the ides of March, or possibly longer (perhaps e3) we'll have a much better deal of how this entire situation is going to turn out.

In my opinion (you could prove me wrong though) Nintendo is playing their cards well at this point. If you noticed, most of the hype from the DS disapeared after launch, it has become a silent thing. For Nintendo, they have covered the hardcore market with their initial offering, now they can revert back to GameBoy Advance sales (push out those top GBA tiltes as well) until the PSP comes out, which in that case they will hype the DS up again. Perhaps we'll even get a price drop?

Speaking of the GameBoy Advance, a lot of people aren't willing to fork over the money for either, but if there is a handheld on the market that is less that 80 dollars (which in this case happens to be the GameBoy Advance), that will not only secure another route for Nintendo, but when the time comes for those specific users to buy a new handheld, the DS' playback to the GBA will be a large convincing point.


Quoted: When PSP is released, I hope people realize that whatever PSP can do, DS can do more. That's why I choose it over PSP. PSP games could easily be ported to DS, but DS games could never be ported to PSP.

Exactly what I was saying! ^_^

[MaleficentOgre]

I think the PSP is more of a novelty item than the ds is.  Pretty soon the lure of playing console games on your handheld is going to wear off and then you'll be stuck playing dumbed down ports and remixes.  I see the DS just getting better and better.   I'm a little biased thoug because I love quirk titles.

[PJ gamer10]

It's been announced the PSP is getting GTA.  I can't imagine it to be a new game because of productions costs and if it is it won't be as large scale as the console games. People will buy both though because they don't know any better. Great point about the DS being able to play PSP games but the PSP can't play DS games. Makes this DS owner smile.

[Avinash_Tyagi]

The thing I think Matt is missing is I don't see the next gameboy debuting for at least two years at minimum, the reason being ninty definetly won't bring it up at this E3 because they are going to be showing off the revolution(unless the GBA next is part of the revolution which is highly doubtful).

Which means it won't debut until the next E3 in 2006 at earliest, and that depends on DS sales, if DS sales are great then ninty won't cut its own throat by releasing the GBA next that year(remember they didn't release the DS until after the GBA achieved market saturation).

As a result I wouldn't expect to see the GBA next until E3 2007 at earliest(possibly even E3 2008), by then the DS will already be starting to lose steam due to market saturation and the market will be primed for the GBA next.

Plus it will allow them to take time on the GBA next and release a system that not only offers the revolutionary gameplay that nintendo wants but will also be able to incorporate things like multimedia capabilities that currently require the Play-Yan attachement, without the battery problems of the PSP.

[Gamebasher]

Here is something that will give you a breath of fresh, sweet air, guys - curiously also from IGN:

Matt gets some feed back which takes him by surprise  (look under: "developers and PSP")

After you read it, you may see that even though the PSP looks like a pure winner, it may not at all be! It is most likely exactly as Iwate said it - a paradigm shift in the way we view gaming! That is more of a quote that was related to his comments about the up-coming Nintendo Revolution! But it still applies here, since Nintendo has repeatedly stated that the NDS would give us a foretaste of the Revolution console! People love the NDS, while they may be woved by the initial looks and features of the PSP, what it all comes down to is fun in gaming!!! So, the NDS looks more and more like a secure WINNER!!!!!

I just love Nintendo! I got nervous when I read that thing from Mr. Cassamassina, but I guess should just get over to that x-box section and stay there since he apparently doesn´t know what he talks about!! So now I am nolonger nervous.  If any knows games, it´s Nintendo!