Instead of having every thread about either the DS or PSP turn into a silly pissing match we'll have one thread for such pissing matches. This is that thread. Compare & contrast to your heart's content. The rules are no blatent trolling and no blatent thread crapping. No name calling, no insults, etc. I don't mind heated discussion as long as it's civil & intelligent, not rude and juvenile.
For now on keep your PSP versus DS stuff here, the DS and PSP threads are for discussion about those particular handhelds.
PEACE! Can't we all get along? I mean seriously, yes the PSP has better graphics and yes the DS is innovative and has potential for something truely new, what else is there to say in this debate?
Oh yes, the PSP has a bunch of crappy additions with it, boo-hoo! And yes the DS has not enough DS specific games right now, boo-hoo!
Anything else? :)
Oh yeah, the PSP has shorter battery life, ahh! But wait the DS is not as sexy!
There. Have a nice day. Sorry had to rant. Tired of all the fanboys that feel some personal pride in the system like they engineered it or own stock in the company. Have a nice day.
Get Me Coffee
02-06-05, 02:13 PM
PEACE! Can't we all get along? I mean seriously, yes the PSP has better graphics and yes the DS is innovative and has potential for something truely new, what else is there to say in this debate?
Oh yes, the PSP has a bunch of crappy additions with it, boo-hoo! And yes the DS has not enough DS specific games right now, boo-hoo!
Anything else? :)
Oh yeah, the PSP has shorter battery life, ahh! But wait the DS is not as sexy!
There. Have a nice day. Sorry had to rant.
rotfl
edstein
02-06-05, 02:18 PM
Are we talking hardware or software comparisons? There is clearly a big diffence between the two systems. The PSP will win the graphics issue hands down. And the DS will win the price issue (for now). Both have wireless capabilities, so IMO, the only other real difference is games and game play.
Gallant Pig
02-06-05, 02:34 PM
Here's my take and feelings on this whole VS thing. I'll start talking about the DS and go from there.
I bought a DS. I like it. A lot. I owned the GBA original model which I think was severely flawed due to its poor screen. I skipped the SP model due to my anger about them fixing their problem by charging us more money. I bought the DS for a long trip I was going to take thanks to some Target gift cards. I now own Mario 64 which is very good, an awesome game really. I never played the original so I"m having a blast. Worth it for that game. What also makes it worth it is the screen looks incredible for GBA games. It's like playing all my GBA for the first time again. I love it!
Ok the graphics. The GBC = the original Nintendo quality, the GBA = Super Nintendo (and slightly better) quality, the DS = N64 quality. That's cool because on such a small screen you won't see the graphics blown up so they don't look as bad. I didn't own the N64, so I'm hoping to get a bunch of ports. This is where the DS has been disappointing me a lot. I cracked a joke in another thread about the lack of games and this is partly due to some frustration. I would LOVE to see N64 ports since I never played any of those games and the next game I probably will own is the Metroid which is original. I don't see anything big coming down the shoot for a long time after that. As much as I can continue feasting on the GBA library, I'd like to see them throw some quick and good ports down the shoot for the DS. Ridge Racer is a start, but the game kinda sucks. I'd like to see N release some of its quality 1st party N64 games other than just Mario... & sooner rather than later since as I understand it, this is a tweener system much like the GBC.
The touch screen is just OK for me. The built in chat software is cool, I'm thinking about getting one for my wife so we can talk on long trips when we don't sit next to each other, but the price will have to drop for that and a good Sims game will have to come out to convince her. The touch screen doesn't seem very good for travel on planes with bumpy rides and lack of hand space. I dunno it just doesn't do it for me other than the chat thing. Maybe this will change but not yet. The split screen is kinda cool, not too bad. I love the clamshell design a lot.
The PSP is on the horizon. The DS was never intended to compete directly with it, the next GB is. Until I play a PSP and see how it is I won't know how they compare. I have a feeling the graphics won't be that big a deal since they are both small screens, but that might change. I'm considering getting one but only for $200. Maybe for Xmas next year. I really like what Sony is doing for this system though. The launch titles are phenominal and have me as a DS owner jealous. The gadgets and addons are pretty decent and would make for a nice traveling system. I'm not sure which one I would take on long trips, maybe both, but I'm not for sure.
As for this whole versus thing, I just don't see what's the big deal. They are both cool systems. I'm not sure why one support has to constantly chime in in the other guy's thread and crap all of it or just pick away. I enjoy my DS, I can even make fun of the fact there aren't many games for it, but I still really like it a lot. The PSP is a lot more money and better graphics, but you are paying for those graphics. That's cool. The launch games look pretty nice and although I'm not getting one, I think it's awesome there is finally competition in the handheld arena and I'm glad a big player like Sony is leading the charge. We all know that competition is a great thing and leads to lower prices, better games and better hardware.
So if you guys want to keep posting the same bickering arguments here over and over again that's cool. Like I said keep it clean and civil, and stay away from the rudeness, we don't want to look like Political Talk here do we? ;)
Gallant Pig
02-06-05, 02:35 PM
Are we talking hardware or software comparisons? There is clearly a big diffence between the two systems. The PSP will win the graphics issue hands down. And the DS will win the price issue (for now). Both have wireless capabilities, so IMO, the only other real difference is games and game play.
We are talking about any comparison period. If you hate the DS and yet you find yourself in the DS thread constantly making posts about it that are negative, this is your thread. Ditto with the PSP haters.
Just keep it clean is all I ask.
Get Me Coffee
02-06-05, 02:39 PM
2 games that would make me buy a DS...Metroid and that new 2D Mario. I'm sitting it out to see whether a 3D shooter is going to be any fun on such a small screen. Hell I'm even skeptical with a 3D shooters on a PSP.
TheMadMonk
02-06-05, 03:13 PM
I don't see anything big coming down the shoot for a long time after that.;)
Maybe they'll come out with some cool "First-Person Chuters" you might like!
:rotfl:
Josh H
02-06-05, 03:18 PM
PEACE! Can't we all get along? I mean seriously, yes the PSP has better graphics and yes the DS is innovative and has potential for something truely new, what else is there to say in this debate?
That's it in a nutshell. The PSP is an awesome system for people who love the PS2 and its game library. It's a sleek system and the graphics are amazing for a handheld.
The DS is more for people like me that want to see something new. So far the lineup sucks, but there's some intriguing games coming out that I can't wait to try out. I'm sick of playing the same old crap with a fresh coat of paint over and over again to the point that I've consider selling my PS2 and X-box in recent months. I'm hoping the DS and the Revolution in a couple years will offer enough innovation to renew my interest in gaming. If not I'll move on and put the money toward DVDs and investments. :D
darkside
02-06-05, 03:19 PM
Well I don't really have any major bashing of either system. Both seem fairly well thought out (I guess both could have slightly better controls) and targeted for a specific audience. My big complaint about both right now is games. Neither has much of a software lineup.
My big problems with the DS right now is the lack of an analog controller (not a major issue with every game, but bugged the hell out of me playing Mario), 3rd parties turning the touch screen into a negative feature (Tiger Woods is probably the worst offender) and the above mentioned lack of DS software. However, FF III and Castlevania will probably push me towards a DS purchase eventually.
My big problems with the PSP are the bundle (a total waste of $50 I would rather spend on a bigger memory stick), the highly questionable build quality (a few too many stories of control button issues and quality issues for me to feel comfortable) and the above mentioned lack of software. The $40 price tags on games does nothing to interest me either. It is rare I will pay more than $30 for a portable game disc or cart.
The thing hurting the PSP with me right now is actually the problems I have had with other Sony products. Besides the 3 original model PS2s I had crap out on me a few years ago my Sony DVD Burner which I rarely used died on me, my brand new Hi-MD minidisc player stopped reading discs a few weeks after I bought it and now my Sony slim PStwo seems to have a bad controller 1 port (you have to keep moving the plug around to get it to recognize any controller you plug in).
As a consumer I start to lose trust in a company that sells me one faulty product after the next. Sony used to mean quality, but those days are long gone. They are no better than Apex now.
Gallant Pig
02-06-05, 03:20 PM
Maybe they'll come out with some cool "First-Person Chuters" you might like!
:rotfl:
Who's the bigger fool? Me or the guy who doesn't know that rotfl doesn't require :: ;) :D
Josh H
02-06-05, 03:37 PM
Wow that's a shitty string of luck Darkside.
The only sony product I've ever had crap out on me was a disc man years ago, and that was after being dropped and tossed around for a couple years. :D
And I've had a ton of sony stuff: PS1, PS2, the old discman, a new discman, and boombox, a Wega TV, a DVD Player, a "component" CD player I've had for 12 years, mine tape recorder, etc. All those are still in use and work fine except the PS1 which was still working fine when I sold it years ago when I got a PS2.
Josh H
02-06-05, 03:58 PM
I was just reading through the latest EGM (godfather cover) and it looks like a lot of the PSP launch games have some issues from the impressions they posted.
Twisted Metal Head On: "..with bland empty levels and slighly choppy visuals, Head-on looked a bit ragged."
Ape Escape- Main gripe is that it doesn't work without two analog sticks
ATV Off Road Fury- "Choppy, sluggis graphics leech any sensation of spped, and unrefined control renders the game nearly unplayable with the PSP's analog nub..."
But the rest of the games got positive marks including Wipeout, Ridege Racer, Spider-man 2, Untold Legends and Need for Speed.
Some crap games at launch are to be expected as companies rush to get games out to get the early adopters to snap them up. People get a shiny new toy and want to snap up games for it. I know I've bought my fair share of launch games that I would have passed on if not for the "new toy" phenomenon. :D
TheMadMonk
02-06-05, 04:22 PM
Who's the bigger fool? Me or the guy who doesn't know that rotfl doesn't require :: ;) :D
Hmm, tough to say. The guy who didn't know you didn't need to use colons to display a certain smiley face on web messageboard software vBulletin Version 3.0.5, when probably 80% or more of the other smiley faces expressed on that same software do require colons, or the guy who doesn't know the difference between "shoots" and "chutes"?
I gotta give you the edge on this one. ;)
j/k
Gallant Pig
02-06-05, 05:57 PM
Hmm, tough to say. The guy who didn't know you didn't need to use colons to display a certain smiley face on web messageboard software vBulletin Version 3.0.5, when probably 80% or more of the other smiley faces expressed on that same software do require colons, or the guy who doesn't know the difference between "shoots" and "chutes"?
I gotta give you the edge on this one. ;)
j/k
Shoots and laddars was always my favorite game.
:-ohbfrank-:
Draven
02-06-05, 06:02 PM
The DS offers the kinds of games I like to play on handhelds - Nintendo games. Either 1st party or GBA specific.
The only thing the PSP offers is nicer graphics (which I don't care about) and movie/photos/music (which I already have a pocket PC for.
Which is why I own a DS :)
Apollo
02-06-05, 08:42 PM
I just pre-order the PSP at Gamestop B&M (Online store only offer bundles). I'm not impressed with the opening line-up, I think the thrid party will be strong in the future. I will probably only buy 2 or 3 games in the beginning. I really like everthing the PSP will be able to do. The fact it uses memory stick was a strong plus. I have several 512 MB sticks from my MiniDV and digital camera.
The DS isn't bad it just carry several points. I don't think third party support will be strong for the DS. I just think Nintendo designs their game system more for their software, than third party companies. The screen is a little to small for me and dual screen seems like a gimmick.
While I wasn't happy with sony PSP value pak, I can live with the extra fifty buck hit. I sure couldn't do the bundles the on-line stores (EB & Gamestop) were offering.
darkside
02-06-05, 09:03 PM
Wow that's a shitty string of luck Darkside.
I forgot about the Vaio I owned for about a day three years ago. The hard drive was faulty and since it was the last one Best Buy had in stock I ended up getting a Compaq instead.
To be fair I have had zero problems with my Sony Wega TV or my various Sony DVD players one a 1998 model that still works great. I have two other Sony DVD players that both work great and a 2003 minidisc player that has always worked well. No problem with my portable audio stuff bought in the 90's either. I still have an old tape player and CD player over a decade old that still work.
For some reason though I have been snakebit by Sony's Computer and Video Game products so I will be hesitant to drop $250 on a PSP. Hell I haven't gotten a good PS2 in four tries.
I don't have either but am leaning towards the DS. The main issue for me is game play, and nintendo will probably have better first party games. I expect some good ports. I don't care much about graphics in a portable. If I want great graphics, I play on a large TV, not some small screen. I do wish the DS screen was the size of the PSP, but I don't think that is a big enough knock to sway me.
Obey The D
02-07-05, 08:12 PM
I don't have either but am leaning towards the DS. The main issue for me is game play, and nintendo will probably have better first party games. I expect some good ports. I don't care much about graphics in a portable. If I want great graphics, I play on a large TV, not some small screen. I do wish the DS screen was the size of the PSP, but I don't think that is a big enough knock to sway me.
Oh come on, we know the real reason you're going with the DS is because the PSP body doesn't have any room for a Boron Cowpunch sticker.
daniel18
02-09-05, 09:47 PM
Question: Where are the speakers on the PSP?
daniel18
02-10-05, 03:27 PM
Anyway, I don't have either, but I think I'd get a Nintendo DS.
The main reason I want to get a DS is to play my Game Boy Advance games on it. I only have the old style GBA that I have since 2001. I want to be able to play them on the clear and backlit screen of the DS.
As for the DS games themselves, I think they suit my tastes better. Since I only play at home, I want my handheld games to be different than the ones that I play on the TV. I dunno, there's just someting special about handhelds, but the PSP seems to be missing that. I hate the fact that there aren't many games available, though. But I guess I'd just buy more GBA games in the meantime.
It also costs a full $100 less than PSP. The price of the the PSP is more than what I would pay for a handheld.
In my opinion, the best thing about the PSP was the inclusion of an analog stick. But after playing the Metroid Prime: Hunters - First Hunt demo I saw that the touch screen worked as good as an analog stick, or even a mouse. I haven't played the PSP, but I heard that the analog stick is too loose, and that the square button isn't as responsive as the rest of the buttons.
I like the clamshell design of the DS. The PSP's seem too similar to the Sega Game Gear and the original Game Boy Advance, which were flawed.
The DS might the last handheld that I buy since mostly likely it will be the last console that has 2D games.
I love 2-D gaming. And after my experiences with the GBA, my new handheld choice is clear.
I'm getting the PSP.
The GBA has been extremely disappointing for me on many levels. Technically, it should never have been released until they fixed the stupidly dim screen. But that, at least, is forgivable. But something else is not.
The deluge of SNES and NES ports.
Why would I repurchase games I've already played? The GBA has an incredibly limited amount of AAA titles that are ORIGINAL. And in the cases of originals like Megaman Zero/EXE and Sonic, they churn out sequels after sequels, only to differentiate them oh-so-slightly. Even the Metroids and the Kirbys, while good, were mere shadows of how GREAT they were on the SNES.
For all the potential the GBA had for great 2D, we just got shovelware. Well, apart from the recent Zelda: Minish Cap, Mario & Luigi, Wario Land 4, the Castlevanias, Fire Emblem, Tactics Ogre, WarioWare, Advance War, and the 1st Metroid. But such a meagre list after 3 years is really sad.
So yeah, I'm quite annoyed by Nintendo because of this. Not that the PSP won't have shovelwares either, but I'm not so cross from the experience with the PS2 that I wouldn't want to put more trust in them at this point. And heck, if there's no games available, at least I can use it as a glorified movie player.
PerryD
02-10-05, 04:09 PM
Having owned a Atari Lynx, Sega Game Gear, Turboexpress, and Sega Nomad, I know all about handhelds with very short battery life. Those systems were portable, but I always had a power supply with me so I could plug it in whereever I was. I didn't pick up a Gameboy until the Gameboy Color came out, but now I can't imagine not getting 15 to 20 hours of battery life. Battery life and $250 price tag for the PSP means I'll wait it out a while and see how the buzz is on the system after some time has passed. I know for sure that I'll be picking up multiple DS's when Mario Kart and Animal Crossing come out later this year. PSP will wait.
sofdec
02-10-05, 06:12 PM
You guys make it sound like SONY's the only one with problems in their hardware..
Its not like the DS Comes without its share of problems:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/sofdec7/other/launch.gif :p
Get Me Coffee
02-10-05, 08:41 PM
:up:
jeffdsmith
02-10-05, 11:06 PM
You guys make it sound like SONY's the only one with problems in their hardware..
Its not like the DS Comes without its share of problems:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/sofdec7/other/launch.gif :p
Is that not a fake to spoof the PSP disc shooting out? Unlike the PSP reports, I have not read of any DS's doing that, I believe its intended to be a joke. Unlike the PSP, there is no mechanism that would cause that problem.
jediwicz
02-11-05, 01:27 AM
I'm glad at least to see all the DS's buttons functioning 100% (Square button PSP). No ejecto-discs and crappy 3 pixel burnout return policies from Nintendo.
darkside
02-11-05, 02:39 AM
Had a chance to pick up a used DS today for $129. With the store credit I had it only ended up being a $30 purchase so I went ahead and bought it. DS is in mint condition and has everything but the box and no bad pixels. Looks like someone that bought one, didn't like it and traded it right back in.
I didn't buy any games for it, but I will pick up Wario Ware Touched when that comes out next week.
So now that I'm back in the DS camp let me say down with the PSP. :thmbsdwn:
Who I am kidding, once I actually get to play one of those I will probably want one as well. At least the $249.99 price tag will keep me away for awhile.
daniel18
02-11-05, 04:32 PM
You guys make it sound like SONY's the only one with problems in their hardware..
Its not like the DS Comes without its share of problems:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v230/sofdec7/other/launch.gif :p
How's that even possible?
darkside
02-11-05, 04:49 PM
How's that even possible?
The DS cart stot has a spring in it. I'm sure if you pushed down on the cart a certain way you could get it to spring out like that. It is not going to do that on its own though. The deal with the PSP is the disc can pop out just by twisting the case. Again I don't know why you would be twisting your PSP like that.
PixyJunket
02-11-05, 04:49 PM
How's that even possible?It's a spoof.
blakader
02-11-05, 08:02 PM
allright I'm getting the hang of touch screen on mario, having a blast with it!
Not so with Ridge Racer, I do better with just the d pad.
looking forward to seeing 3d rayman next month!
Is there anyword on a psp basic set coming out at all?
GatorDeb
02-12-05, 07:16 PM
Well, I have $200 worth of GCs to Walmart and I sold $320 worth of stuff to go towards a PSP, so the PSP and a game are already accounted for. Now with the $200 GCs I was going to get a DS but I've changed my mind... I'd rather get more games for the PSP. (And I own a GBA with over 50 titles, and a Gamecube, XBOX, PS2, Dreamcast, and I owned the original Nintendo and Gameboy. I am a big Nintendo fan and I'm LOVING the new GBA Zelda... but I tried the DS at Gamestop and I HATE using the stylus for gaming (I hate using the mouse too, I'm not much into PC gaming).
So it's going to be PSP all the way for me. Movies, photos, file storage, games, music, all in one.
daniel18
02-12-05, 10:55 PM
I hated it too when I first tried it. I think everybody hated it when they first tried it, but it just takes a little getting used to. Now I really like it and have no problem.
I also bet many hated making the transition from the joystick to the controller...
Gallant Pig
02-12-05, 11:37 PM
I've had it for a while and I really don't like it. It's just okay, but too gimmicky for me. It's only ok for mini games IMO. The fewer games that implement this the better, it's cool for the chat though.
jeffdsmith
02-13-05, 03:53 PM
Rule #1 : People will always fear change.
That applies to the DS and the PSP.
Josh H
02-13-05, 04:02 PM
Yep, I embrace change most of the times, and especially in games. There was a big change from 2D to 3D (for the worst unfortunately IMO), but since then we've basically just been getting the same games with prettier coats of paint IMO. Accordingly I've been gaming less and less each of the past few years. Hoping the DS and revolution give us some new ways to play and pique my interest again.
darkside
02-13-05, 04:27 PM
I've gotten 80 stars on Mario DS and have unlocked all the minigames (had to do the little jump trick with Luigi to get the bunny on top of the castle since I doubt I will get all 150) but I still haven't gotten down the touch screen as a controller. At least not for Mario DS. I've played it straight through so far with the digital pad.
Maybe with future games I will get down using the thumb strap, but I still wonder about games like Mario Kart DS and whether I will find them at all playable. I get the hang of it for the most part, but it seems everytime I really need to make a precise move I screw it up with the touch screen.
On the bright side its a much better pad for GBA games. Bigger and easier to use than the one on the SP.
Wow, a bunch of DS people must have jumped on the poll, the PSP was in the lead yesterday. Not that a Cnet poll means anything.
jeffdsmith
02-16-05, 01:35 PM
The real polls are sales. DS is dominating the PSP in total sales, but the PSP is beating out the DS in Japan, the only market where they are both available.
Get Me Coffee
02-23-05, 11:48 PM
The real polls are sales. DS is dominating the PSP in total sales, but the PSP is beating out the DS in Japan, the only market where they are both available.
Enjoy
New sales figures for Japan's consoles for week-ending Feb. 13th
PSP owns the DS in sales in Japan....it will not take long for PSP to do the same here in the states.
Josh H
02-24-05, 12:21 AM
PSP will sell better, no doubt. Sony sells on name recognition, they'll have to f-up majorly (like Nintendo did with the N64 when they were on top) for Nintendo or MS to be able to compete in sales.
darkside
02-24-05, 12:26 AM
The biggest stat to look at for the DS is the 1.3 units sell through on software. That is horrible. The DS had a good start, but the poor launch software and poor software output for the next few months is killing it.
Honestly other than puzzle type games I haven't enjoyed the software for it at all. Stuff like Wario Ware, Feel the Magic, Zoo Keeper and Mr Driller have been the highlights of the system. More mainstream stuff like Tiger Woods, Madden and Ridge Racer have downright sucked.
The two games I'm most looking forward to are Puyo Puyo and Polarium both puzzle games.
Nintendo just no longer has the third party support to be a major player in the games industry. DS is a fun device and I really don't regret owning it, but like the Cube it will be a niche system. I just hope Nintendo can continue to survive in a niche. That seems to be their plan though. They seem to have given up on the mainstream types that typically own the PS2 and Xbox.
That could be a real positive for DS and Revolution owners, but a real turnoff to many potential customers.
Josh H
02-24-05, 08:44 AM
I agree.
If they can survive in the niche, I'll be happy. My interest has waned in games to the point that just playing their first party games gives me enough games to play each year, so I'd still be happy in that case.
Next gen I'll probably just pick up a Revolution and the GBA successor and be good to go. I just don't play enough to own all 3 again, and Nintendo's first party games are still the ones I enjoy the most, so it's an easy decision for me..
orangecrush
02-24-05, 09:00 AM
I find it incrediable that the original GBA outsold the Xbox in Japan. WOW.
Josh H
02-24-05, 09:04 AM
The X-box pretty much no support from Japanese developers, so not much to appeal to Japanese gamers.
Still amazing that the original, long out of production, original GBA sold more though. :D
Josh H
03-27-05, 01:34 AM
Bump for the PSP launch to keep that thread clean.
jeffdsmith
03-27-05, 11:11 AM
Word on the street (IGN, Slashdot, etc) is the PSP is not selling anywhere near the numbers they had hoped. (In the US) The official numbers will hit Monday but informal surveys across the nation show the unit is not selling out as planned. Obviously Sony has plenty of time to turn this around, what do you guys think Sony needs to do to counteract the current momentum? Lower Price for games? Lower System Price? Better Games? Advertising? Just more time?
IGN
Just thought i would shoot you guys some feedback on the PSP sales in my area. I'm a retail manager at a Target in the Denver Metro Area. We do the 3rd most business in the state of Colorado for target stores. We received 40 PSP's for the launch and we only sold 10 at yesterday. During Christmas we had people lining up everyday, to see if we got any DS, PS2 or Xbox in. We had only a handful of people really ask about the PSP, it seems to me that most non-hardcore gamers really didn't know the system was coming out. A few parents i talked with didn't even know what it was and was amazed when i showed them it. Just thought i would shoot you guys a heads-up on sales on the PSP in my store.
--Jimmy
I work retail, and our store received 60 PSP's and sold 10 the entire day. Outside of hardcore gaming stores, I was curious to find out if that was just an anomaly, or the standard. I actually had many people come up and talk to me about it, but balked at the price of $249.99.
--Jeff L.
Just to let people know, there are still plenty left in San Antonio, Tx. Out of our initial shipment (Target), we got rid of about 20 out of 80. Kind of funny, considering school's out because of good Friday. If there's any left on Sunday, I might pick one up for myself. Checking by the Gamestop in the same shopping center, they had a few left as well.
--G
Just read your article on the PSP Sales, and I must say that here in Indianapolis IN, they are sold out jus about everywhere. A certain store that I won't name ... took TOO MANY preorders even and were out of PSP's for my all my friends preorders! So they all went to the out of the wall location where I got mine (Gamestop) who had plenty, and we all bought them out at once :) I had to call around for about half an hour to find PSPs available. Also games selling out here rapidly are Ridge Racer and Dark Stalkers.
--Casey H.
hmm.. the PSP launch at my Wal-Mart went like this. We opened at 7am. 10am we sold one. 11:30. we sold another. 5:00pm. Almost sold one, another customer said "metal gear is a card game" lost the sale. we have 58 units left. great day.
--tom
I think you need to contact stores not on the coastlines to gauge how the PSP is becoming one of the worst launches in history. I'm in St. Louis and this thing is easier to find than a Gamecube right now.
Go ahead, call some Best Buys in the area. Some Toys R US, or Circuit City stores. And then rewrite you're glowing praise to reflect what's really happening.
--wmatistic
Thought you might be interested in how the sales were going with the PSP in mid-Oregon. In Eugene, the game shops in the large malls seemed to be completely out, while the Best Buy had plenty, they almost seemed desperate to sell some (at about 4pm). In Albany (about 40 miles north of Eugene), I decided to buy my own system at the Target I worked in at about 8pm, and I was only the 4th person to buy one the entire day. Of course the first one I bought happened to have a dead pixel, so that was quickly replaced.
--DN
I work at a Wal-Mart(sigh) in West Texas and we had plenty of PSP's left today. I personally only sold one, and I think we sold 4 or 5 altogether today. We had MANY calls though to see if we had any in stock. I called all the other stores in my district and they all had plenty. So I think the big retails might be the way to go if the specialty shops start selling out.
--Jeff A.
just for those who are foolish enough to try to sell the PSPs on Ebay for "massive" profit... I looked up PSP and found the first three that sold...
269.99 255.00 237.50
The bottom line is that one sold for $237+$16 shipping=$253 and the others sold for a MAX of about $35 over $250 (with shipping included in that price). In other words, once you take out taxes that the original buyer paid, the cut that Ebay takes out, and shipping costs, the Ebay sellers are coming out with about a MAX of $10, and in some cases a significant loss. You know the seller that sold one for $253 (with the cost of shipping included in that price) is kicking himself. Bottom line, it looks like Sony made just enough so Ebay scammers aren't going to make hundreds of dollars off of their product. You may want to return those extra PSPs you have laying around.
-- Harry
I read the mailbag that Jason replied to, and read where the guy wrote (or typed) about no one buying the PSP...I believe it has sold well so far, but honestly...ok, here's the story. I was going into WalMart to get my job in electronics back (I was a seasonal worker during the holidays, 2004) and I was talking to one of my ex-electronics co workers. She said "Are you here to buy the PSP?" Honestly...I forgot it came out today. I was like "ITS OUT??? OH YEAH!!" And went ahead to look at it. I saw a stock full of PSP's sitting in the glass cases-going nowhere. A sign read "Limit one PSP per household due to shortages" I thought to myself "well that shouldn't be a problem" as I saw NO ONE looking at it and simply passing it buy...seriously, about 10 were gone from the shelves, and this was at about 2:30 pm in the afternoon. The store opens at about 6 in the morning...Sony can't be keeping it on THAT low of a profile where no one's buying it in a local Wal Mart that every one went crazy about the day after thanksgiving for the blitz sale where game boys were only 30 bucks...in other words a lot of people shop there, and a lot of them are gamers. What happened?
-- Anthony L.
Just thought I'd let you guys know that I visited my local Best Buy in downtown Chicago and there were plenty of PSPs to go around. There was a stack of at least 50 PSPs in a display in the middle of the store and this was around 2:00 in the afternoon. After all of the talk of preordering I was surprised that Best Buy (in the busiest part of Lincoln Park) ending up having such a large quantity, especially because they advertised in Sunday's ad about opening early to sell PSPs today. Just thought you'd be interested.
--Matt
I work for a Best Buy in a major metropolitan area in the Midwest and so far sales haven't been very impressive at all. Our store was allocated 150 units and by the end of the night we still had about 100 units left. Our region, consisting of roughly 10 stores still had 1700 units left, that averages about 170 per store. There are 3 other larger stores in our district that were allocated about 300 units and each of them still had between 200 and 250 units remaining. This couldn't be because of people not knowing because 3/4 of our front page ad this week was on the PSP and launch info.
--Carverts
I'm a pretty geeky girl, but for some reason, I wasn't excited about the PSP...until four hours before the American launch. At that point, my friends told me that there was no way I was going to get a handheld for quite some time, what with all the pre-orders and massive lines forming in their cities. Just to make sure, I called the local game stores, and they didn't expect me to have a PSP in my hands anytime soon, either. I gave up, and decided to go to Wal-Mart, where...lo and behold, they were stocking the PSP at midnight. I waltzed in an hour before launch-time and stood in one of the most low-key lines (six people, and I live in a decent-sized college town) I've ever seen for any game or hardware release. A couple other guys walked in twenty minutes before midnight, and every one of us left with a shiny new PSP Value Pack. The sales clerk said that they had 80 of the units. And I learned something new. I think any of my fellow gamers who didn't manage to get a PSP yet should check out some secondary sources. Think beyond EB Games, Best Buy, and GameStop, and it might just pay off!
-- Michelle
maingon
03-27-05, 11:49 AM
people keep saying x button sticks, doesnt stick for me, dead pixals. (arent that bad you cant see them when a movie is playing or playing a game. the disc doesnt pop out, anyway the PSP kicks DS butt, games are better and graphics are 1000x better. i mean all you get is blurry pixalated n64 graphics. and we also get crystal clear FMVs. look at ridge racer. beautiful, tiger woods for DS or PSP? Ridge Racer for DS, Spiderman 2 for DS or PSP? PSP wins everyone
Blockbuster, best buy and target by me are all sold out of the psps
scott1598
03-27-05, 12:09 PM
you know i have nothing against either of the new systems and i don't want to make it seem that way, but i love my GBA SP and am quite content. all this hulabaloo eludes me.
joshd2012
03-27-05, 12:42 PM
If you remember correctly, when both systems were announced, those who liked the DS toughted games over graphics. The main stance was that, the DS would bring better games and that this would overcome the graphic onslaught of the PSP.
But as I look at GameSpot's review section, we see something that is a little surprising when the DS had so many more months ahead of the PSP:
If you get even pickier as far as the quality of score you require to purchase a game, and include only 8+, you would only have 1 game for DS and 8 for PSP - and this is only a few days after PSP launched and months after DS launched. Right now, for all the talk before, the PSP is definitely killing the DS in game quality. It will be interesting to see these numbers again at the end of the year.
It's clear that DS is DOA...Nintendo sees now where the market is going and the next gameboy will have to follows PSPs lead.
What's amazing is that the PSP already has more titles and BETTER ones even.
Gromit
03-27-05, 01:09 PM
I've noticed plenty of PSPs around here (Atlanta suburb, pretty far out actually). But when I exchanged my PSP this morning at Wal-Mart due to a sticking button, the guy told me they had 150 of them and now only have about 20 left. That kind of surprised me as I figured they had not sold that many.
I think it's obvious that these things are not selling out everywhere. But I think it's funny that Sony puts 1 million of the things out on the first day to avoid any shortage issues and now the thing is perceived as a failure because people aren't fighting over them and getting $500 each on eBay.
My replacement has a dead pixel. :( I'm going to try to live with it, but worst case, I'll exchange it again.
Oh, as for PSP vs DS. I really don't know much about the DS. There isn't a DS game that interests me at this point.
darkside
03-27-05, 01:13 PM
I don't think the DS can be DOA with over 4 million units sold, but yeah it will be a niche item, I think many of us have said that from the beginning. PSP isn't exactly flying off the shelves yet so I think the DS will find a market for itself. Fact is the DS is not in competition with the PSP. If you look at the type of games Nintendo is releasing for it they are going for a whole different type of person overall. There will be some crossover between the two, but where the DS will have to find success is among the non gamers or the PDA or Cell Phone gamers. Especially females. My wife plays her DS all the time. She wasn't impressed at all with the PSP and even Lumines didn't appeal to her very much. She played the PSP for a couple of hours, brought it back to me and said "no thanks".
I have both and really am impressed by the options both offer. The PSP has a decent game lineup, but honestly I'm not interested in playing crappy 989 sports games or playing Wipeout, Twisted Metal or Ridge Racers again. Lumines is really the only groundbreaking game in the lineup. The DS on the other hand has several cool games that simple can't be matched anywhere else.
I seriously think both will find success. The PSP will probably have a solid Christmas, but I think the DS will find itself with 8-10 millions units sold by the end of the year as well. Of the upcoming software releases for both there are twice as many DS games I'm looking forward to. Fact is the PSP is nice, but you can experience it all on the PS2 if you want to save some money. Stuff like Polarium and Wario Ware Touched are pretty much DS exclusive.
The real competition between the Nintendo and the PSP will come when Nintendo releases the successor to the GameBoy.
Outlaw
03-27-05, 01:16 PM
It's clear that DS is DOA...Nintendo sees now where the market is going and the next gameboy will have to follows PSPs lead.
What's amazing is that the PSP already has more titles and BETTER ones even.
DOA? :lol:, you write for the Post or something? neither system has yet to release their killer apps yet.
unfortunately we're going to be entering drought period for both systems very soon. i'm gonna have to side with scott1598 at this point, until Katamari, AC, or FF come out.
Zodo
03-27-05, 01:51 PM
I'm wondering what the percentage of PSP's with dead pixels is. It seem slike at least 70% of those that got one has at least one dead pixel.
I like my DS, but like most people I'm waiting for them to release some really good games for it. Mostly I'm waiting on Metroid Prime Hunters and Kirby.
I'd buy a PSP too if it had the same battery life as the DS and the games didn't cost as much. I just can't see paying $50 for rehashed games that I could probably get for like $10 on the PS2.
Josh H
03-27-05, 02:06 PM
Both game line ups suck right now IMO. Only Mario 64, Yoshi, and Warioware on the DS interest me (I have the 1st 2) and nothing on the PSP interests me as none of the games offer anything over the console games other than portability so I have no use for them as I game at home 99.9% of the time.
Ralph Wiggum
03-27-05, 04:10 PM
I played a buddy's PSP for awhile and was impressed with the hardware (shock), but there still aren't any announced/released games, save Lumines, that interest me. I'm glad there's some real competition in the handheld market again, though.
joshd2012
03-27-05, 05:20 PM
Both game line ups suck right now IMO. Only Mario 64, Yoshi, and Warioware on the DS interest me (I have the 1st 2) and nothing on the PSP interests me as none of the games offer anything over the console games other than portability so I have no use for them as I game at home 99.9% of the time.
See, I have a problem with that argument. Mario64 is a console game, so it truely doesn't "offer anything over the console games other than portability". Yet, games like Lumines, Ridge Racers, and WipeOut pure can not be had on any console (save previous versions).
Ralph Wiggum
03-27-05, 05:55 PM
See, I have a problem with that argument. Mario64 is a console game, so it truely doesn't "offer anything over the console games other than portability". Yet, games like Lumines, Ridge Racers, and WipeOut pure can not be had on any console (save previous versions).
Ridge Racer and WipeOut are only "new" games in the sense that Madden 2005 is "new" compared to Madden 2004: sure, it has a couple of new features, but under the hood nothing has really changed...since about 1995.
daniel18
03-27-05, 06:00 PM
...and Lumines hasn't changed much since the 80s, when it was called Tetris.
jediwicz
03-27-05, 06:00 PM
I too now own both and will argue the DS has better games. Out of the 4 PSP games I have purchased Lumines is the only original title (RR, THUG and Twisted Metal are very close to their console brethren). The DS is simply a whole new way to play games. I'm looking forward to Pac Pix, Polarium, Nintendogs, Electroplankton, Nanostray and of course Animal Crossing WIFI. On the PSP I'm looking forward to um, Gran Turismo 4 and Grand Theft (two more almost ports). Don't get me wrong, I'm stoked on my PSP, the movie/music playback is great but the games are greener on Nintendo's console-Final Fantasy III, Castlevania DS and the slew that Nintendo will launch.
Josh H
03-27-05, 06:27 PM
See, I have a problem with that argument. Mario64 is a console game, so it truely doesn't "offer anything over the console games other than portability". Yet, games like Lumines, Ridge Racers, and WipeOut pure can not be had on any console (save previous versions).
I should have been more clear there. The mini games in Mario 64 offer something new. The main game is nothing great. Yoshi Touch and Go and Warioware Touched are totally new due to excellent use of the touch pad and microphone.
Ridge Racers and Wipeout are pretty much the same as the previous versions I didn't like as I don't like racing games, and I'm not big on puzzle games so I probably wouldn't dig Lumines as much as most seem too.
boredsilly
03-27-05, 06:31 PM
One thing I like better about the DS over the PSP is the clam shell casing. That PSP screen is just a giant scratch waiting to happen.
Demontooth
03-27-05, 07:03 PM
I don't have either, but I think $300 is a little steep for a handheld and a game. But I am cheap
darkside
03-27-05, 07:24 PM
See, I have a problem with that argument. Mario64 is a console game, so it truely doesn't "offer anything over the console games other than portability". Yet, games like Lumines, Ridge Racers, and WipeOut pure can not be had on any console (save previous versions).
DS has its share of shovelware like Madden, Asphalt Urban, Ridge Racer and a couple others. Mario 64 does have some cool mini games though that make up for the port of the main adventure. However, lets face it 99% of the PSP lineup is an experience you can have on a console. The main selling point of the PSP for me was the multimedia features that are pretty nice to have in a game system. Even the real system sellers upcoming for the PSP like GT4 and GTA are based on PS2 games.
The DS has a pretty nice list of quality games out and coming this year that will be pretty much unique experiences. Wario Ware Touched, Yoshi Touch and Go, Feel the Magic, Pac-Pix, Kirby, Polarium, Another Code, Lost in Blue, Meteos, Electroplankton and Nintendogs. Among the rehashes coming out that aren't so unique you also have some quality stuff like Castlevania DS, Final Fantasy III, Mario Kart DS, Animal Crossing DS, Metroid Prime Hunters and a new Super Mario 2D game.
The PSP is a great handheld and its going to sell great and carve a nice chunk of the handheld business for Sony. However, DS owners have no reason to be upset. The DS is going to have some stellar software coming out this year and I see no reason for it not to have success as well. Anyone that plunked down their $150 for a DS is going to get their money's worth and then some.
Graphics are not the end all of gaming. The second best game I have played this entire year was Zelda the Minish Cap and that only has GBA graphics.
Get Me Coffee
03-27-05, 08:00 PM
Both game line ups suck right now IMO. Only Mario 64, Yoshi, and Warioware on the DS interest me (I have the 1st 2) and nothing on the PSP interests me as none of the games offer anything over the console games other than portability so I have no use for them as I game at home 99.9% of the time.
He hasn't even played the PSP and yet BOTH game line up sucks :lol:
Josh H
03-27-05, 08:09 PM
You don't have to play games to know that the games don't appeal to you. I haven't played but 2 of the DS games and I think it's line up sucks as well.
I don't like sports games, strategy games, puzzle games or racing games, so there's nothing there for me right now. The best games in those genres do nothing for me.
When some platformers, Japanese RPGs and fighting games come out for the PSP I'll give it a more serious look.
Josh H
03-27-05, 08:22 PM
However, lets face it 99% of the PSP lineup is an experience you can have on a console. The main selling point of the PSP for me was the multimedia features that are pretty nice to have in a game system.
Totally. Which is great for someone that is on the go a lot and wants to play console calibur games on a portable and needs the multimedia functions.
Not so great for someone like me who only games at home and doesn't have kids or anything hogging the TV, thus I have no reason to play console games on the PSP instead of my nice TV and surround sound.
Even less great for someone like me that bought at DS to get some types of gameplay different that the 95% crap coming out on consoles.
joshd2012
03-27-05, 08:42 PM
I think the fact that just because a game is similar to another game, that you automatically think it is the same is wrong - but that is just my opinion.
Josh H
03-27-05, 11:03 PM
No ones saying they are the same. Just rather that they offer no innovation.
But I'm more picky than most as I'm damn tired of playing the same games over and over with a new coat of paint. And yes that goes for first party Nintendo games as well. With the exception of Metroid, their series are getting stale as well. That's why I'm excited about the DS and Revolution as I'm hoping the new ways to control will give me some games to rekindle my interest.
If not, then screw gaming, more money for DVDs and other things.
ravan
03-28-05, 03:13 AM
I have no prob with the PSP games being like console titles.. I travel a lot, so its great for planes and hotels where I cant drag a console or the PC ;)
So far I have Lumines, Twisted Metal and Wipeout Pure and I think they are all excellent.
Was considering DS a few months ago, held out for PSP - glad i did!!
Addy
03-28-05, 09:48 AM
PSP Versus Nintendo DS.
Do you know who wins?
Us.
These are exciting times for gamers. New, innovative gameplay with fantastic hardware, real handheld competition and some excellent titles. I feel excited about games for the first time since the PS/N64 days.
If you get even pickier as far as the quality of score you require to purchase a game, and include only 8+, you would only have 1 game for DS and 8 for PSP
Lucky for me I choose games based on videos, screenshots, reviews, and READER scores also, and tend to visit more than one site. A lot of games that Gamespot rates fair are rated superb by readers (such as Wario Ware).
I am having a blast with Wario Ware. I have put in hours on end with it. Zookeeper is also awesome. So because one site on the Internet has only given one score above an 8, that means the DS's lineup sucks? Please -ohbfrank-
I went with the DS first and I'm happy. I'll pick up the PSP when it's $150. I decided not to go with consoles the next go-around, just with the DS, PSP, and GBNext. I mostly play at work and even if I'm at home playing (which I do very rarely, maybe twice in the past year) I'm with a handheld.
I'm stoked for the Empires game for the DS, along with Nintendogs, Advance Wars, Meteos, Elektroplankton, Animal Crossing (goodbye productivity, hello Animal Crossing!), and Tetris DS, to name a few.
The games that I have played to death are: Advance Wars 1 (over 100+ hours) and 2, FF Tactics Advance, and Zelda Minnish Cap (and now Wario Ware Touched). All handheld, all Nintendo exclusives. I'm not a really graphics person, for me portability is key.
The DS is great and the PSP is great. Anyone saying any of the two system sucks is not basing that on fact.
Wario Ware: What game on the PSP allows you to milk a cow, put out a fire with a male statute firing water from you know where, play a harmonica (blowing into it and using the buttons to change the tone), play ping ping with a friend, and beat down nose hairs all in the same game?
Get Me Coffee
03-28-05, 10:48 AM
I think Spidey 2 got totally ripped off with the review! It's much longer game than they explained. I'm having alot of fun switching back and forth with Spidey and Lumines.
GatorDeb
03-28-05, 10:51 AM
I think Spidey 2 got totally ripped off with the review! It's much longer game than they explained. I'm having alot of fun switching back and forth with Spidey and Lumines.
Aren't you the one that agreed with the post that the DS lineup sucks because Gamespot only rated 1 game over an 8? If that means the DS sucks, then that means Spiderman PSP sucks because they gave it a mediocre review also!
Just making a point :)
darkside
03-28-05, 10:53 AM
I'll pick up the PSP when it's $150. I decided not to go with consoles the next go-around, just with the DS, PSP, and GBNext.
I'm having the same thought. I really don't know if I want to jump on board with the next wave of consoles. I have enjoyed the gaming on the DS more than anything else this year with the exception of Resident Evil 4 and the PSP offers so many entertainment options on the go that I think I may start to focus my resources on portable gaming. Once Take 2 releases a College Hoops game for the PSP I won't even need my PS2 anymore.
Get Me Coffee
03-28-05, 11:09 AM
Aren't you the one that agreed with the post that the DS lineup sucks because Gamespot only rated 1 game over an 8? If that means the DS sucks, then that means Spiderman PSP sucks because they gave it a mediocre review also!
Just making a point :)
I didn't play Spidey on DS...so I can't talk for it. But for the PSP it had some great numbers but for lasting appeal it got a 3 I think.....
Flay
03-28-05, 11:10 AM
It's interesting that the DS has about 70 games on it's release schedule through 2006 and the PSP has about 110 games for the same time table.
Nintendo always seems to have trouble pulling in third party support. Sony has nearly double the amount of third party games coming out for the PSP. With a 4 month lead on the PSP, you would have thought they could garner more third party support.
Gromit
03-28-05, 01:19 PM
It's interesting that the DS has about 70 games on it's release schedule through 2006 and the PSP has about 110 games for the same time table.
Nintendo always seems to have trouble pulling in third party support. Sony has nearly double the amount of third party games coming out for the PSP. With a 4 month lead on the PSP, you would have thought they could garner more third party support.
Doesn't it cost more to make games for Nintendo systems? I may be wrong, but I thought they charge more for SDKs, licensing fees, etc. IIRC, they're also pickier about allowing companies to create games for their systems.
njchris
03-28-05, 02:13 PM
It's interesting that the DS has about 70 games on it's release schedule through 2006 and the PSP has about 110 games for the same time table.
Nintendo always seems to have trouble pulling in third party support. Sony has nearly double the amount of third party games coming out for the PSP. With a 4 month lead on the PSP, you would have thought they could garner more third party support. Quality does not equal quantity. There's PLENTY of garbage out there or games that seem to be clones of each other.
Josh H
03-28-05, 02:19 PM
In terms of number of games, all that matters is which one has more games that I (you) want to play.
Number of games, number of highly reviewed games, etc. is fairly irrelevant.
Gallant Pig
03-28-05, 02:51 PM
I'm getting this sinking feeling for the DS I bought. I think Nintendo is screwing the pooch. Ugh... Good thing there are tons of great GBA, I have a feeling that's exclusively what my DS will be for in no time unless they can pull some great games out of their ass that don't involve blowing or whistling or whatever the hell it is and using the PDA.
Get Me Coffee
03-28-05, 02:55 PM
Quality does not equal quantity. There's PLENTY of garbage out there or games that seem to be clones of each other.
Some rule applies to the DS....Plenty of garbage too. What you need is a balance of everything.
The Franchise
03-28-05, 02:55 PM
In terms of number of games, all that matters is which one has more games that I (you) want to play.
Number of games, number of highly reviewed games, etc. is fairly irrelevant.
Quantity may not equal quality but the opposite is true as well. Quality cannot account for a lack of quantity. This is the problem that Nintendo has had with pretty much all of it's consoles starting with the N64. The advantage of having a lot of games available is that consumers have a lot of choices when it comes to the type of games they like to play. If you don't like the colorful, cheery games you can get a dark "mature" game. People have less of those types of choices on Nintendo consoles because 3rd party developers always end up dropping like flies a few months after their consoles launch.
Choice is always good. I would say that it's better to have hundreds of games rated 7-9 rather than 6 games rated 9-10.
Get Me Coffee
03-28-05, 03:02 PM
7 rated games are fun too....Hell I'm lovin' my Spidey2 on the PSP
joshd2012
03-28-05, 03:59 PM
Lucky for me I choose games based on videos, screenshots, reviews, and READER scores also, and tend to visit more than one site. A lot of games that Gamespot rates fair are rated superb by readers (such as Wario Ware).
I am having a blast with Wario Ware. I have put in hours on end with it. Zookeeper is also awesome. So because one site on the Internet has only given one score above an 8, that means the DS's lineup sucks? Please -ohbfrank-
I choose GameSpot because they are commonly regarded as a good review site that is fairly consistant with reviews. I could have easily done this with IGN or some other site and have people complain of favortism. I don't think many people are going to complain if I use GameSpot as my reference.
Wario Ware: What game on the PSP allows you to milk a cow, put out a fire with a male statute firing water from you know where, play a harmonica (blowing into it and using the buttons to change the tone), play ping ping with a friend, and beat down nose hairs all in the same game?
What person would want to play a game like that?
orangecrush
03-28-05, 04:03 PM
What person would want to play a game like that?
I assume the thousands of people who have bought it would.
PixyJunket
03-28-05, 04:29 PM
What person would want to play a game like that?Somebody not afraid to think outside the box.
The Franchise
03-28-05, 04:33 PM
For reference (sorry about the formatting!):
Japanese Console Hardware Chart
From: Mar 14 - 20, 2005
System Sales this week (Total this year)
PlayStation Portable 43,644 (580,120)
PlayStation 2 40,270 (602,316)
Nintendo DS 22,446 (429,545)
GameBoy Advance SP 11,013 (197,766)
GameCube 3,357 (70,016)
GameBoy Advance 477 (6,253)
Xbox 345 (4,606)
Brent L
03-28-05, 11:26 PM
Here is a very fair "vs battle" from IGN:
http://gear.ign.com/articles/599/599454p1.html
darkside
03-28-05, 11:46 PM
Here is a very fair "vs battle" from IGN:
http://gear.ign.com/articles/599/599454p1.html
That is just a hardware comparison, we all know the PSP is more advanced hardware wise. If I'm going to compare the two it would be as gaming systems and that is a hard one to see a clear winner either way. I've looked at both of the projected game lineups over the next year and barring some games I'm looking forward to turning out to be crap on either system I'm going to buy about the same number of games on each.
There just is no PSP vs DS battle that I can see. You either like the kind of games offered on the DS or you don't or you like the kind of games offered on the PSP or you don't. The two really aren't going to be very similar software wise and the gaming experience will be different on each one. I don't see how two very different gaming systems with very different software can be in competition with each other. Each will fail or succeed on its own merits not because of competition from the other.
You will either buy one or the other depending on your gaming tastes or both if you are like me and enjoy what both have to offer or neither if none of it appeals to you.
If this was a PSP vs GBA 2 comparison then I could see it as a real battle. The next GBA is suppose to run GameCube looking games off of DVD media and will crossover quite a bit with the PSP. When that system gets announced then maybe I will look at the battle between Nintendo and Sony. Right now the current GBA, DS and PSP are mostly going after different audiences.
I think Nintendo has learned that most of the GTA/Halo audience is not going to buy a Nintendo system regardless of the software or competition so they are going after a totally different crowd now with us old school Nintendo faithful along for the wonderful ride. I'm not sure how successful Nintendo will be, but my wife has been totally won over by the DS. She was a mostly PDA gamer, but now plays her DS daily. She is one of the non gamer types the DS is going after.
Ralph Wiggum
03-29-05, 01:30 AM
It's interesting that the DS has about 70 games on it's release schedule through 2006 and the PSP has about 110 games for the same time table.
Nintendo always seems to have trouble pulling in third party support. Sony has nearly double the amount of third party games coming out for the PSP. With a 4 month lead on the PSP, you would have thought they could garner more third party support.
That's a bit disingenuous, though. The major 3rd parties are all on board with the DS (note: list borrowed from here (http://www.ga-forum.com/showthread.php?t=40875&highlight=psp) :
ACTIVISION
-PSP
01 Spider-Man 2
02 The Fantastic Four
03 Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix
-Nintendo DS
01 Madagascar
02 Spider-Man 2
ATARI
-PSP
01 tba action/adventure
02 tba driving
03 tba racing
-Nintendo DS
01 Dragon Ball Z
02 Retro Atari Classics
ELECTRONIC ARTS
-PSP
01 Batman Begins
02 FIFA Soccer 2005
03 Madden NFL 2006
04 Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects
05 MVP Baseball 2005
06 NBA Street Showdown
07 Need for Speed Underground Rivals
08 NFL Street 2 Unleashed
09 The Godfather
10 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005
11 tba project
12 tba project
-Nintendo DS
01 Batman Begins
02 Goldeneye: Rogue Agent
03 Madden NFL 2005
04 Madden NFL 2006
05 Need for Speed Underground 2
06 The Urbz: Sims in the City
07 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005
TAKE TWO INTERACTIVE (Includes 2K Games and Rockstar Games)
-Nintendo DS
01 Big Mutha Truckers DS
02 Ford Racing DS
03 Worms Forts: Under Seige
-PSP
01 Grand Theft Auto
02 Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition
THQ
-Nintendo DS
01 Disney presensts Pixar's Cars
02 Disney presensts Pixar's Finding Nemo
03 Disney presensts Pixar's The Incredibles 2
04 Nicktoons
05 Ping Pals
06 Scooby Doo! Unmasked
07 Spongebob Squarepants
08 Tak 3
09 Tetris DS
10 Zoo Tycoon
-PSP
01 Disney presensts Pixar's The Incredibles 2
02 MX Unleashed
03 Spongebob Squarepants
UBISOFT (Includes Gameloft)
-Nintendo DS
01 Asphalt Urban GT
02 Bomberman DS
03 Lunar Genesis
04 Peter Jackson's King Kong
05 Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
06 Rayman DS
07 Sprung
08 Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
09 Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
-PSP
01 Lumines
02 Peter Jackson's King Kong
03 Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
04 Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
05 Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
...and now the 5 major Eastern 3rd parties...
BANDAI (Includes Banpresto)
-Nintendo DS
01 Bouken-ou Beet
02 Dragon Ball Z
03 Dress
04 Fullmetal Alchemist DS
05 Guruguru Omiseyasan Gokko
06 Kerokero King DS
07 Keroro Gunsou
08 Mahou Touch!
09 Meteos
10 Mobile Suit Gundam SEED
11 One Piece
12 SD Gundam G Generation DS
13 Super Robot Taisen DS
-PSP
01 Dragon Ball Z
02 Eiyuu Densetsu Gagharv Trilogy: Akai Shizuku
03 Eiyuu Densetsu Gagharv Trilogy: Shiroki Majo
04 Kidou Keisatsu Patlabor
05 Lumines
06 Mobile Suit Gundam
07 Naruto
08 One Piece
09 Super Robot Taisen Portable
10 Sokyuu no Fafner: Dead Aggressor
CAPCOM
-Nintendo DS
01 Gyakuten Saiban
02 MegaMan Battle Network series
03 Viewtiful Joe DS
-PSP
01 DarkStalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower
02 Devil May Cry series
03 Viewtiful Joe series
KONAMI (Includes Atlus, Hudson, Genki & Success)
-Nintendo DS
01 Boktai DS
02 Bomberman DS
03 Caduceus: Surgical Operation
04 Castlevania DS
05 Choro-Q DS
06 Dragon Booster
07 Far East of Eden series
08 Frogger: Helmet Havoc
09 Ganbare Goemon! DS
10 Guruguru Nagetto
11 Jinsei Game DS
12 Kaido Racing Battle
13 Living High↑Killing Low↓
14 Lost in Blue
15 Momotaru World
16 Powerful Pro Yakyuu series
17 Prince of Tennis: 2005 Crystal Drive
18 Shin Megami Tensei DS
19 Snowboard Kids DS
20 Ubukawa Detective Case Files: The Masquerade Lullaby
21 Vandal Hearts
22 WiNX
23 World Soccer Winning Eleven series
24 Yu-Gi-OH! Nightmare Troubador
25 Zoo Keeper
26 tba action RPG
-PSP
01 Bomberman
02 Cloud of Verucca
03 Coded Arms
04 Death Jr
05 EX Jinsei Game
06 Far East of Eden series
07 Frogger: Helmet Havoc
08 Jan-Mate
09 Mahjong Fight Club
10 Metal Gear AC!D
11 Persona
12 Powerful Pro Yakyuu series
13 Princess Crown
14 Rengoku: Toer of Purgatory
15 Sparrow Merit
16 Tokyo Xtreme Racer: Zone of Control
17 Touge Max
18 World Soccer Winning Eleven series
19 Ys: The Ark of Napishtim
20 Zooo
21 tba simulation RPG
NAMCO
-Nintendo DS
01 Baten Kaitos DS
02 Katamari Damacy DS
03 Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits
04 Pac'n Roll
05 Pac-Pix
06 Ridge Racer DS
07 Shogun Warriors
08 SRS: Street Racing Syndicate
09 Xenosaga DS
-PSP
01 Dead to Rights
02 Kotoba no Puzzle: Mojipittan Daijiten
03 Namco Museum
04 Pac-Man World 3
05 Ridge Racer
06 Taiko: Drum Master
07 Tales of Eternia
SEGA (includes Sammy)
-PSP
01 Jissen Pachislot Hisshopou! Fist of the North Star
02 Puyo Pop Fever
03 Project S
04 World Championship Snooker 2005
05 tba communcation/simulation
06 tba digital pet
07 tba graphic adventure
08 tba multiplayer sports
-Nintendo DS
01 Bleach
02 Feel the Magic: XY-XX
03 Jissen Pachislot Hisshopou! Fist of the North Star DS
04 Puyo Pop Fever
05 Sonic DS
06 tba multiplayer sports
SQUARE ENIX
-Nintendo DS
01 Dragon Quest Monsters DS
02 Egg Monster Hero
03 Final Fantasy III
04 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles DS
05 Seiken Densetsu series
06 Slime Morimori Dragon Quest 2
-PSP
01 Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
joshd2012
03-29-05, 06:32 PM
Of course, that list needs to be updated.
jeffdsmith
07-06-05, 01:13 PM
DS Impresses the Public, PSP Does Not
7/6/2005, 12:35pm Eastern Time
WaveMetrix is a firm that follows online opinion of consumers. By following community discussion, the firm analyzes opinion about certain products. Their latest research involved DS and PSP. WaveMetrix found that DS is winning in opinion considerably.
Apparently, consumers believe that PSP isn't as adequate a handheld system as the Nintendo DS. According to Anders Schonberg, the CEO of WaveMetrix,
We expected that Nintendo would perform well due to their extensive experience in handheld gaming. However we didn’t anticipate how much ground Sony need to make up to meet consumer expectations.
Nintendo has been beating the PSP in sales thus far in the U.S. and, some weeks, both the PSP and PS2 combined in Japan. We'll keep you updated. (pcr)
Source: WaveMetrix
Anyone heard of this Wavemetrix company before?
joshd2012
07-06-05, 02:10 PM
Are these the same consumers who bought 250,000 PSPs in May compared to 57,000 DSs?
Josh H
07-06-05, 02:48 PM
Don't really trust surveys, but personally I'm 100% happy with my DS purchase and 100% happy that I didn't give into the hype and buy a PSP as there's still not a single game on it I really want to play. Not saying there's no quality games, just none that fit my off beat and narrow tastes.
darkside
07-06-05, 03:03 PM
Anyone heard of this Wavemetrix company before?
Never heard of them. Don't know where they get this info that the PSP is inferior as a game device. Sounds like they were talking to me lately though. :lol: The software lineup for the PSP needs a major boost from somewhere. All I have seen for weeks is tons of movies and a few mediocre titles hardly worth $40-$50. Midnight Club - good game, but terrible 70 second load times, Coded Arms (next big release) - awful according to EGM, Dead To Rights - awful, MVP Baseball - mediocre, bad frame rate, Smart Bomb - maybe one of the worst games ever, Rengoku: Tower of Purgatory - you deserve to be shot for buying this, etc. The last two good games I can remember were Hot Shots and MLB and even those were only 7/10 games.
DS sales have apparently gone up since the Electric Blue model hit the market and the free Mario 64 promotion started. Not to mention a couple of 9/10 titles in Kirby and Meteos probably will help a bit. However, I don't know that there is any clear proof of one dominating the other. DS has had its share of clunkers as well.
I would be curious as to where this "evidence" came from.
jeffdsmith
07-06-05, 03:03 PM
Are these the same consumers who bought 250,000 PSPs in May compared to 57,000 DSs?
No I think its the 2.5 million US DS owners compared to the 1.2 million US PSP owners. ;)
GizmoDVD
07-06-05, 03:27 PM
No I think its the 2.5 million US DS owners compared to the 1.2 million US PSP owners. ;)
Not to mention the SP is STILL selling.
BigDaddy
07-06-05, 03:32 PM
No I think its the 2.5 million US DS owners compared to the 1.2 million US PSP owners. ;)
With the price of the unit and being the first handheld for Sony and not launching at Christmas I would say they are doing just fine.
joshd2012
07-06-05, 03:36 PM
And where are they getting these Japanese numbers from? The Magic Box has sales of PSP and DS about equal this year:
NDS: 968,639
PSP: 934,083
jeffdsmith
07-06-05, 03:50 PM
With the price of the unit and being the first handheld for Sony and not launching at Christmas I would say they are doing just fine.
I know, just causing trouble. If the PSP were to lose the accessories and drop to $200, I think Sony's sales would pick up at a dangerous rate for Nintendo.
Worldwide the DS has been met with success and Nintendo has be able to meet that demand. Sony is trying to improve their production, but lets face it, the PSP is far more advanced hardware, and as such more difficult to build with a solid quality control. As a result Sony has been unable to deliver the product to market quick enough. Despite the PSP launching within a week as the DS in japan, its still to launch in Europe or Austraila.
By March 2006 Sony expects PSP sales around 12 million and Nintendo is expecting 20 million for the DS. Obviously neither is going anywhere if these numbers are reached. There's not even 20 million Gamecubes sold worldwide in 3.5 years.
jeffdsmith
07-06-05, 04:00 PM
And where are they getting these Japanese numbers from? The Magic Box has sales of PSP and DS about equal this year:
NDS: 968,639
PSP: 934,083
Those look about right, but it fails to consider the critical December month before this year (Gamersmark (http://www.gamersmark.com/news/2005/06/1/6187) ):
Japan hardware sales for the week of June 13 - June 19, 2005:
System - Sales this week - Sales Last Week - Sales this Year - Life-to-Date (If applicable)
1. Nintendo DS - 31,376 - 32,765 - 1,003,578 - 2,499,174
2. PlayStation 2 - 25,526 - 27,741
3. PlayStation Portable - 20,416 - 21,476 - 957,308 - 1,439,560
4. Game Boy Advance SP - 9,727 - 8,522
5. GameCube - 2,183 - 2,558
6. Game Boy Advance - 475 - 623
The PSP sales were actually quite strong from Jan. to March in Japan, but then began slumping, the oppisite is true for the DS. So currently, in Japan the DS has over a 1 million lead and quite a bit of buzz carrying it as there still some great titles to hit it soon in conjuntion with its current hits.
PSP games slumping in Japan
Sony's PSP suffers from lack of spring releases; Nintendo's DS continues to strike gold with its games.
TOKYO--Though it's only been six months since the release of the PSP in Japan, its games have been selling poorly. For the week of May 23 to 29, only four PSP games remain in the complete top 50 sales ranking charts of Media Create and Dengeki Online, and none cracked the top 20. The lackluster sales are a result of few major releases this spring.
During the last full week of May, the PSP saw the release of its anticipated new puzzle game Intelligent License, but it appeared in 22nd place on Media Create's chart and 38th place on Dengeki Online's. Other recent PSP releases, Derby Time and Dorasulot: Shuyaku wa Zenigata, slipped below the top 30, but managed to stay above the top 40. The only other PSP game in the sales charts is Minna no Golf Portable, which currently holds 36th place at Media Create and 40th place at Dengeki Online.
On the other hand, six Nintendo DS titles ranked in the top 20 of the two sales charts, three of them being different editions of Nintendogs. Two DS titles ranked inside the top 10: SD Gundam G-Generation DS and the laboriously titled Touhoku Daigaku Mirai Kagakugijutsu Kyoudoukenkyuu Center: Kahashima Ryuuta Kyouju no Nou o Kitaeru Otona DS Training, a brainteaser and education game codeveloped by Nintendo and professor Ryuuta Kahashima of Touhoku University. This latter game features innovative gameplay and design, and translates to English as Touhoku University's Future Technology Collaborative Research Centre's Professor Ryuuta Kawashima presents: DS Brain Training for Adults. Additionally, Bura Bura Donkey (DK: King of Swing), a Game Boy Advance title, weighed in at 17th place. The DS rankings are all the same on both the Dengeki Online and the Media Create charts.
Nintendo seized the opportunity to release Nintendogs during the typically slow spring season. The company further strengthened the game's sales by strategically shipping it right before the golden week of national holidays in Japan. Nintendogs has been a major hit in the country, and it boosted sales of DS hardware from 21,698 units to 96,191 units during its first week of release. DS sales continue to lead the PSP and PS2 for the week of May 23 to 30. According to Media Create, the dual-screen handheld sold 39,687 units, while the PSP sold 21,996 units and the PS2 sold 35,143 units.
There have been 39 titles released for the PSP thus far, eight of which are published by Sony Computer Entertainment. The number of games available for the DS is nearly identical, with 37 titles, 14 of which are from Nintendo.
By Hirohiko Niizumi, GameSpot POSTED: 06/03/05 03:42 PM
HoosierPapa
07-06-05, 04:10 PM
I'd like to throw my 2 cents into the whole discussion. First, let me say that I'm not going to discuss which is the better console, since that is something that is entirely up to each person based on what THEY want out of their handheld.
I can speak to overall performance sales-wise of the two competing consoles. I have access to sales data so I'm not talking out my a$$ here (US sales data and some chain-specific data). Note that I'm only talking US, not Japan, Europe, etc. Without spitting out exact numbers, I will say that since it's launch, PSP is the hands-down winner thus far in the race. It's actually not even close. Some reasons why -
- Units vs. units, PSP is winning since launch. That's OK, but what is even more impressive is that it's doing it at a much higher price point than the DS. Selling more units when you are priced $100 below a competitor is one thing, but doing the oppisite is much more impressive.
- Accessory sales for PSP have been red-hot. Carrying cases, memory cards, speaker systems, etc. are exploding. That segment has been a huge win for Sony as accessories pull in much more margin than consoles (duh) and even games. Third party guys are going bunkers developing new stuff for the PSP, which is not the case with DS. This is something that many people tend to overlook. If third party guys want to develop something, they'll do it for the console(s) that they will get the most bang for their buck. It's obvious when you apply it to the current PS2/Xbox/GCube situation - PS2 and Xbox have a much wider accessory selection than GCube.
- UMD movies have been a bigger than expected hit. This one caught a bunch of people in the industry by surprise. As a result, the release schedule for movies on PSP has been greatly expanded and retailers are scrambling to find more space for these titles. This may well be the deciding factor long-term in this war. DS just can't make up for that functionality. Bundling Spidey 2 with the PSP at launch forced people to try the UMD format out and they must have liked what they have seen.
- As already been discussed, the title count for PSP is going to be tough for DS to overcome. Yes, I've seen people discussing the quality vs. quantity factor, but let me say that for a new customer, seeing 8-feet of PSP titles next to the sliver of DS titles screams something. It worked for PS2 and PSone, and is working in the case of the PSP. This is one point that has always baffled me. I understand Nintendo wanting to control what comes out for their consoles. The problem is that when an average customer standing in a store sees superior selection he will almost always will lean that direction.
Long term in the US -
DS has an uphill battle. As is the case in most of these slug-fests, the upcoming holiday season will probably be the deciding factor. By that time, the initial shiny luster of the PSP launch will have faded and people will be making decisions based more on functionality, title selection, and price than hype. If DS can't regain it's sales leadership then, it probably never will.
DS sales have apparently gone up since the Electric Blue model hit the market and the free Mario 64 promotion started.
I think that says it all. It shows that Nintendo is having to put a lot of promotional umpf to pick up it's sales. Not a bad idea mind you, just a good indicator of what is really happening out there.
darkside
07-06-05, 05:01 PM
I've said it from the start. The PSP should outsell the DS. It is the superior hardware, it is going to have the types of games more mainstream gamers that play PS2 and Xbox want, it is going to have the best third party support. Once GTA gets on the market the PSP should be a huge seller. Not to mention UMD is really catching on big in the US.
However, the DS has been much peskier competition than I imagined. I figured the DS would be a niche device, but the niche its finding is huge. I thought it was something better suited to Japan than the US, but everywhere I turn now I'm seeing DS units.
Both companies are going to have a lot of success in the portable realm. The tough thing for Nintendo will be reclaiming the gamers that want a PSP type experience. Not sure that Nintendo will be able to get them back with a GBA successor when and if they decide to release one.
GizmoDVD
07-06-05, 05:04 PM
I'd like to throw my 2 cents into the whole discussion. First, let me say that I'm not going to discuss which is the better console, since that is something that is entirely up to each person based on what THEY want out of their handheld.
I can speak to overall performance sales-wise of the two competing consoles. I have access to sales data so I'm not talking out my a$$ here (US sales data and some chain-specific data). Note that I'm only talking US, not Japan, Europe, etc. Without spitting out exact numbers, I will say that since it's launch, PSP is the hands-down winner thus far in the race. It's actually not even close. Some reasons why -
- Units vs. units, PSP is winning since launch. That's OK, but what is even more impressive is that it's doing it at a much higher price point than the DS. Selling more units when you are priced $100 below a competitor is one thing, but doing the oppisite is much more impressive.
- Accessory sales for PSP have been red-hot. Carrying cases, memory cards, speaker systems, etc. are exploding. That segment has been a huge win for Sony as accessories pull in much more margin than consoles (duh) and even games. Third party guys are going bunkers developing new stuff for the PSP, which is not the case with DS. This is something that many people tend to overlook. If third party guys want to develop something, they'll do it for the console(s) that they will get the most bang for their buck. It's obvious when you apply it to the current PS2/Xbox/GCube situation - PS2 and Xbox have a much wider accessory selection than GCube.
- UMD movies have been a bigger than expected hit. This one caught a bunch of people in the industry by surprise. As a result, the release schedule for movies on PSP has been greatly expanded and retailers are scrambling to find more space for these titles. This may well be the deciding factor long-term in this war. DS just can't make up for that functionality. Bundling Spidey 2 with the PSP at launch forced people to try the UMD format out and they must have liked what they have seen.
- As already been discussed, the title count for PSP is going to be tough for DS to overcome. Yes, I've seen people discussing the quality vs. quantity factor, but let me say that for a new customer, seeing 8-feet of PSP titles next to the sliver of DS titles screams something. It worked for PS2 and PSone, and is working in the case of the PSP. This is one point that has always baffled me. I understand Nintendo wanting to control what comes out for their consoles. The problem is that when an average customer standing in a store sees superior selection he will almost always will lean that direction.
Long term in the US -
DS has an uphill battle. As is the case in most of these slug-fests, the upcoming holiday season will probably be the deciding factor. By that time, the initial shiny luster of the PSP launch will have faded and people will be making decisions based more on functionality, title selection, and price than hype. If DS can't regain it's sales leadership then, it probably never will.
I think that says it all. It shows that Nintendo is having to put a lot of promotional umpf to pick up it's sales. Not a bad idea mind you, just a good indicator of what is really happening out there.
Where is all this coming from? From everything ive read, DS has outsold the PSP in American 4-1. The article directly above you shows how few PSP games are selling in Japan compared to the DS. Accessory sales? Wheres this coming from? UMDs? Yeah, they are actually selling really well (shocking), but it may be due to the fact there are very few games coming out, or have came out recently, and people will pick these up for $15-$25 just so there PSP does not collect dust. Seriosly, if it wasn't for the fact that the PSP does allow me to play Emulators, and be able to dump TV Shows/Movies on it, I would have gotten rid of it along time ago.
Besides Death Jr. there is nothing in the next year that interests me (Maybe Medievil, they game rocked fro PS1). DS on the otherhand has had 2 great games come out in 2 weeks (Kirby/Meteos), both of which have received 9's in most magazines/online websites.
I am NOT trying to turn this into a PSP vs. DS, since I own both, and have since launch, but in terms of sales, the PSP is not performing a well as DS did during its first 3 months. I would love NOTHING more then for PSP to get some great titles, but latley, its been very dissapointing. I was looking forward to Midnight Club 3, but with 70 second load times, I will be passing. This is a handheld system, it should NOT have excessive load times.
EDIT: I was actually thinking a bit more as I went into numerous stores yesterday...There are 2 times more PSP Movies then games. Walking into Wal-Mart and looking at the PSP case, the Movies are at the top (eye level view), while the games are below. Not very wise.
PixyJunket
07-06-05, 05:17 PM
That worthless accessories and movies are the hottest thing on the portable market right now is just a picture perfect example of the sewage that is the video game industry today. I mean, congratulations to the companies who have managed to suck money away from mindless automatons en masse, but DAMN is it flat out insulting to see shit like that as a gamer.
This isn't just a PSP thing either.. there was a quote in the new Nintendo Power that sums up my feelings exactly and it went a little something like this: "That That's So Raven and Lizzie McGuire games sell like hotcakes while Astro Boy struggles to find an audience is a travesty."
darkside
07-06-05, 05:18 PM
Where is all this coming from? From everything ive read, DS has outsold the PSP in American 4-1. The article directly above you shows how few PSP games are selling in Japan compared to the DS. Accessory sales? Wheres this coming from? UMDs? Yeah, they are actually selling really well (shocking), but it may be due to the fact there are very few games coming out, or have came out recently, and people will pick these up for $15-$25 just so there PSP does not collect dust. Seriosly, if it wasn't for the fact that the PSP does allow me to play Emulators, and be able to dump TV Shows/Movies on it, I would have gotten rid of it along time ago.
I haven't read anything that showed either one outselling the other in the US the past few months, but I do agree about the UMDs. I know two people with PSPs here at work and all they buy are UMD movies. Why? Because there are no games that interest them and they want something to use in their PSPs.
Again that can be looked at as a positive and a negative. At least PSP users have other options when game releases are slow. It is still money in Sony's pocket either way. The GBA slot has been the same kind of thing for me with the DS. When the DS releases are slow and there is nothing new I want I just use my DS as a GBA for awhile.
darkside
07-06-05, 05:25 PM
This isn't just a PSP thing either.. there was a quote in the new Nintendo Power that sums up my feelings exactly and it went a little something like this: "That That's So Raven and Lizzie McGuire games sell like hotcakes while Astro Boy struggles to find an audience is a travesty."
To think a game like Ninja 5-0 got completely overlooked and those crappy licensed games that play like they were programed by those two guys in the G4 commercial do well is one of the most depressing things about the current game industry.
The Matrix console game is the best example. That was a mediocre game at best, but then they released it without even getting all the bugs and glitches out of it and it still sold very well. Why bother making good games when crap sells? I can only imagine how much worse this will get with the next console generation.
Draven
07-06-05, 05:32 PM
God...who the hell is buying UMDs?
I laugh out loud when I see Kill Bill 2 for 25 bucks. It's just ridiculous. I won't buy a UMD until they drop under 10 - and even then I'd probably just get the DVD instead.
Stupid, stupid format.
joshd2012
07-06-05, 05:54 PM
Where is all this coming from? From everything ive read, DS has outsold the PSP in American 4-1.
Except in May. Then it was PSP outselling DS 4-1. I'm eager to see June's numbers.
bfrank
07-06-05, 06:07 PM
I wanted to go DS but waited to see the PSP. I went with the PSP and love it but if there are not some games soon this thing is going to be in trouble. But right now it is still a video/picture/music player.
I took it with me to climb Mt Whitney and used its internal speakers to listen to tunes around camp and then at night when it was too cold to stay up we watch Spiderman 2. This was something that for me makes this a winner without even having games.
But I have not touched it since - so we need some good games or a might have to get a DS also.
Also the PSP hacking is getting pretty interesting with homebrew and programs from MS
GizmoDVD
07-06-05, 06:24 PM
Except in May. Then it was PSP outselling DS 4-1. I'm eager to see June's numbers.
Very true. However, in June, DS had to great games (Kirby and Meteos), as well as several 'decent' games (Bomberman, Golden Eye, Splinter Cell). PSP has had only Dead to Rights (medicore), Midnight Club 3 (Great game apparently, however loading times are longer then PS1 games), and Coded Arms (medicore). Not to mention the Electric Blue DS with free Mario launched, which I'm sure combined with Kirby/Meteos, will help DS kill the PSP in terms of sales.
GizmoDVD
07-06-05, 06:25 PM
God...who the hell is buying UMDs?
I laugh out loud when I see Kill Bill 2 for 25 bucks. It's just ridiculous. I won't buy a UMD until they drop under 10 - and even then I'd probably just get the DVD instead.
Stupid, stupid format.
Alot of people actually. Keep in mind, MOST UMDs launch at the MSRP for $19.99, and are often $15 or so at Wal-Mart and Bestbuy. Some (Kill Bill, Pirates, Dodgeball) launch at $29.99.
When you have no new releases, what else are you going to do?
jediwicz
07-06-05, 06:49 PM
Asides from the occasional round of Hot Shots Golf on PSP, all I use it for is watching movies at work. I may be one of the suckers that's buying UMD's but they are all movies I don't own on DVD and I haven't paid over $15.00 for any (watching Hero or Once Upon a Time in Mexico at work is a monotony breaker). My area at work now feels gadget cluttered due to iPod, PSP and DS. I will say I use my DS way more often than the PSP and the games are leaps and bounds beyond the PSP port titles. The Kirby/Meteos combo this month alone has provided me an experience I will never encounter on another system and honestly I feel almost blessed (hail Satan). The DS is amazing and I can't wait for more games. Nintendogs is gonna ruuuuuule.
outer-edge
07-06-05, 07:27 PM
I wanted to go DS but waited to see the PSP. I went with the PSP and love it but if there are not some games soon this thing is going to be in trouble. But right now it is still a video/picture/music player.
I was in the opposite boat you were. I was going to go PSP first and then DS down the road. When time came to go buy one, I checked release lists and the DS titles that interested me through this fall compared to PSP titles was absurd. I kept advancing to the next month and just couldn't find PSP games to warrant a purchase. I went with the DS and have had zero regrets since then. I will still get a PSP down the road, but there are just no games beyond a couple launch titles that interest for many months to come.
I think that says it all. It shows that Nintendo is having to put a lot of promotional umpf to pick up it's sales. Not a bad idea mind you, just a good indicator of what is really happening out there.
But the DS has also been out since November, so it can be expected that sales would slow down. Sure, the PSP did steal thunder, but how many people had already bought their system? In my area, I've never seen a store sold out of PSPs, even at launch, but DSs come and go in stock all the time. I've been surprised seeing people out and about playing their DSs, but I honestly have yet to see one person with a PSP. It is actually quite surprising to me being in a university town.
Plus, the DS had a demo pack-in at launch, and the PSP had a movie pack-in, so it's not like Mario is the first sign of this happening for either system.
Bayu
07-06-05, 07:38 PM
...and don't forget..even GBA SP sales beat PSP last week in Japan.
Outlaw
07-06-05, 07:56 PM
I'd like to throw my 2 cents into the whole discussion. First, let me say that I'm not going to discuss which is the better console, since that is something that is entirely up to each person based on what THEY want out of their handheld.
I can speak to overall performance sales-wise of the two competing consoles. I have access to sales data so I'm not talking out my a$$ here (US sales data and some chain-specific data). Note that I'm only talking US, not Japan, Europe, etc. Without spitting out exact numbers, I will say that since it's launch, PSP is the hands-down winner thus far in the race. It's actually not even close. Some reasons why -
uh...where did you get this insider information that amazing contradicts everything we have heard? I don't think i believe you.
Bayu
07-07-05, 04:23 PM
...and don't forget..even GBA SP sales beat PSP last week in Japan.
I repeat....
HoosierPapa
07-08-05, 10:51 AM
uh...where did you get this insider information that amazing contradicts everything we have heard? I don't think i believe you.
Well, first off, let me just say that I do have quality information - but at the same time I can't give real specifics as to what/where or I'll soon lose that access ;) I think you guys can understand that. So, believe me if you want to, or call me a liar. I'm fine with either. I just letting you all know what I see.
But the DS has also been out since November, so it can be expected that sales would slow down. Sure, the PSP did steal thunder, but how many people had already bought their system? In my area, I've never seen a store sold out of PSPs, even at launch, but DSs come and go in stock all the time. I've been surprised seeing people out and about playing their DSs, but I honestly have yet to see one person with a PSP. It is actually quite surprising to me being in a university town.
Sales for DS started to decline rapidly as soon as the PSP launch was announced earlier this year. When it launched, Sony somehow managed to put an unprecidented number of PSPs out there, which is very, very, rare for a launch. Since launch, Sony has managed to keep a steady flow of PSP inventory to stores. Everyone is seeing them in stock, but trust me, it does NOT mean that they are not selling. It just means that for once Sony is actually keeping up with demand. Remember, you can't sell what you don't have :)
Plus, the DS had a demo pack-in at launch, and the PSP had a movie pack-in, so it's not like Mario is the first sign of this happening for either system
There is a big difference between the DS demo pack and the PSP movie/accessory bundle. With the PSP bundle, you PAID for the extra stuff that came with it (trust me). PSPs by themselves don't cost $249. The demo pack was just that - a demo pack. No real cost associated with it, at least not compared to the stuff that came with PSP (carrying case, cleaner, spidey UMD, etc.).
I'm willing to bet, seeing current sales trends, that it will be a long time before PSP offers a truley free game or whatever with the PSP. They just don't need to as people are buying what's currently out there in droves. Nintendo needed to come up with the free Mario promotion to help stave off their slumping sales. As it stands now, about the only other thing they have been able to do to spike sales is introduce new colors, which is a short term spike at best.
When PSP comes out with a pink, purple or blue version, I'll be the first to come out and take my ridicule like a man :p
HoosierPapa
07-08-05, 11:02 AM
Where is all this coming from? From everything ive read, DS has outsold the PSP in American 4-1. The article directly above you shows how few PSP games are selling in Japan compared to the DS. Accessory sales? Wheres this coming from? UMDs? Yeah, they are actually selling really well (shocking), but it may be due to the fact there are very few games coming out, or have came out recently, and people will pick these up for $15-$25 just so there PSP does not collect dust. Seriosly, if it wasn't for the fact that the PSP does allow me to play Emulators, and be able to dump TV Shows/Movies on it, I would have gotten rid of it along time ago.
I have access to hardware, accessory, game, and UMD sales. I thought UMD would actually bomb, but so far everything I'm seeing has proven me wrong. The software support for PSP just cannot be argued - period. You may or may not like what is being released, but the size of the software library for PSP is and will be in the future superior to what is out for DS.
As for what it happening in Japan....just how does that relate to how each is doing here in the US???? I stated pretty clearly in my original post that I am only talking about US sales data, which is all I really have good access to. I too have seen the Japanese sales numbers and DS indeed is outselling PSP now. But it's not happening here in the US. In fact, it's just the oppisite. Two different markets, two different cultures, two different tastes. Xbox bombed in Japan, but did quite well in the US. Why didn't Xbox bomb in the US? Two different markets. Don't let what is happening across the Pacific cloud what is really happening in our own backyards.
darkside
07-08-05, 02:14 PM
Again since you can't back up any of your sales data I will dismiss it. I could easily make a new account say I'm some kind of insider and tell you the DS is outselling the PSP. You can't even give the smallest hint where you are getting your info from so it is pointless. It could all be 100% true, but I will wait until someone legitimate can back the info up.
I have no doubt the PSP is doing well in the US, but from what I'm hearing from people that work in game stores the DS is also selling well. From what you are saying the DS sounds like a total failure in the US and that goes against what I am hearing from game store employees and what I am seeing with my own eyes.
You could be 100% right, but I would hope we could get some info from somewhere to verify it. If Sony is destroying the DS this bad you would think they would have posted sales figures somewhere.
discostu1337
07-08-05, 02:27 PM
for what it's worth...
I work in a game store, and the PSP easily outsells the DS. I have not sold a brand new DS in months, yet we are always out of PSPs. We have over 25 used DS systems in the store, but only 1-2 PSPs, and almost all those used DS's were traded in to get a PSP :) I think the DS has a few (very few) things going for it...warioware, animal crossing, nintendogs. Thats about it. The PSP has good 'real' games, like Burnout, GTA etc. Kids like the DS simply because its Nintendo. It also doesnt hurt that it's $100 less. To us, the DS is considered a gimiick with a few neat tricks, while the PSP is a real gaming system...not to mention everything else it can do.
PixyJunket
07-08-05, 02:40 PM
The PSP has good 'real' games, like Burnout, GTA etc.:lol: Another example..
Josh H
07-08-05, 02:45 PM
The wealth of "real" games like those are the main reason I don't game much any more.
PixyJunket
07-08-05, 02:48 PM
Josh, dearth means "in short supply."
Real games. For real gamers! :lol: rotfl
Josh H
07-08-05, 02:53 PM
Oops, brain fart as I was doing two things at once. Meant wealth. :D
discostu1337
07-08-05, 04:19 PM
yeah, you know, real games...not 5 minute mini games :)
Josh H
07-08-05, 04:40 PM
yeah, you know, real games...not 5 minute mini games :)
Really only Yoshi's Touch and Go fits that bill. Maybe Pac Pix as I heard the "glorified tech demo" complaint about it but haven't played it myself.
Games like Warioware and Feel the Magic are real games as they are collections of lots of mini/micro-games.
GizmoDVD
07-08-05, 04:41 PM
for what it's worth...
I work in a game store, and the PSP easily outsells the DS. I have not sold a brand new DS in months, yet we are always out of PSPs. We have over 25 used DS systems in the store, but only 1-2 PSPs, and almost all those used DS's were traded in to get a PSP :) I think the DS has a few (very few) things going for it...warioware, animal crossing, nintendogs. Thats about it. The PSP has good 'real' games, like Burnout, GTA etc. Kids like the DS simply because its Nintendo. It also doesnt hurt that it's $100 less. To us, the DS is considered a gimiick with a few neat tricks, while the PSP is a real gaming system...not to mention everything else it can do.
DS came out in November, PSP in March. Of course there would be more DS used then PSP, alot traded theres in just to help knock off the $250 pricetag.
I wouldn't call DS a gimmick. They are far more original new games then the PSP. Wow, I can get a downgraded console version on the go...for $50?!? AWESOME! Or I can get a DS game that has never been made before for $30....decisions.
I have both, and the ONLY reason I still have my PSP is for the emulators. PSP has way too many crap games/ports out right now. There hasn't been a decent game in months (besides Midnight Club 3, which has a longer loading time then PS1 games)...I'll pass.
darkside
07-08-05, 04:59 PM
Thats about it. The PSP has good 'real' games, like Burnout, GTA etc. Kids like the DS simply because its Nintendo. It also doesnt hurt that it's $100 less. To us, the DS is considered a gimiick with a few neat tricks, while the PSP is a real gaming system...not to mention everything else it can do.
rotfl
Gaming has gotten so stale. If its not sports or killing it isn't a "real" game. :lol:
Brent L
07-08-05, 05:02 PM
Yoshi's Touch and Pac Pix are only "five minute games" if you have no attention span. The point isn't to just go through the games, especially Yohshi, that isn't what they were made for. Both of these are more like oldschool arcade games where the POINT is to play the short games over and over again, just to beat the top score. I don't know how many times that point needs to be made. Perhaps it's because new gamers don't understand the concept that a game doesn't need to take 20+ hours for you to go through it, I don't know.
Even the A+ title, Meteos, doesn't last long if you just play a single game of that. Most games of Meteos doesn't go beyond 4-6 minutes long, if even that. The point of that one also is to get the top score, unlock stuff, and on and on.
I don't know about most other people, but for me games like this are perfect for handheld systems. It's great to have a game that is very involving and takes a long time to go through as well, but a well rounded handheld library will also include plenty of titles that you can play in quick bursts.
sdcrym
07-08-05, 05:03 PM
Really only Yoshi's Touch and Go fits that bill. Maybe Pac Pix as I heard the "glorified tech demo" complaint about it but haven't played it myself.
Games like Warioware and Feel the Magic are real games as they are collections of lots of mini/micro-games.:brickwl2:
jediwicz
07-08-05, 05:10 PM
And as far as the PSP having more software, that's a crock. DS has the same number of titles out (and maybe a couple more).
"You may or may not like what is being released, but the size of the software library for PSP is and will be in the future superior to what is out for DS." Bull shit. I can play over 1,000 games on my DS right now-legally-no ROMS. And that whole "real games" thing, I guess I enjoy fake games. Ignorant Halo fanboy.
PixyJunket
07-08-05, 05:24 PM
Yoshi's Touch and Pac Pix are only "five minute games" if you have no attention span. The point isn't to just go through the games, especially Yohshi, that isn't what they were made for. Both of these are more like oldschool arcade games where the POINT is to play the short games over and over again, just to beat the top score. I don't know how many times that point needs to be made. Perhaps it's because new gamers don't understand the concept that a game doesn't need to take 20+ hours for you to go through it, I don't know.Beautiful, just.. beautiful. *teary eyes*
I don't know about most other people, but for me games like this are perfect for handheld systems. It's great to have a game that is very involving and takes a long time to go through as well, but a well rounded handheld library will also include plenty of titles that you can play in quick bursts.I totally agree and it's one aspect I'm worried about with the PSP. I'm a huge portable gaming whore because it's the perfect format for "arcade" style games. I take my SP to work with me and love that there are a lot of games that I can give 10-15 minutes on during a break or a dump. Mr. Driller, a few holes of Mario Golf or some Pac-Man or Time Pilot on the arcade compilations (I'm still pissed neither have high-score saving). Pac-Pix is freaking awesome and it's definitely got that feeling going for it where you want to get better and just go for the highest score possible. It's easily the game I'd most like to get a DS for.
Gaming as a skill is quickly becoming extinct in America (though online gaming is bringing that back I will admit, even if I'm not a fan of it). A lot of the little kids whose first system was a Playstation or Playstation 2 are conditioned on simply "beating" a game and not necessarily getting good at it. While that's not a bad thing per se, I am just a little bummed that that kind of attitude is quickly becoming the standard and that games where the object is to better yourself are ridiculed simply because they can be "beaten" in a small amount of time.
Brent L
07-08-05, 05:34 PM
One of my main problems with games today is that many of them just flat out are not hard. We have two groups for the most part today: Games that are hard but just aren't fun & games that can take a while to beat, but even a chimp could do so if given enough time.
Back in the days of the NES, SNES, Genesis, etc... games were a blast, just flat out fun, but if you didn't pratice and work your tail off at getting good at the game, or even mastering it, the game would laugh back at you and kick YOUR ass (in a game like Punch Out, it really would laugh back at you!).
Today, even the really good games, are almost impossible NOT to beat. You can save games now at just about any point you want, you have unlimited continues, as many chances as you want, and all of that. Don't get me wrong, I love games like that also, I really do. It's great to go through a game where it gets to the point that it's more like you are watching a movie instead of playing a video game. That's a very unreal feeling, and it can be plenty of fun. The problem is that too many games are using that sort of setup. There aren't as many games out there that are truly hard as well as being really, really fun.
I'm not saying games like that do not still exist, that would be foolish. There just aren't as many of them anymore, and I miss that a lot.
Outlaw
07-08-05, 06:05 PM
Thats about it. The PSP has good 'real' games IMO, like Burnout, GTA etc. Kids like the DS simply because its Nintendo. It also doesnt hurt that it's $100 less. To me, the DS is considered a gimiick with a few neat tricks, while the PSP is a real gaming system...not to mention everything else it can do.
:rolleyes:
boy, that castlevania DS game, too bad it's not on PSP, then it'd be a REAL game! and forget about kirby canvas curse, it has gameplay ideas i've never seen before. Gimmick!
Josh H
07-08-05, 11:03 PM
Yoshi's Touch and Pac Pix are only "five minute games" if you have no attention span. .
The problem with Yoshi is there's one level per mode. Even with the old school atari games, while you were trying to get high scores mainly, you still cleared levels and moved on to new, more difficult ones. In Yoshi, you just replay the same level trying to get a better score. That got old fast. Can't speak to pac pix as I didn't bother with it as it didn't sound interesting to me.
I don't know about most other people, but for me games like this are perfect for handheld systems. It's great to have a game that is very involving and takes a long time to go through as well, but a well rounded handheld library will also include plenty of titles that you can play in quick bursts.
I love that as well, as long as there's enough variety to keep me entertained. Warioware games are perfect as there's so many mini games to play and it takes a good long while to unlock everything.
But honestly, really the only reason I own any handhelds is to get the 2D games I love and that aren't available on the consoles as I still play my handhelds at home 99% of the time. I do like the wariowares to pick up when I only have a couple minutes. Though the DS has the added advantage of the touch screen to offer up gaming experieces that can't be had on consoles.
Homer Simpson
07-09-05, 12:35 AM
I thought UMD would actually bomb, but so far everything I'm seeing has proven me wrong.
They are starting to put porn on UMD as well, I imagine that will increase sales (of both PSP and UMD) even more once those get more available.
GizmoDVD
07-09-05, 03:10 AM
In Yoshi, you just replay the same level trying to get a better score. That got old fast.
Actually, the Yoshi 'level' is randomly generated. You won't play the same 'level' twice. I too wish it had difficult modes, but whatever, my girlfriend iis already addicted to it like crack.
Josh H
07-09-05, 11:06 AM
Marathon mode is randomly generated, the main mode is the same everytime as far as I could tell before trading it.
But being random is useless in high score games as memorizing things and getting better is the key, and you can't do that if the game is random. It just needed several levels for each mode IMO.
Josh H
07-09-05, 11:30 AM
One of my main problems with games today is that many of them just flat out are not hard. We have two groups for the most part today: Games that are hard but just aren't fun & games that can take a while to beat, but even a chimp could do so if given enough time.
I agree. But for me it's a plus. I simply don't have a 10th of the time for games as I did when I was a kid.
If all games were as hard as the NES/SNES era, I'd have quit playing years ago. I just don't have the time to "practice" anymore with all my work, grad school and social obligations and really don't have the interest since hobbies like working out, sports, movies and music have leap frogged gaming for me in recent years.
As it is I still play and try to avoid hard games and stick with the Zelda, Mario, Final Fantasy, and KOTOR's of the world that last for a long time, but never get frustrating. Perfect for my needs. I just wish there were more of these and less GTA knockoffs, dime a dozen FPS's and military games etc.
Gallant Pig
07-09-05, 11:30 PM
Damn, I think I'm going to sell off my DS to get a PSP. There aren't any killer games or anything for the PSP but the "gadget" factor and the stuff you can do to it makes me want one. I'm just not into these stylus games enough to want any or take it on any trips (stylus game in a car ride doesn't sound like fun).
Anyone know the best place to trade it in at other than Game Rush? Maybe Blockbuster?
darkside
07-09-05, 11:51 PM
Damn, I think I'm going to sell off my DS to get a PSP. There aren't any killer games or anything for the PSP but the "gadget" factor and the stuff you can do to it makes me want one. I'm just not into these stylus games enough to want any or take it on any trips (stylus game in a car ride doesn't sound like fun).
Anyone know the best place to trade it in at other than Game Rush? Maybe Blockbuster?
The PSP gadget factor is amazing and the quality games will get there eventually. I agree if the DS gaming isn't doing it for you getting a PSP is probably the best way to go. Not sure who is giving the best trade deals. GameRush is Blockbuster and they typically have been the best for trading stuff in, but right now they are running no trade in specials. I would call around to GameRush, Game Stop and EB and see which one is giving the best deal. Ebay might also be a better option.
Gallant Pig
07-10-05, 01:00 AM
I still have it in my head to get one later on when the price drops, and there are more killer apps for it. Kirby's Adventures isn't my thing... but a few other games look interesting and it's a great GBA. The main thing motivating me is I don't want to bring it on trips anymore and when I do, it doesn't get any use.
So is any Blockbuster also a "Game Rush"? There aren't any Game Rushes close to me so I'm not sure if they give any better trade in value for anything than the standard Block Buster.
darkside
07-10-05, 01:06 AM
ISo is any Blockbuster also a "Game Rush"? There aren't any Game Rushes close to me so I'm not sure if they give any better trade in value for anything than the standard Block Buster.
No, only certain Blockbusters have GameRush stores in them. I don't think they do video game hardware trade ins at any of the regular Blockbuster stores but I could be wrong. The trade in value should be the same since they are all Blockbusters either way.
jeffdsmith
07-10-05, 11:07 AM
Your best bet is to sell it, trade-ins are rarely worth it on hardware. How much you want for it? Since you've "rarely used" it, it should be in great shape.
DaveNinja
07-11-05, 11:42 AM
I played with a DS for the first time this weekend. It was pretty cool and now i want one. I only played Zookeeper and its a lot different than the only arcade game by the sasme name. I'm thinking i'm going to get one of these for xmas.
Buy: