About the author:  I'm a long time Nintendo fan, at some point owning every single console Nintendo has ever made (except Virtual Boy).  I've also purchased every Sony console ever made.  I currently own six Nintendo DS systems and two PSPs.  Purchased the Nintendo DS on day one and eventually bought a PSP in 2009.  The PSP almost immediately became my favorite portable of all time.  I purchased a 3DS in June of 2011 and a PSV on launch day in 2012.  Guys, I'm just a fan of gaming--all of gaming--and I've spent a fair amount of time with both.  How do they compare in my opinion?  Stay tuned......

First things first.  The systems evolve.  The DS/PSP you can buy now is not the DS/PSP that launched.  More features, sleeker design, better hardware all around.  Nothing is written in stone.  The same can already be said about the 3DS/PSV.  In a few short months since launch, the 3DS has already seen its share of updates.  The PSV had an update right out of the box.  The game has changed.

I'll be comparing the consoles in these categories:  Design, features, interface, conectivity, games,  overall power, and miscellaneous.  It's time for the main event.  Let's do this.

Hardware Design 

The Nintendo 3DS

The Nintendo 3DS uses basically the same hardware design as the original DS.  The clamshell design protects the system's two screens from harm.  It also gives the 3DS a small footprint when you take it out and about.  It's, without a doubt, the more compact of the two systems being compared.  It features a glossy finish (mine is black) that is a fingerprint magnet.  Gloss is fine for home consoles, but for a portable console that begs to be touched, it doesn't seem like the best idea.  All in all, while seeming a bit dated, the 3DS design gets the job done.  A couple of things that I personally haven't been effected by seem to mar the 3DS experience.  Some complain that the top screen has been scratched by the bottom screen.  Possibly an urban legend but enough people have complained for me to take this seriously.  Second is that the top screen "wobbles". For me, the screen does wobble but only if I actually move it with my finger.  It doesn't happen during gameplay, even when playing a motion control heavy game like Face Raiders.

Nintendo has added a circle pad to the original DS design.  In my opinion, it's quite comfortable.  A bit of an upgrade to the one that was available on the PSP.  It also has a touch screen that is almost exactly the same in form and function to that of the older DS systems.  It does seem a bit more precise but it doesn't support multi-touch.  It still offers the ability to use a stylus as well as your finger for touch screen controls. 

One gripe among many is the lack of a second analog stick.  This has been remedied somewhat by the addition of the Circle Pad Pro peripheral.  The device is bulky and ugly, but after the initial shock wears off, it's actually very comfortable.  Problems arise when you consider that it has a short battery life (I've use rechargeable batteries and I've had to recharge it twice already) and that it doesn't work with anything other than a handful of 3DS titles.  Try using a feature like Swapnote on your 3DS.  You'll have to remove the CPP to use your stylus (an absolute must for writing messages).  The trigger (Rz) and the R button that comes with the CPP won't even work.  You're better off not even using the device unless you're playing Resident Evil or Metal Gear.  With those games, it works like a dream.

The Sony Playstation Vita

Like Nintendo, Sony had decided to stick with the tried and true design that they've refined over the years.  Upon first glance, many would have a hard time spotting the differences between the Vita and the older PSP models.  Rest assured, the improvements are there.  The "Candy Bar" design makes the Vita feel like a smartphone (a rather large smart phone, but still.....) and is a contrast to the 3DS which I would compare to a "flip phone" if I had to make an analogy.  It feels very solid and is quite comfortable to hold.  I've always found the 3DS to be a bit too portable because of its smaller size.  I've actually had to buy a third party grip to add a little bulk to Nintendo's system.  Not the case with Sony's latest.  It's a pretty good size for someone with larger hands like myself.

The PSV also features a ton of ways to interface.  Aside from the features it shared with the 3DS (motion control, cameras, AR Cards), it has a built in second analog stick, a multi touch touch screen on the front, and a touch panel on the back.  All of the features seem to work well for the most part.  The "Welcome Park" software that comes with the Vita gives you a pretty good idea of the potential for these new inputs.  All in all, it seems like the Vita is ready for any type of gaming experience right out of the box.

All is not perfect in Vita land, though.  I personally was terrified to take my Vita out of the house without a protective case to carry it in.  A touch screen on the front and back, analog sticks, and a glossy finish (again, I wonder why they do this on a portable console--don't they know we have to touch these things!?) means that a lot can go wrong if something gets damaged.  There have also been complaints from gamers that they accidentally hit the right analog when trying to use the X button and vice versa.  Personally, I find the sticks to be a bit looser than I would like (no worse than a Dual Shock, though) and, while I am definitely going to be in the minority, I actually prefer the analog nub on the old PSP 3000 to the sticks on the Vita.  The select/start buttons are harder to reach in a pinch, too.  Nothing a little practice won't cure, though.  I also miss the "mute buttons" and screen brightness buttons from the PSP 3000 just a little bit.

Final Verdict (Hardware Design):  Both systems feature rather weak cameras, almost identical motion control and AR funtionality.  Both feature a nearly identical battery life (based on brightness, wifi, and other variable settings).  Both feature a glossy finish that I hate.  The Vita has louder audio and an ultra sharp OLED screen while the 3DS packs an impressive 3D screen and a 3D camera.  In the end, it all comes down to personal preference and, this time, after considering the variables, round 1 goes to the Playstation Vita.  It's just has a more modern design and is a more functional system, without the need for an add on.

Features

Long gone are the days when your video game system was just used for video games.  Nowadays, you've gotta have video, Skype and MP3's and a bottle opener.  How do the 3DS and Vita compare when it comes to bells and whistles?  Here we go.

With the Nintendo 3DS, the "House that Mario Built" went all out.  Aside from the obvious gaming features, you get the ability to take 3D pictures, record 3D video, make your own stop motion animation, and record and alter your own audio.  The 3DS also has the ability to play various music formats.  The speakers aren't very loud but that seems to be a decision made by Nintendo and not a limitation of the hardware.  With Netflix, another feature of the system, the audio is much louder than it is with games or music.  The 3DS also features a pedometer that tracks your steps and adds a little something extra to certain games.  Exclusive 3D videos are offered from Nintendo via the Nintendo Video feature.  Demos, trailers, and other features are offered via the Nintendo eShop and even more exclusive online content is offered when players go to various "Nintendo Zones".  These are retail hotspots that allow gamers access trailers, cartoons, and exclusive deals.  There's an activity log that keeps track of the games you play and when you've played them.  If you want to know how often you've play a game, which game you play the most, how much time your average playing session is, etc., the activity has all of that info and more.  Sometimes, it's embarrassing (like that one guy--I won't mention his name--who has logged in an astounding 34 and a half hours on Swapnote). The 3DS also has a web browser.  It's nothing special but it gets the job done, I guess.  You can download pictures from the internet, view various sites (Sorry, no video support....yet), and upload pics to photo sharing sites like Photobucket.  With a little creativity, you'll be able to download pics, edit them, convert them to 3D (with 3DS editing tools), and Swapnote them to a friend in no time.  Speaking of Swapnote, it's mindless fun.  It's kind of like a lite version of Twitter.  You can set messages to send to people you pass on the street or you can set messages for your friends and send them via the internet.  It's a guilty pleasure that I'll discuss further in the "Connectivity Round". 

Lastly, there's the Street Pass/Spot Pass feature.  It's an evovled version of the one found in the older DS.  As long as you've created data for a game, you can get new content, even if you're not currently playing that particular game.  It's not uncommon for me to take my 3DS for a walk and find new times to beat in Mario Kart, new gifts in Nintendogs, new power-ups in Super Mario 3D Land, and much more.  A lot of games use the Street Pass feature (system to system communication) or the Spot Pass (system to internet communication) and the uses for the program will surely grow.  When you see the blue or green LED light up on your 3DS. you never know what to expect! 

Sony Playstation Vita

Yes, the 3DS is packed with features but Sony isn't going to let Nintendo fans have all of the fun.  Like the Nintendo 3DS, movie lovers that own a Vita also have access to Netflix.  They also have access to the Playstation store and they can purchase or rent full feature length films.  These movies can also be shared with their other Playstation devices.  It only takes a moment to take that $0.99 episode of Dragonball Z from your PS3's hard drive and port it to the Vita for movie watching on the go.  With the Vita's sharp OLED screen, there isn't even a noticeable degrade in quality.  The Vita also supports outside video formats, too.  I think the 3DS does, but I haven't been able to figure it out, yet.  With the Vita, it's much easier to convert video from a cell phone, or even a video downloaded from the net and have it running on the PSV.  A feature not to be overlooked is the PSV's Remote Play .  This also existed on the PSP but it was pretty unstable (for me, at least).  Now, it's a whole lot easier to access content on your PS3's hard drive using your portable gaming system.  If you have wireless access to the internet, you can watch any movie, listen to any music, and even play certain games that are on your PS3.  You get to use the PS3's much improved browser, too.  Not too shabby.

But wait.  There's more!  The PSV has its own music player.  I'll admit that I don't use it (or the one on the 3DS for that matter) because I have a decent smart phone but it's there for those that want it.  You can even use your own music in some Vita games.  The Vita gives you an extra level of customization, too.  Unlike the 3DS, with Vita, you can customize your wallpapers, start up screen, and more with the pictures of your choice.  The Vita has front and rear facing cameras just like the 3DS (though not in 3D) but it's nothing to write home about.  Like the 3DS, the pictures are pretty low quality.  Still, having the option is a plus.  More than anything, the camera will likely be used for Augmented Reality games instead of serious picture taking.

There is already a headset for Vita users as well as the option for party chat and in game messaging--we'll save the details for the connectivity round, though.  Just having such an option is a blessing for Vita owners that want to stay in touch with their friends.  There's also Sony's twist to the Street Pass/Spot Pass called "Near".  Near uses the internet to find other gamers around you and tells you what they are playing.   Near also encourages you to rate games by using emoticons.  The thing is, all of the emoticons are positve!  What if you don't like a game?  Your only choices are "Engrossing", "Amazing", "Cool", "Rewarding", etc.  Anyway, I've gone on about Near for too long.  We'll come back to it, later.

Rounding out the features for Vita are a decent Web Browser (not much better than the 3DS one but it is faster), specialized apps like Twitter, Facebook, and Four Square, a GPS, and the PS Store.  Like the 3DS, you can get your trailer, demos, and even download games--both bite sized and full retail--from the store. 

Final Verdict (Software Features):  Both devices give you more than you expect but not enough and aren't of a good enough quality to compete with your average smart phone.  The importance of these features will vary depending on who you are.  In all honesty, aside from a couple of exceptions, a lot of these features will go unused.  This is between the two portable powerhouses and not cell phones/tablets, though.  There are a couple of features that the 3DS offers that the PSV doesn't but there are also quite a few features available on the PSV that just aren't an option on Nintendo's handheld.  To top it all off, many of the features that they do share are just done better on Sony's device (music player, web browser, video player).  Looks like another round goes to the Playstation Vita.

Interface

Nintendo 3DS

Chances are, if you're into handheld gaming at all, you already know what to expect from the 3DS and its layout.  You know if it's right for you or if it needs improvement.  My situation may not apply to you.  Anyway, I'm 6 feet 2 inches of pure beefcake.  I'm a big guy (not fat, mind you!).  The 3DS is a portable system.  To me, Nintendo has tried to fit a little too much into a very small area.  When I use the Circle Pad, it's not much of a problem, but using the Control Pad, my hands about to cramp after about an hour of use.  I actually had to go online to "get a grip"   ( really wish I knew how to hyperlink right now...... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16878176154&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-_-pla-_-NA-_-NA ) to remedy the situation.  The buttons are as responsive as ever, though.  The select/start butons took a bit of getting used to, too.  Nintendo decided to go with a bit of a "non-button" approach with these two and the home button.   I'm not a big fan of that.

Since the N64, I've tried almost every analog controller on the market.  From the Dual Shock to the Dreamcast and Gamecube to those big ass original Xbox controllers, I've been around the block.  I'll go on record and say that the Circle Pad on the 3DS is ranked somewhere near the top when it comes to my favorite analog controls of all time.  Again, I can't speak for anybody else.  Some have mentioned that their thumbs get all sweaty and slide off of the pad during prolonged use.  I've never encountered this, myself.  The 3DS Circle Pad works far better than I expected.  I'm the kind of person that was raised to use a D-Pad in games like Street Fighter.  I never even considered analog an option.  Since I wasn't a fan of the placement of the D-Pad, I had to do some adjusting when I played SF4: 3D on the 3DS.  It worked very well and I don't think I can go back.  I also have a friend ("Smuai" on my Xbox friends list--feel free to challenge him!) that plays Street Fighter almost professionally.  He goes to tournaments all of the time.  I let him give my 3DS a whirl and he had no trouble blowing through the Challenge mode using the 3DS.  Sounds like a winner to me!

As mentioned earlier in this thread, a second analog stick is available with the purchase of a $20 peripheral known as the Circle Pad Pro.  It's not the most sleekly designed add on on the market but it functions very well.  It still has some design shortcomings.  I stated before that, with the CPP connected to the 3DS, you can't reach your stylus slot.  You also can't reach your Wi-Fi on/off switch and the R button on the 3DS is replaced with the one on the CPP.  It serves its purpose and it's only used with a couple of games.  To be honest, even the games that support the Circle Pad Pro seem to work at least decently without it.  With the add on, the 3DS can accomodate gamers that prefer a more traditional console control scheme.

The touch screen for the 3DS seems to be more accurate than past DS systems.  No mult-touch, though.  Not much I can say about it that hasn't been said before.  It does what it does and it does it well.  A microphone and some impressive motion control round out the deal.

Sony Playstation Vita

Sony tried their best not to leave anything out when they designed the PSV.  Two analog sticks (no L3/R3, though), two touch screens, 12 buttons (face buttons are about the same size on both), a microphone, cameras, and motion controls.  Like the PS3, Sony's approach seemed to be "Don't hold anyting back".  The screen takes up a lot of realestate on the Vita, leaving the buttons, sticks, speakers, and camera a lot less space to work with.  While, at times, it can seem a bit cramped, I have to applaud Sony for being able to fit everything in and still keeping the system looking modern and sexy.  In my bigger hands, it feels really good.  Not perfect, but solid nonetheless.

I've given the features of the Vita a shot using the "Welcome Park" software that came with the Vita and, for the most part, everything seems to work very well.  The multi-touch screen is accurate and responsive.  In fact, it's so responsive that Sony made it the primary interface for navigating the console's menus. 

As good as the touch screen is,  I've got mixed feelings about the analogs.  On one hand, I'm glad Sony found a way to get actual analog sticks onto a portable.  On the other, I find them to be a bit too loose and smaller than I want.  Go ahead an crucify me but I actually prefer the analog nub from the PSP 3000 when it comes to a portable.  If I had to compare (and what better place than in a comparison?), I'd rank them in this order--

1. 3DS Circle Pad 
2. PSP Analog Nub
3. Vita Analog Sticks

Not saying that they're bad.  They're not bad at all.  They're just my least favorite out of all of the options available.  It's a Sony thing, I guess.  Even in the world of consoles, I find the analog sticks on Nintendo and Microsoft's controllers offer the right amount of resistance while Sony's are looser than I'd like.  If you're a fan of the Dual Shock, feel free to ignore this little rant.

It seemed that Sony didn't want to be outdone by Nintendo in the battle for "Most unintuitive placement of Select/Start" because these buttons are incredibly tiny, barely protrude from the system, and are in an awkward location.  The bigger, more often used "Home" button fares much better, in my opinion.  The rear touch panel is going to take some getting used to.  I think I used it once in Uncharted before deciding that it didn't feel natural, yet.  I guess I'll download a game like Escape Plan or Little Deviants and force myself to use it.  My initial impressions are just "meh" at this point in time.  A good idea since you can use touch screen controls without obscuring your view of the action but not somthing I've grown to appreciate yet.

Final Veridict (Interface):  Both the 3DS and the Vita have pros and cons that really stand out.  The 3DS with its superior analog and the Vita with its superior touch screen.  The Vita with its built in second analog and the 3DS with its analog add on that actually gives the device four shoulder buttons.  Both have made me scratch my head with their placement and design of the often neglected select/start buttons.  In my experience, games like Super Stardust and Super Mario 3D control flawlessly on their respective systems.  On the opposite side of the spectrum, games like Resident Evil: Mercenaries and Uncharted: Golden Abyss feel functional but flawed.  I honestly don't think that either clearly outshines the other.  I would give the edge to the Vita but the Circle Pad Pro is the great equalizer.  Let's just call this round a tie.  Pick your favorite and roll with it.

Conectivity

The Nintendo 3DS

One thing about Nintendo.  They don't make it easy to stalk children....not that I'd know anything about that.  When it comes to the Nintendo 3DS, it seems like Nintendo has done everything possible to make sure that adding friends and actually playing with them is as difficult as possible.  While a step up from the older DS, it's nowhere near where it should be at this point in time.  Adding a friend involves swapping a twelve digit "Friend Code".  It's no worse than exchanging phone numbers.  Once that's done, it's done.  You're friends. It would be nice if you could just add someone and they have the option to confirm or deny, but that's not the Nintendo way.  To add a friend, you're going to need to communicate with them outside of the system.  Once you make a friend, the next obstacle is how the heck do you play with them?

We've been able to work around this by being creative.  Specific times to play games, calling each other on the phone, or using the internet to message each other seems to work but it's hardly an ideal solution.  Time zone differences, lack of an in game message system, and games that just don't allow players to jump in and out are all issues that hinder the process.  It's frustrating when you see your friend playing Super Street Fighter 4 and you want to hand them their ass, but you have no way of joining them or letting them know you're online.  Nintendo has added a notification light that turns orange when a friend is logged in.  I have close to 100 friends on my 3DS so that orange light is going on and off every few seconds.  I've learned to ignore it.  It gets your hopes up to know that they're online.  It breaks your heart when you can't play together.  It's like looking out of a window and seeing your friends playing but the only way to let them know you want to play with them is to mail them a letter.  By the time they get it, you no longer want to play or their game is long over.

That "letter system" is known as Swapnote.  I like to think of it as "Twitter jr".  With Swapnote, you can send hand written notes, drawings, sound bites, and pictures to friends registered to your 3DS.  They can also reply to your messages.  It's a pretty fun time waster (I admit, I'm hooked!) but ultimately pointless.  People will ask a question but if you're the message writer, you can't reply directly.  You'll just have to make another note, entirely.  Imagine making a thread but you can't reply to anybody that posts without making another thread.  As a responder to the message, imagine only being able to post once in a thread.  Worse still, if someone replies to the note but isn't a friend of yours, you'll never see what they post.  It leads to a lot of situations where this happens: 

• person "A" posts a note
• Person "B" responds to a the note with a joke
• person "C" laughs at person "B"'s joke
• Person "D" isn't friends with person "B" so he has no idea what everyone is laughing about because he never sees the joke

It's a fun, but flawed app.  Hopefully it evovles.  In the months since it has come out, Nintendo has used it to distribute free wallpapers and make announcements.  It has a ways to go, though.  It takes a LOT of friends to really enjoy Swapnote but if you add a lot of people, you'll spend hours just sending any and every detail of your life to other people.

Some software, like Mario Kart 7, goes beyond the current infrastructure of the 3DS and allows you to join a friend online.  Hopefully, games like Animal Crossing or Kid Icarus take it to the next level and let you send out game invites, join games in progress, or even send in game messages.  In time, maybe we'll even be able to use our own voices with the built in microphone.  Right now, connecting with friends with the 3DS is a cumbersome process, at best.

The Playstation Vita

Remember how all of those 360 owners were bragging about how they could party chat with their friends no matter which game they were playing?  They made it seem like God's gift to gaming.  Well......it is.  And it's available on the Vita.  Not only that, you can even send messages to friends playing on a PS3 using just a Vita.  You can invite people to a game on your Vita.  You can send pics on your Vita.  There's even supposed to be a video chat option coming soon on the Playstation Vita.  VIDEO CHAT on your Playstation Vita.  How cool is that?

If you want to add a friend on your Playstation Vita, all you need is their name--even if they own a Playstation 3 and not a Vita.  You send them a friend request and they can either confirm or deny.  That's it.  You're friends.  You'll know what they're playing, and if you use the "Near" Vita app, you can even tell where they're playing.  Sony has torn down the walls that seperate gamers.  Not much more I can say on the matter.  It's just great.

Final Verdict (Conectivity):  It's no secret that Nintendo is playing catch up to its competition when it comes to online play.  The 3DS offers the best online in a Nintendo console to date, but it's still  generations behind what the Vita offers.  It's not even on par with what the original Xbox was offering almost a decade ago. If you want the easiest experience when it comes to adding friends, if you want the smoothest online experience, or if you just want to stay in touch with the rest of the world, the 3DS doesn't even compete with the Playstation Vita.  They even offer dedicated apps for social sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Four Square (whatever the hell that is!).  In this online age, Nintendo really needs to get with the times.  In case it wasn't made clear, the Vita wins this round by a landslide.

Games

The Nintendo 3DS

No matter how good the hardware is, if there isn't something worthwhile to play on it, it's not worth owning.  The 3DS got off to a bit of a rocky start when it came to having games worth owning the system for but those days are long gone.  Somewhere around mid 2011, the 3DS came into its own.  From that point on, it's been one great game after another.  If you like fighting games, racing games, platform games, puzzle games, stealth, action adventure, or animal abuse, Nintendo has got you covered.  Games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time or Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater top many lists as the greatest of all time.  Great classics like Starfox 64 and Tetris are available.  A wealth of instant classics fill out the 3DS eShop.  Ask anybody that has given games like Pushmo, Mighty Switch Force, or Mutant Mudds a chance.  You'll wish you hadn't because they won't shut up about how much fun the games pack.

Not only do you get these great re-releases (often in the definitve version of these classics), but the 3DS also has a slew of soon to be classics like Resident Evil: Revelaitons (*snicker*), Super Mario 3D Land, and Mario Kart 7.  Third party games like Tekken, Super Street Fighter, Cave Story, Blaz Blue, and much more round out the 3DS library.  There's something for everybody.  Look at the announced titles like Mario Tennis, Paper Mario, Kid Icarus Uprising, Animal Crossing, Luigi's Mansion, as well offerings from third parties like Beyond the Labyrinth, Kingdom Hearts, and Monster Hunter and it's easy to see that the 3DS has a bright future ahead of it, too.  The 3DS also offers support for Augmented Reality games (AR games).  Using the 3DS cameras and sometimes an AR Card, game characters and environments seem to come to life right before your very eyes.  It's an unforgettable moment the first time you lay a card on your table, only to see the table open up and a dragon pop out.  You can walk around it and view the image in real time, as if it were really there.  Very cool, if a little under-utilized at this point.

Not to be overlooked is the fact that, almost the entire Nintendo DS library is available to play on the 3DS.  Your DS library works on the new console and the games look and play better than ever.  The screen on the 3DS isn't as beautiful to behold as the screen on the Vita but your older DS games have never had it so good.  DS games look brighter and sharper on the 3DS screen.  You can even change the resolution on your older titles.  For the old school gamer, you can download games from the Nes, Gameboy, Gamegear, and more.  Some times, a new coat of paint is added thanks to updated 3D support.  Most of the time, these games look just like you remember--glitches, flicker, and slowdown included. 

I hate to sound like the 3DS marketing department, but the 3DS has the games you want to play and it has them right now.  One would have to be very jaded if they can't find something worth playing on the console.

The Playstation Vita

The Vita hit the market one of the biggest launch libraries, ever.  From day one, quirky games like Escape Plan and Little Deviants, action games like Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Rayman Origins,  and Ninja Gaiden Sigma, and cool multi-player games like Virtua Tennis and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 were available.  Much of the time, these games look worthy of being displayed on your HDTV.  Like the PSP, Sony has once again delivered a device that puts the console experience in your hands.  Down-only games Escape Plan and Little Deviants impress but it must also be mentioned that every game sold in stores for the PSV is available for download, too.  Not a bad start for the Vita, eh?

There's also backwards compatibilty with several PSP games.  The problem arises when you factor in that hundreds of PSP games aren't available in digital form, at all.  That means that you can't play these games on your shiny new Vita since there is no UMD support.  Also surprising is that there are hundreds of games that can be downloaded on the PSP but still can't be played on the Vita.  This includes several Playstation Minis (smaller downloadable games) and the entirety of the Playstation One library.  I really hope Sony fixes this in the future because I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 (PS1 and PSP) games that I want to put on my PSV but can't, yet.

I can't deny the quality of the Vita games.  Titles like Super Stardust and Wipeout are of AAA caliber.  It's just hard to look at these games and get excited about them.  The same goes for games like Uncharted and Ninja Gaiden.  Sure, they look great and it's impressive to have games like this on a portable but they just aren't as polished as I hoped they would be.  I do have to say, about two hours into Uncharted, I found myself smiling uncontrollably due to how awesome the game is but really, it's the kind of game I'd rather be playing on my home console. 

Looking at what's to come, I think it's safe to say that Vita owners have a lot to look forward to.  Personally, I'm most excited for the upcoming Vita exclusive game, Gravity Rush.  The game looks like a dream come true.  Tons of other great games have been announced like a Metal Gear Solid collection, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter X Tekken, and even Call of Duty.  The system's future looks bright from where I'm sitting.  Factor in AR support for the Vita and full featured online, and things look even better.

Final Verdict (Games):  If we were to align their launches, the Vita's launch title would trump the 3DS but, what kind of sense would that make?  That's almost as crazy as saying that the PS3 is ahead of the Xbox 360 in sales if you align their launches!  Who thinks like that!?  It doesn't seem fair but we have to compare the way things are right now.  There was a time when you had to attach a little disclaimer to Nintendo handheld games:  "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater looks great......for the DS".  Those days are done.  A game like Resident Evil Revelations or Super Mario 3D looks great.....period.  Not only that, the games seem to fit well as console games AND portable games.  While impressive in their own right, of the Vita games I own/played, I just don't feel like they're tailor made for the portable audience.  Maybe they're going for two different audiences.  Sony has said repeatedly that their goal was to provide a console experience.  I think they've accomplished this.  The problem is, these aren't home consoles.  They are portable systems.

Some gamers may very well be in the market for that "console experience on the go".  Some may prefer an experience that is customized for the portable gamer.  There is no right or wrong answer.  I can't knock the Vita for doing exactly what it set out to do (Or can I?).  The truth is, no matter which portable you get, you're going to have a blast, either way.  It's no secret that I have an addiction.  I can go into a Gamestop and blow $150 on games that I have only a mild interest in playing and not think twice about it.  When I walk into the store for the specific purpose of buying a Vita game and I walk out with nothing, something is wrong.  That's just me.  Personal preference aside, the Nintendo 3DS just has more critically acclaimed games than the Vita.  It has more games that I want to play.  It has more system sellers. It has more downloadable titles.  It has more backwards compatible titles.  It has more games, period.  This round goes to the 3DS.

Overall Power

The Nintendo 3DS

People have stated that the 3DS is just a DS with 3D.  These people are stupid and they are not your friend.  Stay away from them.  The 3DS is quite a powerful piece of hardware.  While not a technically amazing game on home consoles, Super Street Fighter 4 is still one of the most visually impressive titles on home consoles, to date.  Many (including me) feel it's THE definitive fighting game of this generation.  The Wii didn't get a port because Capcom said it wasn't technically possible for the game to be done on that system.  The 3DS has a version and it packs virtually everything the home console versions have.  Every move, frame of animation, and button press made the transition from Xbox 360/PS3 to 3DS.  You have games like Resident Evil Revelations and Mercenaries 3D that, at first glance, look HD worthy.  Impressive effects abound.  The fact that you can also view these games in 3D makes it all the more impressive.  Like any system, you'll get your shovelware and games that are just "phoned in".  These cash grab games shouldn't be used to define the potential of the 3DS.  It's the Dead or Alives, Star Fox 64's, and Resident Evils that show what the 3DS can really do.  Time and again, the 3DS has shown that it's capable of great things in the hands of a motivated developer.

The Playstation Vita

The Playstation Vita has the ability to pack a console experience sized punch.  A game like Marvel vs. Capcom is almost indistinguishable from the console version (Just like SSF4 on 3DS, the background animations suffer, though).  Uncharted on the PSV actually looks better than the vast majority of home console games.  The Vita has power to spare.  Also, keep in mind that these are just the launch games.  As time progresses, expect the bar to be raised to unbelievable levels.  Imagine if Sony's big studios (Naughty Dog, Santa Monica) put their resources into making the best Vita game possible.  Yeah, I'm smiling, too. 

The Final Verdict (Overall Power/Graphics):  Okay.  Let's call it like it is.  The Playstation Vita's launch games are already more graphically impressive than games that seem to be pushing the 3DS to its limits.  Yeah, a game like Resident Evil Revelations is looks great for a portable.  Killing a giant tentacled sea creature may be more impressive than shooting random guy #3721 in Uncharted but it isn't doing anything that can't be done on the Vita.  Artistic design is one thing.  Technical prowess is another.  When it comes to the quality of the image on the screen, the 3DS on its best day can't really hold up to the Vita at its best.  All is nost lost, though.  The 3DS has the ability to pull off some nifty 3D tricks that the Vita just isn't capable of.  Also, keep in mind that the 3DS is no slouch.  Even though the Vita is more powerful, so far, it doesn't seem to offer experiences that just aren't possible on the 3DS.  Graphically, at the very least, the 3DS should be able to run a version of anything the Vita can.  In terms of power, think of the Vita as a Dreamcast and the 3DS as a PS1.  Does it really matter, though?  In the world of handheld graphics, looking good enough is usually good enough.  Most of us prefer to see cinematic games and amazing effects on our HDTV's.  Nothing wrong with having this power on a portable but is it overkill?

The gap between power on the two platforms isn't nearly a pronounced as it was when it came to the DS vs PSP.  A top teir 3DS game can actually compete with a top tier Vita game.  "Competing" doesn't cut it though.  This comparison is about winners and losers and, while it may be overkill to some, the Vita has the edge.  When it comes down to power, the Playstation Vita just packs more of it.  Graphics whores, your portable has arrived.

Miscellaneous Thoughts

There's a lot to keep in mind when it comes to the two latest dedicated portables.  "You can't play sales".  That's what people say when you compare hardware sales.  The thing is, that's not necessarily true.  The system that sells more (shut up, Wii owners) is the system that gets the most support.  As of right now, the Vita isn't exactly setting the world on fire with its hardware sales.  The risk isn't great but the possibility is there.  Unless the Sony does something different with the Vita and figure out some way to get people to actually buy the thing, it may very well be a dying system.  The history of the gaming industry is littered with systems that were technically superior to their competition but died a premature death.  One need only look at the competitors that tried to take on the Gameboy, only to fall by the wayside.  On paper, the Atari Lynx, Turbo Xpress, Game Gear, Nomad, and many more should have trounced the inferior, monochrome console but certain decisions doomed them.  Sony needs figure out what they want the Vita to be and market it as such.  It's an amazing piece of hardware an it would be a tragedy if the Vita fails simply because consumers don't know what to make of it.  Why would developers take advantage of the powerful hardware if the audience isn't there to buy the games?  You can't play sales.....but sales are everything.

The 3DS retails for around $170.  It supports any SD card that you may have laying around the house.  The Vita sells between $250 and $300 depending on whether 3G connectivity is something that interests you.  The Vita also uses a proprietary storage medium.  While a large memory card for the 3DS can be had for a very low price, a memory card for the Vita can run you anywhere from $20 to $100.  You get a little more if you pay a little bit more, but if money is an issue, price is definitely something to consider [side note:  I have a 3G Vita ($300), a 32GB memory card ($100), 3 retail games ($140), a carrying case ($20).  Vita gaming is not cheap!!].

And then, there's the 3DS.  Early adopters of Nintendo platforms know the drill.  You buy the console and then you buy it again....and again.....and again.....  It's a cycle we know very well.  There's a section early on in the Bible that some people call the "begats".  The Nintendo lore is similar.  "The Gameboy begat the Gameboy Pocket.  The Gameboy Pocket begat the Gameboy Light.  The Gameboy light had a child known as the Gameboy Color....."  And it continues up to the present.  Multiple iterations of Gameboys, Gameboy Advance, and DS fill Nintendo's catalog.  Yes, Sony did it too (PSP 2000, 3000, Go) but many feel that the next version of the 3DS is going to be the one that "gets it right" and that it will be announced, soon.  A second analog, a bigger, brighter, screen, and a more modern design are just a few features that people feel will be a sure thing with the coming of the inevitable redesign.  Do you really want to buy now when something better is just over the horizon?  Nintendo does make transferring data from console to console extremely easy.  With that being the case, does it ease one's mind that their content will be safely transferred or does that make them worry that their system will soon be the "old version" when the better model comes out?

There's plenty of reasons to buy one over the other.  It's up to you to decide which ones are the most crititcal to you.  And with all of these factors in mind, it's time to decide the winner.  Playstation Vita or Nintendo 3DS?  There can be only one....

The Final Verdict:

The PSP was my favorite portable console of all time.  Partly for the games.  Partly for its sleek design.  Partly for its power.  Partly for its multi-media capabilities.  I got a smart phone almost two years ago and suddenly, all that mattered in a portable gaming device was the games.  I had a better option when it came to movies, music, web-browsing, etc.  For many, the smart phone is not an option and I can respect that.  For me, right now, nothing matters but the games and which device offers me the most fun for my time.

The reason for the break down was for people to see the strengths of each device.  Yes, the Vita has won the most categories.  The Vita is easily the more powerful piece of hardware.  At the end of the day, a lot of what Vita does just doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.  For example: The Vita has the superior browser.  When you're near a Wi-Fi hotspot, will you really opt to use it instead of your laptop, tablet, or smart phone?  Be honest, now.  The Vita/3DS has Netflix, but when will this feature come in handy?  When I'm away from home, I can watch Netflix on my cell phone so 3G on the Vita is a non-issue.  When I'm home, I have two Xbox 360's, a PS3, a Wii, two computers, and an HDTV with internet.  All of them have Netflix access so again, it's fine for the portables to have these features.  It definitely doesn't hurt them but they simply don't matter.  What does matter is the games.  These are "hardcore" gaming devices, first and foremost.

The 3DS got of to a horrible start.  A combination of expectations and lack of software made owning a 3DS a painful experience.  Over time, things got muchbetter.  To a lesser degree, the same can be said of the Playstation Vita.  It's true, there's a bit of a wait before the next great games come out but there truly is some good stuff available right now.  I think Sony and its third parties could have benefited from releasing games a little at a time instead of drowning the consumer in launch titles.  Maybe I would have been hyped for Ninja Gaiden or Wipeout if they hadn't launched right beside Uncharted.  Just putting that out there.

What I will say is this.  Since buying a Vita, for every hour I've spent playing a Vita game, I've probably spent three on my 3DS.  The hype of the new hardware wore off quickly and, like I've said a couple of times already, all that mattered was which one had the games I wanted to play.  Since I started this thread a week ago, I've actually gone back and really spent some serious time with the Vita.  I have to say, I like it more now than I did when I first purchased it.  After a little buyers remorse, I've played a lot of Uncharted and MvC3 and I have to say I am very pleased with these games and my Vita purchase.  My issues with the analog sticks are almost non-existent, now (but goddam, that select and start button..).  I would gladly recommend the console to others.  I also have to say that, when I'm playing in public, I almost always choose to play the Vita.  It's just a sexier machine in general.  You couldn't imagine how ashamed I was when I went into Wal-Mart the other day at 6am and purchased my copy of Kid Icarus on the 3DS.  There was a hot girl working in electronics and she was the only one, there.  She got me the game and I may as well had given her my balls, too.  How could I convince her I was awesome while buying my copy of "Angel Boy's Fairy Adventures"?  The Vita has no such stigma.  If I'd have bought Unit 13 for the Vita, she probably would have had sex with me right there on the spot.

In the end, it all comes down to what I play when I'm all alone and I need my gaming fix.  Which system do I reach for?  Is it the one with the awesome graphics, the great online, and the sleek construction, or is it the one with the bigger library, quirky apps, and people I like talking to?  Time and again, I found myself reaching for the winner:  The 3DS.

                    winner and still champion!

Yes, the Vita had the 3DS against the ropes, but out of nowhere, the 3DS slipped in a quick uppercut and knocked the Vita down for the count.  The 3DS has the better games.  Not only that, the 3DS has the more promising future.  On paper, the Vita is the better system.  Then again, the Xbox was a better system than the PS2 and the Neo Geo was a better system than the Super Nes.  I'd still recommend the weaker system because the weaker system had the games.  Being better, technically, is one thing.  Being better at what really matters is another.  The 3DS is the system to beat.  I'm actually going to go as far as to say that the 3DS is well on its way to becoming my favorite system, ever. 

Sony fans, take this thread with a grain of salt.  The Vita is a brand new piece of hardware.  Its' got plenty of time to come into its own.  There's a lot of promise and untapped potential for greatness in that device.  All it will take is the right piece of software and the Vita can rise like a phoenix.  Console connectivity, cross platform play, Wii U styled controls, and more--these are things I don't dismiss easily.  As of right now, though, if anybody were to ask me which device they should buy, I'd say get a Vita....after you get a 3DS.  Then, I'd challenge them to Starfox, Street Fighter, Mario Kart, Kid Icarus, Resident Evil, or ny number of must own titles. 

The Nintendo 3DS takes the crown.

So what do you think?  Feel free to post your thoughts.  Did I get it wrong?  Did I nail it?  If you disagree, at least let me know why.  I'd love to hear the voice of the community.

Umm... what is this Jigga stuff? XD