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--
- 3DS Circle Pad
- PSP Analog Nub
- 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.
