A portable console needs games that are pick up and play in the way that Angry Birds, Robo Defense, Tetris...those games are pick up and play...not just easy to play, but you don't have to remember where you left off when you get back into it, that's the point...If you can't leave off somewhere that makes sense every 5-10 minutes, doesn't seem to make much sense to me...may as well strap a 9" screen on

You're entitled to your opinion (and it's one I generally share) but you do know that when all is said and done the DS will have more Kingdom Hearts games than PSP, right (358/2 and Re:Coded)?  And it also has very highly-rated 2D fighting games.

Well, I played at least five 80 hours JRPGs on my DS, which is especially suited for those kind of games because

a) You can play it in airplanes and in hotels (as a frequent business traveler that's quite handy)
b) you can close the system and pick up where you left, which enables you to just pick it up when you have some spare time
c) You don't have to occupy the TV in the living room (which is quite nice if you live together)

I definitely love console gaming, but I really look forward to having games like RE and MGS on 3DS.

Nintendogs and Nintencats, living together in 3D harmony, and they can tell when you put your face up to the camera, so they can LICK YOUR FACE.

I don't have a problem with those games, prefer them actually, as long as they have a suspend function. Or the handheld has its own suspend function for any game. I do spend an hour and half on weekdays on busses etc, it's not like I'd want to play only pick up and play titles during that time. The DS and the 1000-3000 PSP really should have had that function (I think the PSP Go does), I haven't finished some games (e.g. SMT: Strange Journey) just because of that.

On the other hand I hope home consoles retain a (Japanese, Western is pretty much a given) library because frankly, while I've played a portable at home when very much into the game, a TV and a proper controller is way more pleasant.

The DS suspends any game when you close the DS.

That's how I got through longer games in short bursts, like Partners in Time or FF4.  And I'd imagine that's why RPGs are so damn popular on the thing.

I can't really use that feature reliably, because once I'm off the bus I also need to walk, so I'd rather listen to some music, for example. With the DS specifically, I use a kanji dictionary software for it at school as well, so I need to be done with the game. PSP just for music, I guess, or some video. The PSP can also suspend, but both its quick OFF and closing the DS are basically a pause button power-saving.

its not really mimicking, its just that it got an upgrade on the graphics that makes you think its a dumbed down version of the consoles.

what handhelds should have is that the games theirselves to be easy to pick up , but still deep enough to have their own identity, like Pokemon , see that game is long and has lots of grinding, but also a very easy game to figure out, there is no long as hell tutorial or the "Go to the end of the world to save the game" mechanic that is common in sandbox games, thats what handheld games should be like, another example is Peace Walker, while that game is actually a full blown Metal Gear , its pretty easy to pick up and play, and also encourage you to play short bursts more , same goes for The Last Window and Dissidia.

Also i hate to sound like a troll but a lot of people here think its cool now that Nintendo have console like experiences on the go while its not cool when Sony did it on PSP, it is pretty ironic, but like i said, its not about "Ohhh console dumbed down! means crap!" its about the game being acccessible on the go, there is a certain charm in handhelds that Console only gamer will never know and keep ignoring until they stop being graphic whores and actually give it a chance.

@thekitchensink thats cool but BBS > 358/2 & re:coded. dont get me wrong I played all three of these games and i like em all but Birth By Sleep feels like a actual PS2 KH games and the other two kind of have that spinoff feel.  as for fighting games PSP craps all over DS. Soul Calibur, Tekken 5&6, Street Fighter Alpha3, BlazBlue, Mortal Kombat, Darkstalkers, Fate unlimited codes, Guilty Gear not to mention the PS1 classics you can import. Now im a fighting fanatic and the only fighter to really impress me on DS is the Bleach games. Now if you can recommend me some good fighters on DS ill be happy to look into those but, until 3DS comes out i think Sony has that genre covered

Well, you may be right, and I'm not disputing your opinion (heck, I'm not even expressing one of my own), it's just you made it seem like the DS didn't have those kinds of games also.

OT: The important thing is that the 3DS is finding a nice balance between the types of games.  For every Nintendogs, there's a Resident Evil.  For every Animal Crossing, there's a Metal Gear Solid.  I was never in the crowd that didn't like the PSP because it tried to be a 'portable home console'.  I just thought that it didn't have enough of a balance (neither does the original DS, although it's skewed the other way).