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Forums - Gaming - DS Vs. PSP Showdown IGN AU asks - which system has the best games?

ferret1094 on 08 January 2008

http://uk.ds.ign.com/articles/843/843734p2.html 

Australia, January 7, 2008 - If you're in the market for a handheld gaming machine right now you face a hard decision. How do you choose between the N-Gage and the Neo Geo Pocket? Sorry, the Nintendo DS and the PlayStation Portable. It's an interesting two horse race, simply because both systems are highly capable, and both have very distinct strengths and weaknesses. Rather than go into those – which we're sure you're well versed on anyway – we've decided to evaluate each system by the single most important factor: their games.

After all, it's not the tech specs or the name on the case that's important, it's the gameplay on offer. Simply put, if you buy the system with the most games you want to play, you can't go too far wrong. What we've decided to do, then, is go through the large DS and PSP catalogues genre by genre, looking at the best games available, and awarding a winner for each genre. That way, you can look at the types of games you want to play, and see which system excels in those areas.

A couple of things to bear in mind though – genres are more fluid than ever these days, so our classification system is somewhat malleable. Also, the list of genres is obviously incomplete so if you have a genre you'd like to contribute rankings for – hit us with it in the comments area. Let the rankings begin!


Action/Shooter
If shooting anything that moves (or doesn't) is your thing then you really can't go past the PSP. Its robust 3D capabilities make it perfectly suited to action gaming in all its guises. Funnily enough though, both the DS and PSP are still finding their feet as far as first person shooters are concerned, with only a (small) handful of decent titles across both machines. Still, the PSP's catalogue has an abundance of killer third person perspective action titles, from the likes of Portable Ops and Logan's Shadow, which distil console gameplay into delicious handheld moonshine, through to games like Killzone: Liberation, which (thankfully) completely changes up the gameplay of its console forebear.


  1. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops – PSP (We gave it: 9.0)

  2. Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow – PSP (We gave it: 9.5)

  3. Killzone: Liberation – PSP (We gave it: 9.0)

  4. Metroid Prime Hunters – DS (We gave it: 9.0)

  5. GTA: Vice City Stories – PSP (We gave it: 9.0)

WINNER: PSP

Action Adventure/RPG

This is quite a strong category for both systems, but the DS is the clear winner for two reasons. Not only does the system have a wealth of titles – far more than on PSP, but many of the games make excellent use of the DS' hardware, really playing to the strengths of the system and bringing new gameplay to established genres. Phantom Hourglass, for instance, casts off the shackles of traditional control and drives almost everything through the stylus/touch screen. Elements such as the ability to annotate maps is also hugely rewarding. Partners in Time, on the other hand, really focuses on utilising both screens to bring new elements to the gameplay, with puzzles split across both screens and battles that make good use of the screen real estate. While the DS titles in the top five are a veritable who's who of classic franchises, the lone PSP game to make the top five, Sid Meier's Pirates, is no spring chicken either, representing a slice of classic action adventure gaming reinvigorated for modern sensibilities.




  1. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass – DS (We gave it: 9.3)

  2. Sid Meier's Pirates – PSP (We gave it: 9.0)

  3. Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time – DS (We gave it: 9.0)

  4. Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow – DS (We gave it: 9.3)

  5. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl – DS (We gave it: 8.5)

WINNER: DS

Fighting
Decent fighting games are few and far between on both the DS and the PSP, with many of the better examples having been out for some time now. The one major exception (well, if you don't count the fact that it's been available in Japan for a year) is Bleach: The Blade of Fate, a Treasure-developed fighting game based on the hugely successful anime. Why does it top our list? Well, aside from the fact that it's not a port, it brings together a number of cool gameplay elements into a well-presented and fast-paced 2D fighting package. While it may not have the balance or depth of a Street Fighter, it does feature fights for up to four players with two planes to jump between, as well as a good aerial component, involved super mechanics, a card system and more. Other than that, the PSP really does have greater breadth in its selection, with everything from traditional 2D and 3D fighters through to arena fighters and beat 'em ups.


  1. Bleach: The Blade of Fate - DS (We gave it: 8.5)

  2. Tekken: Dark Resurrection - PSP (We gave it: 9.2)

  3. The Warriors – PSP (We gave it: 8.2)

  4. Power Stone Collection - PSP (We gave it: N/A)

  5. Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble - DS (We gave it: 8.5)

WINNER: PSP

Miscellaneous
Okay, a bit of a strange category this one, but the strength of a system shouldn't be judged solely on how well it caters to the basic genres, but also how many games move beyond those genres and can bring something new to the table. The DS, unsurprisingly, is the clear winner in this respect. No other system can beat the range of experiences on offer for the little box that could. Nintendo has really expanded the audience for videogames through titles like Brain Training and Nintendogs, but importantly, third party developers have made a big impact as well. The Phoenix Wright series – although largely comprised of ports of Japan-only GBA games – are packed with personality and offbeat humour, while Elite Beat Agents also has more than its fair share of zany comedy, backed by rigorously challenging rhythm action gameplay and a reasonable(ish) soundtrack. For newcomers, both series' offer a veritable treasure trove of gameplay – there are three Phoenix Wright games already, with more on the way, while Elite Beat Agents is a Western re-imagining of a Japanese series called Ouendan, both games of which are well worth tracking down. An inability to speak Japanese will only add to the appeal.


  1. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials and Tribulations - DS (We gave it: 7.7)

  2. Animal Crossing: Wild World - DS (We gave it: 8.8)

  3. More Brain Training - DS (We gave it: 8.4)

  4. Elite Beat Agents - DS (We gave it: 9.5)

  5. Gitaroo Man Lives! - PSP (We gave it: 8.4)

WINNER: DS

Platformer
Consoles may be all about this new-fangled technique known as 'three-dee', but it's on handhelds that genres such as the humble 2D platformer can still find a home. New Super Mario Bros. is the ultimate example that a tight 2D design is still a gameplay force to be reckoned with, and a glance at our top five platformers shows that the top three are all 2D in presentation. That said, 3D certainly has a place on the handhelds as well, but seems far better suited to the PSP's hardware than the DS'. While the PSP has more titles in the top five, we've also taken into account the fact that DS developers have tried to break out of the genre a little more with titles like Kirby Canvas Curse and Yoshi Touch & Go; two of several titles that bring something a little different to the table. Hence the tie.


  1. New Super Mario Bros. - DS (We gave it: 9.5)

  2. LocoRoco – PSP (We gave it: 9.0)

  3. Sonic Rush Adventure - DS (We gave it: 9.0)

  4. Daxter – PSP (We gave it: 9.0)

  5. Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters - PSP (We gave it: 8.1)

WINNER: TIE
Puzzle
There are rich puzzle pickings on both DS and PSP (with our number one choice – the puzzle RPG hybrid Puzzle Quest appearing on both), and there are a number of great titles for both systems that didn't make the top five, such as Meteos and Planet Puzzle League for DS, and Lumines I/II and Capcom Puzzle World for PSP. If you're a puzzle fan, then, you'll find plenty to play on both systems, but overall we really have to give the nod to DS, as it has a depth to its range that the PSP simply can't touch. Speaking of touch, the DS' touch-screen interface also makes playing titles like Picross DS and Slitherlink a dream, and both these titles have mechanics that are simple but infinitely rewarding. While the latter is only available in Japan, it's well worth tracking down as the language barrier isn't much of an issue, and the gameplay, which has elements in common with Picross (you must create an enclosed line loop around the grid-based play area by obeying the conditions of the numbers on the grid – kinda hard to sum up in a line) and requires a similar level of lateral thinking.


  1. Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords – DS/PSP (We gave it: 8.9 and 9.0)

  2. Picross DS - DS (We gave it: 9.0)

  3. Crush - PSP (We gave it: 8.9)

  4. Tetris DS - DS (We gave it: 9.0)

  5. Slitherlink - DS (We gave it: N/A)

WINNER: DS

Racing
While the DS has a couple of entries in the top five for racing, this is a genre it really struggles in. Beyond Mario Kart DS – which is included for its incredibly fun multiplayer (particularly when you get a crew of eight together for a wireless LAN session), and V8 Supercars 3: Create & Race - which is included for its many options (despite a few stumbles in bringing a sim to the system), there really isn't much else. The PSP, on the other hand, gives racing fans plenty of choice, with both arcade titles and sims well represented. For us, if you're new to the system you really can't go past the Ridge Racer and WipEout titles. Essentially a light remix of the PSP original, Ridge Racer 2 is insanely fast, with absurdly satisfying drifting mechanics, while WipEout Pulse (an actual sequel) is both deep and challenging. Good soundtrack too.


  1. Ridge Racer 2 - PSP (We gave it: N/A)

  2. WipEout Pulse – PSP (We gave it: 9.0)

  3. Mario Kart DS - DS (We gave it: 9.5)

  4. Burnout Dominator - PSP (We gave it: 8.5)

  5. V8 Supercars 3: Create & Race - DS (We gave it: 8.2)

WINNER: PSP

Sports
Getting excited about sports titles on a handheld is a tricky proposition. There are some genres that are well suited to it, such as golf and – to a lesser extent – tennis, but generally speaking, sports games look better and play better on console, and it's one of those areas of gaming that's all about sitting on the couch with some friends and some drinks. Still, if you absolutely must play sports titles on handheld, there are a number of good choices – almost all of them on PSP. The PSP launch title Everybody's Golf still holds up well, and Virtua Tennis 3 does a good job boiling the console title down to handheld. Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 is good too, although Pro Evo fans would do well to wait until the 2008 edition hits PSP in a couple of months. The seriously soccer obsessed should also check out the latest version of Football Manager for the system. Sure, it looks like a spreadsheet, but it's deeper than just about any other game out there.

So what about Nintendo? The company, after all, has demonstrated over the years that it has a really good grasp on how to do sports titles properly on handheld – remember some of those amazing sports-RPG hybrids on GB and GBA? Titles like Mario Golf and Mario Tennis were incredible. Sadly, the company hasn't chipped in with similar sports-RPG efforts on DS. Until it does, PSP has this category sewn up.


  1. Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 - PSP (We gave it: 8.5)

  2. Everybody's Golf - PSP (We gave it: 8.8)

  3. Football Manager Handheld 2008 - PSP (We gave it: 8.5)

  4. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 – DS (We gave it: 8.3)

  5. Virtua Tennis 3 - PSP (We gave it: 7.8)

WINNER: PSP

Strategy
Much like puzzle gaming, this is another genre ideally suited to handhelds, and regardless of whether you own a DS or a PSP, chances are you'll be able to find something compelling. Both systems have big franchises on offer – Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions on PSP takes the seminal turn-based PSone title and spruces it up for a whole new audience, and it's as satisfying as ever. The DS, not to be outdone, also has a solid Final Fantasy strategy title, in the form of FFXII: Revenant Wings, which picks up the story from the end of the PS2's FFXII, and features many of the same locales, as well as a real-time battle system and intelligent touch screen controls.

Elsewhere on the list we find Advance Wars: Dual Strike, the excellent DS entry in the long-running strategy series, Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness – the remake of Nippon Ichi's cult hit, which is almost as funny as it is deep, and – surprisingly enough – ANNO 1701, the recently released DS version of the long running PC simulation series, which sees the player exploring and conquering new worlds, building and managing towns and cities. It's not a new idea, of course, but the controls and gameplay have been transposed to DS wonderfully well. Indeed, while it could be argued that most of these titles are just remakes, re-releases and re-imaginings, that doesn't mean they're lacking substance, and anyone new to any of these titles would do well to check them out.


  1. Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions – PSP (We gave it: 9.0)

  2. Advance Wars: Dual Strike - DS (We gave it: 9.0)

  3. Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness – PSP (We gave it: 9.0)

  4. Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings - DS (We gave it: 8.3)

  5. ANNO 1701 - DS (We gave it: 7.8)

WINNER: TIE


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kirby007 on 08 January 2008

where are braintraining, nintendogs?



 "I think people should define the word crap" - Kirby007

Join the Prediction League http://www.vgchartz.com/predictions

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kirby007 on 08 January 2008

... that list sucks then



 "I think people should define the word crap" - Kirby007

Join the Prediction League http://www.vgchartz.com/predictions

Instead of seeking to convince others, we can be open to changing our own minds, and seek out information that contradicts our own steadfast point of view. Maybe it’ll turn out that those who disagree with you actually have a solid grasp of the facts. There’s a slight possibility that, after all, you’re the one who’s wrong.

kitler53 on 08 January 2008

braintraining is under misc, no nintendogs



kirby007 on 08 January 2008

that is more braintraining!



 "I think people should define the word crap" - Kirby007

Join the Prediction League http://www.vgchartz.com/predictions

Instead of seeking to convince others, we can be open to changing our own minds, and seek out information that contradicts our own steadfast point of view. Maybe it’ll turn out that those who disagree with you actually have a solid grasp of the facts. There’s a slight possibility that, after all, you’re the one who’s wrong.

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ferret1094 on 08 January 2008
kirby007 said:
where are braintraining, nintendogs?
 

 They're both mentioned under "misc".



Kyros on 08 January 2008

"... that list sucks then"

Depends if you are someone who is accustomed to good games or a "casual". Its not a secret that the DS is so successful because it opened up to people who normally play at most flash games in the browser.



kirby007 on 08 January 2008

well how can they compare it that way?



 "I think people should define the word crap" - Kirby007

Join the Prediction League http://www.vgchartz.com/predictions

Instead of seeking to convince others, we can be open to changing our own minds, and seek out information that contradicts our own steadfast point of view. Maybe it’ll turn out that those who disagree with you actually have a solid grasp of the facts. There’s a slight possibility that, after all, you’re the one who’s wrong.

mesoteto on 08 January 2008

i am sorry but for RTS/stratgey i feel the ds wins, not a tie



 

ChronotriggerJM on 08 January 2008

I guess I just agree with the first statements in there, it all boils down to your personal preference in games. If I were to boil out all the "nintendo" type games and allow the DS's more "mature" titles to guide the way, I'd be left pretty empty handed :/, likewise if a DS owner was looking at the PSP's game selection for a more family oriented, wholesome experience they might be searching for a while >_>

Overall a decent list I'd say ^^  Now if only Sony could get there damn PS1 classics up and running XD I'd kill to play Xenogears, brave fencer musashi, FF7-9, metal gear 1, and like a million other PS1 games on my PSP.



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