<<<By Paul Stuart ""...also I'll brush my teeth... (Tampa, FL) - reviews
I admittedly struggled with the above question for months as my Game Boy Advance collected dust. Moreover, local videogame store employees near-unanimously favored the DS to the PSP; several indicated they traded in the latter for the former after a few months' time. Sales figures for the DS vs. PSP confirmed this preference globally.
After a few weeks' time with the PSP, however, I'm now convinced that title loyalty (Zelda, Mario) sell systems not quality. The PSP -- across the board -- is a vastly superior offering to the DS for several reasons. Simply put, this is the greatest handheld since the Atari Lynx nearly two decades ago, technology so robust you feel almost guilty that it's not tethered to a television screen.
First things first, the screen is absolutely gorgeous. Bursting with resolutions in the thousands, games seem much bigger than the PSP screen, the UMD movies magnificent. Related, in-game text -- often fuzzy in XBox and PS2 menus -- is sharp as can be on the PSP.
Further, the Sony system software is ingenius. Transferring music, video, and movies is seamless via a computer's USB input. Even on a Mac this process is seamless. A simple recognition of the USB connection, create a couple folders, drag and drop. Voila! It's right there on the PSP. Also, games are cached (akin to a DVR on pause) even when turning off the PSP. A clever programming element of the system software + definite plus to counter ocassionally long load times. Finally, access to wireless firmware updates keep the PSP from being hampered by hardware/software compatibility flaws.
Related, I'm not sure why little/nothing has been said about the robust wireless capabilities of the PSP. Easy to setup, clearly capable on a wireless network, nearly every game contains some form of built-in wireless feature. The PSP can surf the Web on the fly, powered by a surprisingly solid browser.
Available titles (movies and games) for the PSP blows away the DS selection. It's akin to having a PS2's library at 1/3rd less the cost in most instances. As a sports/adventure gamer, this is THE system when you're looking for a new title to add to a collection.
Finally for those pondering which of the PSP 'Packs' to pick up (even with the recent, discounted Core System), I highly recommend the Entertainment Pack's heftier price point versus more bare bones and/or used options. A decent memory stick will diminish the $50 in savings the base pack offers, plus the Entertainment Pack is equipped with a surprisingly good game (ATV Racing) and movie ('Lords of Dogtown'). Both are literally out of the box proof of the potency of the PSP.
Still, the PSP is not perfect. The gorgeous screen alluded to above will have dead pixels. (Mine has a trio.) Also, this same screen scratches very easily. I strongly suggest a $10 screen guard + $20 system case at time of purchase. The former might trap a couple of lint particles when applying it, but it beats the bejeebuz out of permanent scratches. Ditto on purchasing a case ($10) for the UMD titles. You certainly don't want those getting scratched as well.
Second, those expecting exact ports of PS2 will be disappointed. Due to the limited buttons on the PSP (versus PS2), titles possess subtle reprogramming to compensate. There will always be functionality removed as a result. The biggest question is whether the tradeoff for mobility is a worthy one for each of these games.
Third, battery life is -- at best -- 6 hours. While the lithium recharges quickly, it is not DS quality in time between charges.
In sum: If you're not married to Nintendo-specific titles, the PSP is arguably a superior system across the board to the DS. A more robust system, vast title catalog, 'open' wireless capabilities, and guilty pleasure of having a portable top flight game system make the PSP a winner. Three months in and I'm admittedly playing this more than my Wii.
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