As an RPG-fan, should I buy the PSP or DS

[The Holy Chaotic]

Yeah, I know, I'm talking about the PSP and DS, two old(ish) handhelds that aren't mentioned anymore. I have amazing patience when it comes to waiting out new games and tech (still don't own a PS3 or 360, not planning to, nor am I a PC guy). So I waited a long, long, loooog time for the PSP and DS (not DSi or 3DS) to drop in price so I could pick them up. I love handheld systems, you see.

Also, I'm not really interested in the hardware specs or things like that, nor do I mind download-only games (I'm considering a PSP Go), all I want to know about are the games.

Now, I'm an RPG fan, so I was wondering which handheld offers the better RPG selection? I'm looking up the games on both systems right now, but I want your opinions too.

Lastly, please don't mention Pokemon. That series is not for me.

 

[sir.rutthed]

Prolly PSP is your best bet, but I don't own either. I'm a PC and I'm never wanting for an awesome RPG.

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

PSP. It has more RPGs on it. Final Fantasy Tactics, FF1&2,Tactics Ogre, Star Ocean 1&2 and lots of original RPGs as well.

The DS has a decent amount as well but better of the bunch is on the PSP.

 

[Archleone]

There are some rather good RPG's on the DS such as Radiant Historia and the Chrono Trigger remake; however, I've found there are a lot of PSP RPGs that I've found good as well such as P3P, Tactics Ogre, the Dissidia series, and Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Colelction...so really it's up to you in the end.

 

[MirkoP]

PSP. It has more RPGs on it. Final Fantasy Tactics, FF1&2,Tactics Ogre, Star Ocean 1&2 and lots of original RPGs as well.

The DS has a decent amount as well but better of the bunch is on the PSP.

That's of course a more personalized opinion,but I do have to agree on this completely.DS has some neat RPGs but it does seem the PSP has a richer offer.

 

[krazykidd]

Psp has persona 1,2,3 that should answer your question.

Want more games?

Star ocean 1,2
Final fantasy 1,2 tactics
Valyrie profile

But the Ds has more jrpgs in it's library , but no persona ( although it has strange journey and devil survivor)

 

[The Holy Chaotic]

The Persona games always seem to be hovering around the $30's and up, so I've always been hesitant to buy them.

Another question, does the DS offer a lot of Collectors Edition RPG's (With Soundtracks and stuff)? I love Collectors Editions and I'm willing to shell out more cash for them*

*Not sure if those Persona games were Collectors Editions, now that I think about it.

 

[Archleone]

I've found there's more collectors edition stuff on the PSP. Also get the Persona games...you won't regret it. Trust me, I'm from the internets.

 

[Mr. Omega]

It comes down to how much effort you're willing to put in to looking for them, what your RPG history is (If you played the Persona, a big reason for the PSP goes out the window. If you played the SNES Square games, a big reason for getting a DS goes bye-bye.), how much graphics mean to you, if paying with a touch-screen (you'd be surprised how much this can factor in...) and what could be coming up for their successors.

Some DS recommendations off the top of my head:
Sonic Chronicles (A Sonic RPG. Made by Bioware. Make of that what you will.)
Mario + Luigi Partners in Time/Bowser's Inside Story (If there's any chance to get the original Superstar Saga, get that as well)
Devil Survivor (I can't spell what series this is part of, but it's from the guys who made Persona.)
Strange Journey
The World Ends With You
FF3 (Your mileage may vary. 3 is very much an old NES RPG with a graphics update. In both the best and worst possible ways.)
Chrono Trigger

 

[Rad Party God]

If you're looking speciffically for Shin Megami Tensei games, the PSP has you covered, while the DS only has Strange Journey and Devil Surivivor, although both are awesome IMO.

As for other RPGs in general, well, both are pretty balanced, my biased opinion would point you to the DS, with The World Ends With You, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy IV (the PSP also has FFIV, although the DS version is fully rendered in 3D and it looks like a good PS1 game and the PSP version has reworked 2D sprites), lots of Dragon Quest games (especially IX), it also has Kingdom Hearts games, but I think the PSP versions are a tad bit better. Also, Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, my favorite DS game ever, hilarious story, awesome combat system and amazing graphics that tops almost anything ever seen for the DS.

Also, with such long and great games, you will also need to consider battery life and the DS is king in that department.

But, considering that the PSP also has a good amount of great PS1 classics, the PSP isn't short on RPGs, you can also play Final Fantasy VII, VIII and IX, Vagrant Story (awesome game), Parasite Eve, maybe Chrono Trigger (I dunno if it's available on the PS1 classics yet), Chrono Cross (same, I dunno if it's available yet) and some others.

As I said above, my biased opinion would go towards the DS, but I think the PSP is king in the RPG department.

 

[byterunner]

DS all the way.

Or if you don't mind pirating, get a PSP and then Pirate the DS cause the emulators aren't that bad

 

[NerfedFalcon]

Another question, does the DS offer a lot of Collectors Edition RPG's (With Soundtracks and stuff)? I love Collectors Editions and I'm willing to shell out more cash for them*

*Not sure if those Persona games were Collectors Editions, now that I think about it.

Well, I found Knights in the Nightmare for both PSP and DS, and the DS one was more expensive but came with a soundtrack CD. Does that answer your question?

 

[NerfedFalcon]

FF3 (Your mileage may vary. 3 is very much an old NES RPG with a graphics update. In both the best and worst possible ways.)

I'd say FF4 instead. The characters are established properly instead of being mute, nameless kids (in fact, 4 only has one child in the entire playable character roster), and although it's hard and there's less WRPG-reminiscent freedom (which most people on The Escapist won't buy a game without), I'd still recommend it.

 

[Overlordkain]

I find for RPG's both are fantastic, but I can't get enough of the varied and fantastic selection on the PSP.
If your into Final Fantasy games you have 1,2,4,5,6,7,8,9,Tactics,Dissidia 1-2, Crisis Core all available in one form or another (Digital or UMD). Which as a massive FF fanboy was a huge thing for me, although the DS remake of 4 is truely sublime it is missing alot of the features from the GBA version which made it an even better game, thankfully the PSP version retains these as well as the direct sequel "The After Years".
Others RPG's of various sub genres too (you didn't really specify what you like) include things like Tactics Ogre
Disgaea 1-2
Jeanne D'arc
Kingdom Hearts BBS
The 3rd birthday (Action - RPG elements)
Monster Hunter Freedom 1-2-Unite
Phantasy star 1-2
Star Ocean 1-2
Valkyrie Profile
Metal Gear Ac!d 1-2 (These are close to being turn based tactical Rpg games imo)
White Knight Chronicles Origins
Knights in the Nightmare
Grandia (Ps1 classic)
Persona 1-3
Valhalla Knights 1-2
Untold Legends 1-2
Truth be told, a few of the above games either have a different iteration or is directly ported to/from the DS examples of which can include things like Kingdom Hearts, Final fantasy 4 (Ds has a 3d FF3 too), Disgaea, Persona, you can't really go wrong with either choice, I have both and they both have some decent exclusives but for me the PSP wins out, at least until Nintendo stop dicking around with Fire Emblem and give us a new one.

 

[Slvrwolfen]

Just like the rest here, I would have to lean you towards the PSP. There's just that much more variety, some games share platforms, and you can not ignore PlayStation's back catalog through PSN Store.

Also, the variety in RPGs on the PSP is greatly higher, ranging from Final Fantasy I, Kingdom Hearts, Phantasy Star Portable, Persona, Valkyrie Profile, Disgaea, Breath of Fire III (!)..

There's classic RPG, western RPG, JRPG, Turn-Based Strategy RPGs, action RPGs, and so on and so on.

 

[zombie711]

Ds

It has
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass - Nintendo DS

Final Fantasy III (2006)

\ Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time -

Pokemon: Diamond Version -

Pokemon: Pearl Version -
Twin game of Pokemon Diamond. Only difference between the two is a different of unique pokemons you can catch.
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings -

The World Ends With You (best ds game)
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team -

Contact -

Children of Mana -

Final Fantasy IV -

.Chrono Trigger (2008)

Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Ri... -

Rune Factory: A Fantasy Harvest Moon -

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fa... -

Lunar: Dragon Song // Lunar: Genesis -

Lunar Knights: Vampire Hunters -

Etrian Odyssey -

Lost Magic -

Pokemon Ranger - DS

Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard -

Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja -

Summon Night: Twin Age -

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkne... -

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker -

Luminous Arc -

Magical Starsign -

Dungeon Explorer: Warrior of Ancient Arts -

Orcs & Elves -

Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen (2008)

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time -

. Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood -

Deep Labyrinth -

Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja Returns -

Mega Man Battle Network 5: Double Team -

Tao's Adventure: Curse of the Demon Seal -

Mystery Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer -

Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia -

Digimon World: Dusk -

Fullmetal Alchemist: Dual Sympathy -

Bomberman Story DS -

From The Abyss -

Digimon World: Dawn -

Spectrobes -

Luminous Arc 2 -

Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon - DS

Digimon World DS -

Inuyasha: Secret of the Divine Jewel -

Mega Man StarForce: Pegasus -

Mega Man StarForce: Leo -
Kindgom hearts Re:coded
Kingdom hearts 358/2 days
. Mega Man Starforce: Dragon -

Away: Shuffle Dungeon -

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor -

Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals -

. Mega Man StarForce 2: Zerker x Ninja -

Mega Man StarForce 2: Zerker x Saurian -

Fossil League: Dino Tournament Championship -

My World My Way -

Legacy of Ys: Books I & II
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon -
Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride (
Blue Dragon Plus -
Avalon Code -
The Dark Spire -
Black Sigil: Blade of the Exiled -
Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume -
Suikoden Tierkreis -
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Ski... -
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of ... -
Phantasy Star Zero -
Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days - Nintendo DS
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story -
Hero's Saga: Laevatein Tactics -
Nostalgia -

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes (2009)

Pokemon: Platinum Version - Nintendo DS
Mario and Luigi: Bowser's inside story
Dragon quest 9
godlen sun
A bunch of Harvest moon games
Three castlevania games

 

[danintexas]

I own both the DS and PSP. Mainly for the RPGs. I love both systems. But if I could only have 1 - the Disgaea series + Lunar = PSP all the way

 

[EvilPicnic]

To be honest, I'm quite happy sticking with my GBA at the moment. Pretty much every decent RPG from the SNES got ported to it, and I haven't run out of games yet!

 

[Overlordkain]

Yea, actually something I completely neglected to mention but has been said above, if you decide on the psp route AVOID the PSPGO, sure it looks nice but the less than satisfactory line up of available (and heavily overpriced) digital game versions is a real kick in the teeth when you can pick up the UMD versions from places like amazon for less than 10 quid, get yourself a psp-3000 (If you don't care about CFW) and a large capacity memory stick and you are golden, enough space for all your installs, PS1 classics and game save data you will need. Oh, and as also mentioned about, the control scheme for ps1 classics is not too bad, especially for pre-analog control games, the analog nub on the PSP acts as the L2 and R2 button just by simply being pressed left or right, If it were for ps2 games it would be problematic, but for PS1 games where most of the time the entire controller set of buttons was not even fully utilized it really is not, that and if the L2 and R2 were used to work the camera in said games, using the nub is actually extremely natural.