Why do people like the Nintendo DS?
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PSP, but that's not the world we live in. Idealism will get you nowhere in this life.TheBobmus said:
Personally, I hate all touchscreens with the burning fire of a thousand suns... but my DS allowed me to play an updated remake of Final Fantasy IV, so I forgive it.
I had both a DS and PSP and overall I greatly preferred my DS. As many others have pointed out, it a lot of great games on it. As it stands, The World Ends With You is actually one of my favorite games ever.
More than that though, I felt it was just better designed. While it wasn't as powerful as the PSP, I felt it made better use of what it had. Little to no loading times, longer battery life, quieter run time, as well as small easy to change and carry cartridges as opposed to the larger UMD discs and memory cards. All of which are much more important for a device you're primarily going to use on the go. I personally liked the clam shell design because I think it helped protect the screen when not in use.
So overall both were good systems. To me though, the DS just performed better where it really counted.
More than that though, I felt it was just better designed. While it wasn't as powerful as the PSP, I felt it made better use of what it had. Little to no loading times, longer battery life, quieter run time, as well as small easy to change and carry cartridges as opposed to the larger UMD discs and memory cards. All of which are much more important for a device you're primarily going to use on the go. I personally liked the clam shell design because I think it helped protect the screen when not in use.
So overall both were good systems. To me though, the DS just performed better where it really counted.
Sure I prefer the GBA design but there are times with the DS touch screen stylist is imperative to the gameplay like e.g. Professor Layton, Hotel Dusk and Wario Ware etc. Sure these days some games use it for lame gimmick manners but the other rest does make good use of it.
The original DS was a great system. Integrating a touch screen into regular gameplay was a great step forward, as it allowed for smoother gameplay. Most importantly, it quickly became properly integrated into a wide number of games, making it more than just a gimmick (unlike the 3D, for example). While the lack of analog sticks was disappointing, remember at the time no handhelds had analog sticks, when the PSP was announced the DS had already entered production, and let's be honest, the PSP only had the one stick, which was a massive letdown.
The 3DS, on the other hand, is an entirely different question. They really dropped the ball with 2 key factors. The first is that the 3D is just a gimmick, it adds nothing to gameplay, and if anything it makes it worse. The second is that they dropped the ball when it comes to the second analog stick. If they paid attention to their competition, they would have known that the lack of a second stick was one of the biggest criticisms of the PSP's design. The fact that they released whatever that circle pad thingy is is a sign of this. Hopefully when they release the 4DS (which will let you see in 4 dimensions) they will get their act together again. I'm not saying the 3DS is a bad system, but it reeks of poor design choices and missed opportunities.
The 3DS, on the other hand, is an entirely different question. They really dropped the ball with 2 key factors. The first is that the 3D is just a gimmick, it adds nothing to gameplay, and if anything it makes it worse. The second is that they dropped the ball when it comes to the second analog stick. If they paid attention to their competition, they would have known that the lack of a second stick was one of the biggest criticisms of the PSP's design. The fact that they released whatever that circle pad thingy is is a sign of this. Hopefully when they release the 4DS (which will let you see in 4 dimensions) they will get their act together again. I'm not saying the 3DS is a bad system, but it reeks of poor design choices and missed opportunities.
Technically, yes. The game was re-translated to make more sense. Unfortunately this caused Frog to stop speaking in his butchered old English. They also added some new content to try and tie the game into Chrono Cross, but the general consensus is that it royally screws with the original story since it all but states that Lavos never dies and Dalton causes the fall of Guardia. The new dungeons do give you some game-breaking gear though.Capitano Segnaposto said:
What.TheBobmus said:
I would pick a DS over a PSP any day. The PSP is the system that causes hand cramps for me. It's incredibly hard to hold, you can't play it while laying down without worrying about a sudden hand cramp that could cause it to fall onto your face, it's just irritating as hell to use. I WILL endure it though, because Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep is worth it. That's the only reason I'm using the PSP.
That's what I use it for, really. Couldn't care less about the touch screen (or the fact there's two screens), but it does have some fun games.TheBobmus said:
I often prefer consoles to handhelds due to being able to play on a larger screen. I don't really travel enough to make a handheld's portability useful. I kind of agree the design is kind of awkward and I'm not too fond of stylus controls which I also find awkward. The 2 screen setup can be useful at times. Perhaps one showing a map or character stats or something and the other having the actual gameplay. It makes it more convenient than opening a menu every time.
The main reason I have one is there is quite a bit of exclusive DS games that I really enjoyed.
The main reason I have one is there is quite a bit of exclusive DS games that I really enjoyed.
I'm with the folks who say it's largely about the games themselves. Lots of good stuff for the DS, and I'll be getting a 3DS soon so I can get the new Rune Factory and Harvest Moon games when they come out.
Could the design be better? Maybe. But I've played with the DS a lot and have never thought, "Gee, I wish this was a different shape." And I never balked on buying it because of what it looked like. It fits in the hand well, and I like that it closes up because I feel like the controls are protected when I'm carrying it around (plus the suspend on close function).
There are specific games that are not designed well for the controls--I can't remember the name of the game, but I remember one game where I was sort of struggling to press buttons and use the stylus at the same time -- but that's more about bad design than bad controls. Most games use the controls well, and the ones that use the touch screen well do it to great effect (physics games where you draw in the various apparatus you want to make things work properly come to mind). I especially like the games that play with ALL the features, like the microphone and such (read the article on this site called "Rub, Wiggle, and Blow" IIRC for more on innovations used in DS gameplay).
I guess they could come up theoretically with a better design but on the other hand, I've never felt awkward using it or ever felt like it was a bad thing to play on, so why fix what isn't broken?
And I definitely wouldn't want it to look like the picture of the Gameboy in the OP. That looks less portable because you can't close it and it doesn't fit into a pocket or pouch as easily as the nice smooth rectangle the DS is, and I'd miss having 2 screens.
Could the design be better? Maybe. But I've played with the DS a lot and have never thought, "Gee, I wish this was a different shape." And I never balked on buying it because of what it looked like. It fits in the hand well, and I like that it closes up because I feel like the controls are protected when I'm carrying it around (plus the suspend on close function).
There are specific games that are not designed well for the controls--I can't remember the name of the game, but I remember one game where I was sort of struggling to press buttons and use the stylus at the same time -- but that's more about bad design than bad controls. Most games use the controls well, and the ones that use the touch screen well do it to great effect (physics games where you draw in the various apparatus you want to make things work properly come to mind). I especially like the games that play with ALL the features, like the microphone and such (read the article on this site called "Rub, Wiggle, and Blow" IIRC for more on innovations used in DS gameplay).
I guess they could come up theoretically with a better design but on the other hand, I've never felt awkward using it or ever felt like it was a bad thing to play on, so why fix what isn't broken?
And I definitely wouldn't want it to look like the picture of the Gameboy in the OP. That looks less portable because you can't close it and it doesn't fit into a pocket or pouch as easily as the nice smooth rectangle the DS is, and I'd miss having 2 screens.
Solution to that use your fingers.TheBobmus said:
Yes that's what I said use your most useful tool.
I had a screen protector so no worries.
Well, I still have the original, huge DS, even after all this time. I prefer its design to the DSi.
Love that design, and it's incredibly durable. My DS has taken a few floor falls over its lifespan, and it still keeps on keepin' on.
Plus it had (has, I think they're still making games for it) a very very expansive library. They have games for all tastes.
Love that design, and it's incredibly durable. My DS has taken a few floor falls over its lifespan, and it still keeps on keepin' on.
Plus it had (has, I think they're still making games for it) a very very expansive library. They have games for all tastes.
I don't own a DS, but I've played quite a bit on one I borrowed from my friend.
I cannot enjoy its design.
Even when not using the stylus, the thing just doesn't sit well in my hands.
After extended play, it feels like I've got a severe case of carpal tunnel syndrome in my hands.
Whereas I'll only be somewhat uncomfortable after the same amount of time spent on my GBA or PSP.
I cannot enjoy its design.
Even when not using the stylus, the thing just doesn't sit well in my hands.
After extended play, it feels like I've got a severe case of carpal tunnel syndrome in my hands.
Whereas I'll only be somewhat uncomfortable after the same amount of time spent on my GBA or PSP.
Other then being able to view inventory and maps without pausing the game as well as games that make the touch screen part of it's main controls, I like the folding design it keeps the screens a lot safer compared to the constantly exposed screen of the PSP, the thing it needs is a dual analog the PSP does have that.
I'd pick the DS over the PSP. Simply because it's a bit smaller and fits in my pocket better. It's pretty fundamental really, the PSP cannot hope to beat non-portable systems except for portability but isn't as portable as I'd like it to be.TheBobmus said:
Also, the PSP screen can get scratched, while the DS screens are safely folded up while you carry them around.
That said, my 3DS screen has gone dark, a problem that is inherent in systems with folding lids, including laptops.