Topic: To DS, or PSP? That, Is The Question...

[Havatchu]

I don't care about a 3DS or PSP Vita at the moment, perhaps I will consider purchasing one of those later, I don't know but if I do I can assume both will be backwards compatible at least to the previous system.

Here is my simple question.

I prefer action/adventure sidescrollers and RPGs, which system has more of both, the DS, or the PSP?

Not only this but I'm finding myself gravitating towards Ys and Shin Megami Tensei games, as well as Metal Slug and Dark Spire.

Shmups would also be a plus now that I think of it.

List of games for the DS/3DS that have caught my eye

Tensi: Strange Journey
Tensei: Devil Survivor
Dark Spire
ZX
ZXA
Dawn of Sorrow
Ecclesia
Portrait of Ruin
Mirror of Fate (looking more like a game I will just watch a speed run of later instead of buying)
Etrian Odyysea II
Ninja Gaiden
Shinobi
Luminous Arc
Ys Books I &II

PSP/PSPVita

Metal Slug 7
Metal Slug XX
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Tactices Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Valkyrie Profile
Every other Ys game for a portable including Books I&II


This is only after browsing gamestop for a few minutes, so this is of course not final, but I'm obviously leaning more towards DS at this point, but damnit if Tactics Ogre and Valkyrie Profile don't make me want a PSP

This isn't so much me asking what games are on both systems, as much as asking you guys for more games to look into so that I can possibly make a halfway decent decision.

It appears the DS has only Tensei: Strange Journey and Devil Survirvor, but the PSP has mostly Persona remakes/ports whatevers.

A previous poster mentioned some Fire Emblem games, which I've never played, but I'm not opposed to trying.

[Phoenix7786]

I bought the original PSP over the original DS years ago when they first came out and to this day I have never stopped regretting it. At least back then, the PSP had very few original games that were exclusive and many games that were just watered-down ports. In fact, I only bought a PSP for Twisted Metal: Head-on (which became a remastered PS2 port with bonus features). I think Patapatapon and the Metal Gear: Ac!d series were the only true exclusives that were good, as well as DXC.

In this current day and age, I have no idea if the PSP is still as lackluster as it was back then, so I can't be of any more help

[X]

I got both systems. Unlike "to Be or not to Be" there is no impossibility of doing both. The PSP and the DS have their set games that are only available on either system. So for me I bought both systems and now I don't have to worry about what games come out for which system.

[Havatchu]

I got both systems. Unlike "to Be or not to Be" there is no impossibility of doing both. The PSP and the DS have their set games that are only available on either system. So for me I bought both systems and now I don't have to worry about what games come out for which system.

But they're expensive...which is why I asked between one or the other...

I'm not saying it's impossible for me to have both in the future, but I'm trying to at least figure out which one I want first.

[e105beta]

The DS has the PSP beat in terms of side-scrollers.

Hands down.
No contest.
Case-closed.
Next customer, please.

As for RPGs, it's a matter of tastes. Most of the best RPGs in the PSP library are ports, like Final Fantasy Tactics, Disgaea, Tactics Ogre, Star Ocean, Lunar, Persona, and Tales of Eternia. Aside from that, there's really only Monster Hunter, FF7: Crisis Core, KH: BBS, and Jeanne D'arc. Phantasy Star Portable games if you consider those RPGs. It gets a little scant. You can, however, buy a few PSX games on the online store, so that can alleviate the problem somewhat.

The DS, on the other hand, not only has the entirety of the GBA library at its disposal, with games like Golden Sun, Fire Emblem, Megaman Battle Network, and Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, but it has a very strong primary library as well. It has some ports, like Chrono Trigger, and some remakes, like the Final Fantasy games or Dragon Quest, but it also has a lot of original titles, like Mario & Luigi: Inside Story, Radiant Historia, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, Final Fantasy Tactics 2, Etrian Odyssey, Luminous Arc, and The World Ends With You. There's a ton more, but those are the highlights

[Havatchu]

Yeah, I'm pretty much just going to go for the cheapest DS I can find now.

There are some PSP games I really want, but ultimately, both systems have at least have a little bit of most of the franchises I mentioned.

[Ratty]

Yeah, I'm pretty much just going to go for the cheapest DS I can find now.

There are some PSP games I really want, but ultimately, both systems have at least have a little bit of most of the franchises I mentioned.

If you want to play GBA games get a DSlite (you don't want an original DS, the screen is smaller and the design is bulkier) the later DSi models took out the GBA port. Though if you're a big fan of the gameboy game line I recommend just getting a gamecube with the gameboy player, or a GBA SP so you can play original gameboy/color games as well since you can't on the DS. The DS library is full of interesting and unique games that came out just before the mobile phone market stole away most of these mid to small level developers. The PSP was always more about "Whoa holy shit full 3D in a handheld with kinda sorta PS2 graphics check it out!" and no right analog stick.

If you're looking for a good schmup on the DS you might want to check out Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Another good shmup on the DS is Nanostray (and its sequel Nanostray 2).

I guess the question is more like "Which should I get first?".
You should get the DS first.  The game library is just a hell of a lot bigger with more options.
The PSP has better graphics and a larger screen, but to be honest, the game library is just not as extensive.  I own both, and my DSLite (my preferred choice for DS and GBA gaming) gets played daily, while the PSP is collecting dust on my shelf.  However, the DSLite doesn't have a DSWare shop (which is why I do my DSWare gaming on my 3DS).

[knightmere]

MY PSP gets played more, but that is mostly because of homebrew emulators. 

[Lorde_Grog]

I have recently learned that the PSP is a powerhouse in comparison to the DS, and we have several PSPs that have been 'altered' (dunno if I'm permitted to elaborate here?) to do/play pretty much anything.
Oddly, though, wifey and I both tend to favour the DSs....go figure.  We have several different models, and even go so far as to set their colours and 'name' them, heh.  (We also have the AceKards, but again, not sure if such things are taboo here?)

Dunno why I'm such a mule about it; the PSP is vastly supreme in nearly every way.
Hell, I'd almost rather have a nice GBA SP in baby blue/pink in a 'desert island scenario'. 

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

It's probably the games.
Yeah the PSP has more power under the hood than the DS, but none of that has really mattered outside of the MonsterHunter-verse.

You can talk about devices you may have, but you cannot put links to ROMs or ISOs.
I talk about my softmodded Wii, and I'm admin here.

[Aridale]

Monster Hunter is reason enough all by itself to get a psp of some kind. Not to mention how easy it is to flash with cfw and then you can just emulate any system you wanna play besides DS on it. If you simply MUST have DS games on the go then get a 3ds and be gtg for the next couple years or so... if not theres always your PC

[PFG9000]

Both of them are awesome enough that you would probably be happy with either one.  I have both, and I probably play my DS more, but there's plenty of great stuff on the PSP.  I'm not into RPGs, so I can't help you there.  But there are a lot of great sidescrollers on the DS.  PSP is really just a portable PS2, though slightly less powerful.

[Bloodreign]

I play my PSP more, it has Gradius and Parodius, even though I play those more on consoles. My DS is used for UMK 3 on it, haven't played online against anyone in awhile on it though, other than that it gets used more for GBA games and the occasional Kirby's Squeak Squad.

I am aware the first Gradius is on DS (reskinned Nemesis western rom though), via Konami Arcade Classics, yes I own it and yes I do play it from time to time as well.

[Lelygax]

Pick a DS, there's a plenty of good games, even your personal list that you posted tends to a DS, so atleast for me it sounds more logical to give priority to a system that have more games that you like first, but if you are into emus, PSP is the choice