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[Property of Jumpship]

Holy crap, that was the funniest thing I've read on this forum in a long time. Good job.

 

[The Faceless Master]

shoulda kept the 80 gig hdd

 

[shuri]

Why do people compare the DS to the PSP? Didn't Nintendo say that GBA2 will be competing with the PSP?

So when the gba2 comes out, where will the DS stand?

 

[demi]

Got my DS for $110, Mario DS included.

THANKS A LOT, STINKLES.

same here

THANKS A LOT, GUY AT WORK WHO WANTED A PSP BECAUSE I SAID IT WAS SO BETTER WHO'S LAUGHING NOW HUH!?

 

[Matlock]

vaginal herpes?

 

[Dante]

Everytime I try to play the DS at the store Kiosks the touch screens never work. Is this a common occurance?

 

[Ash Housewares]

** WARNING! A HUGE ELITIST -- DRINKY CROW -- IS APPROACHING FAST **

(fanboys, you were warned. Talk about my posting style and NOT the DS and I *will* place my boot in your teenboy asspants and send you packing.)

Anyhow.

No points for a correct guess, motherfuckers; yes, I got a Nintendo DS. One of my co-workers traded me his for an old Seagate 80 GB HD and a PCI GeForce FX 5200.

Man, WHAT THE FUCK. You thought I mocked this thing before? Now that I've put some play time in Super Mario 64 DS (I couldn't be bothered to take Fellate the Magic or Wario Ware -- he can keep that shit), I can NOT believe what a chintzy, cheap-ass piece of dimestore crap this thing is. It FEELS like it came out of some damn UFO catcher unit -- and it doesn't help that the unit he gave me is scratched to fuck. I'm feelin' ripped off.

Shoulda known better when he became a little too chipper when I agreed. He's putting together a machine for his wife and got really excited when I said "fuck, alright, I wanted to play Castlevania and Advance Wars anyhow" instead of alternatively asking for, I dunno, sixty bucks or something. He couldn't foist the games on me fast enough.

OWNED.

First, my few positives:
+ GBA games do in fact look nice and colorful on the screen. That's actually a pretty big plus.
+ D-pad is a little bigger than the GBA's, and the shoulder buttons feel alright.
+ uh, shit, I thought I had another plus. I don't.

Negatives:
- JEEZUS CHRIST THE 3D IS AN ABOMINATION TO MY EYES. Mario 64 looks like a pixellated, noisy mess -- and I hafta play as fucking Yoshi to start? WHAT THE HELL.
- JEEZUS CHRIST THE TOUCH PAD SUCKS. You really gotta press on that beast. My Pocket PC is so much more sensitive and responsive it isn't even funny.
- JEEZUS CHRIST THE WHOLE THING FEELS CHEAP. The plastic case scratches as bad as my PSP screen, the thing is cumbersome as hell, and it's just. So. Damn. Ugly.
- JEEZUS CHRIST DO NOT PLAY A PSP BEFORE YOU CONSIDER A DS. Ghosting issues on the 60 fps PSP games aside, the DS seems like a frickin' relic in comparison, and without any of the quaintness that might make it palatable to a certain breed of gaming dork.

The thing actually makes me wanna play my GBA SP despite the "superior" screen quality afforded by the DS just because the SP seems so tiny and elegant now. Y'know, I'm going to refuse to compare the DS to the PSP, not because the comparison is unfair, but because the PSP is something so significantly superior that the entire idea of comparing the two becomes disingenuous and pointless, like comparing a sports car to, I dunno, a rickshaw pulled by a retarded kid.

Anyway, while I waited for the good folks at Canyon Park Goodyear to put new tires/brakes on my wife's car, I meandered down to GameCrazy to see what else was available for the DS. I tried to enlist the assistance of the clerk, who just laughed at me. He mentioned that they had seven used DS units in stock that were traded in for PSPs, and in the best facsimile of a Nintendo fan that I could muster -- basically a piping feminine chirp mixed with a sort of mincing gestural style -- I informed him that the SONY POOSTATION PORTABLE DID NOT SELL OUT ITS FIRST MILLION UNITS SO HAW HAW. Much to my feigned horror, he didn't seem to care in the slightest, and with the nonchalance of a man used to the mental titanship of the average Nintendo fan, he informed me that I might consider Zookeeper which had just dropped in price to $30 -- not bad for a game you can find for FREE on most Flash-gaming web sites in a marginally less portable form.

"I don't like puzzle games or mini-game compilations!" I squeaked.

"Yer fucked," he observed to some point just past my head, probably the massive wall of Gamecube used games.

"Wanna Picto-Chat?" I asked. "You can be Luigi and I'll be Mario and we can create a sort of collaborative emergent game experience from just our imaginations!"

"Get the fuck out of my store," he said politely.

So much for trying to use fandom in lieu of common sense. Now I'm REALLY stuck with a shitty piece of scratched silver plastic and no cognitive dissonance to make it palatable until Castlevania or Advance Wars shows up. I watched some of the Kirby movies, and admittedly, I felt a LITTLE less of the bone-aching, soul-smothering ennui that overcomes me when I see the pictures of Jak Team Racing or Ratchet and Clank's Genre Miscegenation 2005. But not MUCH more. Not much more at all.

So seriously: WHAT THE FUCK. I mean, I'm embarrassed that I gave a few of you dopes enough credence that I actually ACCEPTED the DS -- what I got for my iota of trust was an ugly, lumpy Gameboy Advance with backlighting. I refuse to consider its 3D abilities relevant, because I hope to never play another piece of 3D content on it EVER. When it isn't a GBA, the thing is actually UNPLEASANT to play. This thing couldn't be more misengineered if Tiger Electronics had hired Diamond Multimedia to make a handheld portable.

And how the hell to they expect me to use a stylus when playing Castlevania. Do I take my right hand off the jump/sword button and grope about for my stylus, then cast it aside whenever the unnecessary little touch task is done with?

now I want one

 

[Shinobi]

Heh, that initial post is ridiculously funny...don't think even Shenmue got this much of Drinky's wrath. Still, you got what you deserved...getting something you know you're gonna hate anyway is simply insanity.

AHAHAHAHAHAHA! I'd never buy that worthless retarded POS system even if it was new!





*please don't ban me.

:lol

Why do people compare the DS to the PSP? Didn't Nintendo say that GBA2 will be competing with the PSP?

So you're okay with Nintendo releasing three different portables in seven years? Isn't that the sort of shit Sega was grilled for? Or MS with their "quick" release for XBox 2?

The most aggrivating thing about the DS is that there was speculation regarding a portable Gamecube being conjured up the last couple of years. And instead of releasing something like that, they drop a sub-N64 level portable instead. It's like the ultimate cocktease. And now they're talking about releasing something to combat the PSP...er, why didn't they just do that from the start? It isn't like GBA was slowing down sales wise. They could've ridden off that for another year or two...no one would've been down on GBA being old tech cause it's been on the market for four or five years now.

I just don't get the rationale behind DS, or why Nintendo couldn't have just let GBA sell for a couple more years while releasing a far more powerful version of the unit down the road. And yeah sure, DS is selling fine now...but how long is that gonna last?

 

[gblues]

Y'know, I'm going to refuse to compare the DS to the PSP, not because the comparison is unfair, but because the PSP is something so significantly superior that the entire idea of comparing the two becomes disingenuous and pointless, like comparing a sports car to, I dunno, a rickshaw pulled by a retarded kid.

 

[PkunkFury]

http://www.hcn.zaq.ne.jp/cabic508/rsf/frame1.html

Pretty cool link I found at another forum. It’s very long though.

Wow, that was absolutely hilarious! I hope this has its own thread somewhere.

Summoning The Man in Green. XBOX casting live, and being so heavy it will take 3 years to sell. N64 and GameCube as Edgar and Sabin flipping a coin to decide on disks or cartridges, Game Gear eating up batteries to stay alive, GB casting backwards compatibility on GBA,

The jokes were so well thought out and the animation was huge, this is the best videogame flash evar

 

[Spencerr]

JEEZUS CHRIST THE TOUCH PAD SUCKS. You really gotta press on that beast. My Pocket PC is so much more sensitive and responsive it isn't even funny.

Really? Maybe your buddy just really screwed you, I feel like I'm gliding slightly over mine sometimes, it's pretty damn sensitive.

 

[pilonv1]

"Wanna Picto-Chat?" I asked. "You can be Luigi and I'll be Mario and we can create a sort of collaborative emergent game experience from just our imaginations!"

:lol :lol :lol So awesome.

 

[Belfast]

After the total disappointment that was Yoshi Touch & Go, Kirby better fucking pull through. This is not to mention the disjunct between the top and bottom screens (and I'm talking about the physical GAP and angle discrepancy between the two) constantly bothers me. Thankfully I'm mostly playing these games on a DS my close friend got for Xmas, so I haven't paid for any of it, but I certainly wouldn't now.

You know, you people are right, each of these games have "interesting" mechanics, but they aren't "fun" mechanics. OK, will they're fun in the same way as, say, the various timewasters you'd find in the wasteland of an early-90s K-Mart toy aisle. A Hot Shots! Basketball or Stretch Armstrong if you will. The kinds of things kids will get bored with after playing with them once or twice. Oh, they sounded cool, but it would be only a few days before the novelty wore off and you'd go back to your Legos.

The only two DS games I've seen fit to put more than a modicum of my time into have been WW Touched! and Band Brothers. I'm really hoping Kirby, Castlevania, Advance Wars, and SJ Super Stars can lift the DS out of an early grave. Admittedly, both initial offerings of DS and PSP games seem to have been developed in a bit of a hurry and they're a little rough around the edges, but the PSP titles still have some kind of SUBSTANCE to them.

The way I see it, most of the DS games that have come out so far are things people expect themselves to like, so they kid themselves into thinking that a gimmick is something much more, simply on the merit that they feel they need to like it or they're betraying Nintendo. If Kirby turns out to be another 2-hour, simplistic romp, I don't think I'll have much hope left for the gray rectangle. At least it actually does seem to make good use of the touch screen.

 

[Ranger X]

Drinky, i've never seen anyone who wants to hate something as much as you want to hate the DS. Pretty powerfull posting here lol.
Too bad their will be a Castlevania on this machine, i'll have to find a way to play through it without buying the machine. What did you suggest the other day? -- yeah like stealing it to a little kid at the mall of something... nice idea!

 

[nitewulf]

drinky, this is dissapointing. yoi know why? cause it's like shooting yourself on the foot.
if you like castlevania, you should buy it when castlevania comes out.
why would you buy this damn thing now?
come on.

 

[Amir0x]

Close, in as much as "yes" is close to "no" in a completely binary system.

:lol

Another golden thread of near blackhole-level allure, but you didn't suck as many people in this time Drinky. Maybe it's late, or maybe you're losing your steam. Either way, good work because that was another genuinely funny post.

I would reccomend making the title more argumentative to draw some more people out, just in case they're not familiar with Drinky Cow Hotbed Method (TM).

Racing games are similar to mini games in the way that the playtime is short, alot of the times reaction\memorization is required and score is what matters most. the only real difference is that racing games have the whole sense of speed and excitement thing.

I can't believe you just said "racing games are similar to mini games" in any way.

 

[MarkMacD]

Don't we get into this topic enough with every single nugget of news/game impression thread for either system without visiting it again every time someone buys one?

 

[Robert-GCA]

The touch screen could definitely be more sensitive. You don't notice it in games like Mario 64, of course, since the stylus hardly ever leaves the screen. But in games where you have to frequently tap and drag, like Meteos, the problem is noticeable.

My other problem with the touch screen, on the technical side of things, is that it has a visible grid layer that makes it look less sharp than the upper screen.

I've beat the hell out of my DS screen with Mario 64 and its mini-games, Wario Ware, Feel The Magic, Mr. Driller 2, and Polarium and its just as sensitive as day 1.

I have no idea how people kill their screens from normal use. Playing with a knife or something?

 

[Slayven]

Drinky likes One Piece. A man that enjoys one piece can do no wrong.

 

[tralfazz]

Everytime I try to play the DS at the store Kiosks the touch screens never work. Is this a common occurance?

Every demo unit I've played (approx. 6) has had this problem. The units won't let me get past the left-right hand choice in wario ware. Is this a mini-game as well?

I was gung-ho on the DS until all potential games I wanted got pushed back until late this year. So I got a PSP instead, and I'm pretty sure I won't buy a DS now. I'm definately starting to suffer from Nintendo taste loss.

 

[Chrono]

I'm looking forward to another thread like this one when Nintendo reveals Link will morph into a wolf in the next Zelda.

 

[sprsk]

I can't believe you just said "racing games are similar to mini games" in any way.

thats right i said it.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

I can understand why many people prefer the PSP. But when I'm playing a game on the DS, I rarely say to myself "Man, I wish I could get rid of the microphone, touch screen, GBA port, flip top, center of d-pad, $100, and a few hours of battery life. I could then have loading time and significantly better graphics!"

Everytime I try to play the DS at the store Kiosks the touch screens never work. Is this a common occurance?

As I said before, "Wal-Mart"ed touch screens are a whole different beast. Similarly I've seen GCN controller sticks that can rotate 360 degrees, and Dual Shock controllers with both analog sticks missing. Hardly common occurrences in a sane setting.

 

[JackFrost2012]

When I'm playing a game on the DS, I rarely say to myself "Man, I wish I could get rid of the microphone, touch screen, GBA port, flip top, center of d-pad, $100, and a few hours of battery life. I could then have loading time and significantly better graphics!"

So you're talking to yourself less often these days? I'm glad the therapy is working.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Not as much as I might hope.

Eliza: Hello. I am ELIZA. How can I help you?
You: I feel like my portable gaming system is inadequate.
Eliza: Why do you say your portable gaming system is inadequate?
You: It has 1996 graphics... rather than 1999!
Eliza: Please go on.
You: Sure, I could enjoy all the unique features, continued compatibility with tons of awesome GBA games, lack of loading time, and just wait for the better graphics to come in a few years as they necessarily must at a much nicer price... but why? My peers laugh at me.
Eliza: Why do you say your peers laugh at you?
You: That's the impression I get from "rickshaw pulled by a retarded kid."
Eliza: Can you elaborate on that?

 

[Jacobi]

You like One Piece ? LOL.

 

[mrklaw]

I like my DS for making GBA games look great, and for introducing my dad to zookeeper which he will now go and play on the web for free.


But Drinky, you say that GBA games on DS is a big plus. Which makes me think you likes the GBA. In which case, its good you have a DS, because I imagine Nintendo will move all their flagship franchises over, effectively fucking you over if you want to stick with a GBA.

So its good really. Just think of it as a fat-ass GBA for your next advance wars fix.

 

[Slo]

:lol :lol @ the whole thread.

 

[Revolver]

Everytime I try to play the DS at the store Kiosks the touch screens never work. Is this a common occurance?

Same here. Though I don't know if it's the quality of the screen or the amount of abuse they suffer. The other day I watched as some kid armed with a stylus gleefully reenacted the shower scene from Psycho against a defenseless kiosk touch screen.

 

[Belfast]

Drinky likes One Piece. A man that enjoys one piece can do no wrong.

And a Junior Member finally says something worthwhile!

 

[Jared Goodwin]

So guess that Drinky got

The clap?

Next time...

 

[Argyle]

...yesterday I went to Fry's to pick up Mercury, and I noticed that Advance Guardian Heroes was $20...so I couldn't resist.

I hadn't fired up my DS in months but damn. I forgot how small the screens are (especially in SS mode) and how crappy the buttons are...cool game but kind of a bummer that the sequel is on weaker hardware than the original

 

[AssMan]

So when the gba2 comes out, where will the DS stand?

3rd pillar?

 

[Catchpenny]

Shit, we're less than six months into the lifespan of this thing and you've already done the I CAN'T BELIEVE I OWN THIS PIECE OF SHIT IT'S EVEN WORSE THAN I THOUGHT post?

It's going to be a long, hard, dreary few years of Drinky DS troll threads.

 

[JasoNsider]

Sucks to be you, Drinky. You just made a class A certified mistake. I could have told you way in advance to avoid getting it. It's a system that just isn't made for you, especially in these first months of release. You had it coming, really.

The thing that makes me laugh is how offended you are that some of us like the system, and are very much looking forward to the awesome line-up. My advice is to sell the thing for a couple games. At least they will be something you enjoy.

 

[Drinky Crow]

So it doesn't bug you that the case is homely, cheap, and made of really chintzy plastic? That the 3D is primitive and ugly, and that the 2D is only but marginally better than the GBA? That the resolution is SNES-era? That the second screen is ultimately pointless? That the entire unit feels slipshod and hastily-engineered, yet cost most of you a hunnerd-fitty plus bucks?

I actually do understand an appreciation for Nintendo's software content, but I can't imagine letting that preference excuse archaic and frankly dysfunctional hardware design. If this unit didn't have Nintendo content and was developed/manufactured by Tiger Electronics (which given how unambitious and cheap it is, doesn't seem all that unlikely), you fanboys couldn't possibly have enough bile in all of your collected livers to spray at it.

I mean, from a gamer's perspective, I feel like I just got a larger, cheaper-feeling, more cumbersome marginal upgrade to the GBA SP (which has perfectly adequate 2D and possibly the best form factor out there for a handheld game platform). And while I can't fathom the desire to play mediocre puzzle games, mini-games, and the digital equivalent of carnival midway entertainment ad nauseum, even on the go, I can still see why some of you might like it. Still, don't you HONESTLY want Nintendo to give you SOMETHING better for your $150? Christ, the difference between it and the PSP is bloody generational -- it just illustrates how stingy and unambitious Nintendo is, at the gamer's expense.

I'm sure I'll enjoy Castlevania and Advance Wars, all the while wondering why they weren't simply put on the GBA SP. Outside of that, the unit is too damned scratched on top to get any sort of return on selling it, although I might be able to get decent trade-in at GameCrazy, regardless.

 

[GIR]

So it doesn't bug you that the case is homely, cheap, and made of really chintzy plastic? That the 3D is primitive and ugly, and that the 2D is only but marginally better than the GBA? That the resolution is SNES-era? That the second screen is ultimately pointless? That the entire unit feels slipshod and hastily-engineered, yet cost most of you a hunnerd-fitty plus bucks?

I actually do understand an appreciation for Nintendo's software content, but I can't imagine letting that preference excuse archaic and frankly dysfunctional hardware design. If this unit didn't have Nintendo content and was developed/manufactured by Tiger Electronics (which given how unambitious and cheap it is, doesn't seem all that unlikely), you fanboys couldn't possibly have enough bile in all of your collected livers to spray at it.

I mean, from a gamer's perspective, I feel like I just got a larger, cheaper-feeling, more cumbersome marginal upgrade to the GBA SP (which has perfectly adequate 2D and possibly the best form factor out there for a handheld game platform). And while I can't fathom the desire to play mediocre puzzle games, mini-games, and the digital equivalent of carnival midway entertainment ad nauseum, even on the go, I can still see why some of you might like it. Still, don't you HONESTLY want Nintendo to give you SOMETHING better for your $150? Christ, the difference between it and the PSP is bloody generational -- it just illustrates how stingy and unambitious Nintendo is, at the gamer's expense.

I'm sure I'll enjoy Castlevania and Advance Wars, all the while wondering why they weren't simply put on the GBA SP. Outside of that, the unit is too damned scratched on top to get any sort of return on selling it, although I might be able to get decent trade-in at GameCrazy, regardless.

jeez, what a drama queen, and this is from a guy that says he's NOT passionate about videogaming.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

So it doesn't bug you that the case is homely, cheap, and made of really chintzy plastic? That the 3D is primitive and ugly, and that the 2D is only but marginally better than the GBA? That the resolution is SNES-era? That the second screen is ultimately pointless? That the entire unit feels slipshod and hastily-engineered, yet cost most of you a hunnerd-fitty plus bucks?

it reall doesn't bug me, actually I think the DS feels quite weighty and solid, I don't think it looks bad (I've never even seen a PSP, but by itself, the DS really doesn't look "POOR") I've only played mario 64 and metroid hunters for the 3d stuff, which I think look fine (although I prefer 2d stuff on handheld).

Oh and the unit cost me 250 bucks + 80 for 1 game in NZD which works out to 236.451 of your US bucks and I'm still OK with it. Although I would like a few more titles now that I have beat mario and given Yoshi a pretty good hammering. Looking out for Kirby now.

As for the second screen, Yoshi made fairly decent use of it, want to see something "absolutely killer" for it yet though.

 

[JasoNsider]

The thing that matters most to me right now is the line-up for PSP and DS. Frankly, I find the PSP's lineup to be pretty bare at the moment. I'll get one if I see some games on the release list that will make the purchase worthwhile. DS has Animal Crossing, CastleVania, Mario Kart, Advance Wars, Kirby, Four Swords, Crystal Chronicles, etc. The fact that many of these games are going online makes the deal even sweeter.

Hell, if I had judged the PS2 by it's launch window games I would have given it a complete thumbs down. Nothing special to me, really. The DS is in the same period now, and in my eyes, so is the PSP.

You should just move on though, man. Lots of games on the DS are not going to jive with your views on game design. But no amount of kicking or screaming will make someone like myself forget the great line-up.

 

[Red Scarlet]

Well, Drinky, you got what you paid for. I'm hoping that when the 1 game I want for this thing (FF3) comes out, the DS is <$100. Like Belfast posted, that's what the DS stuff is, a gimmick that gets old fast. Virtual Boy 2.

And also, Game Boy Player > DS for playing GBA games.

As many topics you make on the DS, Drinky, I'll read and enjoy them all. :lol

 

[TheTurtleTitan]

DS has Animal Crossing

This alone is worth keeping the DS, Drinky.

 

[Amir0x]

This alone is worth keeping the DS, Drinky.

*holds breath*

*releases breath*

Ok, that passed. I...won't...do...it...

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

So it doesn't bug you that the case is homely, cheap, and made of really chintzy plastic?

It's... video game plastic. Kinda used to it by now.

That the 3D is primitive and ugly, and that the 2D is only but marginally better than the GBA?

No, not really. Still being impressed by sprite-based GBA games, and the DS is a clear step up from that.

That the resolution is SNES-era?

Being an effective 256x384, it's better than most PS1/N64 games.

That the second screen is ultimately pointless?

Disagree for reasons stated repeatedly: for a flip design it makes sense, allows for customized controls with a screen to spare, and so on.

I actually do understand an appreciation for Nintendo's software content, but I can't imagine letting that preference excuse archaic and frankly dysfunctional hardware design. If this unit didn't have Nintendo content and was developed/manufactured by Tiger Electronics (which given how unambitious and cheap it is, doesn't seem all that unlikely), you fanboys couldn't possibly have enough bile in all of your collected livers to spray at it.

Well of course if it wasn't from the people responsible for the hardware and software I like best I'd care significantly less about it.

I mean, from a gamer's perspective, I feel like I just got a larger, cheaper-feeling, more cumbersome marginal upgrade to the GBA SP (which has perfectly adequate 2D and possibly the best form factor out there for a handheld game platform).

Ignoring the negative sounding adjectives, I basically agree. DS is suited for games that will take advantage of its strange features, yet relies heavily on GBA support if you want to play normal games. I just don't see that as a necessarily bad thing.

Still, don't you HONESTLY want Nintendo to give you SOMETHING better for your $150?

For 60% of the price I get 75% the resolution, 90% of the controls + touch and microphone, 130% of the battery life, 10% of the loading, built-in screen protection, and visuals that look about 3 years older if compared to consoles. Seems a fair enough exchange to me.

I know we'll eventually have handhelds with graphics that better the consoles coming out this year and next. But... I'm not in such a huge rush to reach that if it means we get there 3 or 4 years sooner by permanently doubling the price of the hardware and ignoring any simple nonstandard control methods. If Sony'd released the GBA in 1998 at $250, would I have cared? Not so much.

 

[Pedigree Chum]

I'm pretty sure that Drinky is going to keep the DS and buy a few shitty games here and there JUST so that he can make more topics blasting the system.

 

[snapty00]

I'm pretty sure that Drinky is going to keep the DS and buy a few shitty games here and there JUST so that he can make more topics blasting the system.

I hope so. The world needs to know the truth about DS, and only he can set us free. Think of Drinky as like the handheld Moses.

 

[border]

Being an effective 256x384, it's better than most PS1/N64 games.

Adding up the two screens is a pretty cheesy way of citing the resolution. Most of the games in 3D (where resolution matters most) take place on a single screen...

 

[chespace]

Adding up the two screens is a pretty cheesy way of citing the resolution. Most of the games in 3D (where resolution matters most) take place on a single screen...

But that is the way of the walk with the faithfuls.

Never give up that optimism. The time Nintendo needs you is NOW!

 

[Amir0x]

Seriously, adding the two screens together is completely disingenuous.

 

[mrkgoo]

So it doesn't bug you that the case is homely, cheap, and made of really chintzy plastic? That the 3D is primitive and ugly, and that the 2D is only but marginally better than the GBA? That the resolution is SNES-era? That the second screen is ultimately pointless? That the entire unit feels slipshod and hastily-engineered, yet cost most of you a hunnerd-fitty plus bucks?

I actually do understand an appreciation for Nintendo's software content, but I can't imagine letting that preference excuse archaic and frankly dysfunctional hardware design. If this unit didn't have Nintendo content and was developed/manufactured by Tiger Electronics (which given how unambitious and cheap it is, doesn't seem all that unlikely), you fanboys couldn't possibly have enough bile in all of your collected livers to spray at it.

I mean, from a gamer's perspective, I feel like I just got a larger, cheaper-feeling, more cumbersome marginal upgrade to the GBA SP (which has perfectly adequate 2D and possibly the best form factor out there for a handheld game platform). And while I can't fathom the desire to play mediocre puzzle games, mini-games, and the digital equivalent of carnival midway entertainment ad nauseum, even on the go, I can still see why some of you might like it. Still, don't you HONESTLY want Nintendo to give you SOMETHING better for your $150? Christ, the difference between it and the PSP is bloody generational -- it just illustrates how stingy and unambitious Nintendo is, at the gamer's expense.

I'm sure I'll enjoy Castlevania and Advance Wars, all the while wondering why they weren't simply put on the GBA SP. Outside of that, the unit is too damned scratched on top to get any sort of return on selling it, although I might be able to get decent trade-in at GameCrazy, regardless.

I'm a huge Nintendo fan. And as such, I'd probably buy a turd with the letter N carved in it, if I had the money. But you know what? The 'cheap' build of the DS does somewhat bother me. It bothered me for my SP also. To me, the feel comes from the plastic and metallic paint. Had it been made of a magnesium or aluminium alloy (ala powerbooks, or discmans) it would've been great. Just imagine an SP with a frontlit screen (DS style), and a cool metal body. GBA SP SP! Awesome. BUt then I look at the price of otehr hardware made from this material. Not cheap.

It bugs me somewhat. A lot of hi-tech goods are alright quality, but I want something that is asthetically pleasing. Thing is designers come at a price. PSP hasn't been released here, but just looking at one makes me drool. I mean, the current DS design is alright, but I think I agree with Drinky, atleast in terms of the DS being clunky. I wasn't particular anamoured with the original Advance layout (horizontall) - it looked cool, but was uncomfortable for me - the SP was handheld gaming returning to form form for me. And when I played my DS, it feels uncomfortable to play/hold. The squareness hurts my hands, strange, considering the SP does not.

Having said all that, I still love my DS for the new experience it gives me. I like using the touch screen to play games (possibly because the controls themselves hurt). The design of the DS may feel 'cheap', but it still feels sollid. I want to be able to throw my DS around without worrying about so much, something I feel I won't be able to do with a PSP.

On that note, I see the PSP as a hi-tech gadget, but the DS more of a toy. I want them both, but for different reasons.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

Sure it's on a game-by-game basis, but the pixels are still there. Some games use it as a combined playing field. Some games stick a map or various statistics on one screen. But certainly to only count one screen as existing is at least as disingenuous.


Were I to pay $250 for a portable gaming system right now, ideally it would be generally like the DS. Rather than two 256x192 screens I'd think something like two 320x224 screens, both touch sensitive and with pixel density closer to PSP than DS. Analog stick. Bilinear filtering. Any money left could go to some minimal polygonal upgrades. EDIT: Can't forget that motion/tilt sensor that was dropped from the DS.