Nintendo DS Lite VS PSP

[peekaboo]

What is better for a soon to be 9 year old girl the Nintendo DS Lite or the PSP? What are the differences between the two? My dd already has the GBA and I was told that you can use the DS Lite games on the GBA. Of course she wants the PSP more and I really do not the the differnces between them except for the PSP having a bigger screen and costing more and the DS Lite having 2 screens and some kind of pencil to use on it. What is the deal with the pencil. Do not know which one to get.

[raymacfla]

there is a ds and a ds lite. not sure of the difference, but it is my guess that the screen functions are different. the psp is a great item, and there is a deal at target for this item with a gift card.

[CHRISTY17FAN]

i had a ds (for myself) and my son loved it (he will be 9 in dec). and now he is asking for one which he will hopefully get.(we are both wanting a ds lite as mine was stolen) i like the ds more and you can play gba games on it. the ds lite is a little smaller and you can adjust the brightness on the screen and they moved the power button so yu wouldnt accidently cut it off which i did a few times. if you get a ds at all be sure to get screen protectors so the touch screen doesnt get scratched.

[ChrisKsAngel]

For that age I would suggest the DS because of the games available: I think they are better suited for an 8 year old. My daughter has a GBA and I am getting a DS for her. I like that she can use the games she already has. I also have a DS and I have let her play it... just making sure she can work the stylus and all. She loves it! HTH

[sadinuel]

I think the PSP will be better for older kids

[jenna8110]

My son, 6, has the DS and he LOVES it! The games are

more for that age, the PSP is for more adult games. Yes

you can us GBA games on the DS. I have a DS lite and I

like it even better. It's smaller and has 4 levels of brite

for the screens. I think the DS lite will stay around $130

or $150 for bundles, but if you want even cheaper you can

get the original DS for I'm sure under $100 on BF. Make

sure that they don't have there heart set on a PSP and

you get them a DS, that might make them ungratful and

make you plain mad. If they don't care which one than

definatly get the DS or DS lite!

[metaxin]

What is better for a soon to be 9 year old girl the Nintendo DS Lite or the PSP? What are the differences between the two? My dd already has the GBA and I was told that you can use the DS Lite games on the GBA. Of course she wants the PSP more and I really do not the the differnces between them except for the PSP having a bigger screen and costing more and the DS Lite having 2 screens and some kind of pencil to use on it. What is the deal with the pencil. Do not know which one to get.

For a 9 year-old, I think the DS Lite is a better suit. PSP, although more technologically advanced, doesn't have the kind of software that the DS (Lite) has. The DS Lite has a slew of educational software such as Brain Age and Big Brain Academy along with games for pure entertainment purposes that suit all ages. Elderly people are even playing games on the DS Lite in Japan!

 

Oh, the pencil thing that you are referring to is called a "stylus" and it's used on the touch screen (the bottom screen) for gameplay. You can forgo the stylus and just use your fingers, but that will surely leave so many fingerprints that will hinder viewing of the screen.

 

The PSP has more multimedia functions like movies and music, but you'd have to be able to set everything up yourself in order to enjoy that aspect of the machine. If you don't know how to convert your own mp4 movies or mp3 music, you'd be stuck shelling out up to 30 dollars for sony's UMD movie discs (which can only be played on a PSP).

 

PSP is manufactured by Sony and DS Lite by Nintendo. Sony is notorious for manufacturing shoddy hardware while Nintendo has a reputation for hardware that can still work after being flushed down a toilet! But it's been a while since the PSP came out so I'd imagine all the bugs have been fixed. Since the primary user is a 9 year-old, a warranty might be in order no matter which path you choose.

 

Hope this helps!

[peekaboo]

Thank you everyone for all of your input. I do have one more question. For the DS Lite you cannot use the control buttons for all of the games correct? There are some games that you have to use the stylus for. I am just wondering if my dd is going to like using the stylus since she is so use to just pushing the buttons. I will have to take all my info from here and really decide what I am going to do. Thanks again.

[Bestbuy7]

DS LITE. The psp is a waste , I regret buying the psp last year.

[Rayny]

I'm just the opposite of the poster above me. My kids used to get the Gameboy every time a new one was released, but when the PSP came out, they've not looked back. None of the kids around here have the DS. Every single one that comes around my kids has the PSP.

[peekaboo]

Bestbuy7 why did you thing that the PSP was a waste? What did you not like about it.

 

Rayny how old are your kids?

[wz33]

for her, ds lite, for the selection of games are fun and simple, but can be challenging

[ucablca]

I'm 25 years old, I have a DS Lite, and I wouldn't buy a PSP unless it dropped down to $129 like the DS Lite. I would recommend the DS for kids and adults alike whereas the PSP is more for adults not only because of its games, but because it also has the video playing capabilities in the UMD format. The best games on the PSP are adult oriented like Tekken (a fighting game) and Grand Theft Auto (no description needed). I think there are a few games that would appeal to children, but I don't know what they are offhand.

 

As for the DS Lite, there are tons of fun games, suited for all types. New Super Mario Bros, Elite Beat Agents (rhythm game), all the Brain games (fun and educational), Pokemon, Final Fantasy, Mario Kart, Yoshi's Island. The whole system is made for fun, and kids and adults can enjoy it. Also, if you have noticed recently, TV ads for the PSP have practically dropped off -- at least in my area. Right now, there are several DS game commercials on regular circulation.

 

There's no doubt the PSP is the more powerful handheld, but I've played both and I've definitely had more fun with the DS.

[Rayny]

Bestbuy7 why did you thing that the PSP was a waste? What did you not like about it.

 

Rayny how old are your kids?

My daughter is 14 and my son just turned 16, so they're a bit older. I'd still think it's your best bet. If your daughter already can play the games on her GBA, why not go for the other? It sounds like what she's asking for, too.

 

It is more. I can't argue that point, but it's more because it's more popular and Sony doesn't have to lower the price. My son says the graphics are better on the PSP than they are on the PS2.

 

My kids do like Nintendo too, and are dying to get the Wii. They also are hoping Santa brings them a PS3 too though. Nintendo never forgets the fun factor in a game, IMO, and so, we'll have to buy it, but if I could only get 1 system, the Wii would come in dead last. Just for the simple fact that in the past, they've not gotten the support that the other systems (Xbox, Sony) gets. They do have a lot of great 1st party games though and you'll never get them on the other systems.

 

Why don't you sit down with your daughter and ask her exactly why she's wanting the PSP. If she mentions the games at all, IMO, that's what you should get. If she starts talking about the extras, perhaps you'd do better with an Ipod (just kidding), but I think you see what I'm saying.

[VaderGCP]

I go to a school where the average age is between 20 and 25.

 

There are about 11 or 12 DS's in my class alone and ONE, 1, PSP.

 

The PSP is a media machine. And that's been it's crutch since release. It is not a superior GAMING handheld compared to the DS. Yes, you can store movies and MP3's and photos, but when it comes down to games the PSP has less titles that have received the accolades that the DS software has.

 

Better graphics are no good if the people or children playing are frustrated by the gameplay.

 

The DS has become the "gamer-on-the-go" handheld. It has a slew of accesories and it's game selection is growing by the day. And with that, more and more awesome titles are coming out.

 

AND! The DS has Wi-Fi, so does the PSP, but it is much much much much easier to handle on the DS.

 

Support the Nintendo DS. It's too cute to reject. :)

[MrsBiggib]

My 6 year old wants a DS and a PSP. I looked at the game selections for both and after reading the threads I think we will go with the DS Lite.

[TamiL]

My kids are getting the DS lite. They are 5 and 8. I bought them a Nintendo Wii on Sunday...yes I waited 8 hours in the freezing rain for Target to open, LOL The Wii is the most fun gaming system we have ever owned. It may not have the graphics of the PS3 but for the family, you cannot beat the fun this thing offers. It really feels like you are in the game. I am thinking about a PSP for myself, but I don't play games. I thought of it more as a neat little tools to store some family videos, pictures and music and be able to surf the internet at Panera, LOL

[decafmom]

I bought my oldest (he was 17 last Christmas) a PSP at Christmas last year and he never uses it. He asked for it, but just hasn't found it to be all that great. Now my 13 yo step son is asking for one, so he will probably get my oldest's as it's been used only 5-10 times at the most. My youngest has a GBA and he will be getting DS Lite for Christmas. He is six and PSP is just too much for him.

[ucablca]

My kids are getting the DS lite. They are 5 and 8. I bought them a Nintendo Wii on Sunday...yes I waited 8 hours in the freezing rain for Target to open, LOL The Wii is the most fun gaming system we have ever owned. It may not have the graphics of the PS3 but for the family, you cannot beat the fun this thing offers. It really feels like you are in the game. I am thinking about a PSP for myself, but I don't play games. I thought of it more as a neat little tools to store some family videos, pictures and music and be able to surf the internet at Panera, LOL

The Wii is great. At this point in time, I wouldn't call it a must have system, but it certainly is fun to say the least. It just goes to show you that Nintendo centers on making a true gaming system (though I've heard rumors that it will be selling a DVD addon in the future). Zelda Twilight Princess is one of the best games of the year (possibly one of the best games ever?) no doubt, and in the gameplay department the Wii blows out the likes of the PS3.

 

But this just re-emphasizes the fact that the DS Lite (Nintendo) centers around games, while the PSP (Sony) is a combination of games/media -- both of which it executes poorly in my opinion. However, if your children are fond of games with good graphics, they may not care about the gameplay. A friend of mine from work who is the same age as me, bought a PSP two weeks after I bought a DS Lite (despite me endorsing the DS) because his gaming enjoyment centers around graphics.

[Rayny]

I think all the systems offer something that's unique to only that system. They all have their advantages and they all have their disadvantages.

 

I have no doubt that the Wii will be as great as the NES, SNES, N64, and the Cube, which each had their day in the sun. The same could be said about all the handhelds, the Playstations, Sega's consoles, and the Xboxes. One thing I will say though is, the DS will in no way be compatible with the Wii. The PSP will definitely outperform the DS as far as compatibility is concerned. Sony has bent over backward to make them compatible. You'll even be able to download older games to the PS3 (this feature is available in Japan now, and the games are under $5.00) and then transfer the game and play it on the PSP.

 

I just feel many here are recommending a system to the OP based on what they prefer. His/her child is asking for the PSP. His/her child already has the ability to play the games for the DS. If this child wants the system for games she's interested in, I think it's a bit disingenuous for everyone to say, forget what she wants, get what I think she should have. Now, if you want to compare features/games, that's a different story, but that's not what I'm seeing here.

 

This is why I feel the OP needs to find out why the child wants this system. The DS is definitely the better option if you like the RPG games, but the PSP is top notch in other genres where the DS doesn't compare.

 

It's all about the games. Find out what type of games you're interested in, then choose the system that supports your likes the most.

 

The Wii is going to be a must own for my family because of the 1st party exclusives that Nintendo will put out. It's certainly not going to out perform the PS3 though. Sony pretty much has Rockstar in their pocket too. IMO, that's a HUGE reason right there to buy the PS3. Rare left Nintendo and now belongs to Microsoft, so all those great games will only be available on the Xbox too. I can't believe Nintendo let them go.

[ucablca]

I'm pretty sure Rockstar games will be cross-platform and will come out for at least the 360. The only reason I could find to buy a PS3 is that it supports 1080p, but as for games, it doesn't look that stellar. I bought a PS3 myself, and I've played Resistance, which is quite good, but after looking at the launch/upcoming titles, I may not be keeping it very long. Games like Metal Gear Solid will eventually cross platform to the 360 and a Final Fantasy game is coming out on the Wii. Even the 360 is appealing at this point -- Gears of War is probably the best action game on the market right now (and of course Zelda), Halo 3 is around the corner, and neither of these games will be cross platforming on other consoles. Then take into consideration the fact that microsoft isn't force feeding you their media (blu-ray), but give you the option to get the HD DVD addon.

 

3rd party developers will make games for the Wii. It would be stupid not to considering how popular the system is and will be. Affordability, innovativeness, and fun characterize this system. Although the PS3 is clearly more powerful, so far I think that it lacks those listed qualities and replaces them with fantastic graphics. Of course, this won't stop people from buying it (it didn't stop me), but we'll just have to wait and see which console produces the best games.

 

To get back on topic, by all means, buy your daughter what she wants. I was just giving my opinion. Also, to clarify some information, the original poster stated

 

My dd already has the GBA and I was told that you can use the DS Lite games on the GBA

You can play gba games on the DS, not the other way around. And to answer your question about the stylus use, many games don't make much use of the touch screen like New Super Mario Bros and Mario Kart, but other games like Elite Beat Agents and the Brain games rely heavily on the stylus to play. It takes some getting used to, but I have found it enjoyable to say the least.

[strawberryman80]

we bought the DS Lite and PSP for our 2 nephews ages 10 and 11 the same day about 2 months ago. the psp just sits there why they fight over who`s going to use the ds lite.

[Rayny]

I'm pretty sure Rockstar games will be cross-platform and will come out for at least the 360. The only reason I could find to buy a PS3 is that it supports 1080p, but as for games, it doesn't look that stellar. I bought a PS3 myself, and I've played Resistance, which is quite good, but after looking at the launch/upcoming titles, I may not be keeping it very long. Games like Metal Gear Solid will eventually cross platform to the 360 and a Final Fantasy game is coming out on the Wii. Even the 360 is appealing at this point -- Gears of War is probably the best action game on the market right now (and of course Zelda), Halo 3 is around the corner, and neither of these games will be cross platforming on other consoles. Then take into consideration the fact that microsoft isn't force feeding you their media (blu-ray), but give you the option to get the HD DVD addon.

 

3rd party developers will make games for the Wii. It would be stupid not to considering how popular the system is and will be. Affordability, innovativeness, and fun characterize this system. Although the PS3 is clearly more powerful, so far I think that it lacks those listed qualities and replaces them with fantastic graphics. Of course, this won't stop people from buying it (it didn't stop me), but we'll just have to wait and see which console produces the best games.

 

To get back on topic, by all means, buy your daughter what she wants. I was just giving my opinion. Also, to clarify some information, the original poster stated

 

 

 

You can play gba games on the DS, not the other way around. And to answer your question about the stylus use, many games don't make much use of the touch screen like New Super Mario Bros and Mario Kart, but other games like Elite Beat Agents and the Brain games rely heavily on the stylus to play. It takes some getting used to, but I have found it enjoyable to say the least.

I thought the same about the DS being backward compatible, but I figured the OP knew what he/she was talking about.

 

As for the Wii getting the 3rd party support. That may be true of this generation, but take a look back at the Cube. Many wouldn't develop for them because it wasn't profitable to do so. Many did make for them in the beginning, but pulled out later on. They took a huge hit in the sports genre. We'll see how it goes this generation and who knows, it might change, but I won't hold my breath. The sad fact is, most who buy Nintendo buy it for the kiddie quality games (though I'm not suggesting Nintendo doesn't put out some of the best and most fun games on the market). Look at this thread alone. Everyone loves the kiddie games on the DS and recommend it because they don't want their kids playing other types. I'm not faulting anyone. Just pointing out facts. How much money do you think Rockstar would make from the Wii? Sure, they'd sell some, but enough to make it profitable for them? We'll see I guess.

 

Yes too, to the fact that Rockstar will be on the Xbox (which is our number 1 system btw), but you'll wait because they'll go to Sony first. They will then simply be ported over. We'll see what that means this generation too. The last generation, the PS2 was quite a ways behind the Xbox, so ports weren't anything great. There was no reason to not buy it for the PS2 MONTHS (years at times) before it would be released on the Xbox because you certainly weren't going to get a better game once it crossed platforms.

 

If you like the Japanese style RPGs (we don't) a PS3 will likely be your best bet this generation too. Microsoft will never take this genre. American RPGs maybe, but not Japanese.

 

There are too many reasons not to own them all, but ultimately for many, it comes down to what one can afford. There are no real winners or losers here. You should always consider your own preferences and buy what suits your needs the best. The fact that my son's favorite genre is 1st person shooters, with 3rd coming in slightly behind, the Xbox 360 will likely be the best system for our family this generation too.

 

For me personally, it'll probably be the Wii, as Animal Crossing 2 (or whatever it's called) is the game that will make it a must own for me.