Post by shadow on Jan 30, 2005 13:31:30 GMT -5
Two lightweight machines with heavyweight potential?
ROUND 1
APPEARANCE
DS
It doesnt scrub up too nicely, and those first impressions do the machine few favours. It's just not as foxy as we'd expect a modern-day Nintendo handheld to look. SCORE: 5/10
PSP
The PS2 may be a big, jagged bruise of a living room stain, but the PSP conquers all with its sleek, dark dinner jacket looks. It's the future, in your palm. SCORE: 10/10
ROUND 2
COMFORT
DS
Those shoulder buttons make a cramping demand on your fingers in all too short a space of time. The touch screen, provided you've got something to lean on, is brilliant. SCORE: 7/10
PSP
The analogue stick is a slight issue, but the D-pad and face buttons feel lush and fall directly under your thumbs. Not many games will require that analogue stick, i hope. SCORE: 8/10
ROUND 3
BATTERY LIFE
DS
Expect a solid nine or ten hours of play out of a four-hour charge. Which is pretty amazing, considering the machine's well-lit double screens and wireless powers.
SCORE: 9/10
PSP
Depends on what you're doing and how. It's poor compared to the DS, but you are getting a prettier picture. Expect an average usuage time of around 5 hours. SCORE: 7/10
ROUND 4
LOADING TIMES
DS
Like all of Nintendo's consoles, you won't be seeing a loading screen in any of the first-party games. There's negligible loading in most other games, too, all thanks to the cart format.SCORE: 9/10
PSP
Noticeable but not ruinous. Expect an eight second pause in between race tracks on Ridge Racers, for example, or fights in Vampire Chronicle.
SCORE: 5/10
ROUND 5
THE GAMES
DS
Despite a lacking US launch line-up, the Japanese line-up was really quite sweet. And the best is yet to come, in terms of games that make canny use of the stylus.
SCORE: 9/10
PSP
Ridge Racers is lovely and pretty noisy, but I don't expect anything truly groundbreaking from the PSP, just impressively re-worked PS2 games.
SCORE: 8/10
ROUND 5
VALUE FOR MONEY
DS
Two excellent screens, stylus functionality and wireless capabilities for £100/$150? Hey, don't just buy one - but two! SCORE: 8/10
PSP
A widescreen display clear and bright enough to anger the gods? Tons of music/movie/multimedia converging blah blah? And wireless play? Buy four!
SCORE: 9/10
TOTAL SCORE
DS SCORE: 48/60
PSP SCORE: 48/60
ROUND 1
APPEARANCE
DS
It doesnt scrub up too nicely, and those first impressions do the machine few favours. It's just not as foxy as we'd expect a modern-day Nintendo handheld to look. SCORE: 5/10
PSP
The PS2 may be a big, jagged bruise of a living room stain, but the PSP conquers all with its sleek, dark dinner jacket looks. It's the future, in your palm. SCORE: 10/10
ROUND 2
COMFORT
DS
Those shoulder buttons make a cramping demand on your fingers in all too short a space of time. The touch screen, provided you've got something to lean on, is brilliant. SCORE: 7/10
PSP
The analogue stick is a slight issue, but the D-pad and face buttons feel lush and fall directly under your thumbs. Not many games will require that analogue stick, i hope. SCORE: 8/10
ROUND 3
BATTERY LIFE
DS
Expect a solid nine or ten hours of play out of a four-hour charge. Which is pretty amazing, considering the machine's well-lit double screens and wireless powers.
SCORE: 9/10
PSP
Depends on what you're doing and how. It's poor compared to the DS, but you are getting a prettier picture. Expect an average usuage time of around 5 hours. SCORE: 7/10
ROUND 4
LOADING TIMES
DS
Like all of Nintendo's consoles, you won't be seeing a loading screen in any of the first-party games. There's negligible loading in most other games, too, all thanks to the cart format.SCORE: 9/10
PSP
Noticeable but not ruinous. Expect an eight second pause in between race tracks on Ridge Racers, for example, or fights in Vampire Chronicle.
SCORE: 5/10
ROUND 5
THE GAMES
DS
Despite a lacking US launch line-up, the Japanese line-up was really quite sweet. And the best is yet to come, in terms of games that make canny use of the stylus.
SCORE: 9/10
PSP
Ridge Racers is lovely and pretty noisy, but I don't expect anything truly groundbreaking from the PSP, just impressively re-worked PS2 games.
SCORE: 8/10
ROUND 5
VALUE FOR MONEY
DS
Two excellent screens, stylus functionality and wireless capabilities for £100/$150? Hey, don't just buy one - but two! SCORE: 8/10
PSP
A widescreen display clear and bright enough to anger the gods? Tons of music/movie/multimedia converging blah blah? And wireless play? Buy four!
SCORE: 9/10
TOTAL SCORE
DS SCORE: 48/60
PSP SCORE: 48/60
