Reviews of the Nintendo DSi

The two main rivals in the handheld game systems market are Sony with the PSP and Nintendo with its DS range. So who wins out in the competition between Sony’s latest offering the PSP 3000 and Nintendo’s DSi? In Japan the Nintendo DSi is outselling the PSP 3000, but will it be such a big hit in the rest of the world?

Industry observers who have been comparing the two systems came to the following conclusions:

Graphics – Here the PSP 3000 wins out. Its display of sharp colours and post-PS1 graphics gives it the winning edge over the Nintendo DSi which remains playful and cartoon-like. This is great for Mario, but less impressive for other more modern games.

Controls – The Nintendo DSi wins this contest with its compact, robust and non-fiddly controls. The PSP on the other hand has a good joystick and shoulder buttons, but Sony failed to add a second analogue stick that would have unlocked the FPS gaming potential. The Nintendo DSi is also more comfortable to use for a long period making it good for commutes.

Screen – Most reviewers consider this one to be a draw. The PSP’s smaller, anti-glare screen makes images sharper and produces more colours, even in the daylight. The Nintendo DSi has a larger screen and both are touch-sensitive.

Connectivity – The winner here is the PSP 3000 with its Wi-Fi connectivity, 3.5mm audio out, analogue video out and USB 2.0. The Nintendo DSi has Wi-Fi for multi-play and downloading games from the DSi Shop.

Game Choice – This is believed to be Nintendo’s strongest selling point. True the PSP has some big titles such as Pro Evo, Need for Speed and the Wipeout Revival. However, for sheer fun and gaming ingenuity Nintendo wins out. Despite the removal of the Game Boy Advance slot it still has the classics such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Brain Training and the Mario and Sonic Olympics.

Extras – The winner is the PSP 3000 with a microphone that can be used with Skype and its Go! Explore GPS, Go! Cam Camera and Go! View that allows users to watch TV on the go. Nintendo has improved with its addition of two cameras and an SD slot but it still falls short of its rival in the multimedia stakes.

Overall the PSP 3000 is considered to be the better game console, but it has failed to see off its rival and the superior games and innovative touch-screen of the Nintendo DSi will continue to make it an attractive proposition. The Nintendo DS has also been more successful in attracting a wider range of users than the Sony’s PSP. PSP sales in America have been showing a 5% increase year on year, but the Nintendo DS still continues to outstrip it. The Nintendo DS also tops the sales figures in other parts of the world, although figures have been dipping in its home country of Japan due to market saturation. Nintendo hopes that the new Nintendo DSi will reverse this trend.