Nintendo Ds Vs Gp32

[Blah]

NOTE: I already have a gp32_console BLU and I'd never sell it
This is a review of the DS, but also a comparison with the GP, so it fits
in this forum.

I'm doing this cause I'm thinking a tiny bit about buying a ds to go with my gp
when the price gets a little lower. So...

Nintendo DS:

Pros:

2 screens
touch screen
GBA compatibility
Real Time Clock
Commercial Games
More 3D games (maybe)
2 cpu's: DS main cpu (ARM-9 @ 67 mhz), Graphics/GBA cpu (ARM-7 @ 33 mhz)
better multiplayer gaming
The Community

Cons:

2 screens
touch screen
less homebrew
less emulators
everything costs $
everythings proprietary
slower cpu's (even when combined)
Wal-Mart Guy
The Community


Gp32:

Pros:
Homebrew
Emulators
FREE STUFF!
Blazing Fast 133mhz+ CPU (mines 166)
Non Proprietary
The Community

Cons:

Less commercial games
worse multiplayer gaming
bugs
Gameparks a sucky company
The Community

 

[TelcoLou]

Cons:

2

:blink: ??? :blink:

 

[Blah]

Cons:

2

:blink: ??? :blink:

​

Sorry, I accidentaly posted it with the spacebar before finishing it.
So check out the edited version.

 

[mingus_dew]

i think that the ds has better retail games(thats a no brainer ) but i also think that the gp32 has the best homebrew,movie(maybe),and mp3 scene but its so fun drawing and playing the mini games on mario 64 ds and the games way better then the 64 viersion

so in my eyes its sorta a tie


ohh almost forgot the gp32 has emulation abilities so that makes it just a bit better

 

[Blah]

i think that the ds has better retail games(thats a no brainer ) but i also think that the gp32 has the best homebrew,movie(maybe),and mp3 scene but its so fun drawing and playing the mini games on mario 64 ds and the games way better then the 64 viersion

so in my eyes its sorta a tie


ohh almost forgot the gp32 has emulation abilities so that makes it just a bit better

​

Allready said most of that.

 

[Prophet]

I have both. Basically the DS is all about the excellent commercial games, mainly from Nintendo themselves. It's got excellent 3D capabilities as well, but textures get very pixelated sometimes - there's no filtering effects like the N64 had.

While I like the DS, it didn't impress me as much as I expected. I'm not sure why exactly. It's bulky and a bit heavy, the controls are a bit clunky for 3D games (altho the Metroid layout is pretty good) and it quickly becomes apparent that you really only look at one screen at a time, thus making the whole dual screen concept very suspicious. I would've preferred one large touchscreen and a smaller system size (i.e. the Zodiac).

The GP32, especially the BLU, is overall the most ergonomic handheld I've ever used. It's not tiny, but it doesn't seem as brick-like as the DS even though they're somewhat comparable in size. The GP32 controls are excellent, and I'm a huge fan of the thumbstick. For actual gaming I find the BLU to have perhaps the most comfortable controls and best screen combination available. It's lacking in buttons though, oh well. If you like retro, and you like the sort of homebrew and emulation that GP32 thrives on, it's better than the DS.

But for commercial games, the DS owns all right now. GBA games look brilliant on the backlit screen, very bright and vivid. And the DS games (I've only played Mario and Metroid) are definitely N64+ quality, at least those from Nintendo. In 6 months the DS will probably have a nice handful of AAA titles available. And it's quite possible that the dual screens will be somewhat useful for some genres, like RPG's where switching back and forth between menu screens can sometimes get annoying.

If someone were to point a gun at my head and said I had to give him my BLU or my DS... I'd give him the DS. What can I say, I like Doom on a big backlit screen a little more than Mario on a smaller screen and a map on the bottom display. Even though Mario64 is arguably the better game.

 

[tekt5]

Damn Prophet how many handhelds do ya got! :lol:

 

[Prophet]

Damn Prophet how many handhelds do ya got! :lol:

​

More than I actually use.

There are people with more than me though. From memory here's what I currently have around the house someplace: GBA SP, GBA w/Afterburner, original GB, GBP, Lynx2, NGPC, NGPC JPN (x2), Nomad, Turbo-Express, Zodiac2, GP32 BLU, NDS. Used to own a GG but sold it years ago. Used to own a second Lynx2 as well, sold it years ago. I'm probably leaving out one or two systems. Not sure... Also have 2 oldish Pocket PC's around here.

I go through cycles where I favor a certain system and then move to another one, usually lasts a few weeks at a time. Right now I'm really into a GP32 cycle so the DS is kind of an interruption. Previously I was into the GBA, mainly Fire Emblem and PocketNES. Prior to that I was into the Zodiac, mainly during the initial LJZ dev cycle. It's quite possible I'll get into a strong DS cycle eventually, there's just not any really compelling game for it yet. I like Mario64 a lot, but it's just not as interesting for me as I'd hoped. I lost a lot of interest in the Zodiac unfortunately, mainly because there's so little to play on it (Duke Nukem was a sort of last straw, it was a big disappontment to me), and because the controls are annoying (i.e. the analog pad is poor for emus, too innacurate).

 

[DaveC]

I really don't think of these two systems as being in competition. To me thay are about two entirely different niches. The DS is a commercial console giving new style 3D console graphics on a portable. The same for the PSP when released.

The GP32 is about homebrew games that will never be out on another system. It is about retro gaming with systems of the past that I have memories of, and discovering some that I have never had or heard of. It is also about the community and opensource nature. Even if the DS gets emus, the GP32 still has a larger higher res screen, and it is more comfortable to actually PLAY. I think the buttons are too small and close together on the DS. The GP32 has the capability to have perfect emus for Atari-2600 all of the way through Genesis, and stops just short of SNES. After all, once you get 100% emulation speed a new system like the DS isn't going to give 120% speed, so power will be redundant after you reach perfection, and the GP32 will be just fine for those systems.

I have them both, and unlike many who may dump their GP32 on ebay the day they get their DS or PSP, I will keep my GP32 for many years to come.

 

[ShenFlare]

do you think it is possible for people to come up with a blank "cartridge" for homebrew on the ds?

 

[DaveC]

do you think it is possible for people to come up with a blank "cartridge" for homebrew on the ds?

​

Possible, but not guaranteed. There is this little text on the back of the DS saying "RSA secured". This may very well be some sort of DRM that locks you out of the DS side of things by requiring all code to be digitally signed in order to run. If this is the case the DS may need a hardware mod to run emus/homebrew, and that may not even be possible or practical. Remember all of the hoopla Nintendo made over emulators with patents and such? My guess is they have locked out the DS side, so that you will have to buy their retro paks. They don't want you gettin' them for free.

 

[Blah]

do you think it is possible for people to come up with a blank "cartridge" for homebrew on the ds?

​

It's been done before and it'll be done again. But
it will probably be too expensive to be worth it.

 

[cozmic]

DS: Better built quality

 

[Quiest]

...
I like Doom on a big backlit screen a little more than Mario on a smaller screen...

​

So the DS screens are smaller than the gp32 screens? What resolution does it have?
The gp32 has 320x240, right?

 

[Dozer]

...
I like Doom on a big backlit screen a little more than Mario on a smaller screen...

​

So the DS screens are smaller than the gp32 screens? What resolution does it have?
The gp32 has 320x240, right?

​

The screens have a 256*192 pixel rez, a 0.24mm dot pitch and 260,000 colours.

Edit: Each that is.

 

[V3X]

do you think it is possible for people to come up with a blank "cartridge" for homebrew on the ds?

​

It's been done before and it'll be done again. But
it will probably be too expensive to be worth it.

​

couldnt u just develop ds hombrew and put it on a gba flash cart?

 

[Prophet]

do you think it is possible for people to come up with a blank "cartridge" for homebrew on the ds?

​

It's been done before and it'll be done again. But
it will probably be too expensive to be worth it.

​

couldnt u just develop ds hombrew and put it on a gba flash cart?

​

Yes. In fact I can verify that GBA flash carts work perfectly on DS (and GBA stuff looks amazing on the bright sharp DS screens, way better than on a GBA or SP).

Only negative is you still only have the GBA specs to work with that way. You can't use any of the DS features or hardware.

I suspect the GP32 will remain the king of homebrew for quite a while yet.

 

[project-2501]

Probably just me but I think the DS looks pretty ugly, it just seems too plasticy and chunky.

Whereas I think the design of my gp32_console looks really good and not cheap at all.

Having said that though I think I'm the only person who thinks that the black GP32 with grey buttons looks hideous.

<Ducks for cover>

 

[DaveC]

...
I like Doom on a big backlit screen a little more than Mario on a smaller screen...

​

So the DS screens are smaller than the gp32 screens? What resolution does it have?
The gp32 has 320x240, right?

​

256 x 192 is the resolution. The size looks identical to the 2.8" GBA screen, although they claim it is 1/8" bigger. I compared side by side I really couldn't see much of a difference between the GBA and DS screen size.

 

[spray]

i must say i'm not overly impressed by the DS.

For starters, its too big, in my eyes the SP is the perfect size for a handheld, it fits in pockets and you can just pick it up and chuck it in a bag.

I think the screens idea is a gimmick too far, as prophet said, one big decent res screen a-la the zodiac would have been infinitely better.

The GP32 serves me just fine at the moment and i'm looking at picking up a second hand SP once prices start to tumble after xmas, with these two together i'll have all my handheld gaming needs covered.

If i want blazing graphics and textures and all that bulloxs i'll sit down with my gamecube, if i want a nice distraction and a quality games based on its merits in terms of playability rather than graphics i'll pick up a handheld.