3DS & Vita state of the union poll.

[Exhuminator]

Of course, 3DS hardware is fully backwards compatible - which means you don't really need to make a choice there. I didn't count that when making my vote, but having access to all DS games was a pretty significant selling point of the 3DS for me.

If you don't mind the nasty upscaling, or small 1:1 scaling, than yes, playing DS on 3DS is a nice advantage.

I agree that back catalogs are a heck of an equalizer, but I'm not sure that's entirely fair

I don't think it's relevant personally. But I'm not one to judge a current platform by its retro-compatibility with its more successful predecessor.

------

I do enjoy the 3DS and quite a few of its games. However its distinct lack of Dragon Quest (in USA), Metroid, metroidvania-Castlevania, CiNG (or any really good adventure games in general), Mega Man ZX, first person shooters (DS had plenty), and other distinct genre voids lowers its merit compared to DS IMO. Also I think the 3DS has an abysmal resolution. What the DS had was good for its time, but the 3DS resolution is a joke. I do however enjoy the 3D effect in games that use it properly. Otherwise the 2DS is my jam.

I freaking love the Vita. It's a killer machine with killer specs for its time (dat OLED!). The few games that really push the handheld prove it could live up to what Sony promised. Unfortunately the Vita didn't receive the support it deserved due to a large variety of reasons. However there are still lots of great Vita games in a wide variety of genres. It has better adventure games than 3DS, more unique JRPGs than 3DS, actual first and third person shooters with great graphics, and all the waifu sims you could ever wish for on an official handheld. Unfortunately the Vita has been on life support for years and we all know Sony's already pulled the plug, and is simply waiting on the life support machine's battery to drain.

So while I think the 3DS/Vita pale in comparison to what the DS/PSP pulled off, I do own and enjoy their respective hardware/libraries. That said, the NX will really have to knock my socks off to get me to buy it. I say that based on the direction Nintendo took the 3DS library... half of which I just don't agree with. And I will be very, very surprised if Sony releases a Vita successor that is a dedicated handheld.

[BoneSnapDeez]

This isn't even close.

DS murders 3DS. PSP slaughters Vita.

I'm somewhat "biased" as I care mostly about RPGs. DS and PSP both have phenomenal libraries. 3DS library is much smaller. Vita has some gems but the amount of weeaboo shit is infuriating. I could blindly purchase a DS or PSP RPG and I'd generally end up satisfied. Can't do it this gen. First I have to research which ones are action-RPGs, which ones are roguelikes, and which ones are titty simulators.

3DS is region-locked. Lame.

Vita Phantasy Star games weren't localized. Lame.

Tons of awesome retro compilations on DS and PSP. Atari, Activision, Intellivision, Midway, Capcom, Konami, SNK, EA(?!), Taito, Namco, Sega...

With home consoles I clearly prefer the retro systems. But as far as handheld systems go, the DS and PSP may be the best ever.

OH AND YA KNOW WHAT THE DS AND PSP HAD?!

/thread

[Fragems]

Really the Vita and 3DS have a solid/growing library and I really like them but the PSP/DS library slaughters them in terms of quantity and quality as of now. Hell the PSP is still getting the occasional release like Summon Night 5.

I guess I'm partially bias though because I'm a cheap ass and PSP/DS games have are still pretty dirt cheap for the most part.

[PartridgeSenpai]

It is about as good...once you include digital games (which were not as prevalent during the DS/PSP generation).

This is about where I fall as well. Given that the mobile eShop was a product of the middle of the DS's lifespan, a lot of the weirder games actually saw physical releases. Now, only the bigger titles tend to get physical releases, with only the odd Atlus game being a "weird" one out of those, while most smaller, weirder games are just sold digitally.

This is similar to how I feel about the PS2 vs. the PS3 in terms of amount of lovable weird gems to collect physically.

I don't like to comment on the PSP's library vs the Vita's mostly because not only have I not been able to play many Vita games (dey expensive, yo), but also because I don't like the PSP's hardware nearly as much as the Vita. The PSP has always had a cruddy battery life and an equally cruddy build quality, which has always made me far less likely to play it than any other handheld I have.

[Exhuminator]

At least there are Ys games on the Vita.

[alienjesus]

I adore the 3DS and Vita, but I feel that their libraries are a lot less robust even together than just the DS library lasst generation. Thast thing was an absolute beast - hundreds and hundreds of worthwhile games and an absolute ton of niche new IPs, spin-offs, one-off games and the likes. The 3DS comparatively feels very sequel heavy and Nintendo IP focused.

The DS also included a wider variety of genres compared to the Vita, which is predominantly JRPGs.

[ElkinFencer10]

My vote was subjective, but I said 3DS/Vita is better because I, personally, have enjoyed my 3DS and my Vita more than my DS and my PSP. Objectively which is better? I think the Vita is a better system than the PSP, but I think the DS was a better system than the 3DS, so I'd probably call it a draw.

I'll just give my top 5 for each system (the Vita ones should surprise no one given my affinity for titty anime games).

Vita
1. Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 3: V Generation
2. Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2: Sisters Generation
3. Moe Chronicle
4. Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart
5. Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 1

3DS
1. Fire Emblem: Awakening
2. Bravely Default
3. Legend of Zelda: Link Between Worlds
4. Shin Megami Tensei IV
5. Resident Evil: Revelations

[BoneSnapDeez]

At least there are Ys games on the Vita.

Vita
Ys: Memories of Celceta
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA

DS
Legacy of Ys: Books I & II
Ys Strategy

PSP
Ys I & II Chronicles
Ys: The Oath in Felghana
Ys: The Ark of Napishtim
Ys Seven

Nice to have Ys games on Vita, but the set released on 7th gen handhelds is still way more impressive.

(Edited: forgot a game)

[Exhuminator]

You forgot one Ys game on DS:

Don't hit me.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Oh yeah!!!!

I have that. It is..... interesting.