I'm going to jump in with the PSP as well. I love my Vita, but many of the games seem a little bit soulless in comparison to some of the stuff that defines the PSP (bearing in mind exceptions like LittleBigPlanet, which is possibly the best version of the game across any of Sony's platforms, and that I haven't played Persona 4 Golden, which hasn't been released in Europe yet).

PSP has basically been the best platform for JRPGs and retro gaming over recent years, even before modding and gaming using emulators became feasible.

My PSP is softmodded as well, and I do have a few emulators on my memory card, but softmodding your PSP is essential if only because it enables you to rip ISOs of your games using ISO Tool and play them without the UMD in the drive (and, should a decent PSP emulator ever arise that isn't written in Java - here's hoping PPSSPP turns into something good) play them on your PC.

Playing through Driver 76 at the moment, which is basically the prequel to Driver: Parallel Lines. One of my favourite games on the system, and better than the GTA Stories games. Loving Disgaea as well, although that one demands a fair time investment to familiarise yourself with the sheer complexity of it.

No, I mean without illegal things like using it for emulation purposes, the PSP doesn't have much to offer. Pretty much, you have to hack it to do the good stuff on it. I only have about 15 UMD games for it, because that is all that interested me.

AAA titles means games like MGS: Peace Walker, KH Birth by Sleep and FF Tactics.

The Nintendo DS has FAR more to offer. There's easily over 50 titles worth purchasing the system for. While it may be technologically inferior to the PSP, the library is amazing. And if you don't mind the lack of good FPS games on it, it has something for everyone.

Both 3DS and Vita are starting to get really great games as well (Vita has games like Gravity Rush and Persona 4. 3DS has Kid Icarus: Uprising and Fire Emblem).

Sorry but having owned a PSP and a DS (the DS 2 years exclusively prior to the PSP) I find the PSP far superior and in the end I sold my DS & all it's games. It's an absolute God Send for the J-RPG fan and it does have a good variety. Here's a list of some I've loved: (These are all games I've played and enjoyed and most of them I own or have owned legally...)

Persona 1-2-3, Gun Showdown, Final Fantasy 7:Crisis Core, God of War Chains of Olympus, God of War: Ghost of Sparta, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror, Jeanne D'arc, Phantasy Star Portable 1 & 2, Disgaea Series, Monster Hunter Series, Jak & Daxter: The Lost Frontier, Medievil, Dante's Inferno, Hot Shots Golf, Daxter, Burnout Series, Star Ocean 1 & 2, God Eater, Resistance: Retribution, The Warriors (Great PS2/Xbox port), Wipeout Pure & Pulse, MX vs ATV series, Killzone: Liberation, Valkyria Chronicles 1 & 2, Silent Hill (Origins & Shattered Memories), Marvel Ultimate Alliance 1 & 2, Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny, Lego Games series (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pirates, Batman), Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, Socom Series, Final Fantasy Series (Including 2D enhanced 4 which I preferred to DS one), Tekken series, Loco Roco Series, EA Replay, Little Big Planet, Capcom Classics, Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, Lumines series, Me & My Katamari, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, Metal Gear Solid Acid 1 & 2, Dungeon Siege, Blazblue 1 & 2, Tactics Ogre, Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce, Final Fantasy Tactics, Guilty Gear Judgement, Sid Meier's Pirates, Patapon Series, Exit Series

PSN (Official PSone ports)
Xenogears, Theme Hospital, Spyro the Dragon, Resident Evil, Rayman, Diablo, Oddworld Abes Oddysee & Exoddus, Legend of Mana, Grand Theft Auto 2, Metal Gear Solid, Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver, Front Mission 3, Grandia, Klonoa, Kula World, Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Brave Fencer Musashi, Final Fantasy 7,8,9,10, Crash Team Racing, Castlevania Symphony of the Night, Crash Bandicoot series

There are more games naturally including the obligatory plethora of yearly sports titles, these are just some I've played and loved and all of which can be acquired legally on a stock PSP without any hacking, modding etc. I can add more but I think it's a big enough list as it is and shows the variety on offer, also some of them I haven't played direct sequels of, or played on the playstation 1.

I would suggest a Vita. It doesn't have a mass amount of games right now but it's by far the most powerful handheld and has some great looking games coming out this year(look at Soul Sacrifice and Tearaway). Most of the PSP library is available as well through PSN, as well as much of the PS1 classics(there are still some that need to be updated for Vita like Crash and Metal Gear). I know they're not cheap but I'd suggest a 8-12GB card.

If you don't want to spend much, go for a DS, PSP, or even GBA SP. They all have excellent libraries.

The Nintendo DS lite and DS original (The light is generally easier to hold for most people and easier to get hold of) both run DS title games and also pretty much every single Gameboy Advanced title as well. That lets you at a massive library of games.

Granted they won't be rocking the latest in handheld graphics, but both of those consoles basically ruled their markets (actually the GBA pretty much had the market all to itself and despite the lack of competition has some outstanding titles on it including games like the Golden Sun series games).



After that the battle between 3DS and the PS Vita appears to be much more like the PS3 vs the XBox in that both are pretty solid platforms and whilst they are still establishing their markets they have strong titles out already. The downloading aspects of both I've not looked into closely though from what I recall the Vita is already getting access to many top PSone title games to play (PLEASE someone at Sony add Jade Cocoon).
The only downside I know of the 3DS is that the 3D effect can cause feelings of nausea in people, even if you don't normally get vision based nausea. It also requires very specific positioning - most people I know who own one use the 3D effect for some specific parts/scenes and the rest of the time leave it off the whole time.

Otherwise Nintendo has some outstanding handheld games - the Fire Emblem series recently got a new release on the 3DS (USA - EU I think its coming very soon/next month).

Mine too! Well it was.

I never played it so I let my ex keep it. She would play her's till it died, then switch to the other one.

I'm afraid this is only the case for the US (and perhaps Japan). As a European PSP user, I keep getting proper screwed by PSN releases...

I got my PSP about a year ago and I love it. The UMD games are dirt-cheap, and many great titles are available. But modding the PSP is a must - simply for copying your UMD library to the memory card. The loading is faster, you can take many games with you on a trip, and you don't have the weird buzzing/clanking noises of a UMD being read.

"GOGlodytes"...?

I like it. Let's call ourselves that from now on.

A DS or 3DS won't go wrong. The DS library is fantastic, and the 3DS is getting GBA games via Virtual Console soon, I hear. The 3DS is also backwards compatible with the DS, so if you can afford it, go for it. I don't actually own one yet, but I've tried it a bit and it seems solid enough.

Nintendo DS: The World Ends with You (better than most PSP games), 999 (which is worth 1/3 of your list alone), Chrono Trigger, Hotel Dusk, Phoenix Wright 1-3, Apollo Justice, Miles Edgeworth, GTA Chinatown Wars, Final Fantasy IV (superior version), Castlevania DoS, Castlevania PoR, Castlevania OoE, Advance Wars, Fire Emblem series, Dragon Quest eries, Elite Beat Agents, Kingdom Hearts Days, LoZ Phantom Hourglass, LoZ Spirit Tracks, M&L Bowser's Inside Story, Mario Kart DS (a classic), Megaman Zero 1-4 (so much replay value), New Super Mario Bros., Super Mario 64, Professor Layton 1-3 (has an INSANE amount of content), Sonic Rush/Adventure, Trauma Center 1-2 (innovative as hell), Ghost Trick, Etrian Odyseey 1-3 (HARDCORE, one of the best dungeon crawlers ever made, TON of content), SMT Devil Survivor, SMT Strange Journey, Radiant Historia.

And there is so much more. I'll admit PSP has the PSone Classic thing, which is really cool. But you can play those on PS3 or Vita anyway. In terms of ORIGINAL game content, DS wins. I hope you realize you're in the minority. It's like saying the Xbox was a better system than the PS2.

And lol did you put DYNASTY WARRIORS? That series sucks so much ass.

Ok your arguing rights have been removed due to spouting unfounded rubbish (worth 1/3rd? Seriously? I could say that about my favourite PSP game but I haven't because it's daft.) As for the Dynasty Warriors game mentioned it scored good reviews and it's not the same as the core series and if people like that sort of game it's a good one.

You've obviously not delved into the PSP's catalogue much or owned one and so I can only come to the conclusion that you're one of those imbecilic Fanboys. I have no allegiance and have owned just about every core console/handheld from the last 3 generations (PSone>current).

Nintendo DS has lost of games, and also lots of crap. But nowadays, you can get a great collection for a low price. The same goes with the PSP.

Having a new generation in the market causes the previous' games to go cheaper and cheaper, so if you don't mind to play games with a little run on their back (which probably is the case, because we're on gog), this can be an option.

Owned a PSP for a good long while and sold it to one of my inlaws for a little money a few years ago. Just yesterday actually bought myself a 3DS though. Its a little slow going right now, but knowing Nintendo it'll pick up and have a huge library like the DS and prior Nintendo handhelds had. For now though, i suppose Pokemon will see me through until 3DS picks up speed.

Sony PSP. Why? Because Ultimate Ghosts'n Goblins, that's why!!! (and Wipeout, and LocoRoco, and Lumines, and Metal Gear card-based games, and custom firmwares, and emulators, and homebrew software/games, and....)

PSP, without a doubt, awesome handheld with a LOT of great games

I've sank in so many hours on Ridge Racer 2 and MegaMan Powered up alone

Oh, trust me. If there's one thing I'm not, it's a fanboy.

I own a DS, DSi, Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, GBC, PS2, PS1, GBA, Wii, Atari, Genesis and Games.com. I recently got a 3DS and a Vita. And I love BOTH systems. Hell, in my experience as a gamer, I had the most fun and exhilarating times with the PS2. I loved it to death. I don't have some silly allegiance to one company.

I'm not saying the PSP is dirt. You know what, forget it. Obviously, to each their own. I just personally find it unfathomable that someone could like the PSP more than DS. The PSP is a good system, with better resolution and media content than any Nintendo handheld. However, Nintendo is the only company that has managed to work with a severely underpowered system and delivered so many AAA titles that diversified itself into the market. Not to mention great 3rd party support (both PSP and DS had great 3rd party support).