GBA GBA vs DS

[HyperTurboFox]

Guys I have a question to ask you
Which systems is better
DS or GBA?

They both have many thing in common but they are unique in their own way. What systems is better within the big N collection of consoles.

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

The DS is far more powerful (obviously), but I also found it annoyingly gimmicky, and not that fun to play as a result. The fact that so many games felt the need to embrace the touch and dualscreen formula when they could have worked very well without it really hurts this one for me.

I also think that the GBA had a stronger library, despite the DS having heavy hitters like Dragon Quest IX and Pokemon SoulSilver.

 

[HyperTurboFox]

The DS is far more powerful (obviously), but I also found it annoyingly gimmicky, and not that fun to play as a result. The fact that so many games felt the need to embrace the touch and dualscreen formula when they could have worked very well without it really hurts this one for me.

I also think that the GBA had a stronger library, despite the DS having heavy hitters like Dragon Quest IX and Pokemon SoulSilver.

You made a good point but does you think a DS is basically a beef-up GBA with low poly model like PSX/N64?

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

You made a good point but does you think a DS is basically a beef-up GBA with low poly model like PSX/N64?

While that's a fair comparison, I really don't think so. The DS is more like a handheld computer, whilst the GBA is an upgraded Gameboy.

 

[Stingy Perry]

Early ds models are backwards compatible with the gba that’s the why my vote goes to the ds.

 

[Yousef]

GBA better. NDS too gimmicky and unpolished. It’s why gen 4 was the decline of Pokémon.

 

[ATenderLad]

I mean I don't wanna fight or nothing, but only one of them has Jump Ultimate Stars.

 

[cz857]

im going with ds

 

[HyperTurboFox]

GBA better. NDS too gimmicky and unpolished. It’s why gen 4 was the decline of Pokémon.

Don't sleep on DS Pokémon, there is gen 5 which is considered as GOATED by many.

 

[prnzo x BOOZE-o ka-BEER-o]

"GBA has almost-forgotten gems like Treasure's Gunstar Super Heroes or Advance Guardian Heroes!! Nintendo underrated franchise entries like Zelda Minish Cap!! Metroid Fusion n Zero Mission!!"

"But.... DS has COOKIN MAMAAAAAA"

"GBA has... wait. is that your only defense point for the DS? Coo..."

"...KING MAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

"but..."

"GBA, do you have Cooking Mama?? No... you have no Cooking Mama.... BUT DS!!!"

"...ok Sancho. you can't remap the buttons on Contra 4. SNK vs Capcom Card Clash DS makes absolutely zero sense n arguably destroyed the franchise single-handedly. Portrait of Ruin is great but the other 2 CV metvans... bleh. I dropped my stylus in a toilet n shrugged. I am not a fan of the DS."

"COOOOKKKKIINNNGGGGG MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...."

"you win. DS = DipShit."

"you just mad GBA has no coo... *BAM* OWW did you have to punch me?"

"sorry, I meant to punch C. Mama."

"touche sir"

.... so yea. DS has some good ones and I'm not gonna say gimmicks are always a cheapening feature, but...

 

[bobobobo2]

might and magic clash of hearoes is the best game, unfortunately ds is ugly, fortunately phone has emulator and stylus (the only good thing that ever happen in phone)

 

[DocHirimaru]

I do not get the point of this topic. First DSfat and dslite are upgraded gba. People even make ds to gba mod if the top screen is broken. You have 95% of gba library working perfect, and i guess up to 97/98% with cutted features. I would buy a gba just for collectioning. This argument works also with gamecube-wii. First models of wii are a gc with upgrades. Most of the games are working fine but whe ones with connection to gba or with some specific periferals would not work.

 

[Karnik]

If you really want to buy a GBA, I recommend an SP (foldable) model Ags.101 (the one with the backlight).

DS phat is heavy and uncomfortable to hold for a long time. DS Lite is aesthetically beautiful, light and in the second slot you can directly play GBA cartridges (or a GBA flashcart); by launching this game from the menu of a DS flashcart, you can play it with custom borders (see photo).

DSi has slightly larger screens, but no GBA slot: you have to use GBARunner2 (or the recent GBAR3) to play GBA games, preferably from SD card, via TWL++ software.

 

[VampireLord1024VampireLord1024's icon]

The DS.

 

[ZeroZX87]

GBA.

 

[dropsmegamega]

GBA has a stronger library and its pixel graphics aged better than DS polygons. But DS also had some great titles imo so its close

 

[Yousef]

"GBA has almost-forgotten gems like Treasure's Gunstar Super Heroes or Advance Guardian Heroes!! Nintendo underrated franchise entries like Zelda Minish Cap!! Metroid Fusion n Zero Mission!!"

"But.... DS has COOKIN MAMAAAAAA"

"GBA has... wait. is that your only defense point for the DS? Coo..."

"...KING MAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

"but..."

"GBA, do you have Cooking Mama?? No... you have no Cooking Mama.... BUT DS!!!"

"...ok Sancho. you can't remap the buttons on Contra 4. SNK vs Capcom Card Clash DS makes absolutely zero sense n arguably destroyed the franchise single-handedly. Portrait of Ruin is great but the other 2 CV metvans... bleh. I dropped my stylus in a toilet n shrugged. I am not a fan of the DS."

"COOOOKKKKIINNNGGGGG MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA...."

"you win. DS = DipShit."

"you just mad GBA has no coo... *BAM* OWW did you have to punch me?"

"sorry, I meant to punch C. Mama."

"touche sir"

.... so yea. DS has some good ones and I'm not gonna say gimmicks are always a cheapening feature, but...

This was a hilarious read ?

Post automatically merged: Dec 30, 2024

I mean I don't wanna fight or nothing, but only one of them has Jump Ultimate Stars.

View attachment 7214

This is a fair and valid point.

Post automatically merged: Dec 30, 2024

Don't sleep on DS Pokémon, there is gen 5 which is considered as GOATED by many.

The slowness of DSmon prevents it from being good.

 

[TheGreatExplode]

There's not many games that used the DS's dual screens well, but having the second screen just for a map was cool and very helpful in some games.

 

[Tbest25]

The ds is more powerful, but i think the GBA has a bigger and more accessible library of games than the ds. The latter uses too much of the touch gimmick that most of the games become stuck on the console for a long time. I'm playing Hotel Dusk for the ds(on emulator), and i've had to spend almost an hour just to adjust the configurations(the game uses only the touchscreen for movement and interaction). And i was using my phone, the closest device to a ds it can get, imagine trying to emulate a game like that on a computer.
Still a very good handheld, but for me the gba wins this fight.

 

[Ikagura]

The Dual Screen could play GBA games but I'm sure you meant about softwares.

 

[Zemus]

One is the definition of perfection in game systems, with even the Switch being an inferior imitation. When a GBA version of a game releases, you know it will be the most polished and best-sounding version. If you're playing a GBA exclusive, it has one of the widest and most varied libraries to choose from. As the good apples here show, 240 * 160 is the ideal resolution for gaming; any interface that can't fit on that has something to improve. Any system that feels worse in your hands does, too.

Not having a light of any kind was sheer stupidity, but that's why we got the SP and why you can easily order the original backlit in 2024.

But...enter the DS. How do you make the GBA better? Can you? Turned out the answer was yes, and the addition of a second screen is still mind-boggingly brilliant. The touch function is a slight downside, but thankfully it uses a stylus and developers stopped obsessing with it after a year or two. The image of its closed silver clamshell is pure divine providence. Put a GBA SP next to it and let the eternal procession of its library absolve you for eternity.

No winner here, not even a tie, just two incredible victories, arguably three.

 

[Chezlyn]

I'm going GBA.
NDS' touchscreen gimmick was mostly forced onto Devs by Nintendo themselves to push up their NDS sales numbers and most NDS games used the touchscreen as just a secondary display instead of being integral to actual gameplay.
"If you want your video game on our hardware, you have to make use of the touchscreen in a meaningful way."
GBA's even more limited hardware pushed Devs to get creative with their games and the GBA got some awesome titles because of those limitations and workarounds.

 

[Zemus]

That's a bit of a shame, but I can see Nintendo's side of it.

More importantly: KICKASS signature!!!

 

[Mopeybloke]

You made a good point but does you think a DS is basically a beef-up GBA with low poly model like PSX/N64?

The NDS also has hardware for 2D games, and many good ones in its catalogue. Although the real fun is in the low poly 3D.

I would go with DS. I enjoyed the games catalogue more. The Dragon Quest series, the Final Fantasy remakes, Chrono Trigger, and I really liked the new Super Mario Bros.

Also, every model of DS is backwards compatible. Without the cartridge slot for GBA games, you must jailbreak the system though.

 

[newageretrohippie]

I really like the dual screen for many types of games. for instance if you are playing a platformer/metroidvania/rpg and you get your subscreen/map/items on one screen and the action on another.

i always find it a bit disengaging to have to switch to a subscreen. much better to have it on a 2nd screen