SonyPSP
Latest
0827.jpg.cf.jpg)
Hardcore gamers have a soft spot for the DS at PAX
Recently, we provided hard evidence that to children, the DS is far, far greater than that other handheld. Now, dear readers, we're ready to offer incontrovertible truth that the same standard holds when one looks to the few, the proud, the hardcore gamers. They're everywhere in the photos from PAX -- the Nintendo DS is just insidious like that. But hey, when you're waiting around, what better way to pass the time?Another picture after the jump.
The verdict is in: children prefer the DS
Vinnk, a blogger and Ninty devotee at 4 color rebellion, is also a teacher in Japan. And in his off time, he makes children cry. Doesn't sound like someone we want on our side -- at least until the whole story comes out. Vinnk often takes his trusty DS Lite to school and allows the children to play with it. This is a practice of which we heartily approve (get 'em young!). However, on the day in question, his students found not the DS Lite they'd come to love nestled inside Vinnk's blue Nintendo case, but a Sony PSP. The students were so horrifed and disappointed that one even began to cry. He asked them if they wanted to play with the PSP. They weren't interested. He showed them a game, and they stared at him, stoic, as loyal to the DS as samurai to their lord. It almost makes us want to cry. Score one for the DS -- as though it needed to win any more battles. [Thanks to Andrew at PSP Fanboy, where we're sure they're hanging their heads in shame.]
Japanese hardware sales, 31 July - 6 August: heavy meta
Though we may frequently appear to be aloof, apathetic or altogether addicted to awe-inspiring alliteration, the Joystiq crew is actually attentively attuned to the needs of its readers and commenters. We know what you want, and what you want is what we know -- that is to say, we'll teach you how to make an official Joystiq Japanese sales chart post in the comfort of your very own home! Step 1: Create a terrible introductory paragraphThe introductory paragraph helps ease the reader into the wealth of information provided by one of these posts. It functions like a soft mattress placed in-between the reader and the pit of rusty nails that is the weekly onslaught of numbers. Make sure that the introductory paragraph is self-referential, wildly incoherent and not even remotely related to the actual sales numbers. You may introduce a second paragraph if you feel the mattress needs to be thicker, though it's recommended that you implement a silly allegory to maintain interest and "humor."A third paragraph, however, is most certainly not recommended. It will only serve to anger those that are eager to reach the actual information. Step 2: Insert the sales information obtained from Media Create:The ranking, according to number of units sold:- DS Lite: 163,572 13,281 (7.51%)- PSP: 49,352 6,748 (15.84%)- PS2: 25,987 464 (1.75%)- GBA SP: 2,784 555 (24.90%)- Game Boy Micro: 1,928 162 (9.17%)- Xbox 360: 1,389 857 (38.16%)- DS Phat: 1,159 371 (24.25%)- Gamecube: 904 135 (12.99%)- GBA: 34 25 (277.77%)- Xbox: 14 3 (27.27%)Step 3: Create a final paragraph (must be worse than introductory paragraph)In your final paragraph, you may opt to analyze the week's sales trends (the Xbox is always a hilarious topic), possibly referring to coinciding NPD reports or pointing out how the DS Lite outsells everything, in the universe, ever. Alternatively, you may use it as a denouement to any running jokes you regrettably started in Step 1. [Source: Media Create]
Japanese hardware sales, 24 July - 30 July: incredibly incalculable increase
Just as several wily commenters predicted last week, the original Xbox suddenly (and quite mysteriously) experiences a sales increase over its impressive tally of zero this week. The resulting percentage rise is so incredibly gargantuan and intimidating that it simply cannot be comprehended by the human mind, at least not without the aid of divine omnipotence or persistant alcohol poisoning. The ranking, according to number of units sold:- DS Lite: 176,853 85,600 (32.62%)- PSP: 42,604 6,666 (18.55%)- PS2: 26,451 4,163 (18.68%)- Xbox 360: 2,246 774 (52.58%)- GBA SP: 2,229 724 (24.52%)- Game Boy Micro: 1,766 356 (25.25%)- DS Phat: 1,530 4,814 (75.88%)- Gamecube: 1,039 37 (3.44%)- Xbox: 11 11 (infinite)- GBA: 9 11 (55.00%)Other points of interest this week include the Xbox 360's flirtation with the fourth position in the charts (and the huge gap between it and the PS2), the DS Phat's return to unpopular status and the vaguely demonic number of new PSP owners. [Source: Media Create]
Japanese hardware sales, 17 July - 23 July: bad comparison week
The most interesting parts of this week's chart reside at the very top and at the very bottom, much like a decapitated body with Lamborghinis for feet. Nintendo's magical, dual-screened device continues to dominate Japan, raking in the cash like a pickpocket with eight magnetic arms. The ranking, according to number of units sold:- DS Lite: 262,453 121,595 (86.32%)- PSP: 35,938 655 (1.86%)- PS2: 22,288 1,639 (6.85%)- DS Phat: 6,344 5,477 (46.33%)- GBA SP: 2,953 334 (12.75%)- Xbox 360: 1,472 367 (33.21%)- Game Boy Micro: 1,410 171 (10.82%)- Gamecube: 1,076 148 (15.95%)- GBA: 20 8 (28.57%)- Xbox: 0 10 (100.00%)It's as clear as Daniel Day-Lewis' acting ability -- while the DS Lite enjoys brisk sales that trump the rest of the chart combined more than three times over, the Xbox finally languishes in the lowest point possible. Its performance in this part of the world may not have been entirely deserved, but it still turned out to be more embarassing than a discus-throwing competition where each disc has been replaced by a custard pie.(Worst. Comparisons. Ever.)[Source: Media Create]
Japanese hardware sales, 19 June - 25 June: the bigger they are
... the harder they fall. The Japanese population's brief rekindling of their romance with the DS Phat, showing a massive 1559% increase in sales last week, seems to have died out for now. Our obese friend takes the sharpest fall this week, with slimmer, trimmer machines like the Game Boy Micro and DS Lite faring better. The ranking, according to number of units sold:- DS Lite: 157,022 15,535 (10.98%)- PS2: 25,467 4,730 (22.81%)- PSP: 24,737 84 (0.34%)- DS Phat: 10,132 12,616 (55.46%)- GBA SP: 3,784 858 (18.48%)- Game Boy Micro: 1,502 208 (16.07%)- Gamecube: 1,197 195 (19.46%)- Xbox 360: 1,169 238 (16.92%)- GBA: 25 5 (25.00%)- Xbox: 10 5 (33.33%)The rest of the chart seems intentionally unremarkable, with the Lite reigning on top and the spinless Xbox sweeping the ground floor. Very soon, it will be expected to clean up the explosion of confetti and glitter accompanying the launch of the Noble Pink DS Lite.[Source: Media Create]
Japanese hardware sales, 12 June - 18 June: Phat's back
Quite possibly the only sane thing we've received from Japan this week, the Japanese hardware sales charts show it like it is -- no silly comparisons, half-truths or fuzzy mathematics in sight. The ranking, according to number of units sold:- DS Lite: 141,487 9,460 (7.17%)- PSP: 24,653 2,997 (13.84%)- DS Phat: 22,748 21,377 (1559.23%)- PS2: 20,737 1,756 (9.25%)- GBA SP: 4,642 526 (12.78%)- Xbox 360: 1,407 307 (27.91%)- Game Boy Micro: 1,294 360 (21.77%)- Gamecube: 1,002 41 (4.27%)- GBA: 20 10 (33.33%)- Xbox: 15 5 (25.00%)Aside from the soothing abundance of green, the most noticeable aspect of this week's chart is undoubtedly the DS Phat's performance, indicating either a surge in its popularity or a surge in desperation amongst those who couldn't track down a DS Lite. Perhaps it's time to import a black one from Europe?[Source: Media Create]
Japanese hardware sales, 5 June - 11 June: outnumbered
The sheer volume of words being displayed on the front page of this blog is, quite frankly, entirely ridiculous. It's time for a change. It's time we inundate you with the accountant's best friend and the alphabet's greatest foe. It's time we unleash the Japanese hardware sales charts for the week ranging from 5 June to 11 June and thoughtfully observe their effects on the human body. The ranking, according to number of units sold:- DS Lite: 132,027 3,587 (2,65%)- PSP: 21,656 2,939 (11,95%)- PS2: 18,981 468 (2,53%)- GBA SP: 4,116 248 (5,68%)- Game Boy Micro: 1,654 384 (30,24%)- DS Phat: 1,371 212 (18,29%)- Xbox 360: 1,100 145 (11,65%)- Gamecube: 961 163 (20,43%)- GBA: 30 6 (20,00%)- Xbox: 20 23 (53,49%)For those perplexed by the friendly arrows, rest assured that their intention is only to indicate whether a platform's sales have increased or decreased since the last week (followed by the exact difference and a percentage). For those perplexed by the previous sentence, we politely suggest that you try attending school for once.[Source: Media Create]
Japanese hardware sales, 29 May - 4 June: How bizarre [Update 1]
Oh, look. It's the weekly Japanese hardware sales chart. Every time I look around, it's in my face. The ranking, according to number of units sold:- DS Lite: 135,614 149,411 (52.42%)- PSP: 24,595 2,632 (9.67%)- PS2: 18,513 1,285 (6.49%)- GBA SP: 4,364 2288 (34.40%)- Game Boy Micro: 1,270 743 (36.91%)- Xbox 360: 1,245 3 (0.24%)- Phat DS: 1,159 2,967 (71.91%)- Gamecube: 798 318 (28.49%)- Xbox: 43 35 (43.75%)- GBA: 30 14 (31.81%) Whether it's a rare planetary alignment or mass hypnosis, something irregular is surely to blame for this weird state of events. Microsoft's consoles are the only ones not to take a sales plunge this week -- even the DS Phat's fall from grace sends it hurtling past the Xbox 360. How bizarre.[Update: Quite bizarrely, some of the numbers were from last week. Corrected.][Source: Media Create]
DS vs. PSP: Tic-tac-toe throwdown [Update 1]
In a complicated process which no doubt involved dark alchemy and at least one blood sacrifice, a clever member of the homebrew community has managed to get the DS and the PSP talking to each other wirelessly. The hot topic under disussion between them is nothing other than Tic-tac-toe, that ancient game born in the absence of our wonderful handheld devices. After loading the homebrew application, users can engage in an epic battle of noughts and crosses, one of them using a DS and the other using a PSP. Very impressive indeed! Will this usher in a new utopia of cross-platform homebrew games, or is it just another Romeo & Juliet yarn in the making?[Thanks Probot!][Update: Check out some discussion on this development over here. Thanks GameCop!]
Nintendo thing brighter than Sony thing
While many a gamer has visibly drooled at the PSP's magnificently bright screen (no doubt displaying the word "loading" in some form or another), its salivatory reign of illumination has seemingly come to an end. Photographic evidence indicates that the Lite's highest setting beams out a brighter image than even Sony's impressively lit beauty. To be fair, we're not sure what brightness the PSP is set at, though with the lack of an AC cord, it's safe to say it's not the highest one.Rumors have it at that the PSP won't be taking this defeat litely (sorry) and will, with its next iteration, simply replace the screen with a large retina-wrecking fluorescent lightbulb. [Via VideoGamesBlogger. Thanks Princess Zelda! Please return my ocarina.]
