DS Vs. PSP – who won E3?

Forget wasting hours in queues trying to get your hands on Wii or PlayStation 3 – if there was one thing that characterised last week's E3, it was the high quality of the handheld games.

Developers now seem to be getting the most out of the PSP and DS, both in terms of each console's hardware features as well as the scope and modes they're cramming into their new games.

Just for fun, let's run through how the formats matched up in L.A..

Hardware innovation With DS Lite's UK launch not expected until the summer, it's still a pleasure whenever we get to handle Nintendo's redesigned hardware.

While still not as impressive as the PSP, the DS Lite does lift the DS from its dull grey debut into something with a higher-end, glossy feel. Even the buttons are more touchable, but it's the sparkling quality of the screens that really impresses – we can't wait until it arrives here.

As for the PSP, one good piece of news at E3 was a UK release date for the Ceramic White version (it went on sale here yesterday, in fact).

Extending the PSP package later this year will be the 1.3 megapixel camera, and the Talkman microphone unit, both of which attached via the top USB connection.

Having got a good look at them now, we can say they're not particularly graceful pieces of kit– a bit cheap and plasticky – but if gamemakers can use them to good effect, that's all that will matter. Incidentally, the PSP's GPS peripheral was nowhere to be seen. It's supposed to be out in the autumn.

Games Nintendo may have gained most of the headlines with its flood of announcements – Kirby, Yoshi's Island 2 and Starfox DS among others – but despite fewer surprises, the scale of some PSP titles was amazing.

Killzone: Liberation, Gangs of London, Field Commander, Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony and 50 Cent: Bulletproof are all enormous games, easily comparable in size and quality to PlayStation 2 titles. And there's even some innovation seeping through with interesting games such as LocoRoco, Hot PXL, B-Boy and Every Extend Extra.

There were also non-gaming PSP titles on show, such as the remarkable Talkman translation software, and Sony's newly announced PSP tourist guides, which it's creating in conjunction with Lonely Planet.

As for DS games, it was pretty much more of the same – in particular, more cracking Nintendo platformers, loads of deep roleplaying games – Children of Mana and Rocket Slime from Square Enix are looking particularly good – as well as another great-playing Tony Hawk's game from Activision.

DS: It's still struggling to shake the 'games for kids' tag and 3D graphics remain a problem, but there's plenty to play 4/5

PSP: Gamemakers are finally getting to grips with what PSP can really do, as well as being more imaginative 5/5

Showfloor buzz As you'd expect, the bulk of Sony's stand was taken up with PlayStation 2 games, but PSP wasn't far behind. Sony had spent plenty of money on five separately themed areas – including mocked-up underground train and plane interiors – as well as on PSP download pods.

More importantly, Sony also made sure there were plenty of people on hand to explain what each game was about. PSP games also featured widely on publishers' stands, with Konami, Namco Bandai and Buena Vista particularly keen on the format.

When it came to Nintendo, with Wii only available between closed doors its stand consisted almost totally of DS games. Like Sony, there was plenty of help on hand as well, although in this case it wasn't from developers but Nintendo's spectacular uniformed lady guides.

However, while Square Enix was another obvious DS supporter, there wasn't a lot of touchscreen action elsewhere.

DS: If you wanted DS action, you pretty much had to go to Nintendo 3/5

PSP: The third most popular format after PC and PlayStation 2, PSP proved a big hitter on the floor 4/5

Summing up Both handhelds had a good E3, with plenty of quality games due to be released before the end of the year.

The big push for Nintendo will be making sure it can make as many DS Lite's as possible, but the company shouldn't forget we need grown up games well as a remakes of our favourite Nintendo titles. Final DS score 11/15

As for PSP, E3 2006 saw it bulking up to fill the gap between the declining PlayStation 2 and what will be the expensive and limited-quantity release of PlayStation 3. It just edges its handheld rival in terms of E3 impact. Final PSP score 12/15