Gaming: Nintendo DS versus iPad 2
Remember the old days when the singular handheld game niche belonged exclusively to Nintendo? Those were the days all right; but no more. Everyone now is jostling and vying 
for position when it comes to handheld games. iPad 2 has now joined the ranks, albeit not quite as portable since it’s known as a tablet, it is supposedly Apple’s answer to Nintendo and Sony being the gaming giants for traditionalists. But at the end of last year, Nintendo had sold a grand total of 144.59 million models of their DS. Can the iPad 2 even come close? What do you say we compare the two together side by side?
- Nintendo DS up by one point
As I just stated, Nintendo wins a point for being portable, at least more so than the iPad 2. It is a tablet so in fact, it is not as portable as most handheld games on the brink of coming out.
- Nintendo DS gains one point again
Innovation in general seems to be in Nintendo’s ball court whereas Apple is just trying to catch up; Nintendo is continuously ahead of the game as the gaming industry’s ground breaker.
- Both at a tie
As far as controls are concerned, iPad 2’s screen has nice graphics but the glare you tend to get off the screen is highly annoying. Though decent in nature the graphics are still not be as high definition as one would have thought for a new product. Nintendo DS is not too outstanding in this department either so let’s call it a tie here.
- iPad 2 bags one point
Points on style definitely go to the iPad 2 … It’s chic!
- Nintendo DS up by one point more
Affordability is a big one! Nintendo DS can now be found at Target stores for $99 vs. iPad 2’s starting price well into the $400’s and their most expensive model over $800. The fact that even though Nintendo DS is not the newest product Nintendo has to offer, it’s still a great little device (I also have it on good authority that Nintendo’s latest handheld gaming device will be as good as if not better than iPad 2 and still more affordable.
- Nintendo DS securing one point here
iPad 2 brags about its battery life. Its lithium polymer battery is supposed to have a life expectancy of approximately 10 hours. However, a 20-hour lithium battery for Nintendo DS will cost approximately $9.00 on Amazon. At the price you’re paying for the iPad 2, buying a new lithium battery for your Nintendo DS is still a better deal.
- iPad 2 gobbles one point here
The price of games goes to the iPad 2 hands down!
- iPad 2 sweeping two points
Speaking of games, the iPad 2 is going to win points in a number of areas when it comes to the storing of games and specific players. Users have reported problems with finite storage on Nintendo and the tendency for kids to lose the game cartridges. With the iPad 2, neither of these is a problem. The game can be stored in individual devices, thereby only needing one game to pass around and store. iPad 2 also has what thus far seems to be infinite storage of games or game scores per individual device. With the price of Nintendo’s games being sometimes double that of iPad 2, Apple’s baby is going to win out if all you need to buy is one of their games and download it to everyone’s device. Imagine the games you could have in your iPad 2 for what would amount to less than half the price of a Nintendo game!
- Both neck to neck here
The little stylus on Nintendo DS is a problem as well. They get lost and misplaced. The iPad 2 is tilt sensitive, thereby not requiring a stylus. The controls on a tilt sensitive device however will not match the precise movements of control buttons or even a joystick. In all fairness, this is a tie.
The overall comparison result is a disappointing tie. Comparing the Nintendo DS to the IPAD 2 is a little like comparing Atari to the original Nintendo. There really is no accurate comparison since one reigns from the handheld games family while the other shines from the tablets’ cove that is gaining fast popularity. A much more equal comparison will be the Nintendo 3DS to its true competitor, the iPad 2. It may be a case of serious gamers preferring Nintendo 3DS over the obvious ‘stylists’ preferring iPad 2. Whichever the case, they are both masterful technical innovations.
Tested and written by Amy, a content writer for NCP, Heathrow Airport Parking specialists and Season Cars, a Prestige Car Hire company.