Mano-a-Mano: Nintendo 3DS vs Sony NGP

January 2011 just zoomed by, and we've already seen 2011's most anticipated hand-held consoles: The Nintendo 3DS and Sony's successor to the PSP, the Next Generation Portable (NGP). In the fight between these two hand-helds, who would rise to claim victory over the hand-held console market?

First off, the 3DS. Driven by the trend for 3D gaming, Nintendo is set to take on the market with glasses free 3D viewing using parallax barrier technology. Last June 2010, the 3DS was unveiled at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010, and just recently, they've unveiled the features of the 3DS. Here are just a sample of features that the 3DS has in store:

• Glasses free 3D gaming and videos
• 3D digital photography
• Augmented reality games. In other words, using the 3DS's camera, the 3DS will augment the real world environment with gaming elements such as dragons pooping out of a card placed on your table, and other crazy stuff.
• Street pass and Spot Pass modes. While the 3DS is in sleep mode, the device connects with a wi-fi zone and automatically downloads content (Spot Pass), or with other 3DS devices (Street Pass) and automatically exchanges information such as mii avatars, or execute simulated battles with other 3DS users. This can be turned off at any time.
• Like its predecessor, it has two display screens. The top screen is for 3D display, while the bottom is a touch screen panel for touch controls. 
• For those who are uncomfortable, or for those who want to tone down the 3D effect, the 3DS is equipped with a 3D slider, which is used to set the intensity of the 3D effect.   

I still haven't tried the device but it being able to play Resident Evil., Dead or Alive and Street Fighter IV, this device is pretty impressive. Plus, with a built in 3D feature, this will be probably a great treat to those who've wanted to experience 3D gaming without the expensive 3DTV set.  The NDS is set to launch on on March 27 in the US for $249.9 (approx. P 11,000, but hey, add the taxes and other import costs and it might reach 13 - 15K)

With a pretty good head start, NDS seems to have gotten an early lead against Sony. But who are we kidding, Sony wouldn't just sit idly by and leave this challenge unanswered. To answer the call, Sony also unveiled its latest hand held, the Next Generation Portable.

Honestly, when I watched the web press conference of the 3DS, I was blown away. I was really impressed with the whole 3D thing in the palm of your hands, until this powerhouse fought back with its own unveiling. Here's a sample of what it has to offer:

• Much like its predecessor, it has a "super oval" design. (what's with the "super"?)
• Now with two analog sticks. Not nubs.
• 960 x 544 pixel  OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) capacitive touch display.
• 4 core ARM Cortex-A9 core processor, and a SGX543MP4+ graphics processing unit. Can you believe that? A 4 Core processor in a hand held!?
• Standard face and dpad butoons are still there. Still with two shoulder buttons.
• Why are there still two shoulder buttons you might ask? Well who needs shoulder buttons when you have a touchpad on the back of the unit?
• Six-Axis feature! (accelerometer, gyroscope, and electronic compass). Much like your standard Six Axis and Dual Shock 3 PS3 controllers.
• Bluetooth. Wi-fi and 3G connectivity! It has GPS too!

One of the demos (check out youtube or gamespot, they have a feature on this) that was showcased in the unveiling was Uncharted and Metal Gear Solid 4. I'm seriously impressed with this device being able to play these games. So imagine Call of Duty on your NGP. Imagine the carnage. Imagine the decrease in work productivity these toys might mean! Haha! Despite having no 3D, this machine is packing quite a heavy punch. You better start saving up if you want one of these babies, coz it is sure to have a very hefty price tag. The NGP is targeting a launch on Quarter 4 2011 (Holiday Season).

So in the fight between these two hand-helds, who will be the victor? We'll it's still too early to say as a lot can change in the next couple of months. With a clear focus on 3D and a huge headstart, the 3DS might win the hearts of a wider market. But given the mean specs of the NGP, hardcore gamers might shell out the extra bucks to bring their HD gaming on the go. Let's just wait and see until both of these machines have filled out the stores this year.