A comparison of Wii and PSP screens: Alien Syndrome

Posted Mar 22, 2007 at 5:20AM by QJ Staff Listed in: Wii, PSP Tags: Totally Games

This is a bit off topic guys (you have been forewarned). The guys over at SegaNerds raised an interesting comparison. How would the Wii's graphics stand against a PSP's? Since they took a common game - Alien Syndrome - between the two platforms and put them side-by-side.

You can click the images above for a bigger view and critique the images in question. Can you spot the difference? According to the SegaNerds, "PSP's textures look cleaner and more crisp." Alien Syndrome from Totally Games is set to hit the shelves in May this year and the game is still decidedly in the works. They conclude that "whatever way you slice it, it's hard to argue that the games don't look pretty similar, graphically speaking."

Would you agree? Maybe the fact that there isn't much difference between the two versions - aesthetically speaking or at least pre-release-wise - that called for this type of criticism for the Wii. Well, that remains to be seen in the long run.

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Comments

# first first — Guest 2007-03-22 00:48

i know people hate this but i had to do it once in my life.

Who loves ya.

# perhaps... — Guest 2007-03-22 00:48

perhaps wii should stick to the more cartoony games. they can pull those off without looking old

# Considering that the PSP can't pull off Gamecube-quality graphics... — Guest 2007-03-22 01:21

... This is just a case of Lazy Developer Syndrome. That is, if it actually ends up looking like this.

# WOW — Guest 2007-03-22 01:23

Honestly, before I looked at the left corners, I thought the top ones where screens from the Wii. GO PSP, We Love Ya!!!

# . — Guest 2007-03-22 01:30

"PSP's textures look cleaner and more crisp."

wtf are you kidding me??? the psp screens have a lower polycount.

# Resolution — Guest 2007-03-22 01:32

Maybe we should, you know, look at _both_ systems in their native resolution? I'm sure the Wii version will seem much cleaner then, than in this scaled down version.

# Give Me A Break — Guest 2007-03-22 01:49

Just because one company releases a game with crappy graphics for the Wii doesn't exactly mean the PSP is a graphics god. Honestly, the above screen shot is probably pushing the PSP to almost its limit.

Also, I read in an article on IGN that the developers haven't even optimized the graphics for the Wii yet. They said the game was basically done, all they had to do now was up the graphical quality for the Wii version.

# Rio... — Guest 2007-03-22 01:53

please go back to school and re-take English 101.

# screen size — Guest 2007-03-22 01:54

just throwing this out there...but as i recall the PSP screen is quite smaller than the average TV.

# lower polycount — Guest 2007-03-22 01:55

yup, the wii has more polygons. The SegaNerds pointed that out too.

# asdasd — Guest 2007-03-22 02:22

psp>wii

psp has all the vc games too plus gba and psx

so you all can go suck a *****

=)

# lol wii vs psp — comedy 2007-03-22 02:31

but the psp doesn't have the wiimote!

and they cost about the same...

don't they?

instead why don't we compare something like zelda twilight princess and crisis core - yes they're different games but they're THE best games on their systems... it will be nice to see.

# Agreed — Rikki-Tikki-Tavi 2007-03-22 02:44

That's what immediately came to my mind as well.

# ... — Silver-Tiger 2007-03-22 02:53

the pictures are a bit difficult to copmare...

the should be more on the same point. the only thing you can really compare are the shadows and the person....

But that's only my opinion...

# Wii version not done — ssj3fox 2007-03-22 02:56

Read the same thing on IGN

# CRT — Evilution 2007-03-22 03:10

You aren't ever going to get a decent crisp image from a non HD console on a standard TV. The PSP screen is a much higher res than a normal tely.

# Objection, your honor! — Guest 2007-03-22 03:38

First: Try to compare similar screens. This comparison is terrible simply because the screens are too dissimilar.

Second: (I am a developer in real life, but for boring UNIX applications)... People shoot for the lowest common denominator when writing games that are going to be cross platform. This means that when you are comparing XBOX 360 and PC graphics, the limit to the engine is going to be defined at the XBOX 360. When comparing a game that is going to be released for Wii and PSP, the PSP is going to short-stick the Wii.

A good example of this is Madden for Wii. Minus the coaches (which never seem to have texture on their faces), the rest of the game looks quite nice, and I daresay better than this.

# hah — Guest 2007-03-22 03:42

Yes lets compare crisis core to zelda. Zelda looked decent but no better than a gamecube game. Crisis core will put it to shame. I find this topic entertaining. There have been rumors with the oblivion post that the psp is up there in power with wii and now this is helping to confirm it. Not good for nintendo at all. But this is what happens when it only costs you $50 to make a console whereas the ps3 costs sony about $800 to make.

# Graphics are partially irrelevant — Guest 2007-03-22 04:27

The gameplay is the most important aspect of the Wii. I've seen grown men sit and whack at tennis balls with crappy gfx for hours, having the time of their lives due to the Wii's controls. I'm dying to play the new Sonic for the same reason. the graphics, as long as they don't totally blow goat, are secondary.

# tetris — Guest 2007-03-22 04:45

Just think how tetris would compare on the two systems. Thats right, the same! The same thing goes here, if they game was designed with a base code and just happens to run on both, course they would be almost identicle. Its the optimizing that changes things, but there again, lazy programmers make for *****ty games. and for you HAH, get your head outta your ass, course the zelda game looks like a gamecube game, cause it was pretty much ported 100% (cept for the map mirroring). Robb, you are right on. The Wii's fun value outweights anything else including graphics, as for the PS3, if I wanted a console as fast as a PC and cost just the same, hell ya I woul stay with my PC, oh wait I already did. Lamers on the nintendo consoles, just jealous cause you cant return your psp or ps3 to get one. Oh, and for the "crappy" graphics of the wii, read the numbers people. 6 million sold in under 4 months. Booliah!

# lol — Guest 2007-03-22 05:17

LOL yeah man same here! WOO PSP!

# lol — isti 2007-03-22 05:32

but you cannot control the game by throwing around your PSP

by the way, I'm draining my batteries with CSPSP 1.2 nowadays..

we should have network support with "Fume" account

or at least ad-hoc multiplayer..

looking forward.. :)

# Sega sux. — Guest 2007-03-22 05:48

That's it.

# wohoo — Guest 2007-03-22 05:51

a careless wii developer leaves their trashcan unlidded and now watch swarming nintendo haters hovering it, gnarling and foaming at the mouth. mmm, exquisite.

*takes another pack of popcorn*

# Shut Up — Guest 2007-03-22 05:55

You sir, are an idiot.

# So? — Guest 2007-03-22 06:13

All the PS3 haters do the same thing (with Sega games too) and I don't see you hypocrites complaining.

# PSP rocks — Guest 2007-03-22 06:17

Remember buy the games don't download them. A happy game developer is an exclusive game developer.

# PSP looks better — Guest 2007-03-22 06:19

The PSP grahics still looks better than wii.

Tenacious D rule

# ? — Guest 2007-03-22 06:32

" Just because one company releases a game with crappy graphics for the Wii doesn't exactly mean the PSP is a graphics god. Honestly, the above screen shot is probably pushing the PSP to almost its limit. "

no one said that psp is graphics god.. atleast i dont remmeber reading it.

# Go have some real fun... — GaveUpTomorrow 2007-03-22 06:34

get a real workout, and play some actual tennis with "real life graphics." Seriously, who wants to play crappy sports games like tennis when you can go out to any park area and play for hours ;)

# Um no... — GaveUpTomorrow 2007-03-22 06:39

I'm not jealous that I can't return my PSP, as it is more fun. If the Wii was $200 and the PSP was $400, I'd still buy the PSP because it is more practical for me. People buy what they want, not a system they wish they didn't have ;) If I got a Wii for any reason...it would be because I won it free or bought it at a great price so I could turn around and sell it.

# Yeah, Sega SUX. — Guest 2007-03-22 07:08

I am old enough to say this. I have Master System, Mega Drive (AKA Genesis), 32X, Sega-CD, Saturn, DreamCast, Game Gear... All great consoles and, except for the Master System, I really like all of them. But SEGA, TODAY is only making stupid and poor games. Who can tell me the last GREAT game from Sega? Toe Jam and Earl, from Mega Drive? REZ on Dreamcast? Yeah, they're GREAT games and I love them, but TODAY all we have are stupid and poor games like Yakuza and the 3D Sonics... It's sad, but it's true.

# he's right! — comedy 2007-03-22 07:10

i agree 'gaveuptomorrow'. although when ps3 gets a wiimote addon and a tennis game the graphics on that will be better than this 'real life' you speak of, so it will be better to stay in.

# Gamecube>PSP — Guest 2007-03-22 07:17

I'd like to see a PSP play RE4.

Also, transitive property indicates:

PSP

# Dude!!! — Guest 2007-03-22 07:55

Get over it.. we know that the Wii has more graphics than the PSP but it can not be compare with the other 2 systems xbox 360 and PS3.....Graphics are importante...

# stfu — Guest 2007-03-22 08:01

Sega could have made it big with dreamcast. but they released it too early so lots of people went for PS2 when it came out

# to — Guest 2007-03-22 08:25

but w/e i dont even care this comment is pointless too. ive done it once. im sure everyone has lol

# Don't compare Apples with Oranges — Guest 2007-03-22 08:36

Come on... Why not take screens from the same part of the game?!??! How are we supposed to compare two screens that don't even have the same things on them....

Stupid article..

# matt sux — Guest 2007-03-22 08:42

wii is a gamecube

# Actually.... — Guest 2007-03-22 08:49

Aren't we missing the point?

That being... that BOTH VERSIONS ARE CRAP!

# I'd like to see a PSP play RE4. — Guest 2007-03-22 09:11

Go look at the Silent Hill game, it looks very similar to RE4

# .. — Dodo 2007-03-22 09:24

PSP > Wii.

Wii is just an upgraded GC. Only thing appealing about it is the motion controller. Most of its games are cheap and lame rehashes anyway.

# rio, rio — Guest 2007-03-22 12:06

I always thought the psp is the best console ever made after the Game Gear. It's a pleasure to constate that more and even more people is thinking the same about it.

# +o — Guest 2007-03-22 12:07

*takes a bucket of popcorn and dumps it on bystander's head*

# dummy — Guest 2007-03-22 12:24

stupid *****les

# %69%64%69%6f%74%73%20 — ssj3fox 2007-03-22 12:33

"The Wii build of Alien Syndrome we recently played was unfinished. Totally Games only recently implemented visual upgrades to give the action-RPG more graphic punch. The title runs at a brisk framerate and supports both 480p and 16:9 widescreen modes. That being true, the overall visual presentation is the one area the game definitely still needs improvement, as the characters and environments generally lack geometrical and texture detail. SEGA indicated that it is currently concentrated on upping the graphic finesse for the project, which doesn't ship until May."

http://wii.ign.com/articles/773/773543p1.html

# >_> — Guest 2007-03-22 12:34

Psp best console ever? More like great way to take all my old games around. The only real awesome game for psp for is like MGSPO, TekkenDR and well maybe both GTA's (I liked em.) I use my psp more for playing 10+ year old games then standard and Im sure that most people posting on this website dont even buy games anyway, so arguing which system has the best ones is kinda moot as you dont actually support any.

# ... — Guest 2007-03-22 12:40

Actually I still say Daxter's graphics look better than those.

# Who cares? — Guest 2007-03-22 12:51

It doesn't matter how many polygons the Wii can put on the screen if they look like crap. It appears they're already hitting the limits of the GPU within months of launch.

# To all you fanboys — Guest 2007-03-22 12:59

Thats why the Wii sold over 3 mil in about 3 months, and the PSP took how long? Over a year for 5 mil? You do the math.

Yeah, I just said that because I know it'll piss some of you off (Im evil like that). I really think people are not understanding that the game developers just suck and made a crap port, with recycled material. I don't hate the PSP (Infact I use mine all the time), just the few stupid fanboys who believe Sony is god.

# R U INSANE? — Guest 2007-03-22 13:42

Silent Hill VERY SIMILAR to RE4? Are you nutz? Silent Hill have crappier resolution, even on xbox! RE4, on Gamecube, is one of the most beautifull games for the last generation. And I'm not talking about that piece of junk PS2 version of RE4...

# This is ridiculous — Dagnillo 2007-03-22 14:13

I can't even believe what I'm reading on these pages. Anybody that claims the PSP is superior in graphical power to the Wii is either kidding themselves or some kind of Nintendo basher. First of all, the PSP is not as powerful as the PS2 as most people should know. The GameCube was slightly more powerful than PS2, as most people should also know. Therefore, GC>PSP and thusly, Wii>PSP.

I'm also sick of people calling the Wii a gamecube. Yes it is not a big jump over the GC and yes it's inferior to the XBOX360 and PS3, but there IS a graphical improvement from the GC to the Wii. If you don't believe me just look at Super Mario Galaxy or Super Smash Bros.; the polys and textures on either game are noticably better than their GC counterparts.

Don't blame a system for faults that lie in the hands of lazy developers.

Mind you, I'm not arguing that the Wii is a better system in terms of quality than the PSP. That's a seperate discussion; this article rather alludes that the PSP's graphical abilities are equal to the Wii's, which is incorrect.

# believe it, brother — Guest 2007-03-22 14:26

want some of my popcorn? : )

# polycount — Guest 2007-03-22 17:08

Yup, wii has more polycount and a much higher resolution(comp are the scale of the models). Wii also seems to be using better lighting. Not really surprising. But the PSP is pretty good at mimicking higher detail.

Wait, I'll just rephrase the whole thing. The Wii has a lot more power than a PS2. Put the rest together yourself.

# ... — Guest 2007-03-22 19:51

Virtua Fighter 5

# swish swish — Guest 2007-03-22 21:16

it would be a pleasure :]

people are becoming dumm, I can't believe it :°/

# I guess I'm the only one- — WarLord 2007-03-23 01:14

who finds it weird that we're comparing a portable device to a home console. Out of reference to what some other guy said: If you blow up the psp's visuals to that of a normal size tv, the graphics on the games would look worse than wii, if you shrink the screen of a wii game, it would probably look better than the psp's visuals.

Please let's keep the comparisons fair. PSP is the most powerful portable gaming device on the market so far (as well as the most expensive). Wii is the most interactive gaming console on the market so far (as well as the cheapest). Comparing the two seems pretty silly to me.

# PSP and Wii? — Guest 2007-03-23 02:06

PSP > Wii

If you want console just buy the XBOX 360 or PS3 that have HDTV support.

Not GC with remote

But this article compare Portable with the Console. It looks a little bit unfair. If they compare PSP and DS. We don't even have to waste a time to compare. (Like a 8800GTX with MX4000)

When i look at the processor speed. Wii is just an old Xbox.

Wii = Gamecube + Remote

# . — Guest 2007-03-23 02:25

It's a portable, that's the point perhaps?

# . — Guest 2007-03-23 02:27

B U L L ***** !

TV - 720 by 480

PSP - 480 by 272

# LULZ — Guest 2007-03-23 05:04

Why are you guyz so busy comparing graphics? The Wii has a *****load of better games than the PSP that are just more fun to play.

The PSP's best game isn't even out yet.

Mega lulz.

# use your brain — Evilution 2007-03-23 05:42

It's about pixels per inch.

there is more pixels per inch in a PSP screen than a TV.

More pixels per inch means a higher resolution, I rest my case you retard.

# i call bull honky — Guest 2007-03-23 05:44

Comparing 1st gen Wii game engines to later gen psp game engines is unfair. The textures also look far more detailed in the Wii version and lighting effects look better.

# So what! — Guest 2007-03-23 06:38

We all know the Wii is about innovation. Who cares if it has an out dated GPU. Who cares if it is NO where near the HD era(480p as opposed to 720p+). Why argue about a home console that is compared to a portable gamming system(Go PSP!). As long as Nintendo's happy with developing underpowered hardware to aquire a higher marketshare by selling its systems to children and loyal Nintendo fans, who can blame them?

# make that 2! — Guest 2007-03-23 08:36

I agree. Look at how the psp looked so awful when using that "PSP2TV" thingy?!

# I don't care! — Guest 2007-03-23 08:38

I can careless!!! I have all the next-gen consoles! HAHA(evil laugh!)

# To brunobelo — Guest 2007-03-23 08:40

I played both versions or RE4 and the version that I liked best was the PS2 version because of the extra content alone. If RE4 on the PS2 is junk like you say then I wonder how it managed to reach the Greatest Hits status. A game has to sell a lot on that console to reach that status right. OH and by the way I don't care if Resident Evil looks better than Silent Hill that's your opinion not mine. My opinion is Silent Hill will always be better than Resident Evil in everything. Movies, music, gameplay, story and characters. I choose Silent Hill any day of the week.

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