Why PSN beats XBLA

Issue 13 of the free PlayStation 3 magazine, P3Zine, includes all the usual previews and reviews, but also has an editorial on how PSN is starting to show a different and more exciting trend to XBLA. Looking at the lists of the top 10 titles on both platforms, they comment "You could argue that it merely shows that Xbox Live Arcade appeals to a different audience to PSN, but that’s missing the point. Sony’s list is the one which will make heartening reading to small independent developers, proving that even those ideas that might seem relatively niche can have huge success at the right price. Seeing the superb Flow in pole position is particularly satisfying..." and go on to argue how Sony has managed to make a better platform for downloadable, casual games.

You can download the magazine here, or go straight to the page inside the magazine here. All you need is Adobe Reader 6+ installed. The mag is free.

[Sez]

i have to laugh.the pos magazine thinks PSN is better than live. lmfoa. the only thing psn has over live is it's free. thats it. no custom sound tracks, no in-game messaging,no cross-game chat or invites, MS add new games to live every week,live community where you can talk to trixie and major nelson.all PSN has is it's free.

[PS360WII]

it's talking about games to download not online play and matchmaking.

[decapitator]

I like this magazine since it FREE and all but I just can't seem to get the advertisements of it to read it properly..:/

[JsonHenry]

Xbox 360 wins with overall functionality.

But when price is concerned, even though (at this point, it could change) PS3 has a lesser functioning online service at least it is free.

[TheTwelve]

Anybody who reads more than 3 of my posts clearly realizes that I believe the Sony Playstation 3 is the best console money can buy right now.

I just state the facts as I see them.

And I'm sorry, but PSN is not yet where Xbox Live is now. In my opinion, Xbox Live is the only thing clearly better than what the PS3 has to offer. Does is make the 360 an overall better system? Heeeeck no.

But PSN still has an "under construction" feel to it.

I do believe, however, that whenever HOME does launch (haha), we will see PSN surpassing the quality of Xbox Live.

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EDIT: Some people have noted that this article is talking about the games available. Well, in that case, PSN wins hands down.

Nothing on XBLA is better than
1. Pixel Junk Monsters
2. Pain
3. Super Stardust HD
4. Warhawk
5. Everyday Shooter
6. etc., etc....

[sonarus]

arcade wins on content and functionality, psn wins on originality. There have been quite a few very good games released on psn

[MorganX]

Games and PSN don't mix. I also agree the PS3 is the best console. However, XBLA has no peer, it's not even close. I have not purchased a single PSN game and it's not intuitive. With no currency transparency (i.e. Microsoft Points) I might as well be on a PC on a web site ordering something.

Content Let's see:

Geometry Wars
Prince of Persia (Sweet, but short like Heavenly sword)
Uno
Texas Hold 'em
N+
Chessmaster Live
Pinball FX
TRON (original arcade)
Zuma
Frogger
Xevious
Feeding Frenzy (yes)
Pac-Man
Pac-Man CE
Galaga
Heavy Weapon
Lumines Live!
Castlevania:SOTN
Cloning Clyde
Defender
Aline Hominid
Penny Arcade (coming soon)
Pinball FX

That's just the one's I bought and play. It's simply not close. Having said that, Wipeout HD, if it has the specs advertised and performs at 1080p, 60fps, will trump all those. After all, that's why I bought a PS3.

The service, Home isn't goign to do it. I think Sony should just bite the bullet and copy much of what MS has done with Live!

Edit: The vast majority of XBLA with online multiplayer and seamless in-game voice and chat.

[TheTwelve]

Only game on that list that appeals to me is Chessmaster Live. We need that on PSN. The 90% of the rest of that list are re-hashes.

Pixel Junk Monsters alone tops them all. :)

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[c-redz]

hahaha did you say ms points.... how kiddish can you get... that statement by u is re-dunk-u-lous

[MorganX]

@Twelve

Chessmaster is a rehash :>, Wipeout HD is a rehash, GTA IV is a rehash. Good games never die, they just need a new coat of paint. Prince of Persia is phoenomenal next-gen rehash of 2d platformer. You shoudl check it out.

They just don't make arcade games like they use to. So, don't reinvent the whell, just repaint it.

BTW, Pixeljunk Monsters doesn't appeal to me at all. Don't like it's looks or play. That's why when it comes to arcade games, the more the merrier. One person's Pixeljunk is another person's gem. Also, a game line UNO takes on a whole new dimension with a group of friends and in-game chat.

@c-redz
There's nothing kiddish about MS Points. I would rather buy a bunch of points, and then be able to buy a game online with a couple clicks and no credit card than have to go through the purchase process each time.

Additionally, having currency transparency leads to knee-jerk purchasing. When you're account is loaded up, and you're on the fence, you're more likely to just purchase if all you have to do is click Buy, Confirm, (two clicks) and play a couple minutes later.

I can buy MS Points online and send to my nephew's account 1100 miles away and in 30 minutes he'll have the game and we'll be playing coop with crystal clear in-game voice chat with no lag. You and Sony should see the big picture. There's a reason Xbox keeps on chugging despite an RRoD failure rate that would have doomed most products a long time ago.

Gotta give credit where credit is due, then do what Microsoft does, copy it and make it just a tad bit mo' better. If you improve it just an iota it's not copying anymore, it's ... embracing and extending a good idea.

[MorganX]

Twelve, your comments about Pixeljunk are so far fetched, I have to go ahead and buy the thing and give it another try. I mean, wow.

I might give pain another try too. I like the look, but oh the redundancy.

I still don't think they'll grow on me, but he audacity and sheer madness of your comment has moved me give them another shot. I'm just going to buy them.

[InMyOpinion]

Lol!

[RedSoakedSponge]

disagree highly. I think the choice on offer for XBLA makes it win hands down.

RSS

[princejb134]

what the hell PSN better than XBLA, sorry even though im a sony supporter right now PSN is way below XBLA
XBLA wins hands down

[PirateThom]

PS3 has an internet browser, which offers flash games which are exactly the same level as XNA.

[pp]

yeh and pigs fly

[Phil Harrison Mk4]

Can you Fly then??? ;-D

[candystop]

Well we could compare XBLA to PSN all day but 360 has xNA which goes well beyond anything SOny offers!

[mboojigga]

it still has/had an advantage well before XNA was announced basically. They have a lot of work. The articale was made just for controversy

[Monchichi025]

Of all the Crazy things I've heard on N4G this surely takes the cake! I beat even Sony would admit right now that Live is 10 times better then PSN right now.

[power of Green]

Is this based on what Sony will add? and if so is it fair to take what MSFT "will add" into account too. XBLA does have plenty of good titles being pumped out nothing is as hyped as PS3 and its content.

[predator]

lol

[Bazookajoe_83]

But if you are willing to pay for live i would give it the win hands down. And if we are gonna debate the downloadable content on whos the winner it´s pointless, since that is all up to youre taste.

"My favourit dlc games PSN: WARHAWK (addictive). XBL: WORMS (addictive)"

[Syko]

Xbox LIVE Silver = Free
PSN = Free

Unless Multiplayer is your argument I don't see your point?

Same goes for lim_ryan(below)...You guys should understand what you are talking about before you start spewing false info around here to back your points.

[Bazookajoe_83]

Thats the main reason people hook up there console to the internet, the dlc is just extra. And i dont know if i can write this without being flamed. But in my oppinion here is were M$ kick you in the balls by forcing you to pay if u want to get the full game (Online play).

[Rocko]

Sh*t, im laughing so hard over here. ROFL!

...oh yeah, and this is getting reported. You have to download it to read it? CranberryPub, are you f**king retarded?

[HarryEtTubMan]

The XBOTS are desperate now

[Rocko]

No homo, nobody's gonna f**king download a fanboy eZine to tell them PSN is better than XBL.

[lim_ryan]

yeah PSN game better then arcade hav to say.....some arcade just dump down crap they release..... of course some game good like pinball fx n bomberman but why live need pay 50 since i can use 50 to buy 5 game if each 10bucks per game sigh

[THWIP]

Um...WHAT? o_0

[God of Gaming]

You do realize you are not required to have a gold membership to download and play arcade games right? Oh thats right... you have no clue.

[Stryfeno1]

Yeah riiiight. Of course this magazine is going to say something like that. Look at the magazine name...LOL.

[SL1M DADDY]

360zine and PCzine so my guess is it's not about the "zine" at all but the editor of that article's point of view or opinion.

[kewlkat007]

I think these titles are getting out of hand...if you ask me.

Give me a Fn break people.

[Sayai jin]

All I can say to this one is, WOW! I enjoy PSN, but I would rate XBL a lot higher than PSN and rightfully so, it's been out for a while. This is just my opinion. I hope Sony does not feel (which I highly doubt) that the PSN is on par or better than XBL, becuase they would not feel the need to make drastic improvements, but if they keep feeling the PSN is the underdog they will make massive upgrades, additions, etc to improve PSN. Which will mean good things for PS3 owners.

[Marceles]

agree ^^

[belal]

i am a sony fanboy and i can say that XBL is BETTER than PSN. but that will sone change when HOme comes out.

But for now XBL is the better choice.

damn it husrts to say that

[Captain Tuttle]

Have a bubble.

[kewlkat007]

"Doesn't it feels good to Payless"...like them Shoe commercials.

[ArmrdChaos]

A sony magazine stating that PSN is better than XBL? Not surprising and discountable.

[Robearboy]

I have accidently logged on to, its got to be with all this bull sh1t going on

[BlackCountryBob]

Why do so many people seem to get confused on this article, he is not saying Xbox Live is not as good as the PSN for online gaming but is commenting that the games available for the PSN store are, in his opinion, better than the ones on the Xbox live arcade as they are 'more original'.

Personally I think he makes some good points but to exclaim something as being superior is a subjective decision and this writer fails to account for the different audiences and wants of the console owners. There are original XBLA games and there are retro PSN games but the respective audiences apparently want different things.

Please read the article people, don't just read the title and talk garbage, this article has nothing to do with the online play options.

[TheTwelve]

It is true, however, that the games you can download on PSN are miles and miles better than those you can find on XBLA.

There is nothing better than SSHD, Pixeljunk Monsters, Pain, Fl0w and Everyday Shooter on XBLA.

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[BlackCountryBob]

Thats a subjective opinion though is it not?

While personally I do agree and I have considerably more PSN games than I ever had from the XBLA I try to shy away from terms like better because one mans paradise is another's hell.

Different strokes for different folks!

[PS360WII]

You guys aren't reading. This isn't about the online service. This is about games available. In that regards I too feel that the games on the psn are far better and more rounded then the offerings the arcade gives us. Sure you could say arcade has more titles but it's only more titles I never wanted to play. PSN offers fuller game in my opinion. The only great titles on arcade are the remakes rather than the great new games on the network.

[Mikelarry]

from psn being free there is nothing else to write home about. what contents do they offer here in the uk zip, crap upon crap each week. xbox live offers movies, music and tv shows, get back to me when sony starts offering those.to make it even worse the mag is called pszine oh im sure they would praise the 360 .i bet they heads down buried in updating a feature that we wont miss

[PirateThom]

PSN has a few real gems like Everyday Shooter and Super Stardust HD (I'm not counting disc games).

But XBLA has Rez HD and Ikaruga HD on the way.

[TheTwelve]

Remakes...not originals.

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[dalibor]

Which is better live or psn? If you ask me its more of a preference really, they are both diff. in their own way. With live you gatta pay, i will say that its a tab bit better but then again psn is free and i def. think its good for it being free and all. Just be glad that we finally have online unlike 10yrs ago. The same could be said about the consoles... which is better.. well its the persons preference really, each system has diff. games some that you might like & some you might find are awsome. Thats why i hate it when people argue about this is better than this... b/c in your point of view its better but not everyone thinks like you & thats what makes us unique, we each have diff. tastes.

Oh by the way i used both networks, live and psn so at least i knew which one i preffered, people need to try both, at least and then decide why live is better or why psn is better.

[SL1M DADDY]

The PSN allows for an inexpensive way for smaller developers that have games not so normal to sell what they have to offer. Live is a great service but the arcade is more of a rehash of some old titles that were ok then and ok now. There are some great titles on XBLA but there are some great and fresh titles on the PSN. I think he was talking more along the lines of ease of developement and ease of getting content on the PSN versus the XBLA and MS's closed network. Not agreeing or dissagreeing, it's just how I read it.

[jollygoodchap8]

Just no...

[Boink]

your first big article on your new "zine". way to make sure nobody takes you seriously ever again.

fail.

[DarkSniper]

Only Playstation® Network can provide buyers a rich, unique and immersive experience. This portion of what PLAYSTATION® 3 offers is geared toward the casual gamer who does not have the time for a sitting through an lengthy game. With titles such as Echochrome, High Velocity Bowling, flOw, and Everyday Shooter, Sony Snipers can enjoy some of the most top notch arcade games ever created. Which is why PLAYSTATION® 3 is the greatest.

Microslaves are personally hurt by the fact that even with them offering a free game, it still could not surpass the lowest common denominator on PSN. Dont cry Microslaves, just play your Undertow.

$niper

[Phil Harrison Mk4]

Perfect words DarkSniper;)

[sabbath420]

Sony's cake in ur arse. You and your devoted sony friends really believe that sony is some kind of god. How many games does that little network offer you? Well you think because you have a game called flow that your arcade is for casual gamers? Dude have you looked at the list of xbox live arcade games lately? It is freaking huge. With all geners of arcade games from new and old type puzzle games to games like contra and pacman. card games and so much more. Think and look around you before you let that sony crud spew from your hole.

[Pain]

Dont Forget the NO SIZE LIMITATION PSN has to offer Developers . unlike Size Restricted games live forces devs to deal with.

[gambare]

nah..... this time I have to give it a big lol to this article.

[Lew_Ijgee]

Its amazing how many Xbox fans lack the ability to tell the difference when someone is referring to Xbox Live (which is usually completely spelled out like so) and XBLA. Yes, there is a difference folks.

On topic, I don't own an Xbox 360 but all of my friends do so I experience it regularly. Neither of us are great fans for (Pay) DLC, but I own more DLC than they do combined, and the reason is that PSN has some real gems available. Some of those gems are nearly impossible to pass up even if I only play them rarely.

I am really impressed with Sony's "Quality over Quantity" strategy for PSN. Unlike XBLA and WiiWare, with PSN you won't see games that you remember from 15+ years ago being offered to you again for cash. Unfortunately, through emulation, its too easy to get those old games at a much lower price.

[God of Gaming]

Pretty much every old school game has been updated to include online play for 5 bucks a pop. On the Wii you have many of the same games that cost more with no added features. And for the last 6+ months only a couple retro games have been released, most are original games designed for the arcade.

I have a PS3 and if I try and get past the horrible layout of the store I run into the very big problem of not having a demo of each game. Another thing you fail to give MS credit on when they made demos a required part of downloadable games. I have downloaded the few trials that are on the PSN. Not sure where this quality over quantity thing is because many of the games I have tried are stinkers. Both the PSN and Arcade have their own gems but until the PSN has a month where they release games each week like Poker Smash, N+ and Rez HD you are fooling yourself into thinking PSN has a leg up on the arcade.

As an owner of both it is not even close, sorry.

[midgard229]

clearly psn games r better than live arcade games. we get original and fun games and live gets old classics that mostly suck imo. i think the only thing that live has over psn is downloading shows, i think thats cool. psn barley ever lags for me, the games are fun (warhawk, pain, flow, pixel junk monsters, toyhome etc) silver live is garbage im sorry, if u dont have live gold then u dont have live at all. im sure live has better customer support but i never had a prob with my PSn account so i dont know how good sony's is.

for me tho since i wont pay for online psn is the way for me and when we get the update with ingame xmb and we get home psn will be much better than live. heck theres no game with over 18 players on live except frontlines and we all know how bad that lags

[Shortstop]

I don't understand all the hoopla personally. I can play for free online with my PS3. That's all I want. And it does it. What more is needed?

[-Neon-]

Oh well......At least the 360 still has the better 'real' games.

[Z501]

Flow
Everyday Shooter
Super Stardust HD
HV Bowling
LocoRoco
Pixel Junk
Blast Factor
Pain

PSP/PS1 games that can be DL'd via PSN

WARHAWK

[Emmo]

MS is using XBLA to capture the casual market as well as the regular gamer, there are plenty of great original games for the regular gamer out there too.

All the lists in the article do is to show that the price of the PS3 to too high to attract the casual gamer.

With games like Bomberman Live, Catan, Pac-Man CE, N+, Uno, Marble Blast Ultra, Carcassone, Heavy Weapon, Chesmaster Live, Lumines Live, Worms HD, Boom Boom Rocket, 3d Ultra Mini Golf, Brain Challenge and Boogie Bunnies already out and plenty more in the pipe line like Minesweep, Airburst, Plunder, Mr Driller, Wits and Wagers, Sony had better be carefull not to miss out on the casual gamer altogether.

[PirateThom]

That would be true, except the 360 that's aimed at the casual market doesn't have enough storage to download the casual games.

[VirusE]

As an owner of both i STRONGLY disagree. The layout and ergonomics of PSN are horrible.

[Lord Vader]

I agree. Love my PS3, but psn is nowhere near the functionality of xbl & doesnt provide anywhere near the content either.

[brothersimon]

Obviously some shyty ps3 mag is gonna defend the rubbish psn service.

go play xbox live you'll see why its the best.

[DarkSniper]

Dark Sniper has, and was left unimpressed. PLAYSTATION® Network is superior in all aspects.

$niper

[brothersimon]

Fail but nice try.