While I was perfectly happy with the DS version before seeing it on the PlayStation portable, after the fact it feels cramped and very small.
The PSP has a large, vibrant playfield and special effects for all the spells and abilities, while Nintendo's handheld just has a few basic animations repeated ad nauseum.
Sound figures into presentation as well, and once again the
PSP comes out on top, with music of a much higher quality than the DS.
The PSP version ends up having much more personality thanks to the large screen. You see more of the characters, more of the backgrounds...it feels more like a full game, leaving the DS version looking like a shoddy port.
AI: An important element of a puzzle game with a large single-player versus NPC component, I've found that at all difficulty levels the PSP version of the game wipes the floor with the DS version. Perhaps it's just perceptual, but the PlayStation AI is relentless, never missing an opportunity to do damage, while opponents on the DS will sometimes completely ignore potential skull rows in order to chase after items that mean nothing to a computer controlled opponent, like experience or gold. This category really comes down to what level of challenge you prefer. I'm not the type of guy who likes things handed to me, so the winner here is clear.
Which system do I have more fun playing the game on? Which a much more atmospheric world thanks to richer graphics and sound, I give the edge to the PlayStation Portable version. Puzzle Quest is an amazing game on either platform, but Sony's handheld manages to pull off a more complete experience.