Associate Editor Sarju Shah wants to know your opinions on the usability of the DS and the PSP. Send your thoughts to sarjus @gamespot.com.

　　Regardless of whether or not S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl ends up being as impressive when it arrives in stores as it almost certainly would've been in 2004, I know that I for one will be checking it out. I'm not even a huge fan of first-person shooters nowadays, but playing the game is almost certainly the closest I'll ever get to another opportunity to enter the Chernobyl zone (and while I'm in front of my computer, I won't even have to drink real vodka to combat the in-game radiation). Like racing games, soccer games, and many of the other games that I choose to play, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl will, I think, afford me an opportunity to experience something that I'm familiar with in real-life in a very different, albeit vicarious, way. I certainly don't have a problem with games that are set in fantastical universes, but there's definitely something to be said for games that feel somewhat familiar the moment you start playing them.

　　Dual screen... Dual finger cramping?

　　Familiarity. There's definitely something to be said for that word. If you form a bond with a game the instant you turn it on, there's a good chance you're going to enjoy it. You can apply the same statement to a controller just as well, probably even more so. Whereas the games in your console keep changing, your controller is essentially static.

　　How a controller sits in your hands, how the buttons feel, or how the motions of the D pad and analog sticks feel go a long way in the enjoyment of just about any game. If the buttons stick too much, pulling off certain combinations might be exceedingly difficult. Aiming becomes next to impossible if the analog sticks don't have the right amount of fluid motion and springiness to them. Then again, you could get all the details correct with a controller, but if the actual shape of it doesn't mesh well with your hand type, it's all going to be a wash.

　　Controllers come in all shapes and sizes for a reason. All kinds of people play games--small children, adolescents, and adults. You can wander through the aisles of a typical gaming store and find small and large controllers, even the "micro" kind. For all the variety that your typical video game console controllers offer, the controller devices on portable consoles tend to be lacking in comparison.

　　Aside from the upcoming DS Lite design, both the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP have only one shape to their control layouts. It's virtually impossible for the controllers on these consoles to cater to everyone at once. Those of us with large hands find them too cramped, while those of us with medium-size hands find some of the buttons awkward; even folks with small hands complain about finding proper gripping points.

　　The control layouts on most portable devices outside the gaming world are more or less successful, as long as they're usable. Take the iPod or any MP3 player with a rotary control. You wouldn't want to swirl your thumb in circles for 20 minutes at a time, but for the 10 seconds you have to do so with your music player, the controls work just fine. Gaming devices need controls that allow for prolonged use. Awkward controls that make you want to stop playing after 10 minutes need a lot of work.

　　Of course, the size constraints of the portable scene demand tradeoffs. The PSP wouldn't look very sexy if it were lumpy like the Dual Shock controller, and the Game Boy Micro would probably lose most of its appeal if it were twice its size. I'm guessing there has to be a better medium between pure aesthetics and functionality.

　　The PSP has a big screen, but that's a big distance between shoulder buttons.

　　I own a Nintendo DS and can honestly say that the button layout could use some tweaks. My right thumb is constantly sore from having to sit at odd angles to perform any in-game action. I'm not even playing action-oriented games, here. Sadly, even Advance Wars: Dual Strike is problematic for me. I also find the shoulder buttons to be strangely placed. My experiences with the PSP are considerably shorter, but I'm no fan of the analog joystick or the shoulder buttons.

　　I'm sure Sony and Nintendo designed these controls with some ideal hand of some ideal person in mind. I'm just not really sure who this person is. This is where you, the reader, come into play. I'd like to get your opinions on the controls of whichever handheld console you own, your age, and your hand size, if possible. To measure your hand size, get a tape measure or ruler and start measuring your hands from your wrist to the end of your middle finger--measurements of both hands would be ideal--and send it, along with your thoughts on how each handheld console feels in your hands, to [email protected]. Together, we can find an ideal hand size, or at least figure out how to avoid getting sore fingers.

　　Next Up: Freeplay by Carrie Gouskos