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PSP Final Specs and Launch Titles

Posted by Zonk on from the don't-fear-the-reaper dept.

Via Joystiq, the official PSP site has the final specs on the U.S. PSP console and its launch titles. And some nice titles they are, including an Ape Escape game, Metal Gear Acid (the card battle game), and one of most of EA's sports franchises. The system releases here in the states on March 24th.

19 of 68 comments (clear)

  1. Here's one reason to read /, by heinousjay · · Score: 2, Funny

    It gives you the ability to feel self-satisfied at pointing out the flaws of something.

    Marge:It's easy to criticize.
    Homer:Yeah, and it's fun, too!

    --
    Slashdot - where whining about luck is the new way to make the world you want.
  2. Early Adopter vs Mature reflection by bolix · · Score: 4, Informative

    The US is getting a rev2 PSP with the current problems (X button and UMD ejection) resolved. The release price is slightly more expensive than the Asian one. I'd hate to think the US consumer is paying for Sony's hardware fixes...

    1. Re:Early Adopter vs Mature reflection by alatesystems · · Score: 4, Informative

      It's not more expensive, or if it is, not by much. The $249 price (at which, I've pre-ordered 3 units) is the "value pack" including spiderman 2 movie, headphones, case, and a 32MB memory stick duo.

      The $199 price is the PSP only. That will also be offered later in the US, but Sony found that in Japan, the value pack was far outselling the version that was roughly equivalent to $199.

      Even if it was marginally more expensive compared to the japanese value pack, that could easily be explained by the declining dollar.

      Regardless of its previous shortcomings, I can't wait to get mine and play wirelessly with friends in Wipeout and Ridge Racers, and hopefully shortly after launch, Burnout.

  3. "Value" pack? by Japong · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You really have to wonder what they're trying to achieve by having a "value pack" - that doesn't include a game! I know Sony is trying to market the movie-playing features of the PSP, but having users gameless after forking out money for the unit seems a bit excessive.

    I doubt many users will watch Spiderman 2 more than once on their machines, and probably then more for novelty than anything. It's two hours of entertainment... for $300+. It's kind of difficult to see the "value" in that.

    1. Re:"Value" pack? by alatesystems · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The "value pack" includes "non-interactive demos". You can read that as "videos of people playing the game". When was the last time you got a console that included a game? I know my last time was the original NES, when I got Super Mario Brothers and Duck Hunt.

      It's not $300+, it's $249. The normal value pack will not include Spiderman 2; only the first million units will. It is indeed a novelty, and the novelty is intended to gain early adopters, like me.

    2. Re:"Value" pack? by Mr.Dippy · · Score: 2, Informative

      Sega Genesis had altered beast and I remember numerous times they had the special "Buy a Sega Genesis and get 3 free games in the mail". That's how I got Super Monoco GP and Populous from what I remember.

      --


      -Dipster
    3. Re:"Value" pack? by Servo5678 · · Score: 2, Informative
      When was the last time you got a console that included a game?

      Well, aside from the NES the Super NES originally came packed with Super Mario World and later Super Mario All-Stars + Super Mario World and, even later, Donkey Kong Country. The Game Boy is legendary for coming with Tetris. The last Nintendo console to come packed with a full version of a game at launch was the Virtual Boy in 1995. It came packed with Mario's Tennis. The Nintendo DS comes with a demo of Metroid Prime Hunters.

      Nowadays the GameCube comes with various games as part of a push to sell the systems, i.e. The Legend of Zelda Collector's Edition or Mario Kart: Double Dash!!. When it was first released it came with nothing.

    4. Re:"Value" pack? by rmarll · · Score: 2, Insightful

      When it was first released it came with nothing.

      Largely because there was nothing worth bundling?

      I kid, Super Smash Brothers: Melee" was a years worth of gaming for anyone, I guess.

    5. Re:"Value" pack? by SetupWeasel · · Score: 2, Informative

      When was the last time you got a console that included a game?

      Not to turn this into a giant flame war, but I got a pretty good game demo with my Nintendo DS.

    6. Re:"Value" pack? by gl4ss · · Score: 2, Interesting

      how much is a single game cost?
      does it bump it up to 300$?

      not having anything playable is just shitty. a pack with nothing to play.. that's crap. doesn't matter if others do it as well, it's still crap.

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    7. Re:"Value" pack? by alatesystems · · Score: 4, Informative

      Most that I looked at cost $39. The only one I looked at that was $49 was NFS Rivals. The two I'll be buying at first, Ridge Racers and Wipeout Pure, are both $39.

      Still below 300 for a full game plus PSP value pack. After a while, the PSP will be available by itself for $199 without the value pack. Due to supply issues, they have to supply it in the format most people are going to buy anyway.

      Who's going to buy that tight ass screen without a cover for it?? Where are you going to store your gamesaves? You need a memory stick.

    8. Re:"Value" pack? by bozoman42 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      All the more reason that Nintendo *should* have bundled Luigi's Mansion. Oh well.

  4. Games by durtbag · · Score: 2, Insightful
    I have a feeling that the PSP is going to trounce the DS pretty quickly here. I've had a DS since it came out and the game selection is awful. I don't like sports or driving games so that leaves me with Mario, Sims, Robots, Spidey, and a couple puzzlers. Of course there is a huge library of GBA games I can play, but when you shell $150 for the "new hotness" you don't want to play Midway's Arcade Treasures...

    Sony looks like they're throwing more effort into getting games out.

    --
    itadakimasu
    1. Re:Games by 88NoSoup4U88 · · Score: 2, Informative

      It's easier to develop for the PSP as it's so similar to their console, whereas the DS asks for a totally different approach to make full use of the two screens/touch screen.

    2. Re:Games by Fisch2 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It's easier to develop for the PSP as it's so similar to their console, whereas the DS asks for a totally different approach to make full use of the two screens/touch screen.
      I wonder if the difficulty third party developers are having with developing games for the DS will also happen with the supposedly revolutionary next-gen Nintendo console. If Nintendo is really going to produce a home console as innovative as the DS is compared to other handhelds, the same alienation of developers will probably occur. Guess we'll find out soon enough.

    3. Re:Games by ayersrj · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It will be interesting to see how that rolls. With VPocket on the way, and a rumored Palm licensing arrangement that's what seems to be on the horizon for DS.

      The number of games coming for the PSP is pretty solid. People should be careful to realize that 20+ games won't be coming out on the first day though. This is a fairly big window. Still Nintendo.. where are the damn games.

      One more thing to consider is what if the GBA SP2, is really a handheld Gamecube. Nintendo hasn't even ruled that one out and the media is the right size...

    4. Re:Games by SetupWeasel · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The DS isn't alienating developers, it is just taking them longer to code games, because they can't port existing code as easily.

    5. Re:Games by Zigg · · Score: 4, Informative

      It's true, Sony has pulled out all the stops for the US release. With the possible exception of Lumines, nothing on that list interests me personally, but it's a damned good list for appealing to the "mainstream" gamer.

      It's a sad fact that the US DS lineup is growing too slowly, primarily because games are taking so long to cross the Pacific. In a few days, Japan will have Meteos -- arguably a killer game -- in addition to highly-rated titles such as Another Code. NOA needs to push those titles over here fast, but (i.e.) Another Code isn't even announced for US release yet.

  5. Re:(mirror) by Pxtl · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Looking at that list, I'm surprised that Twisted Metal and Wipeout aren't getting more loving from the waiting fans - these games are two of the most stylish, fun franchises for Playstation.

    I'm curious about the new Darkstalkers title - they were cute fighting games, but fighting games generally flop on handheld.

    And where the fuck is Armored Core? I saw promo footage of AC on PSP - to me, that's enough reason alone to own one (AC is hands down the best giant robot experience available - all you Mechwarrior fans can stuff it).