PSP Set for Launch in Japan!

SWEET!  I want one!!    

This weekend marks the biggest shift the handheld videogame industry has ever seen. We take a look.

Nintendo has enjoyed a virtual monopoly of the market for well over a decade with its Game Boy line, but the company now faces the most capable attack yet on its portable throne

On Sunday, 12 December, hundreds of stores across Japan will open for business to queues of tired, frozen customers anxious to get in bed with Sony\'s new handheld console, the PSP.

The release of the PSP comes at an important time for the industry, when some are content to stay the current course where raw technology rules all, while others, including Nintendo, feel that technology has gone as far as is useful and that the industry needs to instead focus on creating new gaming experiences above all else.

With its massive, bright 4.3" LCD screen, true surround sound, high-quality 3D graphics and multimedia capabilities, the PSP falls firmly into the tech-rules school of thought.

More here!

My enthusiasm for the PSP has dropped considerably.  The combination of short battery life and the load times are major turn offs for me right now.  It\'s still sexy as hell and I do want one...but I\'ll probably wait until Sony comes up with an extended battery solution and the developers get to grips with the system to get rid of the long load times(15-20 secs is wayyyy too much, imo).  It\'s launching with 5 games by the way...5!  

That and the other features it has aren\'t going to be utilized from day one.  As of the moment there aren\'t any movie distributers making movies on the UMD\'s, however Sony comments that it\'s in the works.

...

Well, between now and the end of this year, according to that link, there will be considerable offerings in terms of software for the PSP.  Where did you read that 15-20 seconds load times link?  Anyways, as far as having one at launch in Japan or not with software offerings between now and the end of the year, the PSP is a far more enticing offer then the DS.  Of course, the DS always has the GBA library to fall back on which was the greatest console this gen in my opinion.  Here\'s what has my interest piqued:

• Hot Shots Golf (Sony) - golf
• Lumines (Bandai) - music action puzzle
• Metal Gear Acid (Konami) - card-based action
• Puyo Pop Fever (Sega) - puzzle
• Ridge Racer (Namco) - racing
• Vampire Chronicle: The Chaos Tower (Capcom) - fighting

Seems enjoyable to me at least.

[Evi]

Where did you read that 15-20 seconds load times link?

Well Ryu...go to this link for exorbitant amounts of info on the PSP and load time info - -

http://www.lik-sang.com/news.php?artc=3545

Loading Times

Loading time and battery life seem to be the big factors which decide about the PSPs success or failure in many gamers eyes right now. While we can\'t comment on the battery life as of yet, latest reports from Japan about loading times on demo units that actually have access to the games are as follows:

Ridge Racers:

• From power off to Namco logo and title: 16 seconds
• From selecting car/track to start the race: 14 seconds
• Exit the game back to car/track selection: 10 seconds

Dokodemo Issho:

• From power off to PSP logo and title: 20 seconds
• Starting game from title screen: 10 seconds
• Going back to title screen: 5 seconds

Mojipittan:

• From power off to title screen: 20 seconds
• No more waiting time

Minna no Golf:

• From power off to PSP logo and title: 24 seconds
• From character selection to start: 19 seconds
• Waiting between courses: few seconds only

The interface/menu of Minna no Golf seems to be very slow reacting, with people even hinting that this could be a problem of the pre-release version only.

They\'re out at the right time in Japan, at least (assuming they celebrate some big gift-giving holiday there now). It\'ll be interesting to see how it fares. It really could go either way in my opinion. After the initial sales, I wonder how it\'ll hold up.

-Dan

Originally posted by Ryu
Well, between now and the end of this year, according to that link, there will be considerable offerings in terms of software for the PSP.  Where did you read that 15-20 seconds load times link?  Anyways, as far as having one at launch in Japan or not with software offerings between now and the end of the year, the PSP is a far more enticing offer then the DS.  Of course, the DS always has the GBA library to fall back on which was the greatest console this gen in my opinion.  Here\'s what has my interest piqued:

• Hot Shots Golf (Sony) - golf
• Lumines (Bandai) - music action puzzle
• Metal Gear Acid (Konami) - card-based action
• Puyo Pop Fever (Sega) - puzzle
• Ridge Racer (Namco) - racing
• Vampire Chronicle: The Chaos Tower (Capcom) - fighting

Seems enjoyable to me at least. [/B]

I haven\'t picked up a DS and I don\'t plan to until there are several games I want and the price goes down to $100.  Mario Kart DS and Metroid Prime Hunters will be tempting early next year.  

Are you importing a PSP?

Thanks for the link Evi.

Actually there are a crap load of games being planned/developed for the psp - though the majority wont be out at launch.

Im looking at a huge list right now - and even if half of them didnt make it, there are still a lot. Sadly a lot of them will only be out in japan (ie ones like Naruto:( )

If it\'s Naruto you\'re looking for, then you WANT a DS and you want it NOW.  Take a look at this -- Nintendo somehow is develop [or at least co-developing] some new game based on SSB gameplay of the Shonen-Jump characters and they\'re mixing them altogether in some all-stars like configuration.  This screen looks amazing so prepare to be floored.



PSP thread -- HIJACKED!

WTF?! Wait - are the DS and PSP region coded? Thats amazing.
Hopefully thats the same Naruto being ported on the psp. DS is neat but im betting all my chips on the psp and with a naruto game like that, i can only hope its on the psp.

EDIT: I just looked again and they have all sorts of signature moves (of course they would have to but its just exciting).

Rasengan!

Since it\'s being developed by Nintendo, it will not appear on the PSP and that\'s pretty much guaranteed.

GHEY

Were\'s the "ghey" smiley when you need it?

well I hope Naruto will be trasnlated in english lol.