[walking fiend]

OK; here's the deal!

I want to buy a handheld with buttons that let me play some shooters and some racers, mostly at home; cause DS doesn't have either

And for some reason, I like handhelds over consoles and PC.


Anyhow, I wanted to buy Vita at first, but apparently it doesn't run most of games I like (no shooter, no Need for Speed, no Crisis Core, etc.).

Plus, PSP is REALLY cheap now; like $80 used; games are DIRT cheap, and the archive seems to be really good? (Kill Zone, Resistance, Socom, etc...)


So, will I get to enjoy the system? Or am I just being emotional?

[7threst]

You will enjoy the system. Like you said, the system is pretty cheap and the library of games for the system is awesome. Go for it!

[Para bailar La Bomba]

No, wait or buy a Vita.

The number of BC PSP games is increasing and PSOne support is inevitable.

[entrement]

Shooters without Dual Analog?

[mik83kuu]

At least you are not buying a Vita.

[Skilletor]

Don't buy a Vita to play psp games.

Buy a Vita to play Vita games, and playing psp games as a bonus. If you've no interest in Vita games, spend the money you would spend on the more expensive console on the super cheap games to be found for psp.

[walking fiend]

Shooters without Dual Analog?

that's one of the reasons I asked, are they really good? I mean some shooters on PSP have pretty high meta critics

Buy a Vita to play Vita games, and playing psp games as a bonus. If you've no interest in Vita games, spend the money you would spend on the more expensive console on the super cheap games to be found for psp.

I am interested in few titles (MK, RO, UMVC, UC:GA), but I don't really feel like 'needing' to play them right now; but I feel like I 'really' want to play some PSP titles (Resistance, KZ, Crisis Core, etc.)

[Fancy Corndog]

I'd wait until E3 to see what happens with Vita.

If it's not enough, $80 for a PSP (plus super cheap games) is definitely worth it. I enjoyed the hell out of Chinatown Wars and MGS:PO on PSP, and I don't even generally like handheld games.

[EuropeOG]

If you want PSP games then go for it. I also thought about this myself when wanting a Vita, I noticed it had many JRPG's I would like to play, PSP is MUCH cheaper right now, easy to mod too which does some cool things.

[Adam Prime]

PSP is awesome, IMO best portable game system ever. Picking a UMD one right now is a great decision, everything is dirt cheap... there's a huge PSX library on PSN.

I say browse eBay and score a great deal on someone trying to unload everything. And just google "Neogaf +PSP" to search through all the must have game threads.

[impact]

Single analog shooters are shit.

[Adam Prime]

Single analog shooters are shit.

Syphon Filter PSP games and MGS Peace Walker play absolutely fine on the PSP. The auto-aim on PSP makes not having a second analog no problem.

[JoeTheBlow]

Still an amazing system, theres nothing wrong with the old PSP, still a wonderful gadget with a spectacular library..
If you have the cash you should just get a Vita, the games look MUCH better on that double-res OLED, and on Peace Walker, and other shooters, you can use the dual analogue and it makes a huge difference. I can't imagine playing Monster Hunter without dual analogue now. The compatibility is still increasing.
I play my 7yr old launch Japan model all the time, tough little bastard, still going strong.

[Fancy Corndog]

Yeah, it's sort of relative. He said he's mostly a handheld gamer, so I doubt he'll have much of a problem with the single analog at all. Some games handle it well.

[walking fiend]

Single analog shooters are shit.

I am in the boat that only plays shooters with mouse (or wiimote at least); but there aren't many 3rd person shooters on PC and then again, I want a handheld to play on.

If there was a PS3/360 with a tablet like Wii U Tablet (whatever is the name), that would be the thing I would buy.

I doubt he'll have much of a problem with the single analog at all. Some games handle it well.

I hope I can understand their limitations :) some games handle the setup well I assume, particularly the shooters on PSP are 3rd person shooters which feel much better without mouse (I presume?)

[Nerfgun]

A least wait till E3, silly.

[Apostate]

I don't think it's a stupid idea, I'd like to grab one in the future, but I am waiting to see if PSP games will be coming to Vita via the PSN store - then I'll just get a Vita.

[walking fiend]

A least wait till E3, silly.

I don't think any game announced will come out in some months anyway

I don't think it's a stupid idea, I'd like to grab one in the future, but I am waiting to see if PSP games will be coming to Vita via the PSN store - then I'll just get a Vita.

I am most positive it won't happen; they will 'gradually' add to the titles available

[MoGamesXNA]

Go for it. The PSP is a fantastic system. If you like the PS1 era, JRPG's or Sony first party titles it's a bit of a no-brainer.

For a good portion of this generation it was my favourite system.

[walking fiend]

Go for it. The PSP is a fantastic system. If you like the PS1 era, JRPG's or Sony first party titles it's a bit of a no-brainer. For a good portion of this generation it was my favourite system.

what's the deal with mentioning PS1 games? Does it support those games?


---
btw, it is pretty stupid of Nintendo not having one proper Racer on 3DS after like a year.
I have heard PSP Ridge Racer frame rate is better than the one on 3DS?

[Grinchy]

Well you seem to have done your homework. Since you're interested in shooters and racers, I'm not sure if Vita's compatible PSP list will suit you. Also, even if you bought a Vita, you would be losing out on not only the financial edge of the $80 PSP, but the games would no longer be dirt cheap either (since you wouldn't be buying UMDs).

I don't think buying yourself a PSP would be the greatest atrocity mankind has witnessed. It sounds like a pretty good fit for you.

[Fancy Corndog]

I don't think any game announced will come out in some months anyway

Probably not, but there's no telling what they'll announce. They could announce a ton of support for PSP games or something. It's worth waiting since it's so close IMO, even though it probably won't make a difference.

[Dimorphic]

Wait for E3.

If Sony don't go all out on the Vita (cause really they can't do much more with the PS3 at this point in the cycle) then grab a PSP. But I'm expecting PSOne support at a minimum to be announced plus a bucket load more PSP compatibility.

[Massa]

that's one of the reasons I asked, are they really good? I mean some shooters on PSP have pretty high meta critics I am interested in few titles (MK, RO, UMVC, UC:GA), but I don't really feel like 'needing' to play them right now; but I feel like I 'really' want to play some PSP titles (Resistance, KZ, Crisis Core, etc.)

Killzone Liberation is not just a great shooter on the PSP, it's one of my favorite shooters in recent years. Definitely recommend it.

That said it seems silly to not get a Vita when it already has Uncharted and Unit 13, Resistance coming up in a few weeks and Killzone probably at the end of the year. I'm sure there'll be more announced at E3 too.

When it comes to racing games it runs GT PSP, will have a new Criterion NFS game and eventually a new GT game. That's enough to make it better than a PSP for me anyway.

[sublimit]

I don't see why not to.It's cheap and has a good library of games.
Vita on the other hand may need at least another year until it has enough interesting games (exclusive for the system) to justify a purchase and by then its price will surely drop.

[impact]

Syphon Filter PSP games and MGS Peace Walker play absolutely fine on the PSP. The auto-aim on PSP makes not having a second analog no problem.

Peace Walker does not play fine. It plays like an abomination. Thank goodness for the PS3 version

[jgmo870]

Can you handle the claw, though? Final Fantasy Type-0, Portable Ops, Monster Hunter, Phantasy Star Portable all use the claw and the control scheme is really annoying. But the PSP is still a great handheld and very underrated. So if that doesn't bother you, go for it.

[7threst]

Can you handle the claw, though? Final Fantasy Type-0, Portable Ops, Monster Hunter, Phantasy Star Portable all use the claw and the control scheme is really annoying. But the PSP is still a great handheld and very underrated. So if that doesn't bother you, go for it.

the claw...? What is that?

[jgmo870]

the claw...? What is that?

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__...9/PSP_Claw.jpg

[Jigsaw]

as long as birth by sleep and crisis core aren't on psn,purchasing a psp is always worth it

the syphon filter games are amazing too,don't think they are on psn either

Peace Walker does not play fine. It plays like an abomination. Thank goodness for the PS3 version

it plays totally fine on psp when set to shooter controls

guess some of you never played shooters on the dreamcast

[walking fiend]

the claw...? What is that?

used for camera movement, famous for use in MH

[bengraven]

My PSP has become a Spongebob watching in the backseat machine for my kids.

[brumx]

PSP is great system if it had touch screen there would be no need for 3DS.

[lolez2matt]

Crisis core and birth by sleep are a yes in my book for buying a psp.

[walking fiend]

OK guys, got my decision :D

Will buy one!! Very happy :D

Just one question, is it OK if I buy a 3rd party memory?
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/offer-listin...w&tag=27411-20

I think they will do fine for stuff like putting music, etc on the device? Are there games downloadable on the system? I check an PS1 are games available through PSN?


Anything beside this and screen protector to recommend?

[Skilletor]

what's the deal with mentioning PS1 games? Does it support those games? --- btw, it is pretty stupid of Nintendo not having one proper Racer on 3DS after like a year. I have heard PSP Ridge Racer frame rate is better than the one on 3DS?

Yes, the psp can play ps1 games. There is a pretty large library of games on PSN.

[MoGamesXNA]

what's the deal with mentioning PS1 games? Does it support those games? --- btw, it is pretty stupid of Nintendo not having one proper Racer on 3DS after like a year. I have heard PSP Ridge Racer frame rate is better than the one on 3DS?

Absolutely, there's a reasonable selection of PS1 titles on PSN. They still hold up really well on the smaller PSP screen IMO.

The PSP Ridge Racer games are brilliant, don't hesitate to pick those up. They have great soundtracks too. It's such a shame that Namco didn't see it fit to release a proper Ridge Racer for the PSV launch. If you like arcade racers, the two Wipeout titles on the PSP are my favourite in the series.

Congrats on the new system purchase btw.

[SixStringPsycho]

Buy PSP, install CFW, play emulators on it
.

[that1dude24]

OK guys, got my decision :D Will buy one!! Very happy :D Just one question, is it OK if I buy a 3rd party memory? http://www.amazon.ca/gp/offer-listin...w&tag=27411-20

more than okay, sony charges out the butthole for memory

be careful with the ultra cheap ones though, they tend not to last

I think they will do fine for stuff like putting music, etc on the device? Are there games downloadable on the system? I check an PS1 are games available through PSN?

y,y,y

Anything beside this and screen protector to recommend?

you'll probably want to mod it! playing old snes/genesis/etc games emulated on the psp is where the majority of my time was spent with the system. it actually has a pretty decent selection of homebrew too.

[Augemitbutter]

Peace Walker does not play fine. It plays like an abomination. Thank goodness for the PS3 version

best shooter-like conrols on a device with just one stick.

[CamHostage]

They haven't dropped the price low enough yet on PSP to be a straight impulse buy of a classic system, but I can't see how you can lose buying a PSP. Vita is a great platform, but you can't play UMDs on it, and games are either not on PSN or are cheaper to buy on disc than on PSN. So yeah, go ahead and make yourself happy.

I'm actually looking to supplement my own launch PSP once the price drops to the "baby siblings" price that consoles often drop to once their successors launch (though portables don't always follow suit... although Nintendo was the only one to have made a successful portable generation leap so it's hard to say,) and I expect a PSP price drop might be one of the events of E3 (I don't expect them to announce it because talking about another system when Vita needs all the help it can get would be a mistake, but if they announce something like a general PlayStation pricing shift, PSP might fall in with the rest.) So I'm waiting until then because it's worth getting a new PSP with a fresh battery then having to worry that the previous owner ran out its charges.

[Berksy]

Why would it be stupid? :D I bought a new 3000 months before i got a Vita for my UMD collection as my 1000 was half dead :(

Little game advice:

Racers:
Burnout Legends / Dominator (these are more arcadish as you probably know but still fun)
Gran Turismo (lacks a career mode but has shit ton of cars and realistic licence lessons i can't pass :( )
MotorStorm: Arctic Edge (motorcycles vs cars vs buggies vs trucks vs etc)
Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast (not a real racer but very good nonetheless )
Ridge Racer 1 & 2 ( Can't remember which one is better but for a launch game RR was the shit with crystal clear graphics, solid gameplay and 60fps iirc)
Wipeout Pure/Pulse ( wipeout is wipeout i guess :D )

Shooters:
The 3rd Birthday (very solid though don't mind the story)
Coded Arms 2 (Second game was probably the only fun FPS i played on PSP)
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (full of content. "Stories" series are good too but i would recommend this)
Killzone Liberation
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (my favorite game on PSP. People either love it or hate it. Probably they can't get arsed with controls but there is so much stuff in it. I have i-depth knowledge of Cuban Missile Crisis because of this game :lol)
Syphon Filter (SF games were very high quality)


If you plan to upgrade/buy a Vita in the future try to buy your games digital. EU store had some price drops for 78 or so games so it is a good time to get a digital backlog imo.

[Liquidus]

I've been waiting for a PSP price drop and hopefully one will be announced at E3. I have a 1000 but would like another 3000 but not at $129 when the PSP2 will be lowered to $199 after E3. Hopefully they drop the price of the PSP to $89.99.

[P90]

The PSP is a great system. Highly recommended.

[walking fiend]

more than okay, sony charges out the butthole for memory be careful with the ultra cheap ones though, they tend not to last y,y,y you'll probably want to mod it! playing old snes/genesis/etc games emulated on the psp is where the majority of my time was spent with the system. it actually has a pretty decent selection of homebrew too.

I couldn't find any other cheap memory card; the sony one costs $30!!

Won't modding brick my PSP? :( I feel like doing piracy, but if I can get to play Super Metroid on the system, DAMN!!

Why would it be stupid? :D I bought a new 3000 months before i got a Vita for my UMD collection as my 1000 was half dead :( Little game advice: Racers: Burnout Legends / Dominator (these are more arcadish as you probably know but still fun) Gran Turismo (lacks a career mode but has shit ton of cars and realistic licence lessons i can't pass :( ) MotorStorm: Arctic Edge (motorcycles vs cars vs buggies vs trucks vs etc) Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast (not a real racer but very good nonetheless ) Ridge Racer 1 & 2 ( Can't remember which one is better but for a launch game RR was the shit with crystal clear graphics, solid gameplay and 60fps iirc) Wipeout Pure/Pulse ( wipeout is wipeout i guess :D ) Shooters: The 3rd Birthday (very solid though don't mind the story) Coded Arms 2 (Second game was probably the only fun FPS i played on PSP) Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (full of content. "Stories" series are good too but i would recommend this) Killzone Liberation Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (my favorite game on PSP. People either love it or hate it. Probably they can't get arsed with controls but there is so much stuff in it. I have i-depth knowledge of Cuban Missile Crisis because of this game :lol) Syphon Filter (SF games were very high quality) If you plan to upgrade/buy a Vita in the future try to buy your games digital. EU store had some price drops for 78 or so games so it is a good time to get a digital backlog imo.

I think I will get lots of shooter; for racers, I like the simulators more than arcades, just a shame GT doesn't have career mode...

Will get RR and maybe Test Drive? I've heard Wipeout is F-Zero for Sony systems, so will get that too :D

I think I already know games I will buy:

Crisis Core
RR
Wipeout
GT
Double Pack - Killzone Liberation and Syphon Filter Logan's Shadow
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Tekken

And they will probably cost around $60 :) And there will a lot more games

Now that I look into it, PSP has been an extremely underrated system in terms of sales, particularly software sales; how Sony managed to do this to PSP?

[Adam Prime]

Peace Walker does not play fine. It plays like an abomination. Thank goodness for the PS3 version

You made that game unenjoyable for yourself if you had to "claw" to play it. The controls are loose enough to allow you to aim and snap the cross hairs to the target. Resistance Retribution even does a great job of this.

[staticneuron]

that's one of the reasons I asked, are they really good? I mean some shooters on PSP have pretty high meta critics I am interested in few titles (MK, RO, UMVC, UC:GA), but I don't really feel like 'needing' to play them right now; but I feel like I 'really' want to play some PSP titles (Resistance, KZ, Crisis Core, etc.)

Problem with being impatient is that it signals the concept that you won't really care about Vita games in the near future. It makes no sense to buy a PSP when you can buy a vita and play their growing list of BC titles AND if and when there are titles you want to play for the vita (possibly sequels of titles found on PSP) you won't have to pony up price of handheld for entry later on down the road.

To me it always seems like a wast to buy a console or handheld late in its life.

[DidntKnowJack]

I'd get one just as a system that plays UMD's, and maybe a Vita in the future for the digital and Vita only games. There's no other system on the planet that will play those UMD titles, so I don't think picking up a PSP at this point would be stupid. Though obviously for this reason I would avoid the Go which doesn't have a UMD slot.

But those UMD's are dirt cheap right now. You can pick up a ton of games for next to nothing. And of course, all PSP's support the digital games as well.

[Shai-Tan]

I feel the strength of the PSP is in SRPG (Jeanne D'Arc, Tactics Ogre, Disgaea, ...), a few JRPG (Persona 3 Portable, Trails In The Sky, ...), unique games (like Half Minute Hero, Patapon, Badman, Locoroco, Corpse Party, ...) not so much the console style games although Peace Walker, God of War, Motorstorm, Wipeout are decent

There's also PS1 games, homebrew games (wagic, cave story, ...). I do like my PSP a lot but there are no good shooters on the PSP imo

[shidoshi]

I recently spent $150 to replace my PSP-1000 with a PSP-2000, using money I had been saving for a Vita. Don't regret the decision one bit. Doing so made me get back into the PSP, and there's so many great games on there to play. Throw custom firmware on there, get the ability to rip and run your UMDs from the memory stick, have the ability to rip and run the PS1 games you own, play emulators, and life is sweet.

When you have the PSP games digitally though PSN already, and I'd they're even available, then the Vita is great for playing PSP games. It's no replacement for the system though.