Spring cleaning your PSP collection

It's springtime, and that means getting rid of last year's clutter. All those old videos you'll never watch, the furniture you said you'd replace this time last year and, of course, those games in your collection that have had their day.

But if you can't imagine eBay-ing your current PSP collection without having an idea of what's going to take its place, here's a guide to what's in this season.

You spent a cosy winter curled up by the fire with your night-vision goggles and three-letter acronyms about spies, but the weather's changing, and it's time to strip down to your one-piece stealth suit and get out and enjoy the fresh summer air.

Syphon Filter set a new and much-needed quality bar for PSP action games. Good though it was, however, Snake's latest outing, which we reviewed recently, looks set to become the new touchstone for handheld, third-person shootery.

Like finally replacing that manky shed you erected to last the winter, it feels great to be back in the warm embrace of the Codec.

In

You've rooted and tooted your way through the chilly weather, and GUN gave you some good times. Horses were ridden, dames were fooled around with, and bad guys were shot in a dramatic way.

Chisel-jawed, sandpaper-bearded Colton's had his time in the sun, though, and now there are swashes to buckle and decks to swab. It's time to put down the revolver and pick up the saber, and get your action fix with a bit of a piratey twist.

If nothing else, it'll act as a preparation for more pirate-based movie fun this summer, though Pirates! is a truly great handheld game in its own right. Now, if you can just get the accent right…

In

Film licences just sometimes hit the spot, but even the best of them tend to flag after a while. Lego Star Wars 2 – for all its brilliant set pieces and wit – was old hat from the moment you picked it up. See it turns out that Darth Vader is Luke's father all along!

By contrast, Ratchet & Clank's PSP debut is a very fresh helping of the comedy and action blend, and you still get to jet off to a galaxy far, far away.

If The Force has been feeling a little bit familiar lately, and you want a little more firepower with your spaceship assaults, then Size Matters could be the perfect replacement.

In

Handheld gaming has always been, to a certain extent, about reliving the best parts of the past in a tinier, brighter form. Gradius Collection was a fantastic release for 2006, and really gave a great boost to the PSP's lineup of classic remakes. But even retro gaming has to age someday.

There's also something very seasonal about the Sega Mega Drive Collection. Bright vector graphics, fast gameplay, and sounds that stir fond memories in the older gamers. All that's left is to find some blossom on a tree, and an attractive Sega lover on a park bench opposite you!