The Pocket Gamer Christmas 2008 Buyer’s Guide: Sony PSP

A few months ago the PSP’s situation was so dire that the very notion of finding one underneath your tree at Christmas was the stuff of nightmares, almost akin to the dreadful experience you had when your parents bought you a Barcode Battler all those years ago. However, thanks to the release of the shiny new PSP 3000 model and the recent sales surge in its native Japan, Sony’s portable console is currently enjoying something of a renaissance.

While it’s not quite back to full speed here in the UK yet (the Christmas release schedule is looking worryingly bare, for example) next year is likely to be a bumper one thanks to the fact that we’ll finally be getting our hands on some of the killer games that have been keeping Japanese PSP fans glued to their machines during ’08. Good things come to those who wait, after all.

With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of PSP-related goodies that you’ll be wanting to Santa to leave in your stocking on the 25th.

Pristine Protection
The PSP is a highly desirable piece of gadgetry - much more so than its bitter rival the DS. However, when those talented boffins at Sony Japan were designing the console’s luscious curves, they seemed to lose sight of its ultimate destiny - to be carted around in pockets, bags and holdalls with little thought given to its personal welfare. This is, after all, a transportable gaming device.

Bearing this in mind, the PSP’s glossy exterior presents a major headache for upwardly mobile gaming addicts; it’s highly susceptible to scratches (especially the screen). Therefore one of the most important items you’ll want to get your hands on is a PSP screen protector. These ultra-thin pieces of film can be stuck over your handheld's display to provide a pleasingly robust safeguard against the harshness of the outside world. They’re also visually discrete and can be removed without leaving any icky residue on your console.

Case in point
As we’ve already established, the PSP is a portable machine and that means it’s going to experience its fair share of knocks and bumps thanks to everyday use. Even the most attentive and caring owner can’t prevent unforeseen accidents, and were you to experience the nightmare scenario of your beloved PSP falling out of your backpack onto a hard and unsympathetic concrete floor, the machine’s chances of survival would be greatly enhanced if it were clad in a sturdy carry case.

As we pointed out in our DS Christmas 2008 Buyer’s Guide, a decent holdall is worth its weight in gold if you’re truly serious about taking your PSP on the road. As is often true, you can’t beat officially sanctioned goods and this fetching number is the one we currently favour here at Pocket Gamer. Not only is it easy on the eye, it also provides space for several games and plenty of spare Memory Sticks.

TV or not TV: that is the question
Okay, so hooking your portable console up to the television might seem to go against the point of handheld gaming but with many PSP games sporting visuals that are at least as good as those seen on the Nintendo Wii, you can begin to understand why this is such a smart idea.

The ability to output your PSP’s picture to your goggle-box was introduced with the PSP Slim & Lite (the original PSP ‘Phat’ isn’t capable of such hi-tech trickery) and requires the purchase of the appropriate component lead – yet another indispensable item that should be somewhere on your Christmas wish list.

Let’s face it, God of War: Chains of Olympus may look awesome on the PSP’s pin-sharp display, but playing it on the big screen is nothing short of breathtaking. It also has the added bonus of making your DS-owning chums turn crimson with envy.

Games, Games, Games
Only the most blinkered Sony fanboy would begin to argue that the PSP has any kind of parity with the DS when it comes to sheer volume of software but while Nintendo’s console enjoys considerable support from publishers, there are experiences available on the PSP that would be totally impossible on any other portable gaming device. The aforementioned God of War is positively astounding and titles such as LocoRoco, Patapon, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops and Final Fantasy Tactics, to name the four that come to mind, are all worthy of your attention.

If you’re after the definitive opinion when it comes to shopping for PSP titles, check out our PSP Buyer's Guide. It lists all of the PSP games we’ve reviewed on the site and sorts them in order of brilliance. Take heed of this invaluable list and you’re unlikely to be disappointed with any purchases you make.

Thanks a Bundle
Bundle deals are one sure-fire way to avoid having to laboriously collate the ultimate PSP set-up. High street heavyweight GAME has some interesting combinations, such as the PSP 3000 GoCam/Ratchet and Clank pack, which is very reasonably priced at under £140 – a potential saving of just over 30 sheets.

However, if you want to get as much as possible for your hard-earned cash then Gamestation’s bumper ‘Slim and Lite’ deal is hard to beat. For a few pennies under £130 you get the console (obviously), Ratchet and Clank, Daxter and UMD movies of The Simpsons and perennial Christmas favourite Home Alone. The caveat in this case is that the console is the 2000 model rather than the all-new 3000 edition, but given the recent issues people have been having with interlaced screens on the revised unit, that might not be such a bad thing.

That about wraps it up for our guide to PSP happiness this Yuletide period. Naysayers may be swift to point out that Sony’s handheld is on its last legs but I'm remaining quietly confident about the PSP’s chances going into ’09. When the likes of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, Phantasy Star Portable and Dissidia: Final Fantasy become available in the New Year, you can expect interest in this harshly underrated platform to skyrocket.