PSP gets social gaming and GPS application x-Radar Portable in Japan
Travel Japan, score points
As a sat nav, the PSP actually worked quite well, though it never really caught on in terms of applications. But Japanese PSP owners have just been given a new reason to break out the PSP's GPS add-on, in x-Radar Portable.
This is the application/game that brings the PSP closer to the iPhone than anything we've previously seen, by blending a GPS map and location application with a social game.
AndriaSang explains that x-Rader Portable is essentially a GPS navigation tool, but one that plays to the strengths of the PSP and the wants of its users by allowing for flashy, dynamic skins to be overlaid over the maps - giving the app a more gamey, futuristic visage.
But it also includes social gaming elements. By visiting locations across Japan, a 'light map' is built up of the country that, in turn, gives strength to your ghost mascot.
To move things along a bit, these 'spots' can be traded wirelessly with other x-Rader Portable users you meet up with locally, so you can share your level while increasing your hot spot coverage.
It's just bizarre enough to be a big hit in Japan, though it's hard to see something like x-Radar Portable catching on over here. Fascinating beast though.
