Sony’s latest portable gaming device has just hit the shops! With more functionality than ever before but a hefty price tag to match, we lift the lid on the PSP Go!
What is it?
The PSP Go! is the latest version of the PSP, Sony’s portable gaming console. Unlike other PSPs this console is smaller, lighter, with a slide opening screen that reveals the standard four face buttons, thumbstick and D-pad that you would find on a normal PSP.
But that’s where any similarities end. Unlike other PSPs – or in fact any other handheld gaming device, the PSP Go! doesn’t load games in the conventional way. Instead of buying a UMD disc and loading it into the machine, users instead download the games directly to the console, meaning there’s no chance of losing essential titles or having to trudge to the shops to buy a game.
How does it work? How does it work?
Games are downloaded from the online PlayStation Store. You can download games using a PC, using the in-built wireless networking feature or via a PS3. The PSP Go! comes equipped with 16GB of internal memory where the games are stored (upgradeable to 32GB), so you can download multiple games and play whenever you want – living up to Sony’s claim of the device being the most portable gaming platform available.
All current downloadable PSP and PlayStation games available for older PSP models will be compatible with the PSP Go!. Sony has also confirmed that all UMD-based PSP games released after October 1 will be available for download, and a majority of older UMD-only games will also be downloadable at that time.
How much do the games cost?
This is one of the obstacles that Sony faces in getting this piece of kit into the hands of hard-up gamers. Major releases sit around the £20-25 mark, which is a lot to swallow for a digital download – especially when many people have been used to much smaller fees for iTunes and suchlike. To counter this, Sony has introduced a new range of smaller games called Minis. These games are under 100MB are much more competitively priced and feature titles such as Tetris, Pac-Man and Sudoku.
So we know about the games, what else can the device do?
Full Internet access allowing music downloads, films and photos – everything you would expect from a cutting edge multimedia device. It’s an undoubtedly clever piece of kit, and the TFT screen is crisp and bright, offering an improved display.
How much does it cost?
Well, here’s the second obstacle that Sony faces. The PSP Go! currently retails for an eye-watering £225. It’s worth bearing in mind that for an extra £25 you can buy a full-blown 120GB PS3! Quite why Sony decided to launch at such an expensive price remains something of a mystery, although many industry insiders predict a price reduction in the near future.
So, overall?
There is no denying that the PSP Go! is a seriously sexy piece of gaming hardware. It’s lightweight, easy to use and has decent battery life for those long boring journeys. The download only function is a great idea – meaning you can bring your games collection wherever you go. But with the full-blown games and console price still very much in the luxury end of the market we can’t help but feel that many cost conscious gamers will wait to see if the price falls before investing their cash.
