Another "tell me what to buy" thread (PSP)

[G.Silver]

Apparently the Hanna Montana brand is not strong enough to keep a $200 piece of hardware selling, so my local store is liquidating its Hanna Montana PSPs, and I'm tempted. But I'm tempted primarily by the lure of a good deal than anything else--if I really wanted a PSP, I'd already have bought one.

So, why should I have bought one already? In convincing myself that I didn't need a PSP, I may have also tricked myself into forgetting if it has any good games on it. What do we like on PSP?

[Segaholic2]

How much are they, and what model are they? Also what color are they? Do they have Miss Montana's visage plastered all over it? I kind of want one now. For the ironic creepiness, of course.

Game suggestion: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Close thread.

[Dr. BUGMAN]

How much and it available online?

One of the first games I would get is Gurumin which is a platformer starring a pink-haired girl (shades of Drill Dozer) to complete the effeminate-yet-sensible package. (I also hear it's really, really good)

Also, Daxter and Mega Man Powered-up. Maybe Hammerin' Hero if it's as fun as Hammerin' Harry.

[Esrever]

Crush is pretty great!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eGxgUjE088

[G.Silver]

How much are they, and what model are they? Also what color are they? Do they have Miss Montana's visage plastered all over it? I kind of want one now. For the ironic creepiness, of course.

Game suggestion: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Close thread.

It's the 3000 version in light purple, and is allegedly free of the glossy fingerprint-attracting material on other PSPs. The young lady Cyrus does not appear on the PSP itself, but it does come with an assortment of girly stickers so you can decorate it to your hearts' content. The sale price brings it down to around $130. It's at Fred Meyer, but I don't see it on their website at all.

On the Creepy Hannah Montana topic, there's a pizzeria/sports bar here in town where someone took it upon himself to put Hannah Montana stickers all over the condom dispenser in the men's room. It's a classy place.

[P.P.A.]

Yggdra Union, definitely. I would also suggest Riviera, but only if you don't have the GBA version yet, which somehow manages to be superior.

[Green Gibbon!]

Lumines, if you don't already have some other version (even if you do, the PSP version was the first, so y'know, respect and all that).

Other than that, Jeanne d'Arc, Goku Makaimura, and LocoRoco. The kids here are absolutely crazy about Monster Hunter, but I don't really get it myself.

[Senbei]

I've said it before, but LocoRoco 2 is one of my favorite 2D platformers since the Genesis days. Naturally, I think Patapon is pretty rad, too, though very repetitive. These two games are actually worth getting the console for.

Otherwise, I haven't found much. There are a lot of games that I like the idea of, but in practice, for whatever reason, don't hold my attention, like Crush, PoPoLoCrois, and Space Invaders Extreme. Couldn't stand MGS Portable Ops, but my friend reveres it, so. Metal Gear Ac!d is neat at first and gets boring or frustrating quickly.

These days my PSP is mostly used as a bulky MP3-player.

[Senbei]

Oh, actually, it's pretty useful as a portable emulation device if you install custom firmware. (That's how I finally managed to play Snatcher!) Even if not, you can still purchase select PS1 games to play on the go from the Playstation Store.

The problem with custom firmware is that Sony keeps updating the official firmware to keep hackers from playing the latest games or accessing official features like the Store, so you kind of have to choose between having a hacked console or playing official games -- there's not much middle ground.

[Esrever]

Also, as far as I was able to tell, firmware version 5.1+ can't be hacked yet, and I'm pretty sure you can't buy a new PSP without it anymore. It was certainly on mine. DESPAIR

[Yami CJMErl]

Nobody's mentioned Persona 3 Portable yet?

[Shadow Hog]

Why the hell has nobody mentioned Castlevania? Maverick Hunter X is also quite fine.

Also, as far as I was able to tell, firmware version 5.1+ can't be hacked yet, and I'm pretty sure you can't buy a new PSP without it anymore. It was certainly on mine. DESPAIR

5.03 can be hacked to custom firmware (henceforth CFW), but anything higher is stuck with official (likewise, OFW).

The good news is, for OFWs 6.20 and lower (not the latest OFW, 6.30, you're hosed with that 'un), there's this exploit in the demo for Patapon 2 that lets a fair amount of homebrew be loaded up and run, including a whole slew of emulators. No way to load CFW on your PSP using it, but it's better than nothing - Picodrive now even has sound, apparently (it didn't earlier), so you've got a portable Genesis right there!

[Segaholic2]

I thought 3000s are not crackable.

[Shadow Hog]

Pretty sure ChickHEN allows it, actually, when paired with a custom firmware enabler.

Oh, and the 6.2 hack was Half-Byte Loader. Probably should've specified.

[Green Gibbon!]

I've said it before, but LocoRoco 2 is one of my favorite 2D platformers since the Genesis days.

You're going to confuse children with your skewed perceptions.

LocoRoco is like a lava lamp squish labyrinth board.


It is not a platformer.

[Senbei]

There are platforms and a jump button.

[Green Gibbon!]

There are platforms and a jump button on your mom, but she is very clearly a beat-em-up adventure RPG with survival horror elements.


And there isn't even a jump button, you just catapult your blob by holding and releasing the rotate buttons!

[G.Silver]

There are platforms and a jump button on your mom, but she is very clearly a beat-em-up adventure RPG with survival horror elements.

Is this the end of the GHZ forum? It's all going to be downhill from here.

[Senbei]

You are quite correct, Gibbon; my mistake. There are jump buttons.

[Delphine]

The Fallout games are generally played in First Person view, and you have a variety of guns to choose from. It's an RPG.

NOW WHAT SENBEI.

[Crowbar]

The Fallout games are generally played in First Person view

Only Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas (which isn't even out yet). Fallout, Fallout 2, and both of the Brotherhood of Steel games are (as far as I can tell) not first person.

Not that this invalidates your point, of course.

[Senbei]

Also, you kill enemies by jumping on them.

[P.P.A.]

Or at them.