The Games News

The new PSP Lite is slimmer, thinner, faster than the original

So far, the PSP Lite is looking good: additional memory, built-in cache for the UMD system, the ability to play games and videos on a TV (for example) and, a great additional bonus, the loading times in most games has been sensibly reduced.
The UMD loading tray has been somewhat simplified, so you no longer have to fiddle with it in order to load an UMD disk. Also for the better, external video playback is almost near DVD-quality, so getting UMD movies and playing them over a TV really makes sense now. The PSP Lite will be ship in several retail packages with a variety of bundle options that include pack-in games (Daxter rumored to be amongst those games), UMD movies, memory sticks.Personally, I am glad I don’t own a PSP yet, it’s great to get a new improved one - now the PSP needs some extra cool games!

Expect the new PSP (in several color options, too!) to ship starting from September the 17th.

Sony’s new PSP digital camera was put on display at the E3 2006 in March but is due to go on sale on November 2 in Japan. The camera is an add-on, called Chotto Shotto, which means the camera can be fitted into the existing PSP. It will cost approximately $50. The 1.3-mega-pixel camera is not just about taking pictures or recording videos; it comes with an in-built photo editor. The photo-editor allows viewing them as a slide show, modifying the existing photo and many more. The camera rotates 180 degrees making it possible to keep the camera screen right in front of you, irrespective of where the subject is. The camera also has a “zoom” function.

The pictures taken can be saved on the Memory Card in the PSP Media format and the videos in the .Avi format. On the downside, critics argue that the PSP camera is not even as good as a high-end mobile phone. The video recording options are not very innovative either. There are no games, which can be played using the PSP camera, which would definitely be fun. On the whole, the PSP camera looks awesome. It is just a matter of time before some more features are added to the PSP and surely we will have one of the best portable communication devices in our hands.

With the console war coming to an explosion in the next few months, the war that everyone seems to be forgetting is the handheld battle between Sony and Nintendo. However, with the PSP and Nintendo DS competing with each other to become the handheld champion, a sleeper system has been released that will slow both systems sales dramatically. The Linux-based GP2X Game System combats with the DS and the PSP by bringing homebrew applications and more to their system, a feat that the DS and the PSP both are trying to stop.

With a dual core processor and its high pixel resolution, the GP2X Game System replays multiple kinds of video and audio formats and supports various codecs to compliment them. You can also enjoy emulation from systems of the past, including the NES, SNES, Genesis, and more. Electronic picture albums, electronic novels, and USB 2.0 support are just a few of the added benefits as well. At a mere $170, the GP2X Game System reasons to become a great addition to the handheld war and may surprise more than believed.

The days of 32, 64, and 128-bit digital earthworms are now behind us. With the introductions of recent systems such as the PSP, Xbox 360, and future systems such as the PS3 and the Wii, reintroductions of former major hit video games seem in order as well. While Atari, former video game heavyweight and original developer of Earthworm Jim, is in the middle of a hefty sell-out, they have released names of current games in development; one of those names is our old friend Earthworm Jim.

While it seems that Earthworm Jim is officially making a comeback, rumors are still roaming around to which system the game will be on. With some advertisements claiming the PSP and others claiming the Xbox 360, the possibilities that the game will be released on both systems is a possibility as well.

I completely redesigned Earthworm Jim and all of the other characters and the game play is coming out amazing. We are aiming for the original feel of the first Jim game only it would be on a 3D platform.
- Doug TenNapel, father of Earthworm Jim, said of the new game -

After speculation as to whether or not you would have to purchase Linux, it would be included with the system, or it would not be available at all, Sony has announced that the Linux Operating System will be included with the PlayStation 3. A fully-functional Linux on the PlayStation 3 not only makes the PS3 even that more enticing to buy, but it opens a vast playground for all the programmers that will purchase the gaming console.

Having Linux on the Sony PlayStation 3 will also mean that the console will support almost all USB devices. With the addition of Linux and the support of the USB devices Sony is apparently loosening its chain on homebrew developers, unlike their attitude on the PSP on which with every new version of the firmware they make the life of the homebrew community even more difficult.