Portable Gaming Revolution

PSP version 2.81 is out in the wild folks. But not so fast. 2.81 brings no new features. It’s another one of Sony’s security updates to patch the recently discovered TIFF exploit. But if you really want to the latest and “greatest” firmware, you can download it via network update. It is not available through the PlayStation website yet unfortunately.

Update: The firmware update is now available on the PlayStation website.

Polyphony Digital, the developers behind the infamous Gran Turismo series, has “categorically denied” all reports that they have stopped development for the PSP version of Gran Turismo. Reports from the popular Japanese gaming magazine, Famitsu, speculated that development for Gran Turismo 4 Mobile was on indefinite hold. However, the developer says that development has not stopped, but their main priority at the moment is a Gran Turismo title for the PlayStation 3.

In fact, we’ve reached the stage where a GT4 equivalent runs on the PSP hardware. However, our main focus at present, is the development and release of a GT title for the PS3 platform.

Once this has been completed, we can return to, and jump-start, development for the PSP version. In regards to release dates and details, we’ll be making further announcement, at a later date.

Here’s PSP Podcast #53! We have lots of news for you this week, as lots has happened. I talk about my 1.5 downgrade experience, chat a bit about some homebrew, go over the pricing info for the Camera and GPS addons, then Cara come to the rescue with a great episode of The Scene! Enjoy!

Call our voicemail line and leave us a comment! 1-206-326-1221

Shownotes

• DS:Life Podcast
• 2.71 Downgrader
• PSP GPS and Camera
• MGS Portable Ops: Free Case on Pre-Order

Standard Podcast [ 31:47 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The PSP gets three new games this week. Of the three, one has been drawing a lot of attention. Ironically, it doesn’t involve guns, explosives, or anything of the sort. In fact, it features an adorable yellow blob as the main character that can split itself into little pieces by calling upon a lightening bolt (not Pikachu.) You must be living under a rock if you haven’t figured it out yet: LocoRoco. It’s possibly the most Japanese thing to hit state side since Katamari. Guilty Gear Judgment and NASCAR 07 are coming out this week as well to help you maintain a healthy gaming diet (can’t have too much cuteness now can we?)

Sadly, there are no new DS games coming out this week. PSP gamers on the other hand can rejoice as LocoRoco has a good chance of loosening the DS’ monopolistic grip on game sales.

PSP Games

• September 5 – LocoRoco
• September 5 – Guilty Gear Judgment
• September 6 – NASCAR 07

Gamers in Japan lined up a few days ago for the release of the jet black version of the Nintendo DS Lite. We’re not talking just a couple either. We mean numbers in the couple hundred range! Yodobashi Camera in Akihabara maxed out at 500 people and sold out in less than an hour.

At the launch of the pink DS Lite, lines exceeding 200, largely dominated by females, formed in the early mornings. However, Famitsu.com reports that this time around, the lines consisted largely of males. What does this say about the gamer demographic? Nothing new really except that girl gamers do exist (he says with tongue-in-cheek, of coarse we know you ladies are out there!)

The jet black DS Lite marks the fifth color available for the DS Lite. It is the last anounced color as well. Anybody care to bet that Nintendo will announce more colors and capitalize on gamers’ need for all things DS?

Games, check. Web browser, check. MP3 player, check. Reminds you of the PSP doesn’t it? The above picture is a page from a brochure from the Leipzig Games Convention held recently in Germany. Nintendo hasn’t said anything about it yet but we expect them to make an announcement soon.

The device is for DS (insert into slot 2) and GameBoy Advanced and will accept SD cards of up to 2GB for storage. From what we can gather, the information such as song name and artist will be displayed on the screen. The unit itself will have a headphone jack as well.

As we all know, the DS Lite nearly sells out every time a new color or edition is released in Japan. Nintendo obviously realizes this and is putting out several special editions of the handheld. There is the Final Fantasy III DS Lite that is bundled with the portable RPG, the Pokemon Diamond/Pearl edition DS Lite only available in the Pokemon Center stores of Japan, and the Winning Eleven DS Lite. Hit the jump for more pictures.

Continue reading ‘Special edition DS Lite releases galore’

Dark_Alex in conjunction with Mathieulh has released the first known 2.71 downgrader. The 2.71 downgrader is a port of the old 2.50/2.60 downgrader to use the recently discover libtiff exploit. The procedure is almost identical to that of the 2.50/2.60 downgrader except this time around you won’t need GTA. As always, be very cautious. Homebrew applications like this that write the PSP’s flash memory and can potentially turn your PSP into an expensive paper weight. If you do decide to go through with it, be sure to read PSP Updates’ spiel about it; you’ll also find the download links there.

Update: Dark_Alex and Mathieulh have released a bug fix for the 2.71 downgrader to fix premature bricking if the flash process failed.

Famous Japanese designer Tikko a Swarovski has modded a DS Lite by adding crystals onto the flap behind the DS’ LCD screen. If desire one of these hand-customized DS Lites, you simply need to fly over to Japan and find a way to contact Swarovski. He’ll sell you one for $390 American.

Recently, pictures of Sony’s planned camera and GPS add-ons flooded gaming sites all over the web. Sony has announced the Japanese release date and price of both.

The 1.3 mega pixel camera will be capable of taking pictures at either 480×272 or 640×480 resolution, and shooting 30 fps video 15 seconds at a time. The camera will set us back roughly $43 USD including a storage case.

The GPS will also sit on top of your PSP, connected to the USB port. The GPS will refresh every second and will need separately sold map packs to run. The GPS receiver will cost approximately $52 USD.

Both of these new items will be released in Japan in December 7th. Unfortunately, Sony has not announced any North American or European release dates. Hit the jump for a picture of the camera.

Continue reading ‘More PSP camera and GPS details released’

Ubisoft released a press release today announcing a PSP-exclusive Brothers in Arms game being developed in conjunction with Gearbox Software. Brothers in Arms D-Day puts players in the boots Sergeants Baker and Hartsock of the 101st Airborne Screaming Eagles as they make their way to Carentan and St. Sauveur with their squad of paratroopers.

Few details have been revealed but Ubisoft has confirmed a few PSP-specific features:

• Players will be able to command bazooka teams, order their squad to man MG42s, and even fire mortar rounds.
• Co-op has been added and will span 12 different missions over ad-hoc in four different game modes.
• Other miscellaneous improvements including better enemy AI, new teammate capabilities, new weapons, and destructible cover.

The graphics look pretty good judging by the handful of screenshots Ubisoft has released and since this is a Brothers in Arms game, one of the better World War II shooters, it should be a pretty good play. Look out for this game in Fall 2006.

What do you get when you cross a RPG-crazy Japanese gamer and Final Fantasy III? A special bundle pack featuring the game and a special Final Fantasy III DS Lite. The bundle pictured above flew off the shelves after launch and was sold for $200 USD. Used bundles being sold at almost $500!