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No PSP love on PLAYSTATION Store this week
Last week PSP owners had the option of downloading the first of a game series that has a newer version already on PSP. I complained about it. Well, I probably should have just been happy there was a new PS1 game to download, because this week there's no PSP content with the weekly PLAYSTATION Store update. When I think of all the possible amazing PS1 games I could have downloaded it makes me cry that I have nothing. I'm sorry I yelled at you Sony, please give me more games to download for my PSP. In the meantime I'm going to start e-mailing Sony non-stop until they release Rival Schools: United by Fate for download.
Wipeout PS1 comes to PSP
Yet again Sony has released a downloadable game on the PlayStation Store that is already available in a better form on PSP. The original Wipeout from the days of PS1 has landed in downloadble form on Sony's PS3 market. I'm sure for hardcore Wipeout fans this is exciting and more playable games for PSP is never a bad thing, but why can't Sony focus on games that aren't already available on PSP and give us some downloadable games worth getting excited about? I'm sitting with my hands outstretched and they have money in them. Sony can take that money as soon as they give me some games I want to download and enjoy on my PSP.
Wiicade opens up remote buttons for Flash games
The Wii's support for downloadable Flash games through the Opera browser has made it easier than ever for indie programmers to get their games off the computer and onto the living room TV. But Wii-focused Flash development has been hampered by the browser's inability to recognize basic button presses on the Wii remote past a simple "click" of the A button. While pointer-based games have flourished under this setup, developers who wanted to go any further with their Wii input designs were out of luck ... until now. Flash game aggregator Wiicade has posted a downloadable API that lets Flash developers finally utilize all the buttons of the Wii remote in their games. The site has a full tutorial and documentation to help any Flash developer unlock more of the the system's control potential in their games. Now, if someone could just get Flash support for the remote's tilt-sensitivity, we could see some really interesting gameplay experiments. Wii hacking community... get on it!
Wii to get original downloadable titles, 'Game Channel' possible
Remarks made by Hudson Entertainment director of marketing John Lee, during an interview with Game Informer, have sparked rumor that a 'Game Channel,' dealing in original downloadable titles, could be headed to Wii. Lee didn't make any specific implications, but did cleverly acknowledge that Nintendo had plans to distribute original downloadable games. When asked if Hudson had plans to do so, Lee claimed, "No," but added, "However, in the future, you should rephrase that question to: Are there any plans to launch original content on some downloadable service on the Wii, and you might get a different answer."CVG brought the issue up with Nintendo, which responded, "We cannot confirm at this time in what format the new content will be delivered, but in the future there will be original games available for download through the Wii Shop." While still unconfirmed, it's likely that Nintendo could launch a new Channel to further separate original games, once purchased from Wii Shop Channel, from Virtual Console fare. We also suspect that most of these new offerings will utilize the Wiimote (and Nunchuk) instead of the Classic Controller.
The evolution of game extras
The Associated Press describes how cheat codes, Easter eggs, unlockables, and in-game advertising are converging as marketers try to create more money and drive more game sales. While the article takes a broad swipe at the topic, and it's just plain wrong at times -- Easter eggs are "brightly decorated circles or balls ... that [unlock] bonus points, monster-slaying swords, extra lives, or infinite health" -- it covers the evolution of cheats and Easter eggs. These tricks used to be added by programmers as a way to surprise gamers, but they've become co-opted by marketing departments that release the secrets on a schedule to raise interest in a game.With unlockable content, its transition to a for-pay service bothers us. We don't begrudge publishers the opportunity to change their business model to give gamers more options to buy a game; instead, the trend seems to be selling us the same game more than once. Where are the cheaper games with for-pay content?
Killzone: Liberation downloadable demo
While Killzone: Liberation didn't take PSP Game of the Year honors, it still has a legion of fans that love its action-packed top-down gameplay. If you missed this game last year, now's your chance to try a sweet downloadable demo. 1. Download the demo ZIP file. 2. Extract the contents of the ZIP file. 3. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable. 4. Go to the PSP/GAME folder. 5. Copy UCES00279-Demo folder into directory. Check out our new demos site: demos.pspfanboy.com
From PSone to PSP, via PS3: a Sony love triangle
We logged in to the Japanese PlayStation Store this morning and found nine PSone games available for download to our dusty PSP -- and at only ¥525 (US$4.50) per title. The selection includes two volumes of Konami's MSX Collection, the Director's Cut of Biohazard, as well as "lost classics" Jumping Flash and Bishi Bashi Special (so that's where we left them!). The smallest file sizes among these nine launch titles, if we can call them that, are 40MB each for the Konami Antiques MSX Collections. The full list of games and their tuned-for-PSP file sizes: Arc the Lad (320MB) Biohazard Director's Cut (380MB) Bishi Bashi Special (160MB) Jumping Flash (280MB) Konami Antiques MSX Collection Vol. 1 (40MB) Konami Antiques MSX Collection Vol. 2 (40MB) Minna no Golf 2 (210MB) Silent Bomber (200MB) Tekken 2 (550MB) We've heard from Japanese friends that these games look far more impressive on the PSP's small screen than they did back in The Day. And as the games are played from Memory Stick, loading times have been reduced to zero. But they would say that. They can download them. Unfortunately for little us, as we lack a Japanese credit card, we couldn't pay Sony for these games even if we wanted to. And listen to this, Sony: we actually do! Please, Sony, take our good money for your robotic rabbit. Please?
Xbox Live Video Marketplace is live, $6 HD rentals [update 1]
Happy birthday Xbox 360! For your first birthday, daddy got you something really cool ... downloadable movies and television shows! While the PS3 Blu-ray marketing machine is busy selling folks high-def movies on little discs, Microsoft decided to forgo the discs and just sling the bits straight into your 'box. They already spilled the beans on this one a couple weeks ago, and we even picked Microsoft's Scott Henson's brain on it, but there was still one thing they wouldn't dish on: the price. Prices are broken down into six categories: new release movie rentals, classic rentals, and television purchases, with high-def and standard-def offerings in each. New releases 720p HD movies -- 480 MS Points ($6) 480p SD movies -- 320 MS Points ($4) "Classic" feature film 720p HD movies -- 360 MS Points ($4.50) 480p SD movies -- 240 MS Points ($3) Television purchase 720p HD television -- 240 MS Points ($3) 480p SD television -- 160 MS Points ($2) So far they've got 48 movies and 50 TV shows broken down between 2 movie studios and 12 television networks. We're surprised Universal, who're supporting the HD-DVD and Zune platforms in a big way, didn't climb on board for the initial launch but we're certain there's a warehouse full of lawyers working to get more content partnerships established. Pics of the service after the break.[Update: Video of the service added after the break]
150 free downloadable levels heading for Exit 2
Did you snag Kangaeru Exit when it was available for cheap? Hope so, because on November 24th, 150 new stages will be made available for download. That's a lot of gameplay for free. The levels are designed by aspiring game programming students at various universities around Japan, making this project one of the coolest school assignments I've ever heard of. [Via DCEmu]
Ape Escape Academy 2 downloadable demo
Yet another Ape Escape demo. This one lets you catch bananas, against the CPU or a friend.1. Download the demo ZIP file.2. Extract the contents of the ZIP file.3. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable.4. Go to the PSP/GAME folder.5. Copy UCES00302 folder into the GAME directory. Check out our new demos site:demos.pspfanboy.com
New Loco Roco downloadable demo
And finally, the last of the downloadable demos for today. It's Loco Roco! But wait, haven't we already received a Loco Roco demo? In fact, haven't we already received two? Well, that hasn't stopped Sony from releasing a third demo of its beloved game for the masses. Unlike the other two demos released, this requires almost no knowledge of Japanese. You know what to do: tilt the stage and get our friends to the end without getting too badly eaten. The game's available now, so you may want to pick it up. Or wait for even more downloadable demos, which will secretly combine and form the entire game.1. Download the demo ZIP file.2. Extract the contents of the ZIP file.3. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable.4. Go to the PSP/GAME folder.5. Copy UCJS10041-2 folder into directory. Check out our new demos site:demos.pspfanboy.com
Blocks Club downloadable demo
Here's Blocks Club, the second downloadable demo released on the web today. I was completely baffled as to how to play this game. That is, until Wikipedia showed me the light: "Each player is given a pile of Tetris like blocks. Players must place blocks on the board starting at the corners and then extend it from the corners of the pieces they have placed. The game is over when no one can place any more pieces. The player with the fewest pieces remaining wins." Ahh. To start playing, make sure you choose the right option at the game's start, and press O (not X) to confirm. Once again, this game doesn't have a US release, so this might be the only way for you to play with Blocks Club. (It's available for import at a budget price, if you're interested.)Demo #1:1. Download the demo zip file.2. Extract the contents of the zip file.3. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable. 4. Go to the PSP/GAME folder.5. Copy ULJS00068 folder into the GAME directory. Check out our new demos site:demos.pspfanboy.com
Ridge Racer 2 downloadable demo
Yesterday, we told you new demos were coming soon. And today, one of them has been made available. Ridge Racer 2 is now available at ridgeracerpsp.com. You'll need to be registered at YourPSP (for European users only), OR you can download directly from us (not bad, huh?). The game demo requires firmware 2.81 2.80 or above.1. Download the demo ZIP file.2. Extract the contents of the ZIP file.3. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable.4. Go to the PSP/GAME folder.5. Copy UCES00422 folder into the GAME directory. Check out our new demos site:demos.pspfanboy.com
Two new downloadable demos coming soon
We <3 downloadable demos at PSP Fanboy. So, whenever there's news about a new demo coming out, we get excited and pay attention. According to the YourPSP French website, a Halloween-themed demo of Loco Roco will be coming out soon. It'll supposedly require a new firmware (2.82) to run.In addition, according to Kingplayer, a demo of Ridge Racer 2 will also be available. Considering the lack of new content put into the sequel, what are the odds that it'll be a level that's in the original?The demos are supposed to come out on October 26th. Will you be upgrading your firmware to play them?
Prey it forward; Prey downloads are free
Thanks to the generosity of the fine folks at 3D Realms, Xbox 360 gamers can save their precious Microsoft Points for some more Gamertag pics, or maybe buy some video manuals and missing soccer teams from EA while PC gamers can ... well, they're in a constant state of saving for new video cards, so they can just keep saving.The downloadable content for Prey has arrived and, as promised, it's free (as in beer). The Xbox 360 version has five new multiplayer characters and four new multiplayer maps, while the PC download has the same as well as some tasty bug fixes. [Thanks to all the cheapskates that sent this in!]Read - Prey 360 Additional Content Now AvailableRead - Prey v1.2 PC Patch Release
Bounty Hounds downloadable demo
Done with your Ape Escape demo? No worries! Have fun with Bounty Hounds, the arcade shooter from Namco Bandai. This demo requires firmware 2.80 and above. Once you're done playing, give us your opinion. Is it different from what the critics think? The game is now available in stores.1. Download the demo ZIP file.2. Extract the contents of the ZIP file.3. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable.4. Go to the PSP/GAME folder.5. Copy ULJS00021 folder into the GAME directory. Check out our new demos site:demos.pspfanboy.com
Ape Escape downloadable demo
We knew it was only going to be a matter of time before the downloadable game demos from Tokyo Game Show found their way onto the internet for all of us to enjoy. The latest demo for you to download to the system is Ape Escape Racer. Although it didn't get the best previews, this demo will let you make your own decision on the quality of the game. Unfortunately, you will need homebrew-destroying firmware 2.81 to run the demo. This updated file will work on firmware 2.80 and above.1. Download the demo ZIP file.2. Extract the contents of the ZIP file.3. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable.4. Go to the PSP/GAME folder.5. Copy UCUS98655 folder into the GAME directory. Check out our new demos site:demos.pspfanboy.com
2.81 firmware coming soon
Looks like Sony's ready to counterattack against that libtiff exploit that's been so helpful to homebrewers over the past few days. The European PSP site has revealed text suggesting the impending release of firmware version 2.81. Most likely, it won't include any new functionality. However, I hope Sony will prepare a downloadable demo to coax us into upgrading, just because free game demos are always yummy.[Thanks, steve!]
Killzone to feature Infrastructure multiplayer, but not at launch
Killzone: Liberation is one of the most anticipated games for the PSP. The shooter will feature six-player Ad-Hoc multiplayer modes including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Assault and Capture the Flag. Not bad. But more exciting is the potential for Infrastructure, which will be made as a downloadble upgrade a few weeks after the game's release on Halloween. In addition to multiplayer, two more maps will be released at that time and a new single player chapter, with four new missions. I'm assuming that it'll be good and free as the downloadable content in Wipeout: Pure. Even more exciting is knowing that downloads will be available throughout the year 2007 as well. Sweet! [Via Worth Playing]
Think more in the 2nd Exit
The first Exit for the PSP was a solid puzzle game, earning an average score of 77 from Metacritic. You starred as the stoic hero Mr. Exit, and it was your job to rescue people from hazardous situations. Although the original featured a ton of levels (and even more free downloadable ones), it appears that the fine people of Taito are ready to put Mr. Exit back to the test in Kangaeru Exit, or the "Thinking Exit." The sequel doesn't appear to be too different from the original, but as is expected of a game with the word "thinking" in the title, this iteration of the series will be less action-oriented and more puzzle oriented. The game will feature over 100 levels, and like before, feature downloadable content that'll extend the game's life. If only more games took advantage of that feature on the PSP...Importers can get ready to get their credit cards ready in less than a week. A US version is currently not planned.
