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Retro Review: Medievil
File Size: 330MBPrice: $5.99Developed By: Millenium InteractPublished By: Sony Computer Entertainment of AmericaOriginal Release Date: October 1, 1998Short ReviewNot Recommended. Bringing Medievil to the PlayStation Store was a questionable decision at best. The original PSone game didn't bring anything new to the table, and it's PSP remake didn't fare any better. The gameplay has aged quite poorly over the past eight years, making Medievil a game that you'd like to like ... but can't. Don't let the endearing characters and setting fool you: Medievil is bad.
Most wanted PS1 to PSP games 2 [Update 1]
We've been reviewing the PSP playable PS1 games that have been released thus far, but are they what we really want? We listed what we'd like to see from the PS1 library last month, but Modojo has their own list now. The list includes the predictable like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, but it also includes more cult games like Klonoa: Door to Phantomile (the ending of which made me cry). To see the rest of the list you'll have to go read the article. After you've done that though, come back here and let us know what games that you'd like to see make the leap from PS1 to PSP. [Thanks Justin ][Update 1: Linked to our previous list of Most Wanted PS1 games]
Hot tools for the PSone emu user
Dark_Alex's hack of Sony's official PSone emulator has really revamped the PSP homebrew scene. There are two new programs available for those of you that are converting your own PSone games. First is the PopStation GUI creator, which allows you to make those nifty loading screens that appear in the XMB before choosing a PSone game. It's a simple, and whole-heartedly welcomed program.Next up is an updated version of CW Cheat, which allows you to play around with various cheats and hacks in your favorite PSone games. Not only will it let you cheat, but it'll also let you take screenshots in-game, adjust the clock speed, and shoot fire out of your mouth more.While these programs will enhance the experience of PSone games on the PSP, they're almost useless for people like me that have lost the original discs--Sony's official PlayStation Store is where I'll have to get my fix. C'mon, Sony! Don't let the homebrew scene outdo you yet again!
Using your own PSone games for emulation [Update 1]
That Dark_Alex kid is up to it again. His custom firmware currently cracks the protection that PSone games from the PlayStation Store utilize. However, it looks like the next revision, called 3.02 OE-B, will support the ripping of ISO files and turning them into EBOOT files to launch via XMB. This means almost any PSone game you own can be transferred to your PSP. You'll see Castlevania: Symphony of the Night at work in this YouTube demo. Amazing, isn't it? Hopefully, this will convince Sony to release their PlayStation Store games at a much less craptacular rate.[Thanks, jamie!][Update 1: Now available for download at MAXCONSOLE.]
Retro Review: Syphon Filter
File Size: 384MBPrice: $5.99Developed By: EideticPublished By: 989 StudiosOriginal Release Date: January 31, 1999Short ReviewNot Recommended. Syphon Filter's impressive PSP outing, Dark Mirror, deserves all the accolades it has been earning over the past few months. Gamers should not expect the original Syphon Filter to match the Dark Mirror's quality: the game suffers from lackluster graphics, horrendous controls, and presentation values that simply don't work well on the modern palette. Avoid this one.
PSone games hacked in custom 3.02 firmware
It looks like Dark_Alex has done it again. His latest custom firmware release will allow your PSP to emulate the 3.02 firmware while running homebrew as if you have a very homebrew-friendly 1.50 PSP. Of course, the custom firmware goes even beyond that: it'll strip region encoding off of UMD movie playback, and more importantly, it'll get rid of the DRM protection of the current lineup of downloadable PSone games. The 3.03 firmware most likely protects the system from such vulnerabilities, but it's clear that the homebrew community is furiously fighting Sony.There's no doubt that this is a very huge and crippling blow to Sony's anti-piracy efforts. While we don't support piracy here at the Fanboy, we can understand the huge frustration of the gaming community with Sony's PSone download efforts: stop making a PS3 required, please?[Via Opposable Thumbs]
Sony's Phil Harrison congratulates Nintendo
There's no doubt that the PSP hasn't done as stellar as everyone has hoped. But that doesn't mean it's done poorly, either. MTV News spoke with Sony's Phil Harrison about the performance of the PSP so far. He notes that the PSP is doing a "very good job," distinct from the "great job" that Sony did on PS1 and PS2. He thinks that "most people use their PSP at home," an oddity that he'd like to change. Finally, he praised Nintendo and the DS, stating: "Nintendo should be congratulated... [DS owners] are our customers of tomorrow." Certainly, as Nintendo DS owners get older, they'll most likely look towards products that satisfy a more mature taste. It happened with the transition from Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64 to Playstation and PlayStation 2, and it may happen again.
PS2, PS1 480i games hampered by crazy jaggies on the PS3
When we heard the PS3 was going to feature a whole PS2 chipset for the sake of backwards compatibility, we didn't think it would suck so much. Beyond the games that are straight-up freezing or glitching out on the new box -- for which Sony is promising a patch -- the PS3 seems to be having heaps of trouble with 480i games in particular. In a sort of "double your jaggies" scenario, that's sure to leave fans of classic PlayStation titles delighted, the PS3's upscaling method for the low-res titles introduces all sorts of "jaggies" and artifacts into the image, as can be seen above in a splitscreen comparison between the PS3 and PS2 in Final Fantasy X. Some speculate that the PS3 lacks the necessary upscaling hardware, making a firmware update impossible for now, but we're hoping that somewhere in that heap of PS3 horsepower, Sony can find a way restore that beautiful shimmer to Tidus' hair. Peep a comparison video after the break.[Via Joystiq]
SplitFish MotionFX lets your PS2 controller best the SIXAXIS
Gee, Sony, we're a bit confused now why you found the combination of motion sensing and rumble so difficult. It looks like it took SplitFish a bit of effort, but 4 patents later and they've got their new MotionFX adapter, which clips onto a regular 'ol PS2 or PS1 controller and allows for motion-based control, without disabling that fancy rumble feature we've heard so much about. Could it be you were just in such a rush to tack on rumble, with Wii breathing down your neck? Or was it that pesky lawsuit? We're just curious, is all. A MotionFX will cost you guys $39.99, and should be available in stores now, just in case you wanted to check one out.
Retro Review: Crash Bandicoot
File Size: 467MBPrice: $5.99Developed By: Naughty DogPublished By: Sony Computer Entertainment of AmericaOriginal Release Date: September 3, 1996Short ReviewRecommended. Crash Bandicoot, in some ways, becomes a better game on the PSP than it was on the classic console back in the day. The graphics look sharp on the small screen, and the simplistic gameplay is ideal for gamers on the go. However, expect frustration due to a confusing and outdated save system and some touchy controls.
Homebrew PSX emulator released for PSP
Have some PS1 games kicking around, or just are itching for some "Twisted Metal" action? Sure, you could go the easy route and download them from the PlayStation Network, but what if you were one of the 99.9% of folks who couldn't get their hands on a next-gen console? Well today there was a new PS1 emulator released for the PSP that will apparently play most games, but like previous attempts, there are still are some bugs that need to be worked out -- the intro movie on Final Fantasy 7 won't play properly (although the game itself is fine) and the L2 and R2 buttons don't always work right, for instance. So if you've got a PSP and a PSX but no PS3, this may be your only chance to load up your favorite classic titles for quite some time.
Sony announces prices for downloadable PS1 games
Hot on the heels of the big 3.0 firmware update for the PlayStation Portable, Sony's finally let loose its pricing plans for the forthcoming PS1 game downloads, although the downloads themselves are still apparently a few weeks away (unless you're in Japan, in which case you can get your Tekken 2 fix today). When they do show up, however, you can plan on dropping between $5.99 and $10.99 for the games, with each taking up between 140MB and 550MB on your Memory Stick Duo. The biggest sticking point for many PSP users, however, is that, as previously reported, you can't just download the games directly to your PSP -- instead, you have to download them onto your PS3's hard drive first and transfer 'em to your Memory Stick Duo from there. No problem for some but, last we checked, there's a heckuva lot more people with PSPs than PS3s, and at the rate things are going, that looks like it'll be the case for a while yet.
PS1 + PS2 = PS3 eBay scam FTW
Forget all those "PlayStation 3 box" or "PlayStations, 3 of them" scam artists, this "PS1 + PS2 = PS3" guy is the real deal, bringing true innovation to the realm of scamming hapless PS3 wannabes. Unfortunately, this PS3 system, held together by the mightiest of adhesives, might be a little too ahead of its time, since so far the auction is at a paltry C$152.50 (about $1.40 in real money). Oh well, there's always the next next-gen hysteria, right?[Via Digg]
Bidder ends up with 3 PS1s, not 1 PS3
This proves that you need to read everything on every eBay auction before you hit that bid button, to the tune of $900. Obviously the buyer has only himself to blame, but check out how the seller tried to slant this, "HOT ITEM! Not PRE-ORDERED..HAVE IN HAND...All are American Systems. THERE IS NOWHERE TO FIND EVEN THE 20GB SYSTEMS THIS CHEAP....BUY THESE INSTEAD!" Why even mention the 20GB systems in the ad? He clearly wanted some PlayStation 3 attention, and got it in a big way. Imagine how the bidder felt when he realized he punked himself for three original PlayStations, probably not even the PSone consoles. These can easily be picked up for around $100 or less, so bye-bye PS3 money. He could've bought three PSones and a PS3 for that dough.Of course, seeing as how the winning bidder has zero feedback and is a new account, we're pretty sure he was the punkee and not the punker. As long as someone got punked here, we're good.[Via Digg]
Sony vs Nintendo in the motion sensitive arena
There's been an enormous amount of brouhaha about whether or not Sony added the motion sensitive feature to their controller after Nintendo announced the Wii, or if they had been planning it all along. Now Sony fanboys are claiming, via the YouTube video after the jump, that they had motion sensitive controllers back on the original PlayStation, so Nintendo must have copied the idea from Sony. Nobody seems to notice that it wasn't Sony who made the motion sensitive controller back then. Since it was pre-2000, then it's ancient history, in Net-time.
Don't worry: you don't need a PS3 to download PSone games
Sony's Gamer's Day revealed some interesting info about the exciting PSP-PS3 connectivity. But, we were left pondering whether or not we'd need a PS3 to download PSone games to our handhelds. It would be a little silly if Sony tried to force us to buy a $500+ piece of hardware simply to download games, and thankfully, Sony hasn't gone completely mad as we've feared. GameDaily interviewed everyone's pal, Peter Dille, and he confirmed that you do not need a PS3 in order to download PSone games to your PSP: BIZ: I know you guys have previously talked about a PSP emulation service where PS1 titles would be downloaded directly to the PSP (for example, if someone didn't own a PS3). This new PS3 download service of PS1 titles, which involves transferring to the PSP, is not going to replace the previous PSP emulation plan is it? PD: You are correct. We'll still have that. We have the PSP downloads site now, and you're right; these PS1 games will be available either from the PSP downloads site directly, so you don't need a PS3 to get them or if you do happen to be one of the lucky guys that gets a PS3, you can download the games to your PS3 hard drive and then slide it over to your PSP. Both services will be up and running. Whew! That's good to hear. I'm going to pick up a PLAYSTATION 3 one of these days, but I'm sure many of you are very relieved to hear this confirmation.[Via Gamespot]
PS1 catalogue on PS3 not yet playable
Speaking with 1UP, Sony's Phil Harrison detailed plans to make most of the PlayStation (PS1) catalogue available for download on PlayStation 3 -- in addition to PSP. Harrison confirmed that a few titles will be available at launch, including Twisted Metal and Syphon Filter. The catch is you'll have to play them on your PSP, since PS3 currently lacks PS1 emulation software.Once the patch is distributed though -- Harrison hopes by year's end -- each PS1 download will be playable on both PS3 and PSP, allowing us to enjoy treasured classics and rarities on-the-go and on the big screen. Just be warned, PS1 games will not be enhanced for your 1080p display.Note: Actual PS1 discs will be playable at launch.
TGS 06: PaRappa hands-on
Ross "I got to go TGS, so I'm better than you" Miller posted up some new impressions of PaRappa the Rapper on Joystiq. Here's what he had to say:"The graphics have been cleaned up and the audio is a bit crisper than the original, but our lovable rhymester still stutters his words even when we hit the buttons perfectly. None of the new features have been revealed, including the promised multiplayer mode. We recommend dusting off the original game for now, and wait to see if the extra features / multiplayer warrant a new purchase."It's sad to see that the game is only a port, and not a true sequel. Considering how it's a PS1 game, wouldn't it be better off as a download for emulation? Silly Sony.
Homebrew PlayStation emulator reaches beta
PS1 emulation is one of the most anticipated features for the PSP at the moment. You'll be able to download Riiiiidge Racer, and other PS1 classics to your PSP and play them on the go. Sony has been taking their time, and we've been waiting for any new information on things like price, available games, and interface. It appears that the homebrew community is sick of waiting-- it has just released its own emulator. Yoshihiro's PSX-P emulator will let you play bootleg PS1 games on the go, although the code is somewhat rough at the moment. To run it, you'll need an eLoader, which now supports firmware as high as 2.71.While we don't support downloading illegal games, hopefully this new revelation will make Sony wake up and get the PS1 emulation to us now. I really want to get my hands on Castlevania: Symphony of the Night some time soon, damn it![Via DCemu]
PSX-P: hackers trump Sony with first PS1 emulator for PSP
If you thought you were going to have to wait until the PS3 came out to rock Playstation 1 titles on your PSP, you've just been granted a reprieve. Well, kinda. MaxConsole is reporting that a clever hacker named Yoshihiro has just released the first PS1 emulator for your trusty portable console, and that the so-called PSX-P app will run on firmware versions below 2.71, with users of 1.5 and above obviously requiring the eLoader exploit. As a reminder, the only way you can legally use this program is if you already own a Playstation and a number of games, as it requires the SCPH1001.BIN PS1 BIOS file and ripped ISOs of your game discs -- which can be found elsewhere, but we like to keep it legit 'round here. So all is well and good, right? Eh, not really; since PSX-P currently lacks a dynamic decompiler recompiler, games apparently run super-slowly, in the neighborhood of 10fps: i.e. a good proof of concept for the homebrew community, but until Yoshihiro or one of his colleagues manages to achieve a playable frame rate, for now this breakthrough is little more than a frustrating tease.Update: Check out the YouTube vid![Via DCEmu, thanks wraggster]
