PlayStation Portable 3000 Core Pack System - Piano Black

I must admit for a long time I was not a fan of portable systems. I much prefer playing games on my PC or a big screen TV with the 360 or ps3. Since the mid 80's I have loved playing video games, and over time the Japanese Role Playing game, and Strategy role playing games became my favorite. The problem this generation was that for the most part they were few and far between on the 360/ps3. Sure you had exceptions like Disgaea, Valkyria Chronicles and Lost Odyssey. However, it was nothing like the SNES through the ps2 era. While I love some WRPGs like Skyrim and Dragon Age, I was craving some good old fashioned turn based goodness.For a long time I was noticing decent games in those genres appearing on the PSP. I finally broke down this year and decided to try a portable system, and the PSP had an attractive library of games I wanted. The debate then was should I buy the Vita or the PSP? While the Vita certainly looked great, the library was pretty small and the memory cards were quite pricey. A few games I was interested in were also not available on PSN as a download, and so were only available on disc. I decided to go with the PSP, and perhaps I would upgrade to a Vita in the future when the system had more games available.For those like me who enjoy a JRPG, or SRPG, you have some good games to choose from. Lunar, Jeanne D Arc, Final Fantasy Tactics, Gungnir, Tactics Ogre, Brave Story, Valkyria Chronicles 2, Disgaea 1 and 2, Wild Arms XF, and Growlanser are just some examples. Of course some of those are found on earlier systems, but they often had upgrades unique to the PSP version. Plus they are sometimes quite a bit cheaper than trying to find the game on an older system. I also love the fact that many good ps1 games are available on PSN and can be played on either the ps3 or PSP. Many of the Square Enix, Atlus, and even Working Designs classics are available and play great on the PSP.Another benefit of the PSP being so late in its lifespan is the fact that many of the games can be bought for pretty cheap right now. Make sure to compare prices between the disc and download versions. Sometimes I have found the UMD is cheaper than buying it off PSN. While I am a bit old fashioned and prefer physical copies, I realize download games have many advantages. Like I mentioned before, some games are not available though on PSN. Hopefully they will continue to add more of the PSP collection in the future. I would definitely recommend spending a few extra bucks to get a travel case for the PSP, some headphones, and a decent size memory stick.(especially if you plan on downloading most games).I am definitely happy I finally decided to get a portable system. The great library of games will keep me busy for awhile especially when I am on long trips for a week or two. Even at home I find myself playing the PSP as much, if not more than my PC or consoles. I never thought that would happen.

The PSP is an incredible handheld gaming device even though it's basically a 5-year old technology. Coming from the world of iPod Touch/iPhone gaming where games are often short and casual in nature with mediocre production value, I find the gaming experience on the PSP to be at a completely different level. The games are longer and immersive and graphics are downright stunning. The best part is a lot of quality games like MGS Peacewalker, GTA Vice City Stories, FIFA 10 and Gran Turismo to name some, can be had new for under $20! Not to mention the core pack itself is selling for only $130. What a bargain, especially for a cheap...err, value-conscious shopper like me. Btw, I ordered 5 games, brand new, with the core pack for about $70. Buying i.e. downloading those same games from SONY's PSN store would have cost almost $140! IMHO, this is another good reason to choose the PSP Slim over the PSP Go.Even though I can't speak highly enough of the PSP's gaming capability, I can't say the same about some of its other features. The web browser in particular is basically useless. It's slow, outdated and navigating the pages is a nightmare. I tried it once and I'm not gonna do it again. It's a shame that it still uses the 802.11b standard for internet (Wi-Fi) connectivity. The video feature is nice, but given the relatively high cost of movies (both UMDs and digital downloads) and memory cards I don't see myself using it that much.In conclusion, if you're looking for an affordable handheld gaming device that's well made (SONY quality), has good battery life (user replaceable to boot!), and a good list of games to choose from, the PSP Slim is a great choice. Oh, be sure to order a memory pro duo card as well (watch out for fakes! Buy from an authorized SONY dealer like Amazon) as the core pack doesn't come with one. Btw, a more advanced version of the PSP, tentatively codenamed the NGP will be hitting the market later this year, but if rumors are to be believed it will be very expensive with price guestimate of $300-$400. That's too steep a price for me, and I bet, a lot of non-hardcore gamers.

!!!! Buy a Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo when you buy this or you cannot save your games !!! - I learned the hard way and had to wait three extra days to have one shipped from amazon.I have owned a DS for a few years and recently upgraded to the DSiXL. I have been happy with that system and the games, but a few key games caught my eye for this system. Namely the Final Fantasy titles and the Persona titles. I have to say that yes, graphically this is the superior system, but the library of games was a little lighter than those for the DS. But what I am happiest about is the ability to download classic PS1 games onto this system. Castlevania Symphony of the Night? Oh yes! Final Fantasy 7? Yup.So despite my preference for the library of the DS, I do give this system major kudos and a perfect rating. It's durable and fits adult hands well also. The screen is clear, and seems more durable than previous models. And with the larger hard drive, you can download more content. And it seems that RAM issues are improved and games load from UMDs faster.Do yourself a favor. Buy this system and Final Fantasy Crisis Core, Persona 3, and Persona Innocent Sin if you are an RPG fan. Oh, and FF Dissidia. I don't know why I waited to buy one! And I bought it just days before it dropped to $99.99 ! Jerks!Though it appears that Sony might be fazing this system out, it is still a great system and the games are pretty cheap right now. Many titles are selling for less than $10. Quality games! Others appear to be hovering in the $15 - $20 range. Rarely do I see titles for more than $30, and these tend to be the more collectible or rare titles.Buy it now while it's $99!