Playstation Portable (PSP) "Slim" Models

Reviewed by Leland Bonaparte
March 16, 2008

Developer: SCEA Publisher: SCEA Website: Click Here Handhelp System Number of Players: 1 to 8 Rating: 9 out of 10

When Nintendo came out with the DS Lite the public expected Sony to improve the PSP.   It had to get “stronger and faster” in order to keep up with its noteworthy competitor.  Sony finally gave the PSP a facelift and processing power.  They added 3 new colors and designs with some attitude.

What comes with the new and improved PSP’s? Sony has 3 PSP’s at this moment with 3 designs.  The basic black slim is a plain PSP with renovations.  The speakers are housed in a different area to give better sound.  The screen is a bit wider and the spring loaded door was removed for easier handling.  The battery life lasts a lot longer and it has video out that allows gamers to hook up to the TV.   The response of the d pad control improved quite a bit. The most noticeable difference is the weight.  It is definitely lighter than its predecessor and easer to carry around.  The Darth Vader PSP is silver and has a picture of Vader on the back.  The Vader PSP comes with “Battlefront” for a modest price of $199.  The Ice silver Daxter PSP comes with “Daxter”, the game, “Family Guy: The Freakin' Sweet Collection”, and a 1GB pro duo memory stick. Sony is also planning to release the God of War edition. This PSP is red and burnt gold with a picture of Kratos silk screened on the back. It comes with “God of War: Chains of Olympus” and the movie “SuperBad”.  The God of War PSP will be released this summer. All systems have a 199.99 price tag but as you can see some have a lot more extras than others.   

One of the things Sony neglected to mention is that most of the accessories for the old PSP will not work with the Slim. The USB charger will not work, along with the remote control. Just to give the general public and idea of how much they will spend on new accessories, $29.95 will buy you a new remote. The addition of video out that allows one to play through the TV as well as have access to an online radio will make up for these negatives.  The composite cable will run you about $19.99.

 

Overall the new PSP Slim is worth the money, depending on which version you get. To me the Daxter is the way to go because of the 1 gig memory card. With the new improvements and the various ways people have experimented with the PSP, it is safe to say that the PSP is here to stay.