I CAN HAS PSP-2000?

No, it isn't the distant future like the name implies, now is the age of the PSP-2000. A few months ago, I was not sure if I would be buying the new updated PSP, but after visiting our friends in Washington state my PSP started clicking when playing Katamari. Soon, it would no longer load levels from the UMD, and it was not isolated to one game. Since over half of my games were now unplayable, my decision to get a new PSP model was made that much easier.

I have already had many discussions about which PSP SKU I would be purchasing. The black one was out of the question because I do not want to mix up my two systems. (I am keeping my old system with custom firmware for videos and other non-UMD applications.) That left the two bundles. I really considered waiting for the Star Wars PSP because I am a huge fan of the Star Wars Battlefront games and the new game is the pack-in with the bundle. Unfortunately, the Star Wars version is going to be white and the Darth Vader image on the back doesn't look that great. Zack reminded me that the game may be great, but the PSP itself would be visible no matter which game I play.

So, I got the silver edition in the Daxter bundle. I wanted to get the Daxter game, which is $15 everywhere, so that was good. Unfortunately, this bundle also included a 1GB memory stick, which is great for beginners, but I already have a 1GB and a 2GB stick, so I could have used the 1GB in the new one, but my old 1GB will now be for extra storage when we go on trips. It also includes a Family Guy UMD. I love Family Guy, but I didn't really need a greatest hits collection, especially when I already own those seasons on DVD. Anyway, I have it now and I may watch it sometime. Basically, the $22.50 price difference between the two bundles that I was considering (accounting for the fact that I would be buying the new Star Wars Battlefront game and Daxter regardless of which system I buy) is justified by the better color and the bonus Family Guy UMD and 1GB memory stick. If I didn't already have two memory sticks, this would have been my choice from the start.

Okay, opening up the box I notice that the Daxter instruction manuals are in the plastic baggy, which means that there won't be a UMD case. The game, software, and hardware are all in that awful evil packaging. Damn Americans with our theftproofing technology and damn the Americans who steal, which causes them to use death plastic.

Inside the death plastic is the PSP. My first impression (with the battery out) is that it is remarkably light. I am a bit pissed that the discs are in sleeves and not cases. Also, there is no sleeve for the PSP so I will need to buy one. (For now I have it on my CD shelves to avoid dust and cat.)

I already knew that the new TV out cables would not be included. Not sure if I will ever use them; I bought the remote for my PS2 and used it twice and I can see this being a feature that I would use a couple of times as a demonstration. If I were in a dorm room, it would be different.

Ironically, the disc caching is one of the main new features of the PSP-2000 and Daxter has been highlighted as the game with the lowest load times. (Like Metroid Prime on the GameCube.) Star Wars Battlefront will be a better example because those games always have long load times. Not sure if disc caching has to be programmed into the game or if it will apply to every game.



Okay, this was the best pic I could get of the d-pad. I promised to evaluate the controls compared to the original for the benefit of my friend Zack. I tried them out on Guilty Gear X2 Reload from the Guilty Gear Judgment disc. The d-pad is definitely not sunken in like the original. It is the perfect height now, but I think it might be a little... I don't know. The d-pad is even more pronounced than the Dual Shock 2. A definite improvement, but I sort of feel like I am rocking on it rather than making definitely movements. I guess it feels a little imprecise. But that is being picky, and it is light years better than the original. Definitely comparable to the Dual Shock 2. Nobody mentioned this, but the shoulder buttons are slightly different and they feel clickier and less tight, which is an improvement for twitch motion. The nub is not very different.

Other thoughts: The system is a bit too slim for my tastes but it is not bothersome. The polish feels slicker, but that may change over time. The memory card slot is wierd now; it has these rubber band-like things that hold the cover in place when the cover is off. I was not sure if I would like the new way that the UMD slot opens. The old version had the UMD jump out at you like a VCR and this one is more like opening up a GameCube. This one feels much better; some people have said that it feels cheap, but less parts can mean more elegance, which it does in this case. It has 3.60 firmware right now. I wish that I could do side-by-side loading to test the caching, but any game with long load times won't work in my old PSP. I also tried out the volume at top volume and it was no different, but at times in the past, my fingers covered the speaker holes, so this should be better.

Drawbacks: The power button is still too easy to turn off while you are gaming. I cannot think of a Nintendo portable where the on/off is so easy to accidentally trigger. Also, the second nub should have been added. By default, it could correspond to the triangle, circle, square, and X. Individual games could program it to be a separate entity. It took me about 5 minutes to come up with that idea, so there is no reason that they could not have made it work.


Here is the important part, the silver/platinum comparisons. It fit in very well with the various silver systems (my favorite system color) and looked most comparable to the GBA and GBA SP colors.

Elway sez: Take the PSP, leave the bucket.

Overall, I am pleased with the new PSP, but I am disappointed that they did not include game cases or a sleeve for the system. The d-pad is way better on this version and I am falling in love with the shoulder buttons. I am very pleased with my purchase and I look forward to the chance to play games that I could not play with my previous one, like Vice City Stories and Tekken.