[Tonks01]

Announced at GamesCom 2009 to coincide with the launch of the PSP Go will be 'PSP Minis' the easiest way to describe it is as Sonys answer to games on the itouch/iphone. Games will be available as a download only for a budget price and will weigh in at less than 100mb.

The service will launch with 15 titles, hopefully ballooning to over 50 by the time 2009 comes to a close.

Some of the games announced are :

Fieldrunners
Puzzle Scape
Alien Havok
Sudoku
Pacman Championship Edition
Championship Manager
Burn Zombie Burn 2D
Funky Punch
Breakquest
Melody Bloxx

Personally I think this is one of the most exciting features announced and one of the main reasons I'll be picking up a PSP (for the third time!) I think it's fair to say all the exciting games coming out on the iphone will see there way onto PSP minis (of course unless the game is touch screen heavy)

All I know is I hope PopCap Games is involved

[quidditys_shore]

it did seem that most of the games they showed were ports of iphone games, lets just hope the prices come as well!

i'm ALWAYS buying the 59p games on my iphone but if the psp has them for the same price then thats where i'll be going!

[Tonks01]

First batch of Minis to be released this week (taken from the European Playstation Blog)

http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2009/...-october-2009/

Tetris (£3.99/€4.99) PEGI 3+
Fieldrunners (£3.99/€4.99) PEGI 3+
Pinball Fantasies (£3.99/€4.99) PEGI 3+
Vempire (£3.99/€4.99) PEGI 3+
Brainpipe (£3.99/€4.99) PEGI 3+
Puzzle Scape Mini (£2.49/€2.99) PEGI 3+
Alien Havoc (£3.99/€4.99) PEGI 3+
Bloons (£3.49/€3.99) PEGI 3+
Fortix (£3.49/€3.99) PEGI 3+
Funky Punch (£3.49/€3.99) PEGI 3+
Kahoots (£2.49/€2.99) PEGI 3+
Hero of Sparta (£3.99/€4.99) PEGI 3+
Breakquest (£2.49/€2.99) PEGI 3+

At £4 a pop FieldRunners & Hero of Sparta has my money

[museumsteve]

Shocking pricing...£4 for a 100mb game/app..no thanks.

[dannius]

Are the minis which have previously been iPhone games going to be enhanced at all? Hero of Sparta is £3.99 there where as I paid 59p for the iPhone version.

Enhanced Fieldrunners would have me buying though...

[Tonks01]

Originally Posted by museumsteve

Shocking pricing...£4 for a 100mb game/app..no thanks.

I'd like to see how the profits are divided, If the game developers are getting a good chunk then more power to them, with people climbing over each other to drop £50+ on MW2 I'm glad we can send some change to the little guys

Nothing is a mandatory purchase, with the proper research you should be able to make well informed purchases. Most ports include upgraded graphics or extra levels as a way of justifying the extra cost.

[Tonks01]

Originally Posted by dannius

Are the minis which have previously been iPhone games going to be enhanced at all? Hero of Sparta is £3.99 there where as I paid 59p for the iPhone version.

Enhanced Fieldrunners would have me buying though...

From what I can tell they do, The Playstation Blog is running a minis week detailing various games heres what was said about field runners :

Those who have already experienced Fieldrunners on the iPhone are in for a treat! PSP version includes lots of new content, from new maps and towers to new fieldrunners! Also, exclusive to PSP version is our themed music and enhanced graphics. We have painstakingly reworked many of the visual effects to make your experience all the more satisfying as you thrash your enemies. But don’t just take our word for it—try it for yourself and see why this is being touted as the most fun-packed Fieldrunners to date!

Minis Week: Fieldrunners! – PlayStation.Blog.Europe

They have not detailed Hero of Sparta yet but what Ive heard a proper control system thats available on the PSP will be a welcome addition to the game.

For anyone wondering Hero of Sparta is similar to God Of War.

[dannius]

Originally Posted by Tonks01

From what I can tell they do, The Playstation Blog is running a minis week detailing various games heres what was said about field runners :



Minis Week: Fieldrunners! – PlayStation.Blog.Europe

Hmmm interesting.

Tonks are you getting a PSPGo or sticking with an existing PSP?

[museumsteve]

Originally Posted by Tonks01

I'd like to see how the profits are divided, If the game developers are getting a good chunk then more power to them, with people climbing over each other to drop £50+ on MW2 I'm glad we can send some change to the little guys

Nothing is a mandatory purchase, with the proper research you should be able to make well informed purchases. Most ports include upgraded graphics or extra levels as a way of justifying the extra cost.

and herein lies the issue...nothing is a mandatory purchase? iPhone apps store took off so well because just about everything was priced low enough for people to take a gamble..at £4 I dont think many people will gamble. The price is comparable to a 400msp XBLA game, but all of these have trial versions so you can decide properly before committing.

[Tonks01]

Originally Posted by dannius

Hmmm interesting.

Tonks are you getting a PSPGo or sticking with an existing PSP?

I have my PSP Go on order but as it's through tescos I will no doubt have to wait a few days extra.

I don't think I would have gotten back into the PSP without the Go, for my needs the features are just perfect. Especially with todays news of tethering onto mobile internet connections. the idea now that I can grab these Minis regardless of where I am is a real treat. The only thing against the Go at the moment in my view is the initial cost but that will fall in time and I hope the Go and PSP as a platform is a real success, other than that I see no downside.

[museumsteve]

Tonks, I know it sounds like I'm really down on the PSP Go! but my biggest frustration is that Sony do not seem to have prepared properly for it and as someone that went and put my money where my mouth was and bought one I find it amazingly disappointing that Sony had not even prepared the PS Store..

[dannius]

Originally Posted by Tonks01

I have my PSP Go on order but as it's through tescos I will no doubt have to wait a few days extra.

I don't think I would have gotten back into the PSP without the Go, for my needs the features are just perfect. Especially with todays news of tethering onto mobile internet connections. the idea now that I can grab these Minis regardless of where I am is a real treat. The only thing against the Go at the moment in my view is the initial cost but that will fall in time and I hope the Go and PSP as a platform is a real success, other than that I see no downside.

I think i'm going to stick with my 3000, the Go looks nice and the smaller form size and tethering are selling points for me but at the end of the day it's £200 for a console I essentially already have.

Hopefully with the release of the Go Sony will start supporting the console better. Games like Soul Calibur Broken Destiny, Motorstorm Arctic Edge, GT and LBP are what i've been waiting for for ages and the Minis seem like a great idea if they are indeed better than the iPhone versions. Here's to a brighter future for Sony's little Playstation.

Oh and know of the best place to buy a bigger Memory Stick?? My current one is 4GB...

[Tonks01]

Originally Posted by museumsteve

and herein lies the issue...nothing is a mandatory purchase? iPhone apps store took off so well because just about everything was priced low enough for people to take a gamble..at £4 I dont think many people will gamble. The price is comparable to a 400msp XBLA game, but all of these have trial versions so you can decide properly before committing.

The iPhone in my opinion is not a games console 1st and foremost. The person holding onto their iPhone might not even be aware it plays games. They see field runners up for £4 they won't buy it, it needs to be that low a price to even work on that platform. Much like the wii the people gaming on it might never of played video games regularly and like you say won't give spending 59p much thought.

On the other hand a PSP is a games platform. If you own a PSP I would say you're leaning toward the core gamer - even more so with the Go now. Myself as a PSP owner would take into account things like upgraded textures, robust controls system and more levels giving the game more longevity. and make a decision on which version was the best value for money.

So although the games are very similar I think they are targeting 2 separate audiences and that price difference is justified. Kind of like how people could go out and buy Fifa on the PS2 and still get that great experience and save £15-20 (I'm sure a lot of people still do this) For most gamers though the extra cost to have all the bells and whistles associated with a PS3 game is justified, not mandatory but a lavish expense we indulge in.

If they were exactly the same games I would be with you on this one. If someone releases a direct port and charges more just because it's on the PSP I'm with you all the way.

Originally Posted by museumsteve

Tonks, I know it sounds like I'm really down on the PSP Go! but my biggest frustration is that Sony do not seem to have prepared properly for it and as someone that went and put my money where my mouth was and bought one I find it amazingly disappointing that Sony had not even prepared the PS Store..

No worries bud, It's good to questions these things and also see how other people view them. It's probably telling of how Sony is viewed now that I don't think the launch has been the trainwreak I was expecting, I doubt they will be popping champagne at Sony HQ tonight - Not a good launch, but not THAT bad. An advantage of the download only platform is that it lets the consumer speak with their wallets, something that Sony will have to listen to or suffer some major consequences.