Name: Sony PSP Go
Co-Op: N/A
Publisher/Developer: Sony
Release Date: October 1, 2009
At first glance, we weren’t sure what to make of the PSP go. An already compact system made more compact with a bit of tactical button rearranging to make us a little wary. However, we got our hands on the PSP Go at PAX, and are here to share our somewhat enlightened perspective.
When approaching the Sony rep, the tiny PSP Go tied to a lanyard around his neck was almost mistakable for a slightly oversized MP3 player. I had to ask if it even was a PSP Go. After assuring me that it was, he was more than happy to put the masterpiece of a system in my hands to show me the ropes.
The first thing I noticed was how light the system was. Perfect for carrying around in ones pocket, and about the size of a wallet. Without UMD’s to carry with it, this is actually a wonderfully portable system.
Any hand cramping concerns you may have can be washed away, as the PSP Go was very comfortable to hold and play. With the way the body is shaped, the PSP Go is actually a bit wider vertically than the original PSP. This wider system spreads your hands out enough that any tension on your wrist and hands is relieved. The placement of the analog stick in the center of the system also makes the D-pad easier to access for games that utilize it.
This 16 GB handheld system relies entirely on downloaded games, which makes it a walking Playstation Network store. It had a brighter screen, a slightly better speaker system, and the analog stick wasn’t nearly as stiff as the original PSP.
I also asked if the PSP Go was going to have downloadable options for those of us that have UMD’s, and the general consensus from Sony was to say they’re working on a way to do that. This would round out a nice package for the PSP Go, and we can’t wait to hear if/when it happens.