Does the PSP software revival start here?
The next eight days in handheld games
In the week in which a Sony exec confessed PSP had suffered from publishers shifting their resources to other platforms, but added that "there are a lot of [PSP] games coming out in the Christmas period", it's good to see the first two weeks of July kicking off with four relatively high profile PSP titles.
Two are published by Sony itself – Secret Agent Clank (admittedly due on the 11th, so we're a little early) and the marvellous echochrome – while, interestingly, Wall-E and Space Invaders Extreme are cross-platform, coming out both on DS and PSP. Which is trend we've haven't seen for a while.
Of course, it's a little early to get overly excited and run around in nothing but your 'PSP is saved!' T-shirt, but it's a hopeful sign nevertheless.
Back to this week, however, and – if it was required – there's yet more proof of the range of games available for DS.
The hardcore will be able to devour Final Fantasy Tactics A2 or Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword, but for the crowds there are two movie tie-ins – Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Kung Fu Panda – as well as a cartoon licence in the form of Wacky Races: Crash & Dash. Although, considering when that particular series was last popular, maybe it should be defined as something of a retro franchise. Or as Muttley might say, "Rassum brassum msblsssl."
Europe: Out June 27th
Dream Pinball 3D (DS)
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (DS)
Journey to the Centre of the Earth (DS)
Kung Fu Panda (DS) (Read our review.)
My Pet Hotel 2 (DS)
Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword (DS) (Read our review.)
Skate Park City (PSP)
Wacky Races: Crash & Dash (DS)
Europe: Out July 4th
Animal Genius (DS)
Arkanoid (DS) (Read our review.)
Bakushow (aka LOL) (DS)
echochrome (PSP) (Read our review.)
Farm Life (DS)
Ferrari Challenge (DS)
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness/Time (DS) (Read our review.)
Road to Vegas (DS)
Space Invaders Extreme (DS/PSP)
WALL-E (DS/PSP)
US: Out up to July 15th
1 vs 100 (DS)
AMF Bowling Pinbusters (DS)
B-Boy (PSP)
Carnival Games (DS)
Code Lyoko: Quest for Infinity (PSP)
Ducati Moto (DS)
Journey to the Center of the Earth (DS)
Mister Slime (DS)
Nancy Drew: Clue Bender Society (DS)
NCAA Football 2009 (PSP)
Puchi Puchi Virus (DS)
Puzzler Collection (DS)
Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution (DS)
Smart Kids Game Club (DS)
Space Chimps (DS)
Suzuki Superbikes (DS)
Trauma Center: Under the Knife 2 (DS)
Wall-E (PSP)
