PlayStation Portable 3000 Core Pack System - Piano Black

I must admit for a long time I was not a fan of portable systems. I much prefer playing games on my PC or a big screen TV with the 360 or ps3. Since the mid 80's I have loved playing video games, and over time the Japanese Role Playing game, and Strategy role playing games became my favorite. The problem this generation was that for the most part they were few and far between on the 360/ps3. Sure you had exceptions like Disgaea, Valkyria Chronicles and Lost Odyssey. However, it was nothing like the SNES through the ps2 era. While I love some WRPGs like Skyrim and Dragon Age, I was craving some good old fashioned turn based goodness.For a long time I was noticing decent games in those genres appearing on the PSP. I finally broke down this year and decided to try a portable system, and the PSP had an attractive library of games I wanted. The debate then was should I buy the Vita or the PSP? While the Vita certainly looked great, the library was pretty small and the memory cards were quite pricey. A few games I was interested in were also not available on PSN as a download, and so were only available on disc. I decided to go with the PSP, and perhaps I would upgrade to a Vita in the future when the system had more games available.For those like me who enjoy a JRPG, or SRPG, you have some good games to choose from. Lunar, Jeanne D Arc, Final Fantasy Tactics, Gungnir, Tactics Ogre, Brave Story, Valkyria Chronicles 2, Disgaea 1 and 2, Wild Arms XF, and Growlanser are just some examples. Of course some of those are found on earlier systems, but they often had upgrades unique to the PSP version. Plus they are sometimes quite a bit cheaper than trying to find the game on an older system. I also love the fact that many good ps1 games are available on PSN and can be played on either the ps3 or PSP. Many of the Square Enix, Atlus, and even Working Designs classics are available and play great on the PSP.Another benefit of the PSP being so late in its lifespan is the fact that many of the games can be bought for pretty cheap right now. Make sure to compare prices between the disc and download versions. Sometimes I have found the UMD is cheaper than buying it off PSN. While I am a bit old fashioned and prefer physical copies, I realize download games have many advantages. Like I mentioned before, some games are not available though on PSN. Hopefully they will continue to add more of the PSP collection in the future. I would definitely recommend spending a few extra bucks to get a travel case for the PSP, some headphones, and a decent size memory stick.(especially if you plan on downloading most games).I am definitely happy I finally decided to get a portable system. The great library of games will keep me busy for awhile especially when I am on long trips for a week or two. Even at home I find myself playing the PSP as much, if not more than my PC or consoles. I never thought that would happen.

The Good: Re-arranged features work great, feels lighter, buttons are more solid, everything is just betterThe Bad: Should have been the original model, not a huge incentive for 1000 owners to upgradeHandhelds these days have the re-make curse with Nintendo being the worst. Really three different GBA's? Four (and soon to be five) DS models? Once the latest and last iteration comes out you tend to think that model should have been the first. Same goes with the PSP since the 3000 is amazing and should have been the 1000 model. The first thing you'll notice when you take it out of the box is the weight. This thing feels light as a feather, and I almost thought it was a fake piece of plastic. This also is a benefit when playing games, and reduces the hand cramps.Another thing you'll notice is it's slimmer, and all the fat has been trimmed off. The D-pad is built better and it concaved on the inside instead of just flat like the original model. The speakers are located at the top front instead of the bottom thus the speakers are also more clear and less tinny. The addition of a built-in mic is great to for online play. The memory stick slot also has a major change with it up near the top left side instead of the bottom. The slot is also a piece of plastic that comes out instead of the black corner piece. The slot it hidden well and blends in nicely with the unit.Finally the UMD slot has changed with a pull-out slot instead of a switch that makes it pop out. You just lay the UMD in instead of sliding it in like a cassette tape. It's quieter, and seems to be slightly faster as well, and uses less battery power. Another good change is the WLAN switch is on top of the unit next to the USB port which keeps you from accidentally switching it on. The console feels better when holding due to its glossy back, and there are no contours for your hands, but this makes holding the unit better for some odd reason.Other than that everything is the same. The screen is crisper, brighter, and the new PlayStation home button looks great too. The Wi-Fi is slightly faster, supports newer security, and this unit is just solid and brilliantly designed. I really went back to my old UMD collection just to play the unit more, because games look nicer, and they just feel great being played on a solid piece of hardware.