PSP Reviews – PSP Console, Games & Accessories

Hello PlayStation.Blog readers! Halloween is just around the corner, but wait, so is LocoRoco Midnight Carnival ! I’m happy to announce LocoRoco Midnight Carnival hits the PlayStation Network for PSP on October 29 for $14.99! So that means in two short weeks you’ll finally be able to get your LocoRoco fix, complete with 16 brand new stages, full competitive and co-op modes, two mini games, and three additional bonus stages! On top of that, we are very eager for LocoRoco fans old a

The latest iteration to the popular LocoRoco series of games on the PSP was revealed back in August at Gamescom. LocoRoco: Midnight Carnival includes 16 standard stages, two mini-games and three bonus stages. Players will also be able to compete with friends or play co-operatively thanks to the ad hoc four player simultaneous play on all stages. The game will also feature leaderboards and new enemies. Players will be able to play the game with the PSPgo closed since players can contro

Castlevania The Dracula X Chronicles

Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles is an entirely new take at the best Castlevania game to never be released in the US, Castlevania: Rondo of Blood. The Dracula X Chronicles brings the beloved action/adventure franchise to the PSP system for the first time, complete with 3D graphics, enhanced gameplay and new music. Completing the Dracula X storyline, this game also includes an unlockable version of Symphony of the Night and players will also be able to unlock the original Rondo of Blood from the NEC PC Engine.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Wonderful Remake
This is a pretty neat remake of the original game. The 3D game fits nicely, and you even have the option of playing the original game for the Turbo Grafix 16 along with some bonus stages and hidden “minibosses” in the remake addition. You also get to play SOTN with this game, once unlocked, music, and boss-fighting options.

As for the complaints:

This game is based on the remake of an older game, and like so, will play as the older game. Be prepared to be killed alot by annoying medusa heads or that annoying, very annoying, flea-man in SOTN. Its considered a little “short” by today’s standards, as far as game-play length goes. And although they remade the original SOTN for the Turbo Grafix 16, why didn’t they include the sega-saturn version of SOTN instead of the playstation? Maria all but disappears in this version as a playable character, which is kind of disappointing.

Overall if you never played these two games, or would want to play them again, now is the time to buy it at its good price. Do not pay more than $[...] bucks for this.

4 Stars 1st time castlevania player point of view
i have never played any other castlevania game ever. so i was hesitant to try this but i had hear good things about it, so i tried it. the graphics look great on the psp, the controls took some getting used to, especially using the stairs. i kept forgeting to pres up/down on D-pad. and the special move? have to press up on the D-pad to use it! ok. after a few sessions of playing it finally started to feel fluid using all the controls. i was having fun with the game. a few levels in i found secret ways to different bosses. i finished the game but i didnt save all the girls, so i got a fake ending telling me to go back and recue all the girls. while i had alot of fun with this game it is not easy. i didnt want to go back to search thru all the levels to find the girls so i cheated. i went online to find all the girls. the the later bosses are hard but after dying a few times you will get used to their attack patterns. so finished the game now with the real ending but only at 68% complete. i will be visiting this game again and try to complete 100%

5 Stars A MUST HAVE
There are games that one buys, plays, and sells. And there are other that one buys, plays and KEEP. Well, Castlevania is one of those. There is nothing bad to say about this game. Lots of secret chambers, hours and hours of fun (and I mean “in a row”!!!), and as a great bonus, the 2 original Castlevania games, old school style. The PSP is definitely lacking in those kind of platform games that remain the best kind for portable devices such as the PSP. JUST A GREAT GAME.

5 Stars THIS IS HOW CLASSICS SHOULD BE REMADE
UPDATE:

Before (I’ll admit) I used cheats. Now I am playing it on the PSP, Symphony of the Night and Rhondo of Blood. Cheats will only RUIN these great games. Don’t use them. Also, two of the coolest enemies I’ve ever seen is the 1) Knight, then changes to a green monster(remind me of Mother Brain in Super Metroid by the attacks) and 2) The Brain-made up of humans that fall off screaming. I could repeat these two battles over and over.

Symphony of the Night is awesome. It reminds me of Super Metroid.

Now, if only SONY could get Nintendo to release a GREATEST HITS COLLECTION for the PSP,like the SEGA GENESIS COLLECTION(I own it).

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I have never heard of Rhondo of Blood. I love the game already and cannot wait to unlock Symphony of the Night. I love the music in both. The action is great as well. Two of the best action side scrollers.

If only Capcom will release a collection like Namco’s Batttle Collection or SEGA’s Collection. There are some great Capcom games that I would love to play again.

5 Stars Bitten once more..
One of the most vintage videogame franchises gets re-dressed. Its not just a new coat of paint either we’re talking about depth and a few bonuses Lets get right to the meat and potatoes; alot of people see the value of having Symphony of the Night within Dracula X Chronicles as worth the price of admission alone. I was one of those people! Not only did I vaguely remember playing the Orignial Dracula X( I was a young lad and this version is diff. from the american version) but it feels like a completely new game to me! Its classic Castlevania left untouched yet completely done in 2.5 Dimensional graphics to give it a current look on the PSP. I remember buying this last Halloween on the eve of the Manhunt 2 scandal and felt at that time was the peak of the PSP. Although this year I ate my own words as I played Chains of Olympus and Crisis Core (that review is coming soon!).

What I can say that stands out about the gameplay besides the technical platforming is the rampant difficulty. The bosses will tire you out so you must learn all enemy strategies. I can honestly admit that I haven’t even beat it yet(stage before last). I’m still checking out alternate stage paths which are decorated through out the entire game. The D-pad on the PSP works wonders with calculating your jumps properly. I played this on the PSP-1000 so my last sentence is a testament to what you 3000 (and 2000s) PSPers must feel with the new and improved D-pads. As with any Castlevania game the music is spectacular and elegantly gothic! I left the UMD splash/load menu on just to hear the ghostly chants of the female choir earlier today. Now I will end this review with what I strated it with and a “bang”; Symphony of the Night is on the UMD but you have to unlock it. You can look up how to unlock SOTN on the internet. Wasn’t that hard for me to unlock SOTN. Once I did I was disappointed.. If you are like me and you played the PSX version or even the Saturn version heed this: THE UMD VERSION ONCE UNLOCKED DOESN’T SUPPORT FULL SCREEN MODE. You can keep it to its normal reduced size or you can add distracting and goofy borders. Was the ONLY let down with this marvelous PSP release.

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Space Invaders Extreme

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Space Invaders Is Back!
Great game. Just like the old one with a modern twist. Addicting just like the old one too!

5 Stars It’s Space Invaders. It’s Extreme. It’s great.
Taito’s classic that started it all gets a facelift, and the final product is a nicely priced must-play.

Merits Great soundtrack, Addictive, Great Value, Great replayability, Outstanding update on a classic

Demerits Bad online community

If you have ever played any variation of Space Invaders but not this one, there are people laughing at you as we speak. It’s not me. I swear. Don’t look now, but the old classic from yesteryear is back and better than ever. Why, it may be better than the orignal. Don’t let the old timers hear that though.

Think of it this way: The original Space Invaders is a Cadillac. Space Invaders Extreme is a Porsche. One of the first things you will notice is the techno music, which is outstanding. The graphics are colorful. There’s actual strategy playing into the mix. Hitting 4 of the same color invader drops a power-up. There are bonus stages and bosses. The game is a steal for $20. You will be replaying the modes forev3r and ev3r. Well, maybe not, but the game has some serious replay value, maybe even more than the original. Have you said “Wow” yet?

The only bad thing about this game is the weak online community. The Vs. mode pits 1 on 1 to see who can last the longest. It’s surprisingly addictive despite being so narrow. The only problem is it takes 2 people to play, which means you’ll be sitting in the lobby for a couple of minutes before someone finally gets on. Single-card play helps if you have a DS wielding buddy. Sw33t.

Space Invaders Extreme is an achivement in handheld gaming. The updated classic holds its own in more ways than one and then some, and the portability means the most superior version of Space Invaders ever is in your front pocket. Or bookbag. You buy now, yes?

Final Line: 9.1/10, D4NG3R’s Gold Medal, DS Top Pick

4 Stars EXTREME SPACE INVADERS ROCKS!
I AM AN OLD SPACE INVADERS ARCADE FAN, I REMEMBER THE DAYS OF GOING TO THE CANDY STORE WHEN I WAS A KID, PLAYING SPACE INVADERS, DONKEY KONG, CENTIPEDE & MISSILE COMMAND. I NEVER WAS ANY GOOD AT THE ADVANCED LEVELS OF ANY OF THOSE GAMES(THANK GOD FOR POKEMON). THEN I CAUGHT A DEMO OF THIS AND I KNEW I HAD TO HAVE IT. AND I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED. FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS A QUICK REVISIT TO THE GOOD OLD DAYS AND THEN HAVE THEIR CHAIR KICKED OUT FROM UNDER THEM…THIS IS IT! THIS GAME BLOWS THE ORIGINAL OUT OF THE BALLPARK! A MILLION THUMBS UP!!!!

5 Stars CRAZY FUN!
I found it in the bargain bin when it was released and thought “Wow my grandma’s game again.” I decided to try it and was pleasantly surprised. I am now entranced.. I love the lights and sound and if you add the rumble cart (not included) It becomes the most satisfying casual game play ever invented. The controls are simple with left hand move and right hand shoot and as simple as that sounds it’s not. I am left frothing in anticipation for more!

4 Stars cool game
It was a great game! It is a little hard without the paddle but still enjoyable. It even has some great multiplayer on one cartridge! Great game would recommend to anyone.

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Space Invaders Extreme

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars EXTREME SPACE INVADERS ROCKS!
I AM AN OLD SPACE INVADERS ARCADE FAN, I REMEMBER THE DAYS OF GOING TO THE CANDY STORE WHEN I WAS A KID, PLAYING SPACE INVADERS, DONKEY KONG, CENTIPEDE & MISSILE COMMAND. I NEVER WAS ANY GOOD AT THE ADVANCED LEVELS OF ANY OF THOSE GAMES(THANK GOD FOR POKEMON). THEN I CAUGHT A DEMO OF THIS AND I KNEW I HAD TO HAVE IT. AND I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED. FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS A QUICK REVISIT TO THE GOOD OLD DAYS AND THEN HAVE THEIR CHAIR KICKED OUT FROM UNDER THEM…THIS IS IT! THIS GAME BLOWS THE ORIGINAL OUT OF THE BALLPARK! A MILLION THUMBS UP!!!!

5 Stars It’s Space Invaders. It’s Extreme. It’s great.
Taito’s classic that started it all gets a facelift, and the final product is a nicely priced must-play.

Merits Great soundtrack, Addictive, Great Value, Great replayability, Outstanding update on a classic

Demerits Bad online community

If you have ever played any variation of Space Invaders but not this one, there are people laughing at you as we speak. It’s not me. I swear. Don’t look now, but the old classic from yesteryear is back and better than ever. Why, it may be better than the orignal. Don’t let the old timers hear that though.

Think of it this way: The original Space Invaders is a Cadillac. Space Invaders Extreme is a Porsche. One of the first things you will notice is the techno music, which is outstanding. The graphics are colorful. There’s actual strategy playing into the mix. Hitting 4 of the same color invader drops a power-up. There are bonus stages and bosses. The game is a steal for $20. You will be replaying the modes forev3r and ev3r. Well, maybe not, but the game has some serious replay value, maybe even more than the original. Have you said “Wow” yet?

The only bad thing about this game is the weak online community. The Vs. mode pits 1 on 1 to see who can last the longest. It’s surprisingly addictive despite being so narrow. The only problem is it takes 2 people to play, which means you’ll be sitting in the lobby for a couple of minutes before someone finally gets on. Single-card play helps if you have a DS wielding buddy. Sw33t.

Space Invaders Extreme is an achivement in handheld gaming. The updated classic holds its own in more ways than one and then some, and the portability means the most superior version of Space Invaders ever is in your front pocket. Or bookbag. You buy now, yes?

Final Line: 9.1/10, D4NG3R’s Gold Medal, DS Top Pick

5 Stars Space Invaders+remix=AWESOMENESS!!!
Ok, to start this review all I have to say is that this game is a must have for any ds owner that liked or loves the original space invaders and space invaders revolution (also for ds).

Story: Okey, the story consists of 5 main stages, but after stage 2 you can choose an easy or hard stage ex. 3-A or 3-B. In total there are 11 stages. 4 stage 5’s, 3 stage 4’s, 2 stage 3’s, and stages 1 and 2. The later stages are extremely hard!

Gameplay: The gameplay is just like the original space invaders from 1978, but there are no barriers, and there are POWER UPS!!!! You see, each invader has a color and a shape. When you shoot 4 of the same color you get a power up. 4 blues gets you a laser that busts through everything except reflect shields. 4 greens gets you a broad shot, kinda like the spread gun off of contra, it fires 5 bullets at once. 4 reds gets you bombs. These are extremely handy when killing reflector aliens, these are also rapid fire. 4 blacks gets you a sheild that blocks all attacks! Its extremely handy when beating big aliens that shoot beams. Also when you shoot 4 of one color and then immediatly after shoot 4 of a different color, a rainbow UFO comes out and if you shoot it you go into a round (a mini game that gives you a great power up) and if you beat the rounds certain requirements, you get a super power up, there are: the super broad shot, big bombs, super laser, and a gun that when you shoot an alien it turns and kills everything to the left or right of it. Also, when you shoot enough aliens, your cannon levels up, and your shots get more powerful and faster, but when you die you lose 2 levels There are also boss fights. When you get to the end of a stage you get to fight a boss, the bosses are really challenging, the fight also uses both screens.

Graphics: The graphics are alot like classic space invaders except there is a background that moves and is very impressing. The cannon is completely redone. It looks alot better than the classic one. You can clearly see when aliens explode. I would expect that the PSP version has alot better graphics but the ds version is waaaay better

Multiplayer: I have played all the multiplayer variants and all I can say is that its really fun! DS download play works very well. When you go on WiFi, you can post you ranking battle scores on the leaderboard (im 650th best in the world lol) or you can battle with other players. The battle is not directly attacking your opponents, but you actually just try to outlast your opponent. You can send attacks when you shoot enough aliens then shoot a UFO. The attacks are very devastating if you trigger them at the right time.

Overall: I think that this is a great game. It has very tight controls, and the levels just wanna make you keep playing it till you get to the famed “next level”. Also it only costs $20 so you get an extremely good game for a bargain bin price.

BUY THIS GAME!!! You will love it, and even if you dont like it, you’ll only be out of $20!!!

5 Stars Blast from the past
For those of us who grew up with Atari systems, the new Space Invaders is a must-buy. It’s totally updated, with alot of color, great sound effects, and all that, but it’s the same game we loved way back when. I’m having a blast getting addicted all over again!

4 Stars cool game
It was a great game! It is a little hard without the paddle but still enjoyable. It even has some great multiplayer on one cartridge! Great game would recommend to anyone.

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