Breaking Windows

DS

advance wars
animal crossing
another code
asphalt
bomberman
bust-a-move
castlevania
ds trauma center
kirby
mario & luigi
mariokart
meteos
metroid
metroid pinball
nintendogs lab
new super mario
pac pix
phoenix wright: ace attorney
polarium
ridge racer
rub rabbits
super princess peach
super mario ds
super monkey ball
tetris ds
tony hawk's
need for speed
nintendo touch golf
viewtiful joe
yoshi touch & go
zoo keeper
and about a dozen games which my girlfriend has, uhm, stolen from me and I subsequently haven't been able to add to delicious library yet :-)

PSP

None. Because I don't own a PSP. Which reminds me: I've just paid my taxes and to my surprise ended up with a lot more money remaining on my bank account than I expected. I'm wondering whether to get a PSP or a GP2X. I did lean towards a PSP, because I really want to play a Katamari game, but then I found out that the PSP version didn't score too well, and frankly, there are no other PSP games that interest me all that much, so right now I'm more leaning towards a GP2X. Any thoughts?

That'd be my post on PSP vs. DS ownage.

Right now i stand at 22 DS, 7 PSP. Though that will change.

Lets see...

Six PSP games

Capcom Classics
Darkstalkers
Field Commander
Pursuit Force
Street Fighter Alpha 3
Virtua Tennis

and 11 UMD movies I'm too lazy to list.

For the DS I own:

Ken's copy of Tetris DS
Bust-A-Move
Castlevania
Feel the Magic
Nanostray
Tak JuJu Challenge
Tiger Woods
True Swing Golf
Zoo Keeper

LKM: What's "Another Code?"

Another Code: Two Memories is the european name for the game which I think is called Trace Memories or something in the US. It's the adventure-style game with the ghost pal.

Yeah it's Trace Memory here and it had so much potential. Too bad it falls short and walks you through it.

Well, I simply quickly wanted to inform the collective that I've just ordered a gp2x from the uk site. I hope I won't have to wait for too long. The thing actaully costs more than a PSP if you also buy a big sd card, so I hope it's worth it :-)

Cheaper than buying a [big] MemoryStick...

Congrats. You are gonna love it. And will have to tell me about the new joystick cap, considering the one that came with mine sucked in all eight directions.

"For the DS I own:

Ken's copy of Tetris DS"

I want that back you hear me!

Yeah... back. Um, I'll give you an E-Reader. Sounds fair to me.

You so got owned by that E-Reader at [BigBoxStore].

MUA HA HA HA.

I'll take Tetris DS, not a gimmick, thanks.

I just received the my GP2X "order has been sent" confirmation. I found this part to be a bit unsettling, but nevertheless quite hilarious:

Current known problems:
On some units the case can be too tightly sealed, just loosen the screws slightly, signs of this are screen ghosting when using the joypad.

Joystick may have trouble going left, just slightly unscrew the joypad top
(just turn it).

These only effect a tiny amount of units, but we thought we had better mention
it.

Joystick may have trouble going left? Well, I guess that doesn't matter since you only need to run towards the right in Super Mario Bros 3 on the NES emulator, anyway :-D

Btw, the E-Reader was never released in Europe. If anyone feels like selling one to me for an acceptable price (and has a few game card thingies for it), I'd love to get one.

Ok, $74 million should cover it LKM. Cash only, small unmarked bills.

Seriously though, do you have a Paypal account? I'll figure out the shipping and get back to you. Would $10 be a good deal for you? I have Donkey Kong Jr. as an extra card set, and I can pre-load something else if you want.

Sure, 10 bucks and shipping for the E-Reader and the card would be great. I do have a Paypal-account.

Ok LKM, drop me a line so we're not doing the buisness publicly in the comments secetion:

videogamer@bex.net

I can send you an invoice via Paypal.

I think I have to hand in my Nintendo fanboy card.

I ordered the GP2X, but when the package didn't arrive after a week, I got impatient and bought a PSP, too. Actually, I blame Loco Roco. I know exactly one person who owns a PSP (technically, my boss). I told him about Loco Roco. He downloaded the demo. And spent the next day ranting and raving about how awesomely cool it was, and about how he spent the whole night playing the same stupid level time and time again. So I decided that I had to play it, too. I cleaned out my bank account and bought a white PSP. Accordingly, I'll have to update my PSP games list:

For the PSP, I own:

• Lumines (At first I was like, what's the big deal? But I'm starting to get it :-)
• Midway Arcade Treasures (crap, frankly)
• Katamari (I hope it plays better using dual analog sticks)
• Wipeout Pure (I prefer F-Zero. Wipeout is so slow, it feels like running in slow motion)
• Ridge Racer (Awesome, awesome game)
• Daxter (got it with the PSP, only played if for like 30 seconds)
• Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (not played it yet, got it because it was cheap, I don't actually like GTA all that much)
• Burnout Legends (not played yet)
• OutRun 2006 (not played yet)
• Loco Roco (pre-order, demo is fantastically cool)

I think I got the top ranked games on Gamerankings, except Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror. Dunno if I should get this, I've never really been into third-person games and I'm not sure how much time I have to invest to play that.

I'd like to buy an UMD movie to check that out, but most stores are carrying none or only a few movies which I already own on DVD or don't want to own. And they cost too freaking much, even old ones. Amazon sells a few for cheap, maybe I'll order one I already own.

About the PSP itself: UMD sucks. Loading is too slow for some games (like Midway Arcade Treasures). They're huge, I have no idea how I'm supposed to take them with me - for my DS, I own a keychain which takes two games which I carry with me most of the time. They have a hole in them which is always open! What do I do if dirt gets inside them? Why not have a auto-closing thingie like ZIP has? I wish Sony had gone with solid state chips like Nintendo. The whole world is moving from movable storage like Floppy Disks to solid state storage like USB sticks...

The screen is kind of a mixed bag. It's sharp, bright and big, but there are three problems with it: First, it has this weird passive-matrix-like shadow which is especially visible in non-3D-games like the little minigame at the beginning of Ridge Racer. Second, it's glossy. What the hell is up with that? Can't play in the sun. Can't play with a window behind me. Third, it's not a touch screen. Text entering sucks. Web surfing sucks.

The battery held up better than I expected. Sure, I had to charge it up again after a few hours, but it's not like you couldn't play a few hours of Ridge Racer before the battery is empty. It's no DS, but it's acceptable.

Other games I'm planning to get:

• Mega Man Powered Up
• Capcom Collection
• Metal Gear Acid 2 (not sure about that one yet, don't like card games all that much)
• Field Commander (Maybe. Got the N-Gage pirates strategy game and a few Advance Wars games, dunno if Field Commander is different enough to warrant a buy)
• Tales of Eternia (not sure)
• Darkstalkers - if I get it for cheap.
• Virtua Tennis - If I get it for cheap.

Any thoughts on these? Which games do I need?

Well, I'm done boring you - for now :-)

Hmm.. I thought we had a review section for the PSP here on BW... oh yeah, we do!

Syphon Filter is incredible. It's too good to be on the PSP. Virtua Tennis was "borrowed" from Ken and it's now on my shelf. Darkstalkers is nearly unplayable because of the d-pad.

Field Commander is great, especially for online play. However, if that's not important to you, stick with AW. Powered Up and Capcom Classics are both must haves.

Dirt is really hard to get inside a UMD. Unless you're really dumb, you'll be fine. They make a lot of holders which makes them perfectly portable.

The ghosting is a major issue, especially with UMD movies. A lot of companies lighten up the black levels so it's not as bad, but then all they do is cause the pic to look washed out. It's usually not too bad during games (Ridge Racer makes it look like motion blur).

Text entering is bar far my biggest gripe. Why the hell they haven't changed it with a firmware update is beyond me.

I just read your email about the GP2X. The case is too tight? And if they STILL haven't fixed the joystick problem (doesn't go left) with that new cap they put on, well, I am not surprised. The cap I bought for USD $15 was well worth it, has full range of motion, fireballs, everything.

You will enjoy the PSP for what it is. I do, and that is why I don't bitch that "it has no games." It has plenty of games I like, and I can justify the purchase of the system because of that.

I wrote the Syphon Filter review, but I think Matt would have written the same thing too, we both love that game. It is by far the best on the system for game play and production value.

Matt and I both own Virtua Tennis, after I found another copy... the bastard.

Tales of Eternia never made it to US shores, so I am not sure about that one.

I was not a fan of the Metal Gear Ac!d series, I will wait for Meta Gear Portable Ops.

Congrats on the new PSP! You will grow to like it more and more each day.

Oh, Wipeout Pure. Wait until you get to the 3rt, 4th, 5th speed class -- you won't be saying the same thing about going slow.

Hmm.. I thought we had a review section for the PSP here on BW... oh yeah, we do!

Right. Indeed, I do plan to spend the evening sitting on this here sofa reading PSP reviews on breakingwindows while my girlfriend watches the ITA vs USA world cup match :-)

Oh, that reminds me: Do you guys actually follow the soccer world cup? Most Americans don't seem to care.

After reading your thoughts, I guess I won't buy Darkstalkers and Field Commander.

I'm afraid I have to ask yet another question: Which Mac application(s) work(s) best to get stuff (movies, mainly) onto the PSP?

Ah, the match is over. final score: 1:1 :-)

LKM, Americans don't seem to care. Scratch that, they just don't give a shit. Let me put it to you this way, Americans would rather watch hockey than a soccer match. ;)

I used to play soccer when I was a kid, but lets face it, the US doesn't have a fighting chance in hell of winning the World Cup. I read about it in Sports Illustrated.

I use PSPWare for the Mac. The developer is quite good. He also has a sweet app called Connect360 that I will have a review on this weekend.

It is not free, but it is worth the price. Check out the demo.

http://www.nullriver.com/index/products/pspware

LKM, Americans don't seem to care. Scratch that, they just don't give a shit. Let me put it to you this way, Americans would rather watch hockey than a soccer match. ;)

I used to play soccer when I was a kid, but lets face it, the US doesn't have a fighting chance in hell of winning the World Cup. I read about it in Sports Illustrated.

Interestingly, neither does the Swiss team, but we don't care. Everyone would be happy if we reached the quarter finals :-) It's not about winning, it's about seeing how well you do. Everyone knows that there are only about four teams who have realistic chances of winning. It's probably a different way of looking at things. Americans don't care if they can't win :-)

Anyway, the US team has been getting better in recent world cups... It's kind of a pity they don't get more support.

I'm trying out PSPWare right now.

And will have to tell me about the new joystick cap, considering the one that came with mine sucked in all eight directions.

I got the GP2X yesterday. Just a quick update on the joystick cap: At first, I hoped it was a bit like the Neo Geo Pocket stick, which I love. Not so. It feels like playing a "digital" game with an analog stick. Like playing a Sonic Collection game on the Cube or something, I think. It works, and you don't really notice it after a while, but it's definitely far from the best solution.

Interestingly, I got a second cap in the package, but it looks even worse than the one which is already on the GP2X.

More about the joystick cap: I got the "dead space" problem. You've got to move the joystick all the way to make it register, which means that fast games where you need all 8 directions - like 1942 - are almost unplayable. Whenever you go from moving left to moving right (for example), your ship just stays where it is for a split second, before you move the joystick from one side all the way to the other. Sometimes it takes a bit of wiggling before you get it to where it needs to be, especially when you've got sweaty hands.

It really is a pity that the joystick sucks so much. Was it the same with the GP32?

I never had a GP32. I will fire up 1942 here and try it out. I don't remember having that issue. I'll report back in a bit.

The GP2X wiki actually describes the issue:

Some users have reported that the GP2X has a large deadzone – meaning that the stick has to be pushed quite far for a direction to be registered. This does seem to be the case however the problem should be fixable with a simple mod to the GP2X. This mod would involve taking the GP2X apart. Others have stipulated that the dead zone is actually a software problem and maybe fixed via firmware. Evidence of this is how responsive the stick is in the menus and how unresponsive it is in homebrewed games. Since the stick is functionally the same as an 8 button directional pad, the confusion may come from the perception that it "looks" like an analog stick, and therefore should act like one, when in fact it does need to be pressed completely in any given direction to activate the sensors.
Conclusion: Dead Zone does exist, however its cause is disputed. May be fixed through hardware mod or new firmware depending.