Sony PSP Go

The PSP (PlayStation Portable) may have been overshadowed by the sheer volume of hype surrounding the iPhone, but Sony's latest portable gaming goodie, the PSP Go, could see that trend reversed when it launches early next month.

Form-factor-wise the PSP Go is significantly smaller and noticeably lighter than its PSP predecessors, and won't result in you hearing the sound of tearing fabric when you slide it into a pocket.

Downsizing however doesn't mean diminished gaming as the PSP Go's 3.8" TFT LCD screen slides up to reveal all the usual in-game PSP control suspects.

Sony's decision to ditch the optical UMD drive however plays a huge role in lightening the PSP Go's load by approximately 40 per cent. Where PSP titles were initially sold on petite and proprietary UMD discs, the PSP GO has 16GB of built-in flash memory (which can be bolstered by a Memory Stick Micro) slot for storing games and other media.

In addition to helping the PSP Go with its Jenny Craig weight-loss feat, dumping the UMD should see battery life theoretically improved too. About the only downside with that the lack of UMD support is that UMD titles you already own are destined to gather dust for the rest of their pointless lives.

The overall control layout on the PSP Go has changed little from the original PSP 1000, with a four-way directional pad available on the left and the usual Sony control buttons (with the triangle, circle square and cross) on the right.

Rounding things out are the select/start buttons in the centre, and an analogue control which is near the centre bottom of the PSP Go's screen. From a gaming perspective the Go feels very much like a fully-fledged PS3 controller in use, making prolonged bouts of gaming a significantly more comfortable proposition.

Sony's lighter, smaller and sexier PSP Go.

802.11b/g Wi-Fi support is also present, and allows for multiplayer mayhem, web surfing or connecting to the Sony online store to purchase and download games. New to the PSP Go is Bluetooth which allows gamers to pair up stereo Bluetooth headsets with the PSP Go. This also allows the Go to perform several other nifty tricks such as pairing up with a PS3 controller.

In terms of game titles, Sony has confirmed PSP Go versions of its big hitters (many of which were pre-installed as demos on the review PSP Go I was sent).

These included Metal Gear Solid Portable, Dissida Final Fantasy, Patapon, LocoRoco, Numblast, Resistance Retribution, Worms Open Warfare, Ridge Racer 2, God of War.

Other titles slated for the PSP Go in 2009 are rumoured to include Little Big Planet, Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier, MotorStorm Arctic Edge, and SOCOM Fire Team Bravo 3.