Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Feast your eyes on a few more photos of my sparkly purple PSP

So, I let it be known in a few places--here, on Instagram and on Twitter, mostly--over the last couple of days that I recently acquired the sparkly, purple PSP (PSP-3000, to be exact) showcased in the photos throughout this post.

You'll notice I've never said that I recently "bought" the PSP in question. That's because I didn't buy it. Instead, someone bought it for me.

That someone is Jess, the proprietor of the Kiblitzing blog.



Jess' primary reason for buying me this purple PSP, as far as I can tell, is that he loves his own PSP-3000 so much that he wanted me to experience its wondrousness, too. (My other PSP is of the 1000 variety.)

A second reason, though, is that he's sick of me focusing so much on the 3DS, DS and GameBoy.

The funny thing is, I was just about to start publishing more blog posts about other systems--like mobile (if that can be called a "system") and the Vita--anyway, but I can't say the PSP was among them. So, the fact that this surprise (and surprisingly nice) purchase prompted me to dig through my collection of PSP games again should make Jess feel pretty good.

As for what I think of this third iteration of Sony's PSP hardware, well, the first thing that stood out for me was how much lighter it is than the original system.


Other aspects of the PSP-3000's design are only subtly different from those found on the old PSP-1000. For instance, the edges of the more recent system are slightly rounded, which makes holding it a less abrasive experience. Also, it appears as though the hardware is a smidge smaller than its predecessor from pretty much every angle (length, height and depth, basically), though it's possible my eyes are deceiving me here.

Upon turning on the system, even more changes are evident. A case in point: the 3000's screen is brighter, crisper and more colorful than the one used in the 1000.

I'd previously avoided this "redesign" because of complaints about its "annoying scanlines." Now, maybe my eyesight is worse than I thought it was (this wouldn't surprise me in the least), but I'm not sure I can even discern scanlines on the screen of my 3000.



Finally, I believe both the analog nub and the directional pad on the 3000 are supposed to be better, and easier to use, than the ones found on earlier PSPs, but I can't say I've noticed much, if any, of a difference here, either. That said, I've yet to use this beauty to play Patchwork Heroes, a lovely little game that could be a bit of a chore no matter how it's controlled, so maybe that will give me a better idea as to whether or not the 3000 has improved on this aspect, too.

In the meantime, I'm going to go through a bunch of my long-ignored UMDs and see if this grape-hued console can breathe new life into them. (I have absolutely no doubt it'll be able to accomplish that feat, by the way.)

See also: 'In case you haven't heard elsewhere, I'm now on Instagram!'

44 comments:

Justin Difazzio said...

Wow. That's generous! Also, pretty.

Zach said...

Very cool! I didn't even know there was a purple PSP--is it an import? I wouldn't mind seeing some PSP coverage either as it'd give me an excuse to use mine for anything other than Tactics Ogre (which is a fine singular use for it, don't get me wrong).

thegaygamer.com said...

Yes, Justin, I agree! It was *very* generous of Jess.

thegaygamer.com said...

Hey there, Zach! Nope this is a NA system. It was released here as part of a Hannah Montana-themed package, if you can believe that. A similar (if not the exact same) system was released in Japan around the same time, I believe--in conjunction with the release of the first MonHun Nikki title, in fact.


As for including more coverage of PSP games--along with the increased coverage of iOS and Vita that I swear is coming *soon*--I think you can count on that. Along with MonHun Nikki, I recently bought two other Japanese PSP games. Plus, I have a good number of both JP and NA PSP games (UMDs, mostly) that I've yet to write about (or even play, in some cases). So, look for posts about all of the above in the coming days, weeks, months, etc.

michaelstearns said...

Hahaha, my PSP is also the purple Hannah Montana model. The color is nice but I have to admit I mainly just bought it because it was discounted. :)

TheGameroomBlitz said...

Ha ha! Step one of my plan to purge the world of the PSP-1000 is complete! Now just... fifty million units to go. O_o;


But seriously, Bryan, I'm happy to hear you're liking your new prize. In no time at all you'll find it almost impossible to go back to the crappy original model. I think back in, uh, November, I picked up my PSP-1000 to play a game, and was utterly disgusted with the experience. Even the first Vita model is lighter and more comfortable to hold... and don't even get me started on that blurry screen!


Anyway. Eagerly looking forward to the expanded coverage. If you can, get that PSP-3000 hacked so you can carry around a bunch of Neo-Geo and Game Boy Advance games wherever you go. If you can't, you'll still like it a heckuva lot more than the first model.


(Oh, by the way... it's Kiblitzing, with an L in the middle. Heh!)


(Also, damn are those some nice pictures. What's your secret?)

thegaygamer.com said...

Hey, as long as you have one, Michael, it doesn't matter *why* you bought it :)

thegaygamer.com said...

Hey there, Jess! You know what's funny? I never had a problem with my 1000 before I tried this 3000 you bought and sent me. Even the ghosting didn't really bother me. Also, I never really noticed that the 1000's screen is/was kind of blurry and dull (in terms of color)--again, until I tried the 3000.


As for hacking this sucker, I'm going to do my best once my Memory Stick-to-SD adapter arrives. Should I somehow screw that up, though, or not get it to work for whatever reason, I'll be OK, as I'm mainly planning to use my PSPs to play PSP games. (A shocking revelation, I know.)


Thanks for letting me know that I left the "L" out of your blog's name, BTW. Would you believe (I'm sure you would) that I completely failed to notice that "L" until now? In my head, I've always called it "Kibitzing." Weird. Anyway, I'll correct that error now.


Finally, my "secret" RE: my photos: I don't know that there is one! My digital camera is ages old (I'm pretty sure my new iPhone is better), so that's not it. I do "fix up" my photos a bit before publishing them, but it's nothing extreme. I guess it's just a combination of an OK eye, a flattering setting and waiting until the lighting is good...

superphillip32 said...

Really nice looking. Also, you have Hot Shots Tennis, so that's even better! :)

Zaphod65 said...

I always wanted to try the other PSP models, but I went from my 1000 to the PSP Go and skipped the steps between. That purple model is very pretty, though.

TheGameroomBlitz said...

Eh, no big. I consider it an investment in my future entertainment. :D

thegaygamer.com said...

Ha! Well, then, I hope I don't disappoint ;)

thegaygamer.com said...

Oh, yes, I've had it for ages, Phillip--and I absolutely love it, of course!

thegaygamer.com said...

Ah, I just saw a used PSP Go in a game shop yesterday. I wanted it so badly! I *think* two PSPs is enough for me, though...

Franggio Hogland said...

I think I finally figured out why I always check in here daily.

Its really simple but oh so complex at the same time.
I always end up with a smile Bryan. :)

thegaygamer.com said...

Aww, thanks for that, Franggio! I really, really appreciate it :)

TheGameroomBlitz said...

I keep thinking about getting one, but I'm just not sure I'd have much use for it. It uses yet another proprietary memory card format (GEEZ, Sony!) and the controls don't seem as finger-friendly as the ones on the PSP-3000. Everyone I've talked to says to stay the hell away from it, so I most likely will. (Unless I find it for thirty bucks or less; that'd be my breaking point!)

TheGameroomBlitz said...

What are your thoughts on the whole scanline business? I never found it to be a big deal and Bryan doesn't notice them at all. Personally, I found it to be a fair trade-off for faster screen refresh... classic collections that were off-puttingly smeary on the PSP-1000 are beautiful on this model.

Zach said...

Ah! I would never have expected Hannah Montana to have been a viable option for PSP collaborations (let alone game).. but I'm glad regardless!


Take your time with spacing things out and reviewing things as you'd like to, you have a lot on your plate! But at least it'll all be really interesting and fun stuff! :)

michaelstearns said...

Well, scanlines are a nostalgic plus for me, but I don't even recall taking that much notice of them before. To be fair I didn't play the PSP that much, I remember the screen seeming nice enough to me.

thegaygamer.com said...

Yeah, Zach, I was sort of surprised to find that Sony partnered with Disney (I think…) to put out a Hannah Montana PSP pack, but it also kind of makes sense. I mean, the DS was attracting all sorts of attention from non-typical gamers (girls,

adults, seniors, etc.) at the time, and surely Sony wanted in on at least a little of that action.

Also, it’s possible the head honchos at Sony’s NA branch decided it would be difficult for them to sell a purple PSP in this region without some sort of "girly" tie-in, and this was the best option they could come up with. (Not that I disagree with them, as Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana was really popular at that time.)

Anyway, thanks for the comment RE: taking my time, etc. I’m doing my best at the moment, that’s for sure! Thankfully, it feels like things are starting to settle down again. Also, soon enough I’ll be on “vacation” from class again, which means I’ll have more free time to play games and write about them :)

thegaygamer.com said...

The PSP Go uses a proprietary memory card format that’s different from the one used for the regular PSP, Jess? If so: gaaaaaaaaah!!!

Why would Sony do that? Oh, wait, I know what they’d do it: money!

Anyway, that sounds to me like a good enough reason to stay away from the Go. Well, that and the fact that it doesn’t feature a UMD slot (which would be a problem for me, as almost all of my PSP games are UMDs at this point).

thegaygamer.com said...

I honestly don't see them on the PSP-3000 you bought for me, Jess. I guess it could be that the scratches on the screen are preventing me from seeing them, but as there aren't that many scratches, I kind of doubt that's the case. Anyway, I'll keep my eye out for them ;)

thegaygamer.com said...

Quite honestly, before I played a PSP-3000 for the first time, I thought the screen on the PSP-1000 was pretty fab. It was only when I finally was able to compare the new and old systems side by side that I noticed that the 1000's screen is a bit blurry compared to that of the 3000, plus it's pretty darn washed out, color-wise.

TheGameroomBlitz said...

You should see the Amazon reviews of this system. "I bought this PSP for my daughter, and she really loves it, but there just aren't many games on it for girls!" It's a sentiment shared by several reviewers, suggesting that Sony needs to do a lot more to attract a female audience than give their handhelds a purple makeover.

Allison Kleon said...

I remember trying so hard to win this model in one of those game machines they have at Walmart. I eventually gave up and bought one second hand. If I couldn't have the JPN pink PSP then the lilac one was the next best thing :)

thegaygamer.com said...

Oh, that's a great story, Allison :) Also, I hear ya regarding the JPN pink PSP. It's so preeeeeety XD This purple one's still pretty great, though!

thegaygamer.com said...

And, sadly, they never did anything about it for the PSP, and it's doubtful they'll ever do it for the Vita either. Sigh.

apricotsushi said...

As I mentioned on Instagram, this is the same PSP I have! I love the color but mine isn't in very good condition – I got it used pretty cheap a few years ago, so it doesn't look nearly as lovely as yours! I keep telling myself I should get another PSP but I also can't really justifying buying another one, hah!


As for the scan lines, I never had a PSP-1000 so I can't compare myself, but I've always been perfectly happy with the 3000! Though mine isn't that light anymore because I had to replace the battery 2 years ago and I bought a bigger one for some silly reason >_<

thegaygamer.com said...

Actually, Anne, I think the lighting here makes the system look like it's in better condition than it is. Or, rather, it makes the screen look like it's in better condition than it really is. Which isn't to say it's in terrible condition, but there are a fair number of scratches on it. Still, it's in better shape than my PSP-1000, plus it's purple and it has a really bright screen and it's light as a feather, so don't take what I say here as a complaint! :)

RetroKingSimon said...

Very nice looking machine you have there :) I have a white one (not sure which model) which is mainly used for Everybody's Golf, as well as the odd go on LocoRoco of course. The scanlines on your machine sound pretty cool - anyone of a retro-ish disposition loves scanlines after all, but they should at least be optional like they are on some emulators :)

TheGameroomBlitz said...

Sorry about that, Chief. =( I did buy this used, and as you've already noticed, pictures tend to cover up imperfections with the screen. I've heard you can buff the scratches out of the plastic, but it takes skill and it may not be worth your time.

thegaygamer.com said...

What? Don't feel bad, Jess. Jeez, we both knew it was well used, plus, like I said earlier, even with the scratches that are present it's in far better condition than my PSP-1000. So, rest assured the one you bought me is going to be my go-to PSP from now on--which is good as I recently bought a bunch of UMDs XD

thegaygamer.com said...

Actually, Simon, I don't notice the scanlines at all, which is OK with me, as although I love them while playing retro games, I was kind of "nervous" about them being obvious here...

TheGameroomBlitz said...

As I was telling Bry earlier, the easiest way to tell is to check the menu buttons. If they're rounded ovals and the home button has the PS logo on it, that's a 3000. If the buttons are half-moons and the home key just says "home" on it, run away!

TheGameroomBlitz said...

Glad to hear it! Any luck with the Vita btw?

thegaygamer.com said...

Not yet. Like I said on Twitter earlier, hopefully tomorrow--or Monday? :(

thegaygamer.com said...

Aw, I still think the PSP-1000 is worthwhile myself, but obviously I prefer the 3000!

RetroKingSimon said...

I haven't modded my machine to play emulators but I heard the 1000 was the best model of PSP for that so it does have some uses :)

Rowan Carmichael said...

Despite the PSP Go's obvious faults, no UMD and YET ANOTHER MEMORY CARD FORMAT, it does have some pros too...


Not that most people would try this use anymore, but it actually made a good MP3 player in it's size.


The SLIGHTLY smaller screen is super nice and crisp, helping pixel density JUST enough to look noticeably better.


Also feels pretty good to hold too.


Worth noting it has built into the thing 16 GB of memory, meaning you don't need to buy a new memory card for it, and for PSP 16 gb is pretty solid. I would actually say the PSP go is the best model for emulation and hacking overall.


Although, buttons aren't excellent for action games. For RPGs they feel nice and clicky, and while I have played a lot of MH portable 3rd on it, its a better experience on the 3000. It also might be the best system sony have put out for playing PS1 games.


Of course, you'll need to get past UMD issues before any of those pros come up.

thegaygamer.com said...

Thanks for the comment, Rowan! I've always loved the design of the Go, but since I have lots and lots of UMDs (with more on the way--doh!) I really wouldn't be able to justify buying one. I'm glad you and others have enjoyed theirs, though!

thegaygamer.com said...

Maybe I'll see how far I've updated my PSP-1000, and if it isn't "too far," I could try hacking that one...

Rowan Carmichael said...

Yeah, the Go without hacking or a well established Digital library is a waste.

thegaygamer.com said...

Well, at least I know I've made the right decision RE: not buying one!