I could list a number of reasons why I just bought a PSP. I could say that it has to do with the announcement of the NGP. The PSP is never likely to get cheaper than it is now, and there is never likely to be an iteration of the handheld beyond the PSP-3000. I could say that it’s because my DS has been broken for long enough, and that I need a replacement handheld, as my phone is still limited in terms of Android gaming. I could also go on to list the huge number of PSP games that I’ve been missing out on over the past half-decade. Heck – it’s April – I could even cite a tax refund.

Yes, I could name any of those as plausible reasons why I just went out and bought a PSP. But the truth is that I bought a PSP because I’ve finally one-hundred-percented Pixeljunk Monsters after having played the game consistently for three or four years, and I need a new version of the game. So when I bought my PSP, guess which game I picked up with it? My copy of Pixeljunk Monsters Deluxe cost me five dollars. W00t!

In general, I’ve found the PSP port of Pixeljunk Monsters to be the same game as on the PS3, but harder. They’ve eliminated (or at least locked away) the fire tower, which was absolutely essential to rainbow many of the game’s levels. With a shielded monster, your only option becomes the Tesla tower, which in the PS3 version had a range of about 4 pixels. They’ve now made the Tesla and ice towers more effective, which is nice. That ice tower was damned useless in the PS3 version, but after about 15 attempts to rainbow the medium-difficulty level “smile”, I’m beginning to feel that three or four ice towers may be my only chance to stop those damn spiders. They haunt my dreams. Okay, no. Not really.

Although I currently only own the one game for the system, I’ve done a bit of research, and I’m going to lay down the other PSP games that I’d like to try at some point. It’ll be hard in my mind for the PSP games to compare with such amazing DS fare as Phantom Hourglass, The World Ends With You, Elite Beat Agents, and the Professor Layton games, but I’ll give it a go.

God of War: Chains of Olympus

I’ve played the first two God of War games on my PS2, and although the second wasn’t nearly as good as the first, I did enjoy both. This PSP title is on my list when it comes to PSP gaming, but not at the top. What? Oh yeah – I guess it is at the top, but I’d kind of put together this list as a best-last thing, you know? Smartass.

Patapon 2

Until I installed the demo on my PSP, I’d had no exposure to Patapon. It was a rhythm adventure game, and the third game in the series just came out, which means that some people must like it. I gave it a brief try, and was surprised to find that the demo allowed me to save my game, which I have done. It’s intriguing, and I’ll go back to finish the demo at some point, at which time I’ll decide whether it’s a game I’d like to buy.

Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony

I loved the original Dungeon Siege, but could never get into the second title in the series. Still, I’m interested in this portable version. I just really enjoy the whole improve-skills-as-you-use-them approach to leveling. I haven’t read reviews or watched gameplay videos yet though, and I’ll need to do the research before I decide to buy it.

ClaDun: This is an RPG!

I’ve heard glowing praise for CalDun: This is an RPG!, but before I pick up the game, I may have to wait until I’m in the right mindset to spend hours wandering in circles and stabbing boars. From what I read in Kotaku’s review, ClaDun has a very intricate “magic circle” party system, and very quick two-minute dungeons. Color me intrigued. Hmm… intrigued must be one of those new colors in the Crayola 256-pack, alongside Sunburnt Cyclops and Booger Buster.

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

The reviews I’ve read make this game sound almost like more of an interactive movie than a game. Apparently, there’s no combat. Zero. None. Still, running away from enemies can make for good gameplay. I actually quit Penumbra: Overture because I was forced to fight enemies rather than running. Shattered Memories is rated higher than a lot of the other games in the series, and the primary criticism seems to be that it sticks too closely to the formula established in previous Silent Hill games. Well, guess what? I’ve never played all the way through a Silent Hill game! I started the original title back in my PS1 days, but never progressed far. All I really remember is running around in the fog and listening to static on a radio. So maybe this is a good entry point for me.

Half Minute Hero

I remember Frank talking about Half-Minute Hero years ago, and I remember being quite jealous. After reading about the game’s various modes on Wikipedia, I’m really interested. It’s an RPG, it’s an RTS, and it’s a shoot-em-up. I might give this one a try sooner than I’d originally intended.

Tenchu: Shadow Assassins

I’m interested in Tenchu despite its poor ratings, mainly because I loved the original PS1 game. I found it cheap online and have already ordered the game. Please don’t suck. Please don’t suck. Please don’t suck. Please don’t suck.

Dungeons and Dragons Tactics

D&D Tactics really sounds like a cult game. People love it or hate it. In reading about it, one person wrote that it was much like Temple of Elemental Evil. Say no more; I’m sold. Create chararacters using the D&D 3.5 ruleset and conduct strategic battles? Yes, please. I’ll have my spiked-chain wielding fighter with whirlwind attack and my multiclass sorcerer/monk up and running in no time. There are some sanity-challenged vendors on Amazon selling this game for $70, but I found a copy online for less than twenty. Expect a report soon.