Will you need PSP Mod Chip to play imported games on the new sony console.

Based on the information we have we would say yes. All the content on the PlayStation Portable will be copy protected and will have region coding so that games bought in Japan will not work on a PSP console in USA and vica versa. The same can be said about the movie released on UMD discs. Similar as for imported PS2 discs and DVD discs you will have to install PSP ModChips in to your portable console to unlock it and make it region free. Installing such a modification chip / mods would most likely unlock the full power of the handheld and let you use MemoryStick to play roms on PSP emulators of other console systems like SNES roms, NES, N64 and GBA roms.

 

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PlayStation Poartable.com

While the new PlayStation 2 redesign caused the biggest stir at Sony's PS Business Meeting 2004 today in Tokyo, there was another big surprise waiting for those who stayed a bit following the event: playable PSP units running five different games! And by playable, we mean the real deal, as in you hold it in your hands, it runs games from a UMD, it gets warm while you play it. Sony Computer Entertainment gave members of the press a preview of the Tokyo Game Show PSP experience, readying five playable PSP units and one copy each of Minna no Golf Portable , Dynasty Warriors ( Shin Sangokumusou ), Shin Ridge Racer , Metal Gear Acid and Dokodemo Issho .

We got to try out one of the shiny, black units, which is expected to be the final retail color. Sony had the system tied to kiosks via a thin key-chain-like chain. Another thin wire connected the system to headphones.

Unlike the E3 showing, the system wasn't bolted down, allowing us to hold it in our hands as we would a real portable game system. We suspected as much at E3, but in practice, the PSP feels comfortable in the hand, with all the buttons, and the analogue thumb pad, falling right into place. We actually found the analogue thumb pad to be perfectly situated same as shoulder buttons.

Our first try at the system was fifteen minutes with Metal Gear Acid . In that time, we noticed that the system got a bit warm, particularly on the left side (the D-pad side). the level of heat isn't too bad. The PSP system is certainly much cooler than our cell phones get when we play even simple 2D games. Amazingly, the system is very quiet -- there doesn't seem to be anything moving around to cool it off inside.

Because there were no AC adapter plugs coming out of the system, it seems reasonable to assume that Sony had all the demos running through battery power. We were at the trial event when it started and left an hour later; the battery meter in the menu screen remained at three notches throughout. You can read into that however you like. SCE is expected to reveal more details on battery life at a later date.

There had been some concern that Sony Computer Entertainment would make some changes to the system's gorgeous screen. Ignoring the slightly dark look of the games, the large, wide screen is just as gorgeous as it was at E3. The amount of backlight can be adjusted by pressing a button that has a picture of a monitor on it. There are three levels of brightness, with the lowest setting a bit too hard to see in a bright environment, but probably perfect for when playing in the dark. We were able to get a reasonable view of other players' gaming sessions from an angle, although the viewing angle for the PSP is clearly not as high as the latest LCD televisions.

Other face buttons we were able to try out include the home button and the button that has a music note on it. The home button was used in all games that we played to pause the action, bringing up a menu that asked us if we wanted to quit (none of the games actually let us select quit, though). The system has start and select buttons as well, but these weren't used in any of the games. The music note button toggles the sound on and off.

The monitor button can also be used to enter the PSP's menu system. As revealed in a story from earlier today, the PSP will make use of the cross bar interface featured in the PSX system and on the latest plasma television sets from Sony. This new feature wasn't in the version of the hardware we were able to try. In its place, SCE had a blank screen containing information on battery life. The menu system can be entered at any time, with the game freezing, then resuming once you've exited the menu.

We found the music to be one of the best parts of the experience. We pushed the volume to max, and managed to get the system pumping out bass-filled tunes and sound effects -- typical quality Sony sound, for anyone who's experienced sound through a Sony MD player before. Having played cartridge-based portable games for over a decade, the jump to UMD-based games is like jumping from cartridges to CDs as far as sound is concerned. Metal Gear in particular has a soundtrack you'll want to listen to, with Minna no Golf retaining the humorous voices and sound effects you expect from the series.

Sony Computer Entertainment leader Ken Kutaragi stated that the price and release date for the system would not be revealed until after the Tokyo Game Show. Apparently, SCE wants to get the reaction of people and investors following their TGS experience with the system, and will then announce launch specifics.

Kutaragi was actually asked during a Q&A session if he was aware that Nintendo had just prior to the Sony event announced the price and release date for the DS system. Kutaragi continued with the same line about the PSP being a different product from the DS, one that offers up many forms of entertainment. He did praise the GameBoy Advance as being an excellent platform, though.

Minna no Golf and Shin Ridge Racer - lots more on the PSP in the coming days.

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