The ABC of PSP: Your PSP launch guide

To help you cut through the hype and excitement of the PSP launch, CNET.com.au has compiled this must-read survival guide detailing everything you need to know about the PSP. We've taken the PSP through an exhaustive test run to come up with our verdict, looked at some of the games you can expect at launch, as well as listed all the major accessories you can buy to maximise your experience.

The PSP
It's an impressive games unit with some appealing added extras, and while we've moaned about its high price in the past, we're sure that won't stop most people from making the PSP an Aussie hit.

The games
Sure the PSP can play movies, music and display photos, but what you really bought it for are the games. Here's a list of titles you can expect to see at your local store -- most will be released on 1 September, with the rest coming out before the end of the month.

The accessories
Got your PSP and your games? Don't forget about those extra accessories you'll need, such as more memory or a case for your shiny new precious PSP.

The competition
It's game on in the handheld space, with the Sony PSP going head to head against the Nintendo DS. Which gives you more bang for your buck? Will Sony make a dent in Nintendo's handheld gaming monopoly? Are they even in the same league? And more importantly, which one deserves to have your hard earned cash? CNET.com.au takes you through the pros and cons of each machine.

PSP Games

Sure the PSP can play movies, music and display photos, but what you really bought it for are the games. Here's a list of titles you can expect to see at your local store -- most will be released on 1 September, with the rest coming out before the end of the month.

Ape Academy
Ape Academy on the PSP -- yet more proof that Sony wants the PlayStation in all its forms to be your number one stop for monkey gaming.
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Everybody's Golf
Everybody's Golf for the PSP may look cute and have simple controls, but there's a depth there that belies its lighthearted exterior.
Read review

	Ape Academy

Metal Gear Acid
Acid's satisfying turn-based strategy is a great fit for Metal Gear's trademark high presentation values and quirky narrative style.
Read review

Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition
All told, it's a flawed but fun street racer, and genre enthusiasts will certainly enjoy it on some level.
Read review

Need for Speed Underground Rivals
Fans of the Need for Speed Underground series will feel right at home with Rivals.
Read review

Ridge Racer
Let's face it -- after plonking down AU$400 for your new PSP, you'll want a game that'll dazzle your friends and make them worship you for being the savvy early adopter that you are. In that regard, Ridge Racer is one of the best early purchases you can make.
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	Ridge Racer

Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix
This "remixed" version of the original delivers almost everything that was great about the console versions, and with the inclusion of four new levels, the single-player experience has gotten even better.
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Asher McLean's Mercury
There's no denying the kind of quirky, addictive charm that Mercury's gameplay has to offer.

Colin McRae Rally 2005
The PSP version of Colin McRae Rally 2005 features a variety of gameplay modes, wireless network play, and more.

Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower
Darkstalkers Chronicle is probably the best portable fighting game ever made.

Dynasty Warriors PSP
Diehard fans will be pleased that they can take Dynasty Warriors with them everywhere, but if you haven't been impressed by the series lately, this handheld installment won't do anything to reel you in.

Fired Up
Fired Up is a game of vehicular combat that supports up to eight players in multiplayer mode.

	Everybody's Golf

Formula One
Sony is bringing a Formula 1 racing sim to its PSP handheld system.

Lumines
Between the beautiful presentation, the innovative gameplay, and the excellent single-player and multiplayer modes, Lumines may very well be the greatest Tetris-style puzzle game since Tetris itself.

MediEvil
MediEvil Resurrection marks the debut of the MedEvil adventure series on the PSP.

NBA Street Showdown
While the game is currently the best choice for hoops fanatics looking for a portable fix, veterans of the console versions may find themselves a little frustrated with controls that aren't quite as responsive as they could have been.

NFL STREET 2: Unleashed
NFL Street 2 Unleashed may be one of the least altered, if not the least altered, of all the console games ported to the PSP. And that ultimately works both for and against it.

Spider-Man 2
This isn't exactly the most overachieving action game around, but it's not a bad showcase of what the PSP can do, and it's generally entertaining for as long as it lasts.

	Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Remix

Tiger Woods PGA TOUR
He may not be the unbeatable prodigy in real life that he once was, but Tiger Woods has become just about the only game in town when it comes to golf video games.

Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade
A multiplayer action role-playing game (RPG) where players journey to the world of Aven, a timeless city of safe haven and the last remaining stronghold of good in a world of evil.

V8 Supercars 2
The battle between Ford and Holden is in your hands thanks to the PSP edition of the acclaimed V8 Supercars 2.

Wipeout Pure
Wipeout Pure is a joy to look at, and it's viscerally satisfying enough to please fans of the series and new players alike.

World Tour Soccer
If you're in the market for a PSP soccer game this season you basically have only one decision to make: SCEE's World Tour Soccer or EA Canada's FIFA Soccer.

PSP Accessories

Got your PSP and your games? Don't forget about those extra accessories you'll need, such as more memory or a case for your shiny new precious PSP.

Memory Sticks

	Sony Memory Stick Entertainment Packs RRP To be confirmed The first purchase you'll need to make after your PSP and games is a bigger Memory Stick (because you'll soon find that the 32MB included memory just isn't big enough). Sony's releasing the Memory Stick Entertainment Pack to coincide with the PSP launch -- each pack contains a Memory Stick, plus the Image Converter 2 management software (which is what you'll need to transfer your own movies into a PSP-friendly format). The packs come in three sizes -- 512MB, 1GB and 2GB.

	Sony Memory Stick PRO Duo 2GB RRP AU$429 If you want the ultimate in capacity for your PSP, then a 2GB Memory Stick PRO Duo is the way to go. This Sony one boasts transfer speeds of up to 80Mpbs.

	SanDisk coloured Memory Stick PRO Duo RRP AU$89 to AU$339 If the shiny black of the PSP is a little dull for your tastes, why not brighten things up with SanDisk's range of semi-translucent neon coloured Memory Sticks? The game cards are available in different capacities -- 128MB (pink, RRP AU$89.95), 256MB (orange, RRP AU$109), 512MB (green, RRP AU$169) and 1GB (yellow, RRP AU$339). A 2GB model is on the way from SanDisk soon.
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Cases

	Logitech PlayGear Pocket Case RRP AU$39 Encase your PSP in this tough polycarbonate shell. Its flip up lid even allows you access to all of the PSP's functions without having to take the unit out of the case

	Logitech PlayGear Street Carrying Case RRP AU$59 Take your PSP on the road with this hands free carrying case, which features a clip-on strap, protective case and carabiner (to hook up to a backpack or belt). The case also has room for three UMD discs and four memory sticks.

	Logitech PlayGear Visor Protective Screen Cover RRP AU$19 The last thing you want is scratches on the PSP's lovely widescreen. Protect it with this clear polycarbonate cover -- it'll also help keep those fingerprint marks off!
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Speakers and Headphones

	Logitech PlayGear Amp portable speakers RRP AU$99 Turn your PSP into a full sound system with these portable speakers. Just dock the PSP in the middle section, and you can listen to your music and movies in stereo.

	Logitech PlayGear Mod Headphones RRP AU$49 Want to ditch the iPod look-a-like earbuds that came with your PSP? Here's an alternative -- a behind the head style headphones from Logitech.

	Logitech PlayGear Stealth Earphones RRP AU$39 If the Logitech PlayGear Mod Headphones are too space-age for your liking, Logitech's also released these bud-style earphones which includes three different sizes of rubber fitting.

	Logitech PlayGear Share Audio Splitter RRP AU$19 If you want to share your PSP sound around, this audio splitter will let you connect two sets of 3.5mm headphones or speakers.
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