THE SONY PlayStation comes in a few forms, but one new model could revolutionise the way its fans play and buy games.
The PSPgo is the most radical change to the PlayStation Portable since its arrival in 2005.
The games machine, due in stores on October 1, is not only alarmingly smaller and lighter than its predecessors, but it now has a slide-out panel for game controls, compatibility with wireless headphones, new controls, and software to transfer your music, videos and photos to it.
But the PSPgo also features one fundamental change: it has no room for game discs or cartridges. This slender machine instead has a 16GB memory for players to fill with game downloads.
So will hand-held gaming fans go for the new Go system? Connect secured an advance issue of the new mini console and put it to the test.
Small form
PLAYSTATION Portable fans have seen the PSP shrink in size before.
The PSPgo, however, is not an incremental makeover. Side by side, the two machines look like brothers of different ages.
Sony says the new PSP is 43 per cent lighter than before, and at 158g it is only as heavy as some smartphones.
But the most immediately noticeable change is to its form. The PSPgo looks at least a third smaller than its predecessor and it has a footprint similar to an iPhone. It now genuinely slips into a pocket for easy travel.
The new form is not just smaller, though. Like a mobile phone, its screen slides up to reveal game controls. Thankfully, the new PSP has such a solid build this addition does not feel flimsy.
This screen is just as detailed as before (480x272) though it is 1.2cm smaller. However, given its prominence on the gadget's face, this reduction isn't striking.
Despite the remake, its controls are similar and close to their original locations. The arrow and function pads sit on either side of the new lower panel, and the analog stick now sits between them.
The PlayStation button is beside the screen for easy access, while trigger buttons sit atop either side of this machine's lower panel, hiding beneath the screen when it's extended.
Pressing these trigger buttons when the device is closed lets users toggle between a large clock and a calendar. The PSP's shrinking form has forced the volume and screen controls to the top of the lower panel, making them a little tricky to access when the screen is extended.
Other controls include a switch for WiFi, another for power that can also lock the machine's keys, and a covered slot for an M2 Memory Stick Micro to boost its storage. Current PSP owners will notice that this is a different type of memory card to the last, however, so further investment will be required.
Also, old peripherals including Talkman's microphone and the Go!Cam camera are not compatible with this new machine.
No more discs
THE game-changing element of this new PlayStation is not its lack of weight or new inclusions.
What sets this portable game machine apart is what it omits.
The PSPgo has no room at its back for UMD discs of old. This exclusion significantly cuts its girth, and means travelling players can fit their console and its games library into a pocket.
But this also means users will only be able to play the games they download. Old game discs are of no use to the new-generation PSP, so fans will need to keep their old machines working to use discs.
If you're too attached to your collection to make the switch, it's worth noting that this new machine is not designed to replace the PSP-2000 but only to supplement it.
PSPgo owners will have to establish a PlayStation Network account and visit the PlayStation Store through their console to load games to it. This means they must add funds to their PlayStation account (commonly by credit card) and have broadband internet access.
There is a reasonable selection of titles already available in the PlayStation Store, including Lemmings, Resistance: Retribution and Buzz! Brain of Oz. Upcoming games include Gran Turismo and LittleBigPlanet, which will both be making their PSP debut.
Sony Computer Entertainment Australia communications manager Larissa Hazel says the company will add more older titles to the online store, and will offer Gran Turismo as a free download for those who buy a PSPgo between October 1 and 10.
Sony will also add video, comic book and mini game downloads to the PSP catalogue by the end of the year.
But while game downloads can be a convenient model, it can have its drawbacks too.
Mini games will download in minutes, but some games are very large. Gran Turismo will be a 1GB download when it launches in October, taking what could be a significant chunk of your monthly broadband allowance.
As a test, we downloaded the $49 LocoRoco 2. The 1.5GB game took more than five hours to download and install over a cable broadband connection. Unless you are prepared to do this as you sleep, going to a physical game store would save time.
Extras
OTHER than its new 16GB internal flash memory, the PSPgo has just a handful of extras.
They include Bluetooth connectivity so you can link the machine to wireless headphones, a proprietary port for charging and connecting the PSP to a computer, and new PC software called Media Go that will let you add media to the device, back up your games and convert files into PSP-friendly formats.
The PSPgo also comes with the same bright screen and built-in microphone of the last edition, and Skype comes pre-installed.
Overall
THE PSPgo is the most portable of the portable PlayStations and its new size and light weight should not be underestimated.
The machine's 16GB memory for games should also make it a hit with travellers, and the screen is just as crisp and bright as you could want.
Hardcore PSP fans might mourn the passing of the UMD game disc, though, and anyone with a strict download limit need not apply. Those who can meet its internet demands will reap rewards.
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