3rd Birthday gets a PSN release after all.

Although Square Enix continually said they had no plans to release the 3rd Birthday on PSN is seems like it’s going to be released along with the UMD release this week, at least according to the Playstation Blog. This is great news for people interested in the series, also if they want to continue their PSP purchases over to the NGP coming later this year.

Oddly enough I e-mailed Square Enix just this week to see if they were going to release this game on PSN, this was their response.

A fate I'm hoping to avoid

Responsible Gaming

Responsible gaming is a new post I’ll be doing every week, and I’ll give you a little info why. I’ve been buying a lot of games since I started this website, tons actually, and a lot of them I haven’t even had a chance to start yet, especially with the massive amount of PSone Classics that I’ve bought off the network. Now, I’m doing my best to control my spending, but it seems like every week, especially in the last few months, I keep grabbing games off the network without thinking. Luckily they’re only ten bucks at the most, (as I’m sure you know only 6 bucks mostly) but over time they add up to a lot. So I’ve decided to start an experiment to stop me buying so many games, make me play the ones I have, and improve my studies at the same time.  This is attempt no. 1 hopefully I’ll only need one.

Image via Wikipedia

Harvest Moon, the Farming RPG is finally coming to PSN as a PSone classic. This series is non-violent but completely addictive, starting tuesday you’ll be able to grow crops and marry ladies, and get yourself a prosperous farm for $5.99.

There was a PSP version of this title, called Harvest Moon Boy and Girl, where it was bundled with a female version of the game, it’s on PSN right now at $14.99

There are two other games coming to PSone classics this week as well, Pocket Fighter, a Capcom fighting title, and Reel fishing 2. But certainly Harvest Moon is the big one for the week.

Today will be the last update for PSN on a Thursday, as you can see from last week’s issue of Pulse they’ve decided to change it up and have the updates on Tuesdays from now on. No doubt this is to allow games that come out on retail to get their updates that day from the Network, and to have release balance with other systems. Xbox Live updates every Tuesday, so you might as well be there to compete. Also possibly those people who like to download their PSP games will be able to get them day one on release day??? (I feel sorry for those of you who bought a PSPgo…)

While playing through the new Heavy Rain exclusive on my 80 gig PS3  this weekend, Sony was tinkering with their website, and apparently with the underlying code with PSN as well. Now many users are reporting that they are getting signed out from the network, and can’t even play some games offline like the Heavy Rain title I’ve been enjoying.

BUT! It gets more interesting, I decided I wanted to play my digital copy of Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 that I had bought this past weekend when it was on sale, but it’s reverted it seems to the trial version…. odd….

Hopefully the PSP2 will look this Gorgeous. - Image Via notcliche.com

It’s inevitable that the PSP will have a successor, and it goes without saying that it will be a powerful device (by some reports the chipset within will be between the power of the original Xbox and the 360). But a handheld needs more that just power to be successful. Also for today’s world the PSP brand needs to evolve to compete with not just the DS, but the iPhone that corners the market with music and keeping in touch; and is moving head first into the games industry.

1. Portability

If you have a PSP, you now have a portable playstation 1. The emulator does an excellent job with most titles meaning you can be sobbing over Final Fantasy 7’s story while taking the bus. Just make sure you have a decent sized memory stick and a packet of tissues…

2. Graphics

PS1 games are getting a little long in the tooth so the graphics aren’t as pretty as they once were. Luckily with the PS3 in your corner PS1 games are smoothed over to look extra pretty. The PSP is no slouch either; because of the smaller screen PSone classics look great and can keep you immersed longer than those same graphics thrown up onto a big screen. That’s why it’s best to play them on your PSP system.