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10 PSP games we can't wait to play
By Robert Dubbin
(updated August 8, 2005)
With its impressive graphical capabilities and enthusiastic support from developers, the Sony PlayStation Portable has already amassed a solid lineup of must-have games. But don't blow your entire gaming budget just yet because the PSP has some truly amazing titles on the horizon. We've put together a list of the top 10 (in order of release date) PSP games that we can't wait to play. Most of these games are still early in their development cycle, so we've included screenshots from related titles in the same series--usually a previous version from the PSP's big brother, the PlayStation 2. And since you won't be able to buy them for several months, we've also included links to similar titles on other consoles--in case you can't wait.
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Grand Theft Auto PSP (Rockstar Games; September 1, 2005)
The buzz surrounding this title alone probably sold a few thousand extra PSPs when the console launched in March. As is typical for the Grand Theft Auto franchise, few advance details are known about what this game will have to offer--aside from the promise of reckless mayhem, of course. We do know that Grand Theft Auto PSP will revisit GTA 3's Liberty City; we join with the series' millions of fans in hoping that Rockstar will be able to match the console titles' immersive feel on a portable system.
Related titles:
 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2):
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Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Xbox):
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Burnout Legends (EA Games; September 13, 2005)
An amalgamation of everything that made the console Burnout games great, Burnout Legends brings together classic cars, tracks, and gameplay modes from its Xbox and PlayStation brethren. If the current crop of PSP racing games hasn't sated your desire for high-speed chases and intense, pyrotechnic collisions, you'll want to pick this title up as soon as it hits stores.
Related titles:
Burnout 3 Takedown (Xbox):
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Burnout 3 Takedown (PS2):
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Madden 2006 (EA Sports; September 20, 2005)
EA's initial batch of sports games for the PSP was strong, but we have a feeling the company will take it to the next level with its much-vaunted Madden football franchise, delivering the killer sports app that fans have been craving. What's more, if EA Sports can build a robust challenge mode around the PSP's online infrastructure capabilities, this title may earn a permanent place in many gamers' UMD drives.
Related titles:
Madden NFL 06 (PS2):
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Madden NFL 06 (Xbox):
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Madden NFL 06 (PC):
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Madden NFL 06 (GameCube):
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Virtua Tennis: World Tour (Sega; October 4, 2005)
Anyone for tennis? The first hard-court game for the PSP turned heads at this year's E3 and since then has added the real-life likenesses of professional players to its considerable arsenal of features. You'll be able to play as your favorite star, create your own character and develop their skills, or take on your friends using the game's wireless multiplayer mode.
Similar titles:
Mario Power Tennis (GC):
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Top Spin (Xbox):
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NBA Live 2006 (EA Sports; October 15, 2005)
Due just in time for next season's tip-off, NBA Live 2006 should deliver the blockbuster portable basketball game that fans have been waiting for ever since Sony's NBA fizzled. As with Madden 2006, we're eagerly hoping that EA Sports can take full advantage of the PSP's online multiplayer functionality, delivering a challenge mode that will keep hard-core fans riveted to their screens.
Related titles:
NBA Live 2005 (PS2):
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NBA Live 2005 (Xbox):
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NBA Live 2005 (PC):
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Need for Speed Most Wanted (Electronic Arts; Q4 2005)
In a sea of driving-related PSP launch titles, EA's Need for Speed Underground: Rivals was among the standouts. That's why we're excited about the already-announced follow-up to the game; you'll get all the customization and racing action you've come to expect from the Need for Speed name, along with the added wrinkle of evading the fuzz during high-speed police chases.
Related titles:
Need for Speed Rivals (PSP):
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Need for Speed Underground (Game Boy Advance):
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Need for Speed Underground (PS2):
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Need for Speed Underground 2 (Xbox):
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Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix; Q1 2006)
OK, so we know nothing about this game and merely included it on the merits of the game from which it's being spun off. But can you blame us? From the moment the PSP was announced, fans who noted Square Enix's willingness to port classic Final Fantasies onto portable systems hoped that the company would do the same with its groundbreaking PlayStation-era RPGs. This isn't a port; it's a freestanding action RPG spin-off, but we have high hopes nonetheless.
Related titles:
Final Fantasy X-2 (PS2):
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Final Fantasy XI (PC):
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Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles (GameCube):
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The Godfather (Electronic Arts; Q1 2006)
Yeah, we know. Movie-licensed gaming titles rarely, if ever, live up to the standards of their namesakes. And this would be a heck of a license to screw up. But we can't resist any game that features voice acting by the film's original cast members, alongside a brand-new storyline and open-ended, action-oriented gameplay.
Similar titles:
Mafia (PS2):
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Mafia (Xbox):
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Mafia (PC):
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Splinter Cell (Ubisoft; fall 2006)
File this one under "games whose success will hinge on how well they handle wireless multiplayer gameplay." Tom Clancy's stealth-action franchise has won legions of fans who are no doubt eager to pit spies against mercenaries on the go. If this PSP game can match the intense atmosphere of its console brethren's multiplayer mode, Ubisoft will have a runaway hit on its hands.
Related titles:
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (Xbox):
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Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow (Xbox):
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Devil May Cry (Capcom; release TBA)
The original Devil May Cry rocked the PlayStation 2 by re-creating the torrential, fast-twitch gameplay of classic 2D action games within a 3D environment. Who wouldn't want that kind of entertainment from their portable PlayStation console? We're hoping that Devil May Cry PSP resembles the franchise's 2001 progenitor more than it does the critically panned sequel from 2003.
Related titles:
Devil May Cry 3 (PS2):
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