Will Sega's Phantasy Star Portable be able to take on Capcom's Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G? The two games are targeting very similar markets: social RPG games on the PSP. This new ad released in Japan highlights the community aspects of Phantasy Star Portable, but misses what we would've focused on: its acronym. Clearly, PSP is MEANT for the PSP. This is gaming destiny!

We don't think an ad like that would've been too dramatic for Japanese tastes ...

For some crazy reason, Namco Bandai decided to release the very Japanese Idolmaster game exclusively on Xbox 360. It quickly became the system's most popular game ... but that doesn't say much for those that follow the Japanese charts every week. Looks like Namco Bandai realized that the franchise needed to jump ship to a much more popular platform. And it has -- the PSP.

The iDOLM@ATER SP looks to be based on the arcade original, with downsized PSP graphics. You play as a producer that must work with a variety of underaged pop idols. To ensure maximum profitability, Namco Bandai is releasing three versions of the game, each with three characters. (Wondering Star will actually feature four. Terrific value!) Considering the incredible desire of nerds to manage anime pop stars, we have a feeling this will do very well when it debuts in Japan.

[Thanks, Joe!]

The Japanese don't want one Chocobo themed game -- they want two. And that's exactly what they're getting this week on their PS Store update. Five new PS1 games are available for 600 yen each, and two of them are about Square Enix's notorious yellow mascots. Here they are:

• Grille Logic
• Dice de Chocobo
• Chocobo Stallion
• Arkanoid Returns
• Yamasa Digi Selection

[Via Siliconera]

It didn't take long for Atlus' R-Type Command to go to the bargain bin. The Irem-developed SRPG had a great Advance Wars vibe, but for many, going away from the series' arcade legacy kept them disinterested. Well, the game is now 50% off its original price on amazon.com. You can pick it up for $19, plus shipping.

[Thanks, Eric!]

Is there a title more apt than Patapon 2? Perhaps not. The upcoming sequel to the critically acclaimed PSP exclusive will be double the size of the original, according to Famitsu (via PSPHyper). The number of stages to be found in the upcoming sequel is twice that of the first title, giving players a lot more to play. In addition, the story will be fleshed out even more, with hero Patapon getting their own special abilities throughout the adventure.

Although the gameplay concept was simple, it was very easy to lose the rhythm and meet one's doom in the original. Thankfully, the sequel will be a bit more accessible to players, as it will also indicate when a player is losing the beat. With more content, more enemies, more abilities, and multiplayer, it looks like there's a lot to be excited about when Patapon 2 releases in Japan later this year.

We love the construction of this ad for the PSP created by TBWA Espana, Madrid, Spain. Two police offers are apprehending this young man, and instead of handcuffs, they use the ever-engrossing PSP. It's a subtle ad that may not sell the system's capabilities, but does a great job of emphasizing how cool the device is.

[Thanks, Karsten!]

It only took, y'know years, but American PSP owners will be able to enjoy GPS navigation some time next year. Not only will the platform support navigation and maps, as expected, but John Koller wants to offer something a bit more. SCEA is investigating game development which can take advantage of GPS technology. Koller told MTV Multiplayer the upcoming peripheral "changes the dynamics of GPS but also changes the way developers think about games on PSP because you can start integrating GPS into it." According to Koller, Sony will introduce the GPS solution to third party publishers and is currently brainstorming ideas within its first-party studios. "There's been a number of things that our first-party worldwide studios have looked at, and they've been trying to look at different options," he said.

It's a rather difficult challenge to write hands-on impressions for a game like Buzz! Master Quiz. Sitting all lonesome on a table at Sony's E3 booth, it went by unnoticed by many that simply passed it by. Perhaps the lack of enthusiasm comes from this simple fact: Buzz! Master Quiz can be summed up rather succinctly -- a portable version of the popular quiz franchise, Buzz!

Progression through the game is rather simple. Simply partake in a variety of themed challenges. Perform well on one, and you'll earn a medal which can help unlock other challenges. Considering the quiz select screen fits on one menu, we're a bit concerned that the amount of content on the disc will be on the light side. With thousands of questions programmed in, we're certain these concerns are unwarranted.

Buzz! Master Quiz doesn't need to push the PSP hardware in any way, and that's exactly what we're getting with this simple, easy to look at game. At the very least, the presentation appears to have all the trimmings of its PS2 brethren.

PSP may not have had an overwhelming amount of surprises at E3 this year, but one announcement can make up for an otherwise tame conference. Resistance Retribution is on its way to becoming one of the best games on PSP, bar none.

Simply listing all of Resistance's features doesn't convey the simple fact that Resistance Retribution is a lot of fun. Being able to switch to an auto-target and manual aiming mode on the fly is what really makes Resistance as playable as it is. It may seem strange at first, but pressing the Left button on the D-Pad to toggle between manual and auto aim comes rather easily. The proximity of the Left button in relation to the L shoulder button makes it an intuitive change. We were able to take cover, pop out and take out a few enemies, and then aim at a few snipers afar without struggling at all. Once again, Bend has crafted a control scheme that takes PSP's limitations into consideration.

What is Super Stardust Portable? Well, it's exactly what it sounds like. It's a PSP version of Super Stardust HD, ready to play anywhere you go. The PSN download-exclusive title is making the big jump from PS3 to PSP, and Housemarque (developers of the original SSHD) have succeeded in creating an authentic Stardust experience for the handheld.

There are obviously going to be two big questions on everyone's mind regarding SSHD. Firstly, the controls. PSP may not have a second analog stick, so how will this work? Well, you simply use the face buttons to shoot in the direction you'd like. It may take a little while to get accostmed to, but SSHD vets will be boosting, bombing and shooting in no time. (ProTip: To do a circular attack with the Gold Melter, press all the face buttons at once.) Secondly, the graphics. While the visuals are obviously toned down from the PS3, the PSP version is able to render a surprising amount of enemies on screen while maintaining a silky smooth framerate. It may not be PSP's best looking game, but for a quick pick-up-and-play title, SSP offers more than enough detail.

It's difficult to truly grasp the feel of an RPG in an environment like E3. There's just too much hustle and bustle, and there simply isn't enough time to get into the game. Perhaps we need more time with Valhalla Knights 2, but in our brief time with the title, it really felt like "more of the same." For RPG-starved PSP fans, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. However, the dated visuals and presentation certainly don't inspire.

There is some hope, though. The trailer shows that there is an experienced staff working on this sequel. The original story is written by the scenario writer of Final Fantasy XII, Miwa Shoda. There's also new classes, monsters and co-operative play over Ad-Hoc. There are a lot of features to highlight -- but will that be enough to stand out in a library of other PSP RPGs?

Toys "R" Us is having a special promo for both our PSP and PS3 Fanboy readers. Buy any PS2, PSP or PS3 game, and get another game at 50% off. That's a pretty sweet deal for those that are interested in getting two games. You can see all the eligible titles here. Offer is valid until July 26th.

[Thanks, Brent S.!]

There's no shortage of anime fighters on the PSP. How will Katekyoo Hitman Reborn! stand up to the rest of the competition? To be honest, the newly released trailer doesn't look bad ... but it doesn't seem to be particularly noteworthy either. The gameplay looks to be rather standard 2D fighting fare, but for many, that won't really be a problem.

The introduction of the God of War bundle seems to be responsible for yet another stellar month of PSP sales Over 337k PSP systems were sold in June in North America -- that's 85% more than last month! While hardware sales are great, we'd love to see these numbers translate to software sales. Hopefully, new PSP owners are taking their time to discover the great library of PSP games out on store shelves.

Gran Turismo for PSP is one of the greatest jokes of the console's history. Ironically, a Duke Nukem game will actually release on our system before this much-touted title ever finds way. It's one of the few titles announced before the PSP's launch that still hasn't come out yet. Ouch.

In an interview with Joystiq, Polyphony Digital boss Kazunori Yamauchi explained that the PSP version of Gran Turismo is still "actively in development" and reiterated that the title would not be completed until Gran Turismo 5 (PS3). Of course, considering GT5 won't release until 2010, PSP owners can still make jokes about this vapourous title for at least two more years.