Fall Games Guide 2009

Platforms: It IS a platform

Release Date: October 1

Sony's portable system gets even more portable with the release of the PSP Go. Featuring a new streamlined design and full online integration, it's perfectly tailored to live in your pocket.

Why It's Hot:

Significantly lighter and smaller than older models but with roughly the same size screen, this is easily the biggest design change for the PSP thus far. Designed primarily for easy, on-the-go-gaming, it bails out on the old UMD format in favor of downloadable games from the online Playstation Store. That means fewer trinkets to lose at the airport. And since all future PSP releases will be made available as digital downloads as well as on UMD, you're not really missing anything.

Why It's Not:

Better have a sweet job, because it costs $249. That makes this the most expensive handheld system on the market -- including Sony's own PSP-3000 ($169), which they'll continue to make. And while the removal of the UMD drive means no more clunky games to tote around, that kinda sucks if, say, you have a bunch of clunky UMD games sitting on your shelf. No word yet on how that's all going to be handled.

Did You Know?

The PSP Go is the fourth version of the PSP.

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