Hardware Post Mortem: Who Won? Sony PlayStation Portable vs. Nintendo DS

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 04/12/2023

Posted in: Blogs, DS, Nintendo, PSP, Retro Consoles, Sony. 2 Comments

These two portables were a huge part of my early teen years. I pre-ordered the PSP when I was 14 years old. I used my allowance saved up for 6 months to slap down that $250. I hadn’t been that excited about a piece of hardware in my life. I made a wallpaper (see below) for it, prepped files to transfer to the measly 32MB memory card, and even picked out a case ahead of time. The Nintendo DS was more of an afterthought. I never got excited about it due to the less powerful hardware and then heavily criticized touch screen. People thought it would be full of gimmicky games and lack the essence of what made the Game Boy so great. I’ve owned both of these systems for many years now and have played a good majority of their libraries. I want to break down the categories into hardware, revisions, software, and then various game genres. Most people just pick the best-selling games and compare those, but the systems go deeper than that. Some genres were stronger on one system over another due to their button layout and unique hardware. I am honestly tired of these comparisons: The DS had Zelda and the PSP had God of War. It’s so much more than that.

Looks/Shelf Appeal

Sony PSP

This is the first thing that you will notice before even picking up the system, so it makes sense right? What system had the more attractive box, better pack-ins, and overall looks? This matters more than people think, especially for the casual gamer who doesn’t do extensive research beforehand or the non-gamers who make a spontaneous purchase.

The PSP overall had a much larger box than the DS. It even showed right up front what it included. You got a hand strap, 32MB Memory Stick Pro Duo for game saves, a UMD demo sampler, wired earbuds with a remote, a soft case, a cleaning cloth, and the system itself. For $250 you saw right there that you got some value for all that money. Not only that but the PSP itself was plastered on the front for all to see. The XMB showed a music, video, game, and photo symbol so you knew this thing could do multimedia. This was the last of the Sony of the ’90s where everything they created had value and they showed right up front what you were getting to entice buyers and it worked.

Unboxing the system felt premium and holding that sleek handheld was an experience I will never forget. It was sleek, and slim, looked futuristic, had a great build quality, and was comfortable in the hand. It was one of the best gaming unboxings of all time and nothing has topped that since.

Nintendo DS

The Nintendo DS wasn’t super appealing at first glance. The touch screen and the prominent stylus made you think it was a PDA or some sort (PDAs were still a thing back then) so it was confusing. Was it a game system or a personal organizer? The casual observer would be confused. The dual screens didn’t help either further pushing the PDA look. There was no video game shown on the front and the drab gray box was lifeless. There were no pack-ins either with the DS. While it was $100 cheaper than the PSP that sure made it appealing, but you didn’t get anything with it.

When you actually unboxed the system it was bulky, kind of ugly, and the screens weren’t very bright. A far cry from Sony’s bright LCD on the PSP, however, there was no ghosting on the DS like there was with the PSP-1000 model. The speakers sounded good and it had wifi as well, but another appealing factor was the backward compatibility with GameBoy Advance titles. This also acted as a peripheral port too. Great for rumble packs, and anything else you could imagine going in there.

Software

Sony PSP

The PSP was the first handheld to be a full multimedia station. This was before smartphones took off, so it was a very popular option for people wanting an MP3, video, photo, and gaming machine all in their pocket. It was fiddly with the videos as they had to be encoded in MP4. The PSP could also play WMA and MP3 files, but not FLAC or WAV. While the PSP could also display photos it seemed pointless without having a camera. While one would come later it was of terrible quality and nothing close to even what the first iPhone had. All of this multimedia stuff was great, but it came at a cost. Memory Stick Pro Duos were very expensive in larger capacities. The one it came with was meant only for game saves and DLC. If you wanted to do anything else you need to get a 64MB one or higher. Forget sticks that were 1GB. These cost hundreds of dollars and took a couple of years before coming down to an affordable price. This was Sony’s future-proofing the system, but it wasn’t appealing to early adopters. I remember my first large memory card was a 512MB and that cost $70 just one year later.

This was essentially where the XMB was born. What we got on the PS3 and PS4 and even a little bit on the PS5. Many Sony Blu-Ray players also used this menu system. It was simple and easy to figure out. Sony would later add comic support, web browsing (which was awful and slow), RSS feeds, and digital TV in Japan. It tried to do it all, but it couldn’t do it all very well. It helped show off the power of the PSP.

Nintendo DS

What you see is what you get. This is all there was to the DS’s software. This single screen. You could go into the options and set your birthday for certain games to recognize, but that’s about it. There was a simple calendar and analog clock. Pictochat was your only app and you could choose which game slot to play and DS Download Play, but that’s it. The DS didn’t focus on anything else but the games, and for the price, you expected that. I was surprised the DS had a menu system at all of how simplistic the overall design was. There was no need for more expensive memory cards as all games were saved on the game card.

Online Capabilities

Sony PSP

This was the early 2000s. Everything was online or needed to be. The PSP had this in mind right out of the gate with what Sony called “Infrastructure” play or online play. Many launch titles had it, but they also had “Ad-Hoc” play which was wireless local multiplayer. Some games had the ability to play online locally with one UMD which was awesome, but very few games support this. Playing online was as simple as connecting to an access point, but this became impossible when later routers would implement WPA2 wifi security which the PSP did not support. Being able to go on a web browser was neat. Does anyone remember the hidden one in Wipeout Pure? Downloading DLC on a handheld was also really cool. You could later download comics, and RSS feeds, which were ahead of their time. Only smartphones were doing this. However, in the end, it was up to the game to support online play. Sadly, neither system supported a friends list, clans, rankings, or anything like that.

Nintendo DS

Surprisingly, the DS was capable of the same online play as the PSP, but mostly local wireless was implemented. You could play with up to four players off of one cart if the developers allowed it and even beam demos to your friends. This was utilized more than the PSP, and very few games had online play. The DS suffered from the same security incompatibility as the PSP later on but also had a feature the PSP didn’t have: DS Download Play. You could go to game stores and download demos of games which was really cool. Sadly, due to the lack of a storage option, you could not download or obtain DLC in any way unless it was in the cart and became unlocked by connecting to a server. Overall, the online capabilities of the DS were barely there.

Hardware/Features

Sony PSP

The PSP is technically superior in pretty much every way. A faster CPU and GPU, more RAM, a bigger screen, an external wifi switch, larger physical media capacity, and a few more options. However, the CPU was underclocked for a good year to 222Mhz to save battery life until God of War: Chains of Olympus came out to overclock it to the full 333Mhz. A firmware update was required to even do this which shipped with the game. While the media capacity was larger, a UMD was 1.8 GB compared to a DS cart’s 512MB max capacity. That’s three times larger. This allowed for richer worlds, more content, and better visuals overall. The downside to this was spinning media on a battery. The UMD sucked the battery’s life down and thus games later in the system’s life opted for data installs as the prices of memory cards came down.

The physical design of the PSP while beautiful and ergonomic was also fragile. The system got dust under the plastic lens easily, the LCD could easily crack (I cracked mine only a few months in from just being in my pocket), the UMD drive failed, and while the battery was removable it was a fairly low capacity only giving users around 3-4 hours. The LCD also had serious ghosting issues, but many didn’t notice this as LCD screens were still expensive. While the PSP did a noble job on its first outing it had some serious flaws that were later addressed in newer models.

Nintendo DS

The DS had lower-powered hardware, but the battery lasted much longer. Getting nearly 8-10 hours on a single charge. There were no spinning media to worry about or a large power-hungry screen. The DS did have smaller screens and while they were clear, the backlight wasn’t that great on the first model. The touch screen was also prone to scratching. So in the screen department, it didn’t do so well. The DS didn’t have a sleep mode like the PSP did. The game had to support going to sleep so you could close the DS up. The DS was built better and felt sturdy however the hinge was a weak point. The stylus was also prone to get lost and when that’s gone you can’t play any games at all. A losable core piece of hardware is a downside.

In the end, they both have their strengths and weaknesses. The DS has lower-powered hardware, but the touchscreen forces gameplay innovation and creativity. The PSP looks sleek, but it is really fragile and the spinning media sucks the battery. You also need expensive proprietary memory cards. With the PSP’s largest strength being processing power, the DS just edges out on everything else.

Revisions

Revision 1

Sony PSP-2000

Handhelds are notorious for hardware revisions. Some give better processing power they are, in the end, built to cost and are meant to be cheaper to produce. Both systems had many revisions with pros and cons. For starters, the PSP’s revision of the PSP-2000 or “Slim and Lite” reduced the screen ghosting by a lot, but made the PSP feel lighter and too cheap. It felt more plastic-like and had fewer metal parts inside. It came in many more colors and bundles but also didn’t come with anything like a value pack. This was just a core model. Sadly, the storage option wasn’t addressed and the battery was surprisingly shrunk down so you got less battery life. The only addition was video output which was nice but made no sense. However, Sony did double the RAM for faster loading times and better web browsing. The D-pad was also slightly improved. That was probably the second greatest addition next to the better screen. It was a modest revision, but nothing spectacular, and didn’t focus on the system’s biggest weaknesses.

Nintendo DS Lite

Nintendo released a strikingly slimmer Nintendo DS Lite. This thing was very sleek and gave off PSP vibes with how slim it was. Like the PSP-2000 not much was addressed. The biggest complaints were the size and chunkiness of the original model and that was taken care of. Brighter screens, a longer-lasting battery, and a longer stylus were added so nearly every issue of the original model was fixed. This is the perfect DS to get if you want GBA compatibility.

In the end, the PSP didn’t address enough of its bigger issues and added features that didn’t enhance the overall experience. While the DS Lite didn’t add anything new it focused on improvement.

Revision 2

Sony PSP-3000

The PSP-3000 was sony’s last full-size revision. It had even fewer improvements over the 2000 model only adding the best screen yet with half-reduced pixel response time, more brightness, and a better contrast ratio. However, the parts were cheapened even more and it almost feels like a toy at this point. The component video was added to the video output which is nice I guess. I never understood hooking a handheld up to a TV. It kind of defeats the purpose and it looks ugly. That was it. The lens on the screen reduced glare, but overall with was a severely cost-reduced model and that was clearly the goal. By now the PSP was at its peak and was quickly dropping in sales.

Nintendo DSi

This is where Nintendo took a step back. They removed the GBA slot which rendered all DS accessories useless and had no backward compatibility. Instead, they added two cameras which were awful and pointless. I would have rather kept the GBA slot. We did get a more powerful CPU for the DSi shop and a new home screen. The doubled CPU power was nice and helped with DS games that suffered a slowdown on the previous models. We also got a four times RAM increase, and 256MB of internal storage for the DSiWare games, plus an SD card slot. While the GBA slot was taken away we did get an actual advancement in the software and hardware side of things, unlike the PSP. The last downside was shorter battery life due to the larger screens, increased CPU speed, and a better wifi card.

Revision 3

Sony PSP GO

This was Sony’s final outing and it was a drastic change. They wanted to really push the PlayStation Store by making a digital-only handheld. That’s great and all, but what about all that physical media out there? They promised a program that would allow you to download a digital game if you had the physical one, but there was no way to prove this and prevent piracy. In the end, you had to re-buy everything and this killed sales. They also introduced a new, more expensive, and harder-to-find propriety storage that came in smaller sizes than memory stick pro duos. The memory stick micro or M2 card maxed out at 32GB. Despite this serious downside the new compact slide-out design was reminiscent of phones in the day and was a huge hit with fans. Again, there’s a downside to this. The 4.3″ screen was reduced to 3.8″.

While Bluetooth was added to connect a PS3 controller to play on a TV Sony continued to alienate previous owners by now making the cable proprietary and removing USB support. This was to support the official dock as the PSP could act as an analog clock, MP3 player, and video player, however, this was too late. While it’s a super sleek handheld, and the 16GB of internal storage is a good start it’s not enough. There should have easily been 32GB of internal storage and SD card support. But Sony’s rampant frothing-at-the-mouth drive to deter piracy killed the sales of their system.

Nintendo DSi XL

This is probably the best version of the DS to get overall. It sadly doesn’t improve anything outside of larger screens and better battery life. If you want bigger screens get this. If you want smaller screens, get a DSi. I owned one at one point and loved the larger 3.25″ screens. The system feels heavier but still sleek and well-built. I can’t give this one to Nintendo this time due to how little they changed anything. At least Sony tried to re-design the entire PSP despite its many setbacks.

Physical Games

Action

Sony PSP

The power of the PSP was suited for action games. Lots of explosions, fun combat, and the analog nub helped with this. Sadly, the lack of a second stick meant camera control was left to the computer or other buttons. Action games were plenty on the PSP with a lot of bestsellers. Most of Sony’s AAA titles were in this category. While not all of them were knocked out of the park, many showed off the power of the PSP and it set it apart from the DS at least in that way.

Some notable games are the God of War, Syphon Filter, Pursuit Force, Grand Theft Auto, Jak & Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, Ace Combat, Assassin’s Creed, Call of Duty, Brothers in Arms, Coded Arms, Monster Hunter, God Eater, Killzone, Manhunt, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Medal of Honor, Metal Gear Solid, Prince of Persia and the list goes on. These were massive franchises and most had the PSPs’ back. If you want to play action games there is no shortage on the PSP.

Nintendo DS

The DS did have some action games, but the lack of analog control and the stylus made it difficult to port games or stick known franchises on the system. There weren’t many 3D action games as the system was best with 2D platformers and RPGs. We did get a few noteworthy titles such as Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, Dementium, Moon, Metroid Prime: Hunters, Call of Duty, Brothers in Arms, Ninja Gaiden, Contra, Okamiden, and LEGO, and that about sums up 3D action titles on the DS. It was slim pickings, and only a few of these titles were amazing.

Racing

Sony PSP

Due to the PSP’s 3D capabilities racing games were huge on the system. If you were a racing fan this was the system for you. Nearly every major franchise landed on the system. ATV, MX, Burnout, Juiced, Need for Speed, Ridge Racer, Flatout, Split/Second, TOCA Race Driver, Gran Turismo, Wipeout, Outrun, Test Drive, Midnight Club, MotorStorm, Sega Rally, MotoGP, F1, WRC, NASCAR, Hot Wheels, Micro Machines, you name it. Not all of these were fantastic titles, but a lot of these games looked good and felt great on the handheld.

Nintendo DS

The DS didn’t lack any racing games, but due to the weaker 3D abilities of the system racing games weren’t the first stop for the system. Mario Kart probably dominated that genre single-handedly, but there were some third-party franchises as well. Burnout, Need for Speed, Asphalt, GRID, Sonic Racing, Trackmania, Racer Driver, Moto Racer, Dirt, Juiced, Ridge Racer, Diddy Kong, and a few others. While some of these franchises were also on PSP they were far superior. Some developers created all new experiences on DS over the PSP so they were their own unique games, but the ports weren’t very good and felt slow and boring. While there are a few solid titles on the DS it’s not the go-to genre for this system or its strength.

RPG

Sony PSP

The PSP was a strong system full of JRPGs. Not many Western ones made it to the system with the biggest being The Elder Scrolls Travels: Oblivion having been canceled. Many franchises, nearly all of the popular ones, made it onto the system both 3D and 2D. Remakes remasters, and one-shots made it onto the system as well. Series like Star Ocean, Final Fantasy, Persona, Kingdom Hearts, Valkyrie Profile, Ys, Lunar, The Legend of Heroes, Crimson Gem Saga, Class of Heroes, Brave Story, Phantasy Star, Dungeon Siege, Untold Legends, Growlanser, Tales of the World, Blade Dancer, and many others. If you notice a lot of these are lesser-known series, and Final Fantasy most dominated the system. There were more RPGs released only in Japan that the West never got. Thankfully some have been translated by fans.

Nintendo DS

The DS was clearly the strong winter in the RPG department. While it didn’t see hardly any Wester RPGs, JRPGs dominated the system and were one of its strong suits. 2D RPGs and even 3D isometric ones were popular with pretty much every franchise backing the system. Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Mario & Luigi, Pokemon, Dragon Quest, Radiant Historia, Shin Megami Tensei, Lunar Knights, Nostalgia, Etrian Odyssey, Chrono Trigger, Lufia, Golden Sun, Rune Factory, Suikoden, Sonic, Luminous Arc, Phantasy Star, Avalon Code, Digimon, and the list goes on. As you can probably tell Pokemon alone would win this category. But you had Shin Megami Tensei games that weren’t Persona. Unique Final Fantasy games that weren’t remakes or ports. Quite a few one-shot exclusives. Dragon Quest never made it to the PSP, and neither did Suikoden. There’s so much variety here that any JRPG fan will love the DS in this category.

Puzzle

Sony PSP

Puzzle games are great in any portable form and every handheld has had a good amount of them. The PSP was no exception with the puzzle rhythm hybrid Lumines being the first on the system. The PSP got a ton of original puzzle games and ports. Some of them are wholly fantastic. Games like echochrome, Lumines, Crush, Exit, Practical Intelligence Quotient, Downstream Panic, Mercury, and others were great games that fit the widescreen of the PSP. There were also a lot of bad puzzle games on PSP, and sadly more than good ones.

Nintendo DS

The touch screen was just screaming for puzzle games. You can physically manipulate them outside of buttons and it gave the genre a chance to add another dimension. There were so many puzzle games on the DS that it drowned the PSP in comparison. Brain Age, Big Brain Academy, Picross, Meteos, Tetris, Planet Puzzle League, Professor Layton, Henry Hatsworth, Scribblenauts, Peggle, Touchmaster, Polarium, Crosswords, Clubhouse Games, and the list goes on. There weren’t just traditional puzzle games, but word games as well. Sudoku, Crosswords, and many others allowed you to write answers. That’s more than the PSP could. This is a situation where the genre fits the system better here.

Platformer

Sony PSP

The PSP has a hardware advantage here. The system isn’t just stuck with 2D platformers. 3D ones were common on the system, but then another hardware fault bites it in the ass. The lack of a second analog nub means no camera control. This became a widespread problem in the system. 3D platformers were frustrated endeavors and the DS’ lower-powered hardware suddenly could shine because of this. Games like Death Jr., Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, Pac-Man World, Jak & Daxter, Crash Bandicoot, Toy Story, and many others were decent to middling. 3D platformers would have been a huge leg up for the PSP if it just had another analog nub. That’s not to say 2D platformers never made it to the system. Games like LittleBigPlanet, Mega Man, Prinny, Ghost & Goblins, N+, Castlevania, and many others made it to the system and performed better, but there just wasn’t a lot of them. The PSP isn’t anything to sniff at when it comes to platformers, but nothing truly stood out.

Nintendo DS

With the power of Nintendo’s already strong platformer games and a lot of third-party series the DS really did shine. It didn’t have to worry about clumsy 3D controls either. Games like New Super Mario Bros., Super Mario 64, Super Princess Peach, Sonic, Kirby, Mega Man, Spider-Man, Castlevania, Wario, The Legendary Starfy, Yoshi, Contra, Aliens, and many others. Super Mario 64 was one of the rare 3D platformers, but it worked well thanks to being tailored for the system. It might kind of feel like there’s cheating here because Nintendo has such a strong presence in the platformer genre, but what’s here is here. While the PSP may have had a larger variety of platformers, the DS had a much stronger sense of quality.

Sports

Sony PSP

With the advantage of 3D and not needing to really use a camera the sports genre had an advantage here. Sony had their own sports series, plus third-party companies like EA and 2K could throw there’s on here as well. Games like NBA 2K, NBA Street, NFL Street, Tiger Woods, Pangya, Madden, FIFA, Fight Night, Hot Shots, Tony Hawk, WWE, NHL, Virtua Tennis, NBA Live, Pro Evolution Soccer, Football Manager, The Bigs, and the list goes on. There was a massive pouring of sports games on the system of nearly every genre. While a lot of them aren’t very good there is at least one decent title in every series on the system.

Nintendo DS

Now the DS was interesting when it came to sports titles. Developers had to be creative to put their series on this system due to the lack of 3D horsepower. Series like Tony Hawk were better on the DS (outside of Underground 2 Remix) because of this creativity needed. You also had series like Tiger Woods use the touch screen in unique ways. There were many series on the DS as well like FIFA and Madden, but they weren’t really any good. Nintendo had its own sports series like Mario Hoops, Mario & Sonic, and True Swing Golf, but again, nothing special. Many series were a one-and-done on here like WWE, Skate, Real Soccer, and some others that just didn’t perform well. The DS was a real mixed bag in the sports arena with only a few standout titles. This is where the lack of 3D power hurt despite the unique controls.

Rhythm

Sony PSP

Rhythm games during this era weren’t very popular on handhelds in the West. They exploded in the East and you usually had to import them if you wanted the best the systems had to offer. This was mostly the case with the PSP. There was Rock Band Unplugged and Lumines in the West, but Japan, China, and Korea got the likes of Hatsune Miku: Project Diva, DJ Max Portable, K-On, and Pop’n Music. The PSP’s widescreen format was great for rhythm games as it allowed a wide playfield and the number of buttons worked out great. The power of the system also allowed for music videos to play in the background which most rhythm games did.

Nintendo DS

The DS may not have had the powerful hardware or widescreen format, but the touch screen was a more physical and unique interaction for rhythm games that matched the arcade. Games like Elite Beat Agents, Ontomarama, Rhythm Heaven, Lego Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and many more. There was a much larger Western following thanks to the touch screen, but many of the rhythm games lacked content due to the cartridge’s small size and no way to download DLC. A lot of the DS rhythm games were more experimental and thus many didn’t review them as well as PSP rhythm games. Guitar Hero was fine, but the grip controller cramped your hands. There were also more consistent franchises on PSP with yearly releases, but the downside was needing to import.

Fighting

Sony PSP

The power of the PSP allowed for great 3D fighters and many jumped ship from their console cousins. Franchises like Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, Tekken, Dragon Ball Z, BlazBlue, SouCalibur, and many more made it onto the PSP. At least one entry in every major fighting franchise made it over and most were original titles. That’s not to say a majority reviewed well. Most of the 3D fighters reviewed with middling scores, and this was mainly due to the PSP’s not-so-ideal D-pad for fighting games. Despite the less-than-desirable score average, they made it onto the system nonetheless and many gamers ate them up.

Nintendo DS

The DS had some major franchises make it over like Mortal Kombat, Guilty Gear, Dragon Ball Z, Bleach, and Naruto, but it wasn’t as vast as the PSP. The DS was even less ideal for fighting games due to a lack of analog input, and the DS’ D-pad wasn’t much better. Some games added a touchscreen swipe system, but these just never felt the same. Sadly, the lack of power meant 3D fighters suffered, and 2D fighters looked squished on the small screen.

Conclusion

Well, despite this seeming like a competition each system has its strengths and weaknesses and some might play better to what you want over others. Some may only play RPGs on handheld so the DS would be the best system for you. Some may want more multimedia features so the PSP would be the way to go. While in the comparisons the PSP seems to have a stronger library it only seems that way at first. A lot of PSP games didn’t review as well as DS games on average. The lack of first-party support with Sony not releasing as many games as Nintendo did on the DS and the DS’ lack of power and unique controls forced developers to make games from the ground up. The PSP received a lot worse PS2 ports and movie tie-ins than the DS did. The PSP’s power was also a crutch that many developers leaned heavily on and it didn’t pay off most of the time. Each system is worthy in your collection, but this contrast and comparison may help those who are on the fence in one area or another.

In Defense of the 7: Nintendo DS Exclusives

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 03/29/2023

Posted in: Blogs, DS, Nintendo, Retro Consoles. Leave a comment

Many people use video game reviews to determine how to spend their hard-earned dollars. While as an adult I don’t take this as seriously and I now make my own money I am more forgiving of games that aren’t perfect. As kids or teens, we have limited money and are usually picked through gaming magazines to determine if that one game was worth the money because we only got a few a year. For me, it was only during Christmas time that my parents bought games. I mostly rented mine throughout my childhood and teen years. Even for rentals, I was picky as I didn’t want to be stuck on my weekend with a dud of a game. Even a 7/10 or 3.5/5 would be considered a waste of time. This was the last generation in which AAA title after AAA title would be considered fantastic and with so many exclusives it was hard to keep up with. The HD era of gaming would see budgets balloon to insane heights and game releases slowed down as a result.

In my eyes, 7/10 or 3.5/5 games are mostly ignored. These aren’t always considered hidden gems either. Some are, but some are just considered forgettable. Not awful or good, but just passes under everyone’s radar. These aren’t the “so bad it’s good” games either. A few of these games have cult followings; a few I had only heard of while compiling this list and some I played myself growing up. I compiled this list from Metacritic with games between 74-70. I feel that’s the true blue 7 range. 79 and 78-rated games usually only have about 25% of the critics giving it a 7 to bring an otherwise 8 score down some. These games are at least rated by half the critics as 7/10. While I know many people don’t listen to critics and some might feel this game should be rated higher or lower is subjective. Like it or not, critic reviews drive sales and it may be the reason why you might find a few games on this list you’ve never heard of, thought was talked about worse than you remember, or something along those lines

Pokemon Trozei! – 2005

A fun matching puzzle game, but lacked any modes and overall content. The graphics were also really simple despite looking at the part. The issue is that the game gets old really fast. It’s not as addictive as other puzzlers of its ilk.

Most Recent Entry: Pokemon Shuffle – 2015 (AND, iOS, 3DS)

Inazuma Eleven – 2008
Inazuma Eleven 2: Firestorm/Blizzard – 2009

This a great jumping-in point for new players as this new set of games are almost identical to the first game. You just get more of the same, and that’s not always bad. The original game was praised for blending soccer with RPG elements, but the soccer part wasn’t all that great. It’s still a unique series to check out.

Most Recent Entry: Inazuma Eleven Go: Chrono Stones – Thunderflash/Wildfire – 2015 (3DS)

Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume – 2009

This is considered the worst game in the series, but that’s saying a lot. The story alone is worth playing, but the game can feel overly complex at times and the AI is pretty bad.

Most Recent Entry: Valkyrie Elysium – 2022 (PS4, PS5, PC)

99Bullets – 2011

Well-liked for blending two genres well, but lacked content and was a little on the hard side. It’s still a very unique vertical shooter and felt like a good diversion from the anime-based shooters at the time.

Zoonies – Escape from Makatu – 2011

A cute and fun albeit forgettable platformer. The game also had some control issues and was really short, but at least it felt at home eon DSiWare.

Meteos: Disney Magic – 2007

More of the same with a Disney skin. The changes didn’t improve the game, but instead just made it different. If you love Meteos this one is worth picking up. It’s sad this series was so short-lived.

Most Recent Entry: Meteos Wars – 2008 (X360)

Big Brain Academy – 2005

A good improvement to the series and the puzzles get harder are you continue to play adding replay value. However, the overall content is a bit lacking and is only fun in short bursts.

Most Recent Entry: Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain – 2021 (NS)

Drone Tactics – 2008

Yes, it’s an Atlus game so that means there are some big fans of this game. While the strategy is fun and the game looks slick, the storyline is childish and pretty stupid. Many rolled their eyes at the story and skipped past it just to get to the meat of the game. In any RPG that’s not a good thing, but the gameplay is good enough to justify this.

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood – 2008

This game doesn’t need any introduction to Sonic fans or those avid in their DS lore. Bioware of all people made this game and it was incredibly hyped. A dark and mature Sonic RPG? What’s not to love? The game is way too simple. There are no deep gameplay elements or RPG things in here. It was clearly geared towards younger children despite the great visuals and unique twist on the series.

Most Recent Entry: Sonic Frontiers – 2022 (PC, PS4, XONE, PS5, XSX, NS)

Bomberman Land Touch 2! – 2008

Bomberman tried the Mario Party approach and didn’t quite hit it off. The game was way too simple and there wasn’t much depth to the title. However, there was a lot of content and the use of the touch screen was well implemented.

Most Recent Entry: Amazing Bomberman – 2022 (X360)

Custom Robo Arena – 2007

A decent RPG if not mundane and formulaic. The story is boring and the quests aren’t all that great, but fans of the series or just anime RPGs, in general, might find some value here. This would be the third and final game in the series.

New International Track & Field – 2008

A remake of the original game with cutesy big-headed characters. Some said the game should have been on a console as the dual screens made the game feel off, but some preferred it. It at least had online play at the time which was nice. This would sadly be the final game in the long-running series.

Puchi Puchi Virus – 2009

A solid puzzle game that was different from the rest. While it did grow stale after a while and didn’t have the staying power of Meteos or Tetris it was different at least. The bright colors were nice and it had some character.

Luminous Arc – 2007
Luminous Arc 2 – 2008

This is a great game for casual gamers who want to dip their toes in the SRPG genre. While it looks good and has some good writing, the game isn’t very deep and can be too easy for vets of the genre.

Yoshi Touch & Go – 2005

A fantastic tech demo during the system’s launch, but that was about it. The game was really short and mostly focused on showing off the touch screen and other features. It’s still worth a pick-up to remind you just how unique and fun the DS really is.

Most Recent Entry: Yoshi’s Crafted World – 2019 (NS)

Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble! – 2005

While not the best use of the dual screens, and there’s no lefty mode, the game still looks great, but the action is mediocre compared to the console brethren. If you love the series you will like what’s here, but just know that it’s also rather short. This would sadly be the final game in the short-lived series.

Ultimate Mortal Kombat – 2007

Many criticized the game for not adding anything and being merely an emulated port. It was solid and ran well, but also had online play, but good luck finding anyone at the time. Included was the awesome Puzzle Fighter from Mortal Kombat: Deception which I personally really liked and spent more time playing than the fighting part itself. The special moves on the touch screen are nice and you can track your W/L ratio. It doesn’t utilize the touchscreen in innovative ways, but it didn’t need to.

Most Recent Entry: Mortal Kombat 11 – 2019 (PC, PS4, XONE, NS)

Prism: Light the Way – 2007

A fun and unique puzzle game if not bland in presentation. The story was considered silly and pointless, but the puzzles were addictive and that’s what matters the most.

Polarium – 2005

While a boring presentation and bland visuals might put you to sleep puzzle fans will find some joy here. The puzzles are rather hard, but not worth going back to. There is a puzzle maker that you can beam to friends though. There was a sequel later released on GBA of all systems.

Most Recent Entry: Polarium Advance – 2005 (GBA)

Yu-Gi-Oh! Nightmare Troubadour – 2005
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Stardust Accelerator: World Championship 2009 – 2009

These are considered the most newbie-friendly games at the time of release, but many will still get lost in the story without deep knowledge of the game’s anime lore. It captured the card game very well and had a rebuild of the entire series at this point in time. That was all well and good, but the steep learning curve for non-fans turned many away.

Most Recent Entry: Yu-Gi-Oh!: Master Duel – 2022 (NS, XONE, PS5, XSX, PS4, PC)

Summon Night: Twin Age – 2008

There’s nothing really wrong with this game. It’s a bit grind-heavy, sure, but the Diablo-esque combat and interesting quests made for a fun adventure. It just didn’t really stand out from the crowd much. It’s an Atlus series, so it has a lot of fans. The series would come to an end in 2016.

Most Recent Entry: Summon Night 6: Lost Borders – 2016 (PS4, VITA)

Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier – 2009

Good writing, if mostly pervy talk, but good nonetheless, and an easy yet addictive combat system won’t fans over. It’s not the best game in the series, but it’s a more relaxing and fun game rather than serious.

Most Recent Entry: Super Robot Wars 30 – 2021 (PC, PS4, NS)

Glory Days 2 – 2007

A unique game for the system but the small screens make playing a bit annoying. While nothing exceptionally amazing it does what it seeks out to do well enough.

Most Recent Entry: Glory Days: Tactical Defense – 2011 (DS)

Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans – 2009

A well made if formulaic JRPG in the DBZ universe. Many praised the visuals and interesting story…for fans. Yeah, you probably won’t want to bother unless you’re a fan of the show.

Most Recent Entry: Dragon Ball: The Breakers – 2022 (PC, NS, PS4, XONE)

Contact – 2006

It’s an Atlus game. Yeah, Atlus had some very mediocre games on the DS, but they get credit for trying something new. Contact is one of those. Praised for its humor and interesting story, but had boring combat and exploration. You either love it or hate it.

Brothers in Arms DS – 2007

While given props for being an incredibly good-looking DS game and keeping the core BiA action intact, the game was rather short and over before you knew it. It had some online play, but barely. Sadly, the series never saw a true sequel.

Most Recent Entry: Brothers in Arms 3: Sons of War – 2014 (AND, iOS)

Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming – 2009

While not perfect, the puzzle gameplay is a nice change of pace for the series. While some of the puzzles felt like they had to be completed a certain way, any puzzle fan could get into this regardless of their Harvest Moon affinity.

Most Recent Entry: Doraemon: Story of Seasons – Friends of the Great Kingdom – 2022 (PS5, NS, PC)

Front Mission – 2007

A remake of the SNES classic, this is a deep and involved game that requires patience and a love for either mechs or the SRPG genre. This game turned many fans of the genre away for its complexity and sometimes dry presentation, but it still has a few layers of fun.

Most Recent Entry: Left Alive – 2019 (PC, PS4)

Dementium: The Ward – 2007

I personally love this series. It’s not perfect and has some pretty bad level design, and can be really frustrating, but the engine Renegade Kid designed is gorgeous. A 60FPS shooter on this system looks amazing. It’s also one of the best horror games on the system. It was later remastered on the 3DS which is probably the best version.

Most Recent Entry: Dementium: Remastered – 2015 (3DS)

Theme Park – 2007

A straight port of the 1994 classic, but that’s all it was. Nothing new was added or changed, and the game is overly complicated sometimes which would turn off casual sim fans. If you have the patience for the small screen and complex gameplay then you will have fun.

Most Recent Entry: Theme Park – 2011 (AND, iOS)

Mario Party DS – 2007

I remember when this game came out. Everyone was hyped for it but was let down by the board design despite the stylus and touch screen bringing a new dynamic to mini-games. The single-player was also really disappointing and was best played with friends. This is the one and only Mario Party game on DS.

Most Recent Entry: Mario Party Superstars – 2021 (NS)

Boing! Docomodake DS – 2009

A cute and quirky DS game that came over from Japan. The downside is the extreme amount of trial and error to get through the game. If you can stomach that then this is one really unique game that flew under everyone’s radar.

Go! Go! Kokopolo: Harmonius Forest Revenge – 2011

Considered one of the best DSiWare games on the system, the fresh characters and fun charm of the game were well-liked, but the brutal difficulty turned many away. It would get one more sequel on 3DS before being forgotten.

Most Recent Entry: Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D: Space Recipe for Disaster – 2017 (3DS)

Nostalgia – 2009

The name says it all. This game is for those who grew up with SNES or PS1 JRPGs. With that in mind, the game doesn’t add anything to the genre and is pretty formulaic. The story is good but takes a long time to get going, but with patience and nostalgia on your side fans will love it.

Pac-Pix – 2005
Pac ‘n Roll – 2005

A fun and unique early title for the system, but the interface and gimmicky controls got old after a while and only the most patient or diehard fans would complete the game. It’s still completely unique to the DS ecosystem. Pac-Pix was a fun scribbling game that let your drawings come to life. Very simple, but a great tech demo for the DS.

Most Recent Entry: Pac-Man World: Re-Pac – 2022 (PC, PS4, XONE, NS, PS5, XSX)

Guitar Hero: On Tour – 2008
Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades – 2008
Guitar Hero: On Tour Modern Hits – 2009

I remember getting the first Guitar Hero game for DS with the hand grip keys attached to the GBA slot of the DS. It worked really well, but anyone who didn’t have child-size hands would get serious cramps. You were also locked out of the game if you had a DSi which nixed the GBA slot. The great addition to this game was being able to play with friends with a single cart.

Most Recent Entry: Guitar Hero Live – 2015 (XONE, PS4, PS3, iOS, X360, WIIU)

Jam Sessions – 2007

More of a learning tool than a game. Well, yeah. That’s where it stops. There’s not much of a game here. It also didn’t teach you how to play guitar like an expert but got the basics across. The DS was a unique system that allowed learning software like this.

Most Recent Entry: Jam Sessions 2 – 2009 (DS)

DodoGo! Robo – 2011

The smaller package didn’t improve upon the sequels but just felt like an expansion or DLC. The puzzles were punishing but satisfying once conquered. The game also lacked any nice presentation looking dull in most spots.

Electroplankton – 2006

A fun and unique take on art and music but lacked a save feature which really irked players back in the day. It offered something new every time you booted up the game and felt like a piece of interactive art.

Moon – 2009

Moon was an underrated FPS game on DS that used Renegade Kid’s engine. It was smooth, fun, and had a great atmosphere. It was later remastered for the 3DS.

Most Recent Entry: Moon Chronicles – 2014 (3DS)

Kirby: Squeak Squad – 2006

A fun game if formulaic when it comes to Kirby games. It didn’t do anything new and was really easy and only offered forgettable mini-games. Mainline fans will still find something here to like.

Most Recent Entry: Kirby’s Dream Buffet – 2022 (NS)

Nanostray – 2005

The short-lived series was well-liked by shmup fans. The game was fun, but very short and didn’t do anything particularly fantastic with the genre. It’s still a great addition to your library if you’re a fan of these types of games.

Most Recent Entry: Nano Assault – 2011 (3DS)

Phantasy Star 0 – 2009

A decent take on the series in portable form. The game offered online play and fantastic grinding with friends, but the single-player experience wasn’t as interesting. While it was fun and you could do it the series is meant to be played online. Just be prepared to do a lot of grinding.

Most Recent Entry: Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis – 2020 (PC)

TouchMaster – 2007

This was a fun set of “car ride” games, but not every game would be suitable for everyone. You would pick your favorites and never touch the rest. It feels like you got ripped off. Thankfully the series would improve.

Most Recent Entry: TouchMaster Connect – 2010 (DS)

Ontamarama – 2007

One of the best rhythm games on the DS, but everyone kept putting it up against Elite Beat Agents at the time. It’s by no means bad but does feel sort of generic in comparison. It’s not zany or whacky, but just a fun anime-style rhythm game.

Draglade – 2007

Another Atlus game on the list. Draglade is a unique mix of rhythm action and fighting, but the story is silly, there’s not much depth or challenge, and it’s over before you know it. It’s still a fun anime-style game.

Birds & Beans – 2009

A small $2 game that doesn’t utilize any of the DS’ features is brave, but it worked here. It’s a fun and frantic arcade game with no shame about what it offers.

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light – 2010

If you’re dying to jump back into the world of FFXII then look no further. This is a by-the-numbers JRPG with simple combat and a simple plot, but sometimes that’s okay.

Most Recent Entry: Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin – 2022 (PC, PS4, PS5, XONE, XSX)

Space Bust-A-Move – 2009

If you liked more of what the series has offered then look no further. The formula hasn’t changed in over a decade, but it’s still a lot of fun with unlockables and a space theme.

Most Recent Entry: Bust-A-Move: Journey – 2017 (AND, iOS)

Avalon Code – 2009

The Book of Prophecy is a unique gameplay mechanic that allows you to capture things and manipulate their attributes. The UI and interface are a mess, and the game requires a lot of hours behind it to fully enjoy the game. The complexity is well worth overcoming for the unique gameplay mechanic.

Digimon World DS – 2006

The series struggled to find its own identity outside of Pokemon. While the farming idea was fresh and the capture method was different it was a new start for the series, but not quite enough. It’s still a solid handheld entry.

Most Recent Entry: Digimon Survive – 2022 (PC, NS, PS4, XONE)

Save the Turtles – 2010

While teaching you about marine conservation this puzzle game was cute looking and fairly good for the cheap price point. It won’t blow you away, but it was a fun offering for all ages.

Resident Evil: Deadly Silence – 2006

This remake using the DS controls works just fine, but it doesn’t offer anything new. The game itself feels dated despite how perfectly fun it was at the time. If you are tired of the original game don’t bother. However, this is a good jumping in point for those who want a more modern update.

Most Recent Entry: Resident Evil Re:Verse – 2022 (PC)

Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals – 2008

The poor man’s Pokemon, or Digimon for that matter. While the monster trainer part was fine it wasn’t very deep and too simple for anyone familiar with other games in the genre. It’s still worth a look if you’re tired of said games.

Most Recent Entry: Spectrobes: Origins – 2009 (WII)

Gunpey DS – 2006

This puzzle game series was short-lived at the time, and while it was easy to learn but hard to master the overall difficulty wasn’t that high and you could easily achieve high ranks without a sweat. It’s still a cute-looking and fun game. This would sadly be the final game in the series.

Nervous Brickdown – 2007

A fun and stylish Breakout clone, but it doesn’t do anything new with the genre. The mini-games are fun, but they feel constrained to the gameplay element of bouncing a ball around and it hinders it a bit.

Cooking Mama 2: Dinner With Friends – 2007

The series was feeling stale at this point, but no game is incredibly awful as long as the unique controls work. These games are addictive and fun, but short-lived and don’t vary much between sequels.

Most Recent Entry: Cooking Mama: Cuisine! – 2022 (AND, iOS)

Trace Memory – 2005

An early DS title that used the stylus well and looked great. This touch-and-click adventure was praised for its story, but the slow pace, short run time, and lack of action put some people off.

Most Recent Entry: Another Code: R – A Journey into Lost Memories – 2009 (WII)

100 Classic Books – 2010

This may not be relevant these days, but before the rise of e-readers, the DS was thought to be a great option for reading books. While the backlight might be harsh on the eyes this is more of a piece of software and there’s no game here. 100 classic books on one cartridge could keep you busy for months or even years. It actually sold quite well, especially in the UK.

Photo Dojo – 2010

The DSi was the first handheld with a built-in camera. This, of course, sparked the start of augmented reality games, and while the cameras were of poor quality this game did a good job of injecting you and your friends into the game with zany mini-games.

The Legend of Kage 2 – 2008

A direct sequel to the classic side-scrolling platformer. The game didn’t offer much of new gameplay elements but still was hard as nails. This was a lot of people’s complaints. No difficulty setting and unless you loved old-school side scrollers you wouldn’t find anything worthwhile here.

Neves – 2007

While the design isn’t anything original this shape puzzle game gets the job done. It’s incredibly basic in presentation and if you don’t like this type of puzzle game you won’t enjoy it. It’s for a specific crowd.

Sonic Classic Collection – 2010

This is just a bog standard collection that we’ve seen before. It also doesn’t run super well on the system. Poor emulation aside if you have to have a classic Sonic game on your DS it’s not the worst thing.

Most Recent Entry: Sonic Frontiers – 2022 (PC, NS, PS4, PS5, XONE, XSX)

Fossil Fighters – 2009

It doesn’t look amazing or have any interesting story or characters, but it’s down right fun and has good combat. There are also a lot of things to do. Some may find it a bit too easy, but fun is fun.

Most Recent Entry: Fossil Fighters: Frontier – 2014 (3DS)

Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island – 2009

The one and only Atelier game on the DS. Annie is more of a city builder and less of an RPG. It also has a comedic story that’s very whimsical and fun. If you’re a fan of the RPG elements in the game then this may not be for you.

Most Recent Entry: Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream – 2022 (PC, PS4)

Metal Slug 7 – 2008

A surprising DS exclusive. It’s Metal Slug without any enhancements or advancement of the formula. It’s the same old Metal Slug we’ve either grown to love or tired of. The smaller screen thankfully doesn’t make it a chore to play and it runs really well.

Most Recent Entry: – 2009 ()

Dragon Ball: Origins 2 – 2010

If you loved the original you will like this one. Just be in for some unfixed controls and slowdown. It’s a fun RPG for fans of the series and you will be in for a good time despite its simplicity.

Most Recent Entry: Dragon Ball: The Breakers – 2022 (PC, NS, PS4, XONE)

Garfield’s Nightmare – 2007

Great visuals and level design help this game along quite a bit for older gamers. However, the pre-teen range this game shoots for shows. It’s easy and simple, but can be relaxing and lightweight for older gamers.

Most Recent Entry: Garfield Kart: Furious Racing – 2019 (MAC, PC, NS, PS4, XONE)

Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits – 2004

If you love Mr. Driller then this is for you. It’s also a good jumping-in point for new players. If you are tired of the series and want something new then this isn’t for you. It’s the same old game built for touch screens. That’s about it.

Most Recent Entry: Mr. Driller: Drill Land – 2020 (PC, NS, PS4, PS5, XONE, XSX)

Beat City – 2010

A simple but fun rhythm game. If you’re tired of the bigger hits on the DS then this might be for you. It’s really short, and doesn’t have much replay value, but could be a fun evening with cute graphics.

Art Style: AQUIA – 2009

The Art Style series was popular due to its simple design and minimalistic looks. Aquia mixes Tetris with Bejeweled and while it does a decent job it’s very simple and won’t hold your attention as long as other puzzle games on the system.

Most Recent Entry: Art Style: Rotozoa – 2010 (WII)

In Defense of the 7: PlayStation Portable Exclusives

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 02/21/2023

Posted in: Blogs, Retro Consoles, Sony. Leave a comment

Many people use video game reviews to determine how to spend their hard-earned dollars. While as an adult I don’t take this as seriously and I now make my own money I am more forgiving of games that aren’t perfect. As kids or teens, we have limited money and are usually picked through gaming magazines to determine if that one game was worth the money because we only got a few a year. For me, it was only during Christmas time that my parents bought games. I mostly rented mine throughout my childhood and teen years. Even for rentals, I was picky as I didn’t want to be stuck on my weekend with a dud of a game. Even a 7/10 or 3.5/5 would be considered a waste of time. This was the last generation in which AAA title after AAA title would be considered fantastic and with so many exclusives it was hard to keep up with. The HD era of gaming would see budgets balloon to insane heights and game releases slowed down as a result.

In my eyes, 7/10 or 3.5/5 games are mostly ignored. These aren’t always considered hidden gems either. Some are, but some are just considered forgettable. Not awful or good, but just passes under everyone’s radar. These aren’t the “so bad it’s good” games either. A few of these games have cult followings; a few I had only heard of while compiling this list and some I played myself growing up. I compiled this list from Metacritic with games between 74-70. I feel that’s the true blue 7 range. 79 and 78-rated games usually only have about 25% of the critics giving it a 7 to bring an otherwise 8 score down some. These games are at least rated by half the critics as 7/10. While I know many people don’t listen to critics and some might feel this game should be rated higher or lower is subjective. Like it or not, critic reviews drive sales and it may be the reason why you might find a few games on this list you’ve never heard of, thought was talked about worse than you remember, or something along those lines

Chili Con Carnage – 2007

While not as good as the PS2 entry, playing this frantic shooter was marred by clumsy controls and camera, but it isn’t horrible. It does feel dated and formulaic even at the time of release, however. This would be the final game in the series.

Every Extend Extra – 2006

While visually pretty and fun at first, the game doesn’t have enough content or gameplay elements to throw at your to keep you busy for very long. If you like Geometry Wars or other bite-sized shooters that don’t do much other than throw challenging enemies at you then this is for you.

Most Recent Entry: E4: Every Extend Extra Extreme – 2007 (X360)

ClaDun x2 – 2011

You have to really love old-school 16-bit JRPGs to like this game. The story is mostly not there, but the game offers fun RPG elements with cute pixel art. Pretty simple. It also doesn’t do anything new over its predecessor.

Most Recent Entry: ClaDun Returns: This is Sengoku! – 2017 (PS4, VITA, PC)

FlatOut: Head On – 2008

Compared to being too close to Burnout, FlatOut does offer a smattering of content and a great sense of speed. It may be simple and might get boring for some, but it’s one of the better racers on the system.

Most Recent Entry: Fl4tOut: Total Insanity – 2017 (PC, PS4, XONE)

Patapon 3 – 2011

The third and final game in the series was met with less fanfare than before. The game focused less on what made Patapon special and more on new features. It was starting to stray from what people liked so much. It’s still not a bad game, and if you never played the series you will be in for tons of charm and beautiful graphics.

Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower – 2004

A fantastic launch title marred by the PSP D-Pad. Many felt the classic game was hindered by this and required third-party solutions to go over the D-Pad. If you play this on the Vita it’s a bit better. It’s still a good-looking and solid fighter on the system. Especially for being the first-ever PSP fighter available.

Most Recent Entry: Darkstalkers: Resurrection – 2013 (PS3, X360)

Need for Speed Underground Rivals – 2005
Need for Speed: Most Wanted 5-1-0 – 2005

If you’re okay with uneven framerate, awkward controls, and rubberband AI then Rivals is for you. Bringing the franchise to the PSP was expected, but it was only the first outing on the system. Most Wanted looked great and had a good sense of speed but lacked variety in race types and overall content.

Most Recent Entry: Need for Speed Unbound – 2022 (PC, PS5, XSX)

Fat Princess: Fistful of Cake – 2010

A great addition to the PS3 version with great multiplayer. Sadly, the levels weren’t as big and single-player AI wasn’t that fun. I remember playing this and losing a lot because of how bad the AI was. It’s still a fun title on the system.

Most Recent Entry: Fat Princess Adventures – 2015 (PS4)

Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony – 2006

The best dungeon crawler on the system at the time, and sadly none of them ever achieved greatness. This one was fun and did everything you’d like albeit in the simplest form. Dungeon-crawling fans would still find over a dozen hours of fun content here.

Most Recent Entry: Dungeon Siege III – 2011 (PC, PS3, X360)

Power Stone Collection – 2006

A serviceable port of the Dreamcast games. Sadly, there was no online play which really irked gamers, and it was a straight-up port. No extras, no new visuals, nothing. If you loved the originals this is all you got. Sadly, it was the last entry to be seen in the series.

SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo 3 – 2010

The best in the PSP trilogy, and if you only play one game play this one. While the series didn’t evolve much from the PS2 games, it still was the best online shooter for the system. Improved controls, visuals, and overall design. It’s one of the best shooters on the system period.

Most Recent Entry: SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs – 2011 (PS3)

Gran Turismo – 2009

One of the most anticipated games on the system, and many gave up after a few years. This was one of the most exciting games I could imagine on the system. It was rumored to be a launch title and then kept getting pushed back more and more due to the focus of Gran Turismo 5. It was finally released…but it felt like, “Here, take what we have so far. That’s all you’re getting” and gave up. The game looks phenomenal and runs well, but it lacks a career mode. The biggest disappointment to the game was a huge blow. Many didn’t even bother picking it up because of that. It was arcade-style modes with a racing sim.

Most Recent Entry: Gran Turismo 7 – 2022 (PS4, PS5)

Star Ocean: First Departure – 2008

Westerners didn’t get the first SNES outing so it was brought back on the PSP. Sadly, it feels dated and may only appeal to diehard fans or those who love 16-bit JRPGs. There weren’t any extras or improvements outside of some 3D-generated backdrops.

Most Recent Entry: Star Ocean: The Divine Force – 2022 (PC, NS, PS4, PS5, XONE, XSX)

Infected – 2005

Despite the interesting concept of infecting other players online, it was incredibly repetitive and not worth the $40 asking price. This was among the first generation of PSP titles to release so it also didn’t look that good either. It’s fast-paced arcade fun for a couple of hours and that’s about it.

PQ2: Practical Intelligence Quotient – 2007

Part of the Intelligent Cube line of games by Professor Koyasu, and the final game in the series, test your IQ with hundreds of puzzles. The game feels nostalgic, especially to those that are fans of his games, but the presentation is really lacking and of no excuse for a more modern system.

Summon Night 5 – 2015

This was released for the PSP in 2015 if you can believe it. It’s one of the last games to ever be released in the West on the system. The story is great, so that’s good for those who want that in their SRPGs, but the combat is tedious and there’s no exploration. It’s just one battle after another with the story in between.

Most Recent Entry: Summon Night 6: Lost Borders – 2016 (PS4, VITA)

Bomberman – 2006

Despite playing like your typical Bomberman there’s not much here. It’s a port of an older arcade game with no extras and only local wireless play. Online functionality could have gone a long way and maybe some updated visuals. If you like classic Bomberman than look no further.

Most Recent Entry: Amazing Bomberman – 2022 (MAC, iOS)

What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord?! 2 – 2010

A great sequel with a fun sense of dark humor, but the steep learning curve wasn’t dialed back from the first game. If you love 16-bit-looking arcade titles that require a lot of dedication to master than this is for you.

Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice – 2008

A bombastic scripted arcade title full of high-speed chases and explosions. This is a solid series on the PSP, but it never got a lot of love and this would be it. There’s improvement here, the visuals are better, and the story is entertaining if simple, but it’s over before you know it with no real replay value.

Namco Museum Battle Collection – 2005

A great collection of games for a decent price. Taking these on the go without being dumbed down was a first and the PSP was a great handheld to have these on. There weren’t many extras and the staying power would depend on how much you love 8-bit games.

Most Recent Entry: Namco Museum Archives Vol. 2 – 2020 (PC, NS, PS4, XONE)

Yggdra Union: We’ll Never Fight Alone – 2008

A port of the GBA game and part of the loosely connected Dept. Heaven series from Atlus. This was sadly just a straight-up port. There were no enhancements or features added. While it is the best way to play thanks to the voice acting that was added, the strategy is simple so this isn’t for hardcore SRPG fans.

Hammerin’ Hero – 2009

A fun rhythm-style platformer that wasn’t too difficult. Sadly, control issues marred the game, and it would be the last one in the series. It’s still really cute and has a lot of charm.

Gun: Showdown – 2006

A surprising reworking of the game specifically for PSP. The open world is cut for large areas and bite-sized missions plus fun multiplayer offerings. It’s not perfect as it looks rather ugly and has some control issues, but overall it’s the closest to a portable Red Dead Redemption we’ll ever get.

LocoRoco: Midnight Carnival – 2009

Being the third outing on the PSP everyone was kind of done with this series. It was still charming, but that fully wore off on most people by now. It was also a download-only title so it went under a lot of people’s radar.

Most Recent Entry: LocoRoco: Remastered – 2017 (PS4)

After Burner: Black Falcon – 2007

Being the last and final game in the series it’s surprising how little has changed. It has the classic sense of speed and gameplay, but the boring missions and plain visuals don’t help. This is mostly for diehard fans.

Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron – 2007

It’s awesome that this series came to PSP at all. Sadly, the game looks pretty ugly and has a short single-player campaign. These games are best played online and the servers are long dead. If you can get some friends together it’s a blast.

Most Recent Entry: Star Wars Battlefront II – 2017 (PC, PS4, XONE)

Capcom Classic Collection Remixed – 2006

Many complained about the D-Pad not working well for this game and the screen blue (the original PSP-1000 model had it pretty bad) made the game unenjoyable for some. If you can play it on a newer PSP model or even the Vita then you will have a better time.

Most Recent Entry: Capcom Classics Collection: Volume 2 – 2006 (PS2, Xbox)

Monster Hunter Freedom – 2006
Monster Hunter Freedom 2 – 2007

Mostly an irrelevant entry today, the game had repetitive missions and hadn’t advanced the series at all. It was great for diehard fans, but the barrier to entry was still really high. Still, the multiplayer was where it was at. The game did suffer from long load times as well.

Most Recent Entry: Monster Hunter: Rise – Sunbreak – 2022 (NS, PC)

Tokobot – 2005

A fun and charming puzzle game if void of any personality. The puzzles are really challenging and the game is easy to learn, but some puzzles may cause you to throw your PSP. This was an early puzzle offering that sadly only got one sequel.

Most Recent Entry: Tokobot Plus: Mysteries of the Karakuri – 2006 (PS2)

Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero? – 2009

You couldn’t be a PSP owner without hearing about this game. This was considered one of the hardest platformers ever made at the time. Everyone also ate up the humor which is still great today. While the series has improved and still lives on today, this first entry was either loved or hated just like Dark Souls. You loved masochist games or just didn’t.

Most Recent Entry: Prinny 2: Dawn of the Operation Panties, Dood! – 2020 (NS)

Kingdom of Paradise – 2005

Don’t come for the story. The game also looks pretty generic, but the combat is fun and it was an early title for the system. One of the only RPGs at the time. It’s not the best on the system, but it’s unique and sadly never got a sequel.

Ultimate Ghosts ‘n Goblins – 2006

Fans of the series will love to know that this is still hard as balls, but there were difficulty settings added for newcomers as well. It’s great to go through this on easier difficulties to learn the levels and then ramp it up. It didn’t advance the series at all, but it’s still a lot of fun.

Most Recent Entry: Ghosts ‘n Goblins: Resurrection – 2021 (PC, NS, PS4, XONE)

SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Tactical Strike – 2007

The black sheep of the series. A slower more strategic approach makes sense in handheld form with limited controls. This plays kind of like Full Spectrum Warrior. Strategy fans had another series to get into while long-term fans loathed the slower approach and lack of direct control. It’s a great game that could have been better with refinement in further sequels. It sadly didn’t sell very well.

Most Recent Entry: SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs – 2011 (PS3)

Medal of Honor Heroes – 2006

At this point in time, everyone was tired of the WWII FPS craze. Heroes didn’t advance the series at all, and in fact, dialed it back by giving us linear and short missions to complete. It was a very short game but had awesome online multiplayer which was quite popular at the time. It also looked really good. Just don’t expect anything ground breaking for the genre or series.

Most Recent Entry: Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond – 2020 (PC)

Ace Combat: Joint Assault – 2010

It’s Ace Combat all right, and it’s mostly safe and sometimes boring for the wrong type of person. If you want your plane sim on the go then look no further. Just don’t expect it to innovate or excite.

Most Recent Entry: Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown – 2019 (PC, PS4, XONE)

Gods Eater Burst – 2011

Believe it or not, the entire series started here. This Monster Hunter clone is best played with others, but it doesn’t offer much new in the genre. If the anime or manga appeal to you then go for it. Fans of Monster Hunter might not find enough freshness here.

Most Recent Entry: God Eater 3 – 2018 (PC, PS4, NS)

The 3rd Birthday – 2011

One of the most anticipated games on the system and the last big AAA title ever released for it. It was also one of the biggest disappointments. Long-time Parasite Eve fans were expecting an atmospheric horror title but what we got was the frantic, repetitive, and chaotic shooter. It’s pretty to look at, but the story is confusing and the gameplay requires patience. It’s not for everyone.

Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble – 2009

This weird and zany Japanese beat ’em up had lots of humor and looked decent, but the combat was slow and it was really short. If you liked God Hand you will like this game. Just expect some clunkiness in all its systems.

Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground – 2007

Don’t come into this expecting excitement. You create your own loot dungeon, pick your mobs, and go in and smash everything down. It’s plain, dry, and might be dull for anyone who isn’t heavily into JRPGs. Also, don’t expect any kind of interesting story. It’s a unique game, but it won’t be for everyone.

Most Recent Entry: Master of the Monster Lair – 2008 (DS)

GripShift – 2005

A unique twist of Super Monkey Ball meets stunt cars. The insane trial and error needed is a love-or-hate-it situation. If you hate those kinds of puzzles you will detest this game. It’s fast-paced and looks good and has been ported to newer systems over time.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Heroes – 2007

A fun fighter on the PSP without needing to be a Naruto fan. You also only need one copy of the game to play with others. It’s not very deep, and it may not hold your attention for long, but it’s fine.

Most Recent Entry: Naruto X Boruto Ninja Tribes – 2020 (AND, iOS)

Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai – 2006

Not very deep or as flashy but with a large roster and a friend you were sure to have a good time. Non-DBZ fans may not find much here, but it at least got the feeling right.

Most Recent Entry: Dragon Ball: The Breakers – 2022 (PC, NS, PS4, XONE)

Mortal Kombat: Unchained – 2006

The port of Deception had a lot of hype around it. It included all of the content and nothing was cut except a single fight style for every character. What we did get was a lazy port. Compressed audio, muddy visuals, and no online play. Yeah, the biggest blow to this game was the lack of online play that the PS2 version had. It’s still a solid 3D fighter, but if you didn’t like this era of MK games it won’t change your mind.

Most Recent Entry: Mortal Kombat 11 – 2019 (PC, PS4, XONE, NS)

In Defense of the 7: Wii Exclusives

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 02/01/2023

Posted in: Blogs, Nintendo Consoles, Wii. Leave a comment

Many people use video game reviews to determine how to spend their hard-earned dollars. While as an adult I don’t take this as seriously and I now make my own money I am more forgiving of games that aren’t perfect. As kids or teens, we have limited money and are usually picked through gaming magazines to determine if that one game was worth the money because we only got a few a year. For me, it was only during Christmas time that my parents bought games. I mostly rented mine throughout my childhood and teen years. Even for rentals, I was picky as I didn’t want to be stuck on my weekend with a dud of a game. Even a 7/10 or 3.5/5 would be considered a waste of time. This was the last generation in which AAA title after AAA title would be considered fantastic and with so many exclusives it was hard to keep up with. The HD era of gaming would see budgets balloon to insane heights and game releases slowed down as a result.

In my eyes, 7/10 or 3.5/5 games are mostly ignored. These aren’t always considered hidden gems either. Some are, but some are just considered forgettable. Not awful or good, but just passes under everyone’s radar. These aren’t the “so bad it’s good” games either. A few of these games have cult followings; a few I had only heard of while compiling this list and some I played myself growing up. I compiled this list from Metacritic with games between 74-70. I feel that’s the true blue 7 range. 79 and 78-rated games usually only have about 25% of the critics giving it a 7 to bring an otherwise 8 score down some. These games are at least rated by half the critics as 7/10. While I know many people don’t listen to critics and some might feel this game should be rated higher or lower is subjective. Like it or not, critic reviews drive sales and it may be the reason why you might find a few games on this list you’ve never heard of, thought was talked about worse than you remember, or something along those lines

Marble Saga: Kororinpa – 2009

The second and final game in the Kororinpa series, Marble Saga adds enough that is new to make it feel worthwhile. It’s really addictive and fun despite the bland visuals. It has plenty of modes and a level editor as well.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz – 2006

The game doesn’t evolve much here. The mini-games grow tiresome and most of the overall content can get on your nerves, but the multiple control options really help.

Most Recent Entry: Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania – 2021 (NS, PS4, PS5, XONE, XSX, PC)

The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces – 2010

Motion controls were well done here, but in the end, the missions aren’t very exciting. It’s a good-looking arcade-like dogfighter on Wii, but don’t expect anything exciting.

Naruto: Clash of the Ninja Revolution 2 – 2008
Naruto Shippuden: Clash of the Ninja Revolution III – 2009

Simplistic gameplay really hampered the experience here, and the story is lame, but the online play really bolstered the longevity of the game and added challenge.

Most Recent Entry: Naruto X Boruto Ninja Tribes – 2020 (AND, iOS)

Lit – 2009

A unique horror game that used the Wii remote like a flashlight. The shadow puzzles were fun, but the game is forgettable due to a lack of a compelling story or world.

Dive: The Medes Islands Secret – 2009

A good-looking platformer that was mostly generic feeling and average. While it was fun and wasn’t bad in any way it just didn’t provide anything to stand out.

Just Dance 2 – 2010

The series was birthed on the Wii. The second major outing didn’t approve of the first very much. It’s exactly the same as before with a new song selection and slightly better visuals. The series has lived on to this day.

Most Recent Entry: Just Dance 2022 – 2021 (NS, PS4, XONE, PS5, XSX)

SSX Blur – 2007

The series made it to the Wii with motion controls and all but was hampered by cutesy visuals that clashed with the signature look and dumbed-down gameplay. The control scheme also had a steep learning curve. The series would eventually die out with a final reboot in 2012.

Most Recent Entry: SSX – 2012 (PS3, X360)

WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase – 2010

To be accompanied by the DS game, Showcase was the classic WarioWare gameplay, but didn’t have enough content to keep people coming back for more. The connectivity to the DS was great and added some small replay value at least.

Most Recent Entry: WarioWare: Get It Together! – 2021 (NS)

Mary Party 9 – 2012

The second and final offering on the Wii it went out with a fizzle and splat. The series was growing stale at this point only changing one thing for the good and screwing up something else. The boards felt like you were too often at the mercy of chance and the content was lacking.

Most Recent Entry: Mario Party Superstars – 2021 (NS)

Pandora’s Tower – 2013

This game has a pretty nice cult following. It’s a beautiful and unique game on the system that pushed it to its limits. It’s often compared to Shadow of the Colossus and Castlevania. A little bit of each. It just has really repetitive combat and there’s lots of it.

Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party – 2008

The penultimate release of this weird series that no one asked for. While the Rabbids are always fun to see on screen their games are just smatterings of mini-games and slapstick humor. This game uses the Balance Board on top of the Wii remote to make you do dancing numbers. It gets old quickly and is most fun with other people around.

Most Recent Entry: Rabbids Go Home – 2009 (PC)

Animal Crossing: City Folk – 2008

Wow, wait! An Animal Crossing game?! Well yeah. The series was pretty much not doing much around this time. Not much changed from the GameCube version and many long-time fans complained about this. You can skip this game in the series and not miss anything. It’s a great jumping-on point for newcomers, however.

Most Recent Entry: Animal Crossing: New Horizons – 2020 (NS)

Art Style: Cubello – 2008

The Art Style series was short-lived but pretty popular with puzzle fans. This game was considered unique and easy to pick up and play but became too complex and difficult too quickly.

Most Recent Entry: Art Style: Rotozoa – 2010 (WII)

Disney’s Epic Mickey – 2010

Warren Specter’s (Deus Ex, The Sims) colossal failure stemmed from poor controls and an awful camera. Diehard Disney fans were able to look past this, and if you do too, there’s a genuinely good game under all of this. The sequel was so desperate to turn things around that it moved away from its Wii exclusivity.

Most Recent Entry: Disney’s Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two – 2012 (WII, VITA, PS3, WIIU, PC, X360)

Fast – Racing League – 2011

The surprise Wipeout meets F-Zero game came out of nowhere and surprised many racing fans. It looked good and had a great sense of speed but flew under everyone’s radar. The series then launched on later systems garnering more coverage and love from fans.

Most Recent Entry: Fast RMX – 2017 (NS)

Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party – 2007

Pick one DDR game and you’ve played them all. Unless you want new songs there’s no reason to buy anything else. The series never changed up the dance mat, and this game had a small amount of content and didn’t change the formula up much. It was business as usual here.

Most Recent Entry: Dance Dance Revolution II – 2011 (WII)

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles – My Life As A Dark Lord – 2009

The Crystal Chronicles series hasn’t received much praise after its GameCube outing. The Wiiware versions were fun tower defense games but had a lot of paid DLC that could have been included. This game is considered one of the best in its genre for the system.

Most Recent Entry: Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles – Remastered Edition – 2020 (AND, iOS, PS4, NS)

Excite Truck – 2006

Talk about a ho-hum launch title. While Excite Truck had a great sense of speed and looked decent enough, the track design was very generic feeling and there was a serious lack of content including online play.

Most Recent Entry: ExciteBots: Trick Racing – 2009 (WII, WIIU)

Chick Chick Boom – 2010

A really fun party game that was praised for its visuals and fun factor, but didn’t have much overall content. It’s also best played with other people leaving solo players alienated.

Endless Ocean – 2007

Praised for its bravery in trying to create a living breathing encyclopedia, but lambasted for having zero gameplay and frustrating controls. It’s worth playing if you just want to relax and enjoy the sights. The series would get one more entry before calling lights out.

Most Recent Entry: Endless Ocean: Blue World – 2009 (WII)

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games – 2009

No game in the series is bad, but they are very simple and don’t provide enough to come back to. Many issues were addressed from the first outing, but the game is overall too simple and easy to challenge adults.

Most Recent Entry: Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games: Tokyo 2020 – 2019 (NS)

Deadly Creatures – 2009

A super weird game that surprised everyone with how good it was. It featured AAA actors for some reason too. The creatures themselves were realistically created and felt like their real-life counterparts. This adventure game got really hard though. I personally rented this and loved it. With a bigger budget a sequel could have been awesome, but alas this game didn’t sell well.

Shaun White Snowboarding: World Stage – 2009

Trying to capture that Tony Hawk magic Shaun White rode on the coattails of the legendary skater for years. With a quick succession of releases using motion controls the games were serviceable, but low effort. World Stage used the Balance Board and had clumsy controls, but was fun nonetheless.

Most Recent Entry: Shaun White Skateboarding – 2010 (PS3, X360, WII, PC)

Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars – 2008

Mushroom Men was a series I hoped would get better. There is a lot of potential here and it’s one of the most visually striking games on the system. Sadly, it feels dated and gets really repetitive. One last try squeaked by on PC to never be seen again.

Most Recent Entry: Mushroom Men: Truffle Trouble – 2015 (PC)

Dr. Mario Online RX – 2008

A remake of the SNES game RX only brought online play to the table. It’s the same gameplay without any interesting modes and won’t hold your attention for long. If you have any other version you don’t need this. Especially since the servers are shut down.

Most Recent Entry: Dr. Mario World – 2019 (AND, iOS)

Super Swing Golf – 2006
Super Swing Golf Season 2 – 2007

I loved PangYa on PSP. It was one of the best golf games on the system. The series is clearly aiming toward the Hot Shots Golf crowd with cutesy visuals. However, the was little content to keep people coming back despite being one of the first golf games on the system.

Most Recent Entry: PangYa: Fantasy Golf – 2008 (PSP)

Shiren The Wanderer – 2010

This roguelike looked great and had potential at every turn, but just felt a bit too repetitive and formulaic to be remarkable. It’s still a visually unique game for the system. A sequel eventually bore fruit to equally mediocre results.

Most Recent Entry: Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice Fate – 2020 (NS, PC)

Spectrobes: Origins – 2009

The final game in the short-running series. This seemingly lifeless and generic action game is actually rather good. It’s a monster collecting game with decent visuals on the Wii and is great fun despite the lack of any challenge.

Driift Mania – 2009

A fun call back to 16-bit top-down racers, but the lack of solo content really hurt here. The game was designed with multiplayer in mind. Many also didn’t care for its generic-looking visuals either. However, it controlled well and had a good sense of speed.

The Munchables – 2009

A fun game with cute visuals, but this time the game does have some challenges. It gets repetitive fairly quickly, but many felt the game was worth pushing through. The controls also needed some work.

Magnetica Twist – 2008

A fun puzzle game if not ugly. This Zuma clone was hampered by poor controls and no online play despite the price point. If you can get a hold of this game you’ll have a lot of fun at least.

Let’s Tap – 2009

One thing that was common with unique Wii games that were experimented with is the fact that these games always came to packed light on content. Let’s Tap only has four mini-games and a visualizer and must be played with others to fully enjoy. The whacky nature of the whole thing makes this one of the most interesting games on the Wii.

The Kore Gang – 2011

A fun and lighthearted platformer with zany characters. Switching between them allows some form of variety, but the overall experience is let down by a short run time and some fiddly controls.

NASCAR Kart Racing – 2009

A surprisingly good game despite the license. The game has great controls and a fun track design but has no online play and the visuals are really dated. The online part might not matter anymore so it’s probably even better.

Most Recent Entry: NASCAR Rivals – 2022 (NS)

Jett Rocket – 2010

A fun and addictive game but gets repetitive fast and lacks any depth. It’s also very short clocking in at just a few hours, but it’s a fun time at least with quality design choices.

Most Recent Entry: Jett Rocket II: The Wrath of Taikai – 2013 (3DS)

Excitebike: World Rally – 2009

This did a good job of updating the original NES classic but had no local multiplayer which was a real shame. However, it didn’t advance the formula much if at all and that brought it down some.

Most Recent Entry: Excitebots: Trick Racing – 2009 (WII, WIIU)

Pearl Harbor Trilogy – 1941: Red Sun Rising – 2010

Considered one of the better dog fighters on Wii, the game was praised for great controls and mission variety but was insanely challenging. This wasn’t a pick-up-and-play arcade game at all.

Super Mario All-Stars: 25th Anniversary Edition – 2010

Yes, these are good ports and play exactly like you remember them…but that’s it! No fancy extras, no remake of any kind, no HD remaster, just the same NES and SNES games slapped onto a disc. It felt like overpriced Wiiware.

Most Recent Entry: Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury – 2021 (NS)

In Defense of the 7: PlayStation 3 Exclusives

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 01/28/2023

Posted in: Blogs, PlayStation 3, Sony Consoles. Leave a comment

Many people use video game reviews to determine how to spend their hard-earned dollars. While as an adult I don’t take this as seriously and I now make my own money I am more forgiving of games that aren’t perfect. As kids or teens, we have limited money and are usually picked through gaming magazines to determine if that one game was worth the money because we only got a few a year. For me, it was only during Christmas time that my parents bought games. I mostly rented mine throughout my childhood and teen years. Even for rentals, I was picky as I didn’t want to be stuck on my weekend with a dud of a game. Even a 7/10 or 3.5/5 would be considered a waste of time. This was the last generation in which AAA title after AAA title would be considered fantastic and with so many exclusives it was hard to keep up with. The HD era of gaming would see budgets balloon to insane heights and game releases slowed down as a result.

In my eyes, 7/10 or 3.5/5 games are mostly ignored. These aren’t always considered hidden gems either. Some are, but some are just considered forgettable. Not awful or good, but just passes under everyone’s radar. These aren’t the “so bad it’s good” games either. A few of these games have cult followings; a few I had only heard of while compiling this list and some I played myself growing up. I compiled this list from Metacritic with games between 74-70. I feel that’s the true blue 7 range. 79 and 78-rated games usually only have about 25% of the critics giving it a 7 to bring an otherwise 8 score down some. These games are at least rated by half the critics as 7/10. While I know many people don’t listen to critics and some might feel this game should be rated higher or lower is subjective. Like it or not, critic reviews drive sales and it may be the reason why you might find a few games on this list you’ve never heard of, thought was talked about worse than you remember, or something along those lines

Calling All Cars! – 2007

This was David Jaffe’s (Twisted Metal, God of War) pet project. It got a lot of attention because it had been a few years since anyone had heard from the man. While it offered cute cell-shaded car combat it offered little in content.

Star Ocean: The Last Hope International – 2010

The game came over to PS3 hoping to garner more sales, but the small extras weren’t enough to win fans over. It still sold poorly and had more competition on Sony’s system with far more JRPGs to offer.

Most Recent Entry: Star Ocean: The Divine Force – 2022 (PC, PS5, XSX, PS4, XONE)

Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness – 2013

Compared to Disgaea 4 as not as original or innovative and not returning older beloved characters. It was very by the numbers and felt like a bob-standard game.

Most Recent Entry: Disgaea 6: Complete – 2022 (PC, PS4, PS5)

Formula One Championship Edition – 2007

The final game in the long-running series. Just dipping its toes in the next-gen world it was killed off due to poor sales. It wasn’t praised as high as previous games despite its great visuals. The physics felt off and that’s not surprising. Perhaps if Psygnosis had more time they could perfect it and keep the series going.

Atelier Totori: The Adventurer or Arland – 2011
Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk – 2013

Praised for advancing the gameplay and overall battle system, but criticized heavily for an anime-trope-riddled story and dated visuals. Fans of the series ate it up, and it continues to live on strong today. Ayesha was praised for the graphical upgrade and story, but had some mundane and repetitive questing that let it down.

Most Recent Entry: Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream – 2022 (PC, PS4)

The Guided Fate Paradox – 2013

The unique blend of randomly generated dungeons and rogue-lite RPG elements was praised, but the game moves at a snail’s pace and has outdated visuals and a forgettable story. It would try one more time before being canceled.

Most Recent Entry: The Awaneked Fate Ultimatum – 2014 (PS3)

Katamari Forever – 2009

A return to form at a fault. The game didn’t advance the series much and it was business as usual for the little prince. Fans may like more of the same, but it was a great starting point for newcomers. Many also questioned the price point as the PS2 original was released for $20.

Most Recent Entry: Katamari Damacy: Reroll – 2018 (NS, PC, PS4, XONE)

Tokyo Jungle – 2012

After growing a cult following sales for the game increased as of late. Especially with the PS3 store sunsetting soon. The game is incredibly unique and has that PlayStation feeling to it, but was disregarded for its dated visuals and lack of polish.

Tumble – 2010

One of the most unique uses of the PlayStation Move controller, Tumble was well regarded for this. The precise movements just worked. However, it’s the simple presentation and the repetitive nature of its puzzles brought it down some.

The House of the Dead 4 – 2012

Praised for using the Move controllers well, and being a good arcade port, it didn’t offer anything new and featured very dated visuals. Fans of the series or genre won’t care there. It did add some charm to it.

Most Recent Entry: The House of the Dead: Remake – 2022 (PC, NS, PS4, XONE)

LittleBigPlanet Karting – 2012

Probably one of the better Mario Kart clones out there, LBP Karting kept the series’ charm and tried to be its own thing. However, players felt the game was Mod Nation Racers with an LBP skin and the creation mode was still complex and required too much patience.

Most Recent Entry: Sackboy: A Big Adventure – 2020 (PC, PS4, PS5)

Savage Moon – 2009

A creepy alien version of Pixel Junk Monsters is what this game was compared to. It didn’t have the same charm as that series and was more RTS than tower defense. It just felt too generic to rise above but was decent enough for fans of either genre to pick up.

Funky Lab Rat – 2010

A fun use of the Move mixed with a platformer puzzler. It had a generic presentation that didn’t look all that great and was geared toward younger gamers, but the great use of motion controls won people over.

Gravity Crash – 2009

A fun game of fighting against inertia. The bright neon colors were welcomed, but the overly simple nature, frustrating difficulty, and lack of modes held it back some.

Most Recent Entry: Gravity Crash: Ultra – 2014 (VITA)

Derrick the Deathfin – 2012

Fun visuals aside, the game was too short and had very simple gameplay. If you think the game looks interesting that should be enough to play it, but overall mostly forgettable.

Trash Panic – 2009

This is by all means one of the more unique games on the system. It’s a puzzler that becomes addictive for a short time and then the constant frustrations will push you away.

LocoRoco Cocoreccho! – 2007

This is one of Sony’s most adored series. The cute visuals, charming singing, and unique gameplay became one of the biggest favorites on PSP. The charm doesn’t translate on consoles as well, especially for a game that’s really short and was considered more of an interactive screensaver. If you love the series you probably need to get this then.

Most Recent Entry: LocoRoco: Remastered – 2017 (PS4)

rain – 2013

Considered a “must buy before the PS3 store dies” rain is a relaxing and visually stunning game in the art department, but it’s a one-trick pony. Finish the game and there’s no real reason to come back. It’s also really short.

Papo & Yo – 2012

A beautiful adventure that was praised for its atmosphere and story, but the gameplay didn’t make sense in its world. Everyone just kept saying that it also needed more polish. Overall, one of the most unique games on the system.

Wonderbook: Book of Spells – 2012

A unique use of the Move controller towards the end of its hype. The imaginative world was applauded, but it was designed for kids in the end. It was really easy and simple and bore those who aren’t easily pleased by pretty graphics and waggle moves.

Tales of Xilia 2 – 2014

While it barrowed too much from its predecessor the game boasted a more interesting story and very engaging combat. It’s still anime-trope-heavy, but fans of the series would find this a strong game in the series.

Most Recent Entry: Tales of Arise – 2021 (PC, PS4, XONE, PS5, XSX)

PAIN – 2007

This was the Goat Simulator of the day. I remember everyone playing this and streaming the game online. It was slapstick fun with a lot of DLC but overall lacked any real gameplay loop or elements to stay engaged for very long.

LocoRoco Cocoreccho! – 2007

This is one of Sony’s most adored series. The cute visuals, charming singing, and unique gameplay became one of the biggest favorites on PSP. The charm doesn’t translate on consoles as well, especially for a game that’s really short and was considered more of an interactive screensaver. If you love the series you probably need to get this then.

Most Recent Entry: LocoRoco: Remastered – 2017 (PS4)

rain – 2013

This is considered a “must buy before the PS3 store closes” game. It’s very unique, relaxing, and interesting, but has some control quirks and is over way too soon.

Papo & Yo – 2012

I remember the hype built up around this game. Many liked the world that was built and the story, but the gameplay made no sense inside it. Still worth trying out.

Wonderbook: Book of Spells – 2012

This is one of the most hyped-up Move games. I remember the long E3 presentation for this. It has charming visuals and uses the Move well, but it has almost no challenge and is geared toward kids. Imaginations are not included.

Tales of Xilia 2 – 2014

While many loved the story and characters as well as the interesting combat mechanics, the game barrowed too much from its predecessor and felt a little too familiar. It also had some very dated visuals.

Most Recent Entry: Tales of Arise – 2021 (PC, PS4, PS5, XONE, XSX)

PAIN – 2007

This was the Goat Simulator of the day. I remember everyone playing this and streaming it. It was dumb fun with a lot of DLC, but outside of wonky physics, there wasn’t a real goal or loop that kept you coming back.

Jo-Jo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle – 2014

You need to really be into the source material to enjoy this game. With a fun cast of characters and a pretty good fighting system, it lacked content and was plagued with microtransaction controversy.

Most Recent Entry: Jo-Jo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R – 2022 (PC, PS4, PS5, NS, XONE, XSX)

Top Darts – 2010

A darts game using the Move sounded like a good idea, but the lack of online play really hurt this game’s sales and potential. It had couch co-op, but at least had great motion detection to keep players engaged. It was later ported to Vita with little attention.

EyePet – 2009
EyePet: Move Edition – 2010

This creepy animal was made fun of quite a bit during its E3 showing. This launched with the Move and was praised for its inventive use of augmented reality, but also felt too simple

Most Recent Entry: EyePet Adventures – 2011 (PSP)

Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One – 2011

Probably the lowest point in the series, but by no means a bad one. This four-player co-op alienated the fans of the single players mainline series, and it was more of an arcade-like adventure and pretty easy too.

Most Recent Entry: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart – 2021 (PS5)

GTI Club + Rally Cote D’Azur – 2009

A remake of the 90s arcade title that didn’t bring much new to the series. It’s a pretty fun arcade racer that looks decent but lacks any content. It was knocked down for its steep price as well.

Piyotama – 2007

A cute and charming puzzle game that was later ported to Sony’s handhelds. For what it lacked in content and variety it made up for with sheer addictive gameplay.

Sorcery – 2012

I remember the hype this game had. People thought that the Move would finally have its killer app. The Move was on its last legs, and in fact, the entire motion control craze only lasted about two years. Between 2010-2012 was the height of this craze as Sony and Microsoft had both thrown their chips into the mix. While the game was touted for its smooth integration of the Move it lacked in depth and replay value.

Tekken Revolution – 2013

While the core game was intact this was geared toward novice fighters and people just getting into the series. It’s stripped down and simplified to the point that veterans scoffed at it. It was a free-to-play model that ultimately failed in the end.

Most Recent Entry: Tekken 7 – 2017 (PS4, XONE, PC)

Beyond: Two Souls – 2013

A visual masterpiece, David Cage and his team are able to eke out every ounce of power of the consoles his games land on. Despite the technical marvel and fantastic acting, the game falls flat with a confusing story and long stretches of boring gameplay. It was later remastered for newer systems.

Rainbow Moon – 2012

A good-looking and deep strategy title that feels flat with its story and characters. The game also had some crazy difficulty spikes that hindered many gamers.

Elefunk – 2008

A charming puzzler but steeped in trial and error and frustrations around every corner. If you don’t mind restarting puzzles a lot than this weird puzzle game is for you.

In Defense of the 7: Xbox 360 Exclusives

Posted by BinaryMessiah on 01/25/2023

Posted in: Blogs, Microsoft Consoles, Xbox 360. Leave a comment

Many people use video game reviews to determine how to spend their hard-earned dollars. While as an adult I don’t take this as seriously and I now make my own money I am more forgiving of games that aren’t perfect. As kids or teens, we have limited money and are usually picked through gaming magazines to determine if that one game was worth the money because we only got a few a year. For me, it was only during Christmas time that my parents bought games. I mostly rented mine throughout my childhood and teen years. Even for rentals, I was picky as I didn’t want to be stuck on my weekend with a dud of a game. Even a 7/10 or 3.5/5 would be considered a waste of time. This was the last generation in which AAA title after AAA title would be considered fantastic and with so many exclusives it was hard to keep up with. The HD era of gaming would see budgets balloon to insane heights and game releases slowed down as a result.

In my eyes, 7/10 or 3.5/5 games are mostly ignored. These aren’t always considered hidden gems either. Some are, but some are just considered forgettable. Not awful or good, but just passes under everyone’s radar. These aren’t the “so bad it’s good” games either. A few of these games have cult followings; a few I had only heard of while compiling this list and some I played myself growing up. I compiled this list from Metacritic with games between 74-70. I feel that’s the true blue 7 range. 79 and 78-rated games usually only have about 25% of the critics giving it a 7 to bring an otherwise 8 score down some. These games are at least rated by half the critics as 7/10. While I know many people don’t listen to critics and some might feel this game should be rated higher or lower is subjective. Like it or not, critic reviews drive sales and it may be the reason why you might find a few games on this list you’ve never heard of, thought was talked about worse than you remember, or something along those lines

Dead Rising 2: Case West – 2010

An exclusive standalone title bringing back Frank West. It was too little too late as the second game wasn’t a big enough improvement for most people. I personally don’t care for this series but die-hard fans at this one up.

Most Recent Entry: Dead Rising 4 – 2016 (PC, XONE)

Capsized – 2013

This indie title was well-liked for its visuals and atmosphere as well as old-school challenge, but its combat and exploration were a bit one-note and didn’t hold most people’s attention for long

Ridge Racer 6 – 2005

A console launch title that was met with a lot of hype. It was just average. There were better arcade racers at the time and it didn’t advance the series enough to be groundbreaking. For a console launch title, it also didn’t show off the power of the 360 at the time like it did with the PSP.

Most Recent Entry: Ridge Racer: Draw and Drift – 2016 (iOS, AND)

Kinectimals – 2010

One of the most hyped Xbox 360 games to date. This was shown off during the Kinect unveil at E3 and people went nuts. It’s probably the best Kinect game out there and while it was praised for its imagination and whimsy it didn’t have much gameplay or content to keep you coming back.

Comic Jumper: The Adventures of Captain Smiley – 2010

Comic Jumper was praised for innovative gameplay and fun characters, but lacked depth and became very repetitive. It felt like an older Xbox game at best.

Dance Dance Revolution Universe – 2007

A competent yet underwhelming debut on next-gen consoles. The graphics were sub-par and there was no addition of custom soundtracks which many stated was a missed opportunity. It was just more DDR on Xbox 360.

Most Recent Entry: Dance Dance Revolution II – 2011 (WII)

Your Shape: Fitness Evolved – 2010

The short-lived series made its mark at the launch of the Kinect and many praised it for using the device well, but underneath was simply a workout simulator and nothing more.

Most Recent Entry: Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013 – 2012 (WIIU)

Jetpac Refueled – 2006

A cheap reimagining of the classic Atari game. It worked well enough, but if you aren’t a fan of high-score games then this wasn’t for you. It didn’t do anything to evolve the series enough.

Motocross Madness – 2013

The final game in the long-running series. Its console debut, and reboot, featured cute avatar characters, and looked good, but had very little content outside of multiplayer.

NBA Baller Beats – 2012

Not to be confused with Midway’s NBA Baller series. It was an ambitious title and probably one of the most unique for the Kinect. You used a real-life basketball and dribbled to a rhythm game. It was great for practicing and a good workout, but hindered the visuals and content department. People also complained of needing said basketball and a hard surface. Anyone living with downstairs neighbors was also left out.

Most Recent Entry: NBA 2K23 – 2022 (PC, XONE, PS4, PS5, XSX, NS)

Hybrid – 2012

Even if you wanted to play this game you can’t. It was online only with no bots and isn’t for purchase any longer. Now it’s just a relic and time capsule. The game was praised for doing interesting things, but was priced too high, had no offline play, and had weird controls.

Small Arms – 2006

An early title that launched with Xbox LIVE Arcade. This four player brawler had a charming roster and fun combat, but didn’t offer much in terms of longevitiy or depth. It’s still available today to play on Xbox One.

Raiden Fighters Aces – 2009

For a budget retail title it offered three Raiden games that hardcore fans would love. Other than that the game wa questioned for being double the price of most LIVE Arcade games and only including three.

Most Recent Entry: Raiden IV x MIKADO remix – 2021 (NS)

Zumba Fitness Rush – 2012

Fitness games were everywhere for the Kinect and motion devices. It was an unstoppable plague. Zumba Fitness was considered one of the better ones, but each version lacked a variety of content.

Most Recent Entry: Zumba: Burn It Up! – 2019 (NS)

Kinect: Disneyland Adventures – 2011

Of course this was going to happen. Riding the apex of the Kinect’s popularty you can take a trip down a virtual Disneyland. The game was praised for capturing the magic of the theme park, but lacked content or challenge.

Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action – 2007

Trivia games have always had their audience and Scene It? burned up and fizzled out fast. This one was exclusive on Xbox 360 for some reason and was crtiqued for having triva that only 20 something’s (who are in their 30’s now) would get and understand. It wasn’t great for family night.

Most Recent Entry: Scene It?: Movie Night – 2011 (X360, PS3)

Kinect Sports – 2010

The most popular Kinect game, it launched with the device, and it was a direct rival to Wii Sports. It didn’t have the same charm sadly. While the games were fun the motion controls didn’t register accuretly and it lacked overall content. The series would try one last time on the Xbox One before fading out of existence.

Most Recent Entry: Kinect Sports: Rivals – 2014 (XONE)

Crimson Alliance – 2011

Praised for it’s bright visuals and fun take on the Diablo formula, but was really short and didn’t offer much in terms of content. It was also best played with other people as the AI wasn’t very good.

Omega Five – 2008

A fun yet shallow side scrolling shooter. It looked really good as well with lots of nice effects, but it didn’t have a unique hook or visual style and in the end many people lost interest.

Race Pro – 2009

A racing sim that was praised for it’s realism but lacked content and felt too similar to othe PC racing sims. It just couldn’t compete with the likes of Forza and Project Gotham Racing.

Amped 3 – 2005

A system launch title and originally Microsoft’s answer to SSX Amped had it’s following and crowd. Amped 3 was well…amped up to launch and was one of the better selling games. Despite this the game lacked content despite looking next-gen, but looked bland and the game just didn’t have much flair or style to it. It played like a generic snowboarding game.The series would end here.

Gel: Set & Match – 2009

An original puzzle game indeed, but it just felt like it wasn’t enough or didn’t reach its full potential. It wasn’t super accessible and also not challenging enough at the same time.

Star Ocean: The Last Hope – 2009

Xbox 360 exclusie JRPGs weren’t pentiful and none of them were stellar. Many kept playing them until FFXIII would surface, but Star Ocean hasn’t been a good franchise in over a decade. The Last Hope was full of long drawn out cut scenes, an uninteresting story, and gameplay that was boring and average. However, regular JRPG lovers will find enough to like here. It would later relase on PS3 with little fanfare.

Most Recent Entry: Star Ocean: The Divine Force – 2022 (PC, PS4, XONE, XSX, PS5)

Phantom Breaker: Battlegrounds – 2013

This is a hardcore beat ’em up similar to Castle Crashers, however it’s not as accessible. Some claimed it was too complicated, some said it had gameplay mechanics that weren’t the best. Overall, if you like this genre there’s something here for you. It’s also getting a new game this year.

Hardware Post Mortem: Who Won? Sony PlayStation Portable vs. Nintendo DS

Looks/Shelf Appeal

Sony PSP

Nintendo DS

Software

Sony PSP

Nintendo DS

Online Capabilities

Sony PSP

Nintendo DS

Hardware/Features

Sony PSP

Nintendo DS

Revisions

Revision 1

Sony PSP-2000

Nintendo DS Lite

Revision 2

Sony PSP-3000

Nintendo DSi

Revision 3

Sony PSP GO

Nintendo DSi XL

Physical Games

Action

Sony PSP

Nintendo DS

Racing

Sony PSP

Nintendo DS

RPG

Sony PSP

Nintendo DS

Puzzle

Sony PSP

Nintendo DS

Platformer

Sony PSP

Nintendo DS

Sports

Sony PSP

Nintendo DS

Rhythm

Sony PSP

Nintendo DS

Fighting

Sony PSP

Nintendo DS

Conclusion

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In Defense of the 7: Nintendo DS Exclusives

Pokemon Trozei! – 2005

Most Recent Entry: Pokemon Shuffle – 2015 (AND, iOS, 3DS)

Inazuma Eleven – 2008Inazuma Eleven 2: Firestorm/Blizzard – 2009

Most Recent Entry: Inazuma Eleven Go: Chrono Stones – Thunderflash/Wildfire – 2015 (3DS)

Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume – 2009

Most Recent Entry: Valkyrie Elysium – 2022 (PS4, PS5, PC)

99Bullets – 2011

Zoonies – Escape from Makatu – 2011

Meteos: Disney Magic – 2007

Most Recent Entry: Meteos Wars – 2008 (X360)

Big Brain Academy – 2005

Most Recent Entry: Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain – 2021 (NS)

Drone Tactics – 2008

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood – 2008

Most Recent Entry: Sonic Frontiers – 2022 (PC, PS4, XONE, PS5, XSX, NS)

Bomberman Land Touch 2! – 2008

Most Recent Entry: Amazing Bomberman – 2022 (X360)

Custom Robo Arena – 2007

New International Track & Field – 2008

Puchi Puchi Virus – 2009

Luminous Arc – 2007Luminous Arc 2 – 2008

Yoshi Touch & Go – 2005

Most Recent Entry: Yoshi’s Crafted World – 2019 (NS)

Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble! – 2005

Ultimate Mortal Kombat – 2007

Most Recent Entry: Mortal Kombat 11 – 2019 (PC, PS4, XONE, NS)

Prism: Light the Way – 2007

Polarium – 2005

Inazuma Eleven – 2008
Inazuma Eleven 2: Firestorm/Blizzard – 2009

Luminous Arc – 2007
Luminous Arc 2 – 2008

Yu-Gi-Oh! Nightmare Troubadour – 2005
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Stardust Accelerator: World Championship 2009 – 2009

Pac-Pix – 2005
Pac ‘n Roll – 2005

Guitar Hero: On Tour – 2008
Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades – 2008
Guitar Hero: On Tour Modern Hits – 2009