Prior to E3 2009, Gran Turismo for the PSP was largely considered vaporware, a driving simulation that felt like little more than a five-year-old announcement. But Gran Turismo is real—and it's coming to the PlayStation Portable this October.

Why the long wait? Kazunori Yamauchi, president of developer Polyphony Digital, says it was just a matter of priorities. Following the Spring 2004 announcement of the game once known as Gran Turismo 4 Mobile, Polyphony shipped four titles, Gran Turismo 4, the "real riding simulator" Tourist Trophy, Gran Turismo HD and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Given how long it purportedly takes to render a car model at Polyphony standards—about a month for the PSP version and up to six months for the PlayStation 3 versions—one can see how five years quickly passes.

Yamauchi said that he wasn't interested in outsourcing development on Gran Turismo PSP to another developer. He considered the prospect of handing off the driving sim to someone else "unthinkable."

So Polyphony plowed ahead, creating a fleet of 800 cars for the PSP version, some of which are "reduced and streamlined" from their PS3 versions, with more than 30 real-world tracks on which to race those cars.

According to Yamauchi, the PSP version of Gran Turismo is a "fully specced" entry in the ten-year-old series, telling Kotaku that "no matter who plays it, they'll know immediately that it's a Gran Turismo game."

"I want to stress that it's not a subset to the series," Yamauchi said, despite there being "limitations" to the PSP's hardware specifications. In fact, it one-ups previous Gran Turismo games by letting players trade and share unlocked vehicles with other driving enthusiasts wirelessly over ad hoc mode.

One hurdle that Polyphony Digital is dealing with right now is designing the PSP iteration for two platforms: the original PSP and the recently announced PSPgo. While the internal hardware may be largely identical, the feel of Sony's new, smaller PlayStation Portable is noticeably different. On the PSPgo, the analog nub controller has been relocated and the buttons have been redesigned. The new hardware has a cross-pad controller and face buttons that feel more digital, with a tighter click to them than on the original.

"We're still have some difficulties [with the PSPgo]," Yamauchi said. "It's something we're very focused on, because that's very difficult to get right." The GT creator typically opts for digital, not analog control when playing his own game.

So, why not offer the option to play with a PlayStation 3 controller, I asked, and make use of the "PSP Plus" technology for more accurate control?

"If you want to play on a PS3 controller," Yamauchi responded, "you'll have to play Gran Turismo 5." That also means no support for Logitech's Driving Force GT wheel. It's PSP controls or nothing.

The PSP game will take advantage of the PlayStation 3 in another sense. Gran Turismo PSP one of the titles that will support Ad Hoc Party mode, letting gamers use the PS3 as an ad hoc server, taking the PSP experience online. Ad Hoc Party software is currently only available in Japan, but Sony Computer Entertainment America reps say a domestic release is in the works.

But what Kazunori Yamauchi and Polyphony Digital focused on was welcoming new players to the series—and sticking to a solid 60 frames-per-second presentation.

"We'd really like people to remember how fun it is to drive cars," he said, hoping that Gran Turismo fans will take advantage of the game's local wireless mode to get players together to talk about cars, to let them play whenever and wherever they can.

http://kotaku.com/5284756/gran-turis...s--online-play ...

Prior to E3 2009, Gran Turismo for the PSP was largely considered vaporware, a driving simulation that felt like little more than a five-year-old announcement. But Gran Turismo is real—and it's coming to the PlayStation Portable this October.

Why the long wait? Kazunori Yamauchi, president of developer Polyphony Digital, says it was just a matter of priorities. Following the Spring 2004 announcement of the game once known as Gran Turismo 4 Mobile, Polyphony shipped four titles, Gran Turismo 4, the "real riding simulator" Tourist Trophy, Gran Turismo HD and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Given how long it purportedly takes to render a car model at Polyphony standards—about a month for the PSP version and up to six months for the PlayStation 3 versions—one can see how five years quickly passes.

Yamauchi said that he wasn't interested in outsourcing development on Gran Turismo PSP to another developer. He considered the prospect of handing off the driving sim to someone else "unthinkable."

So Polyphony plowed ahead, creating a fleet of 800 cars for the PSP version, some of which are "reduced and streamlined" from their PS3 versions, with more than 30 real-world tracks on which to race those cars.

According to Yamauchi, the PSP version of Gran Turismo is a "fully specced" entry in the ten-year-old series, telling Kotaku that "no matter who plays it, they'll know immediately that it's a Gran Turismo game."

"I want to stress that it's not a subset to the series," Yamauchi said, despite there being "limitations" to the PSP's hardware specifications. In fact, it one-ups previous Gran Turismo games by letting players trade and share unlocked vehicles with other driving enthusiasts wirelessly over ad hoc mode.

One hurdle that Polyphony Digital is dealing with right now is designing the PSP iteration for two platforms: the original PSP and the recently announced PSPgo. While the internal hardware may be largely identical, the feel of Sony's new, smaller PlayStation Portable is noticeably different. On the PSPgo, the analog nub controller has been relocated and the buttons have been redesigned. The new hardware has a cross-pad controller and face buttons that feel more digital, with a tighter click to them than on the original.

"We're still have some difficulties [with the PSPgo]," Yamauchi said. "It's something we're very focused on, because that's very difficult to get right." The GT creator typically opts for digital, not analog control when playing his own game.

So, why not offer the option to play with a PlayStation 3 controller, I asked, and make use of the "PSP Plus" technology for more accurate control?

"If you want to play on a PS3 controller," Yamauchi responded, "you'll have to play Gran Turismo 5." That also means no support for Logitech's Driving Force GT wheel. It's PSP controls or nothing.

The PSP game will take advantage of the PlayStation 3 in another sense. Gran Turismo PSP one of the titles that will support Ad Hoc Party mode, letting gamers use the PS3 as an ad hoc server, taking the PSP experience online. Ad Hoc Party software is currently only available in Japan, but Sony Computer Entertainment America reps say a domestic release is in the works.

But what Kazunori Yamauchi and Polyphony Digital focused on was welcoming new players to the series—and sticking to a solid 60 frames-per-second presentation.

"We'd really like people to remember how fun it is to drive cars," he said, hoping that Gran Turismo fans will take advantage of the game's local wireless mode to get players together to talk about cars, to let them play whenever and wherever they can.

http://kotaku.com/5284756/gran-turis...s--online-play ...

Prior to E3 2009, Gran Turismo for the PSP was largely considered vaporware, a driving simulation that felt like little more than a five-year-old announcement. But Gran Turismo is real—and it's coming to the PlayStation Portable this October.

Why the long wait? Kazunori Yamauchi, president of developer Polyphony Digital, says it was just a matter of priorities. Following the Spring 2004 announcement of the game once known as Gran Turismo 4 Mobile, Polyphony shipped four titles, Gran Turismo 4, the "real riding simulator" Tourist Trophy, Gran Turismo HD and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Given how long it purportedly takes to render a car model at Polyphony standards—about a month for the PSP version and up to six months for the PlayStation 3 versions—one can see how five years quickly passes.

Yamauchi said that he wasn't interested in outsourcing development on Gran Turismo PSP to another developer. He considered the prospect of handing off the driving sim to someone else "unthinkable."

So Polyphony plowed ahead, creating a fleet of 800 cars for the PSP version, some of which are "reduced and streamlined" from their PS3 versions, with more than 30 real-world tracks on which to race those cars.

According to Yamauchi, the PSP version of Gran Turismo is a "fully specced" entry in the ten-year-old series, telling Kotaku that "no matter who plays it, they'll know immediately that it's a Gran Turismo game."

"I want to stress that it's not a subset to the series," Yamauchi said, despite there being "limitations" to the PSP's hardware specifications. In fact, it one-ups previous Gran Turismo games by letting players trade and share unlocked vehicles with other driving enthusiasts wirelessly over ad hoc mode.

One hurdle that Polyphony Digital is dealing with right now is designing the PSP iteration for two platforms: the original PSP and the recently announced PSPgo. While the internal hardware may be largely identical, the feel of Sony's new, smaller PlayStation Portable is noticeably different. On the PSPgo, the analog nub controller has been relocated and the buttons have been redesigned. The new hardware has a cross-pad controller and face buttons that feel more digital, with a tighter click to them than on the original.

"We're still have some difficulties [with the PSPgo]," Yamauchi said. "It's something we're very focused on, because that's very difficult to get right." The GT creator typically opts for digital, not analog control when playing his own game.

So, why not offer the option to play with a PlayStation 3 controller, I asked, and make use of the "PSP Plus" technology for more accurate control?

"If you want to play on a PS3 controller," Yamauchi responded, "you'll have to play Gran Turismo 5." That also means no support for Logitech's Driving Force GT wheel. It's PSP controls or nothing.

The PSP game will take advantage of the PlayStation 3 in another sense. Gran Turismo PSP one of the titles that will support Ad Hoc Party mode, letting gamers use the PS3 as an ad hoc server, taking the PSP experience online. Ad Hoc Party software is currently only available in Japan, but Sony Computer Entertainment America reps say a domestic release is in the works.

But what Kazunori Yamauchi and Polyphony Digital focused on was welcoming new players to the series—and sticking to a solid 60 frames-per-second presentation.

"We'd really like people to remember how fun it is to drive cars," he said, hoping that Gran Turismo fans will take advantage of the game's local wireless mode to get players together to talk about cars, to let them play whenever and wherever they can.

http://kotaku.com/5284756/gran-turis...s--online-play ...

Takt of Magic is a spiritual successor to the Nintendo DS game Lost Magic. Since Takt is complete Garakuta Studio might be working on a true sequel to Lost Magic.

A trademark found in Japan’s trademark database suggests one is in development. Taito registered the rights to Lost Magic: Shouryu no Kyousoukyoku (loosely Lost Magic: Concerto for the Fallen). The first game didn’t have a subtitle so this discovery appears to be a new entry in the Lost Magic series.

http://www.siliconera.com/2009/06/09...-magic-sequel/ ...

Hudson is one of the few publishers making music/rhythm games specifically for Japan. Joysound Wii, a karaoke title, was an outstanding success. Their next licensed music game has a single band as the headliner.

Hudson made a deal with GReeeeN to create a Nintendo DS music game. GReeeeN sang the hit Kiseki and have a new album scheduled to come out later this month. No details about the Hudson X GReeeeN project were mentioned, not even the game’s name. Whatever this is Hudson plans to release it in Japan sometime in 2009.

http://www.siliconera.com/2009/06/10...ds-music-game/ ...

Naruto Shippuden Legends: Akatsuki Rising takes players through the Rescue Gaara arc of the anime, but not through a series of one on one matches. This Naruto game is a 3D brawler.

At E3 I played Akatsuki Rising and punched my way through an unrelenting group of inept ninja. Mashing square usually did the trick. If you want to do something more flashy Naruto has his trademark jutsus linked to the R button. The game felt a lot like Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles 2 right down to the plastic-y 3D models.

In this game you don’t have to be one of the heroes. You can see the other side of the story and play the game as an Akatsuki member like Itachi. Screenshots show Sasori, Kisame, and Deidara will be in the game too. Namco Bandai says the total roster has over 15 characters. The game also supports ad-hoc play — cooperative and competitive. Players can fight each other in the game’s versus mode.

Unlike last year where a slew of Naruto games popped up during the holidays, Naruto Shippuden Legends: Akatsuki Rising is the only Namco Bandai game starring the orange ninja scheduled to come out later this year. North America gets it on the PSP this fall. It seems like Namco Bandai developed this game specifically for North America. Akatsuki Rising is not a localized version of an existing Japanese game. Actually, Akatsuki Rising doesn’t even have a scheduled release date in Japan.

http://www.siliconera.com/2009/06/10...awling-to-psp/ ...

Even though Tecmo announced Undead Knights before their merger with Koei, the PSP game feels like the unholy zombie child Dynasty Warriors of Pikmin.

In Undead Knights you hack and slash medieval troops and transform slain warriors into zombie minions. You can command your zombies to “rip them apart” and rush their former allies. Players can control up to ten zombies at a time. Zombies can also siege bases and demolish enemy structures like guard towers. During E3 a representative from Tecmo showed an area where you need to toss zombies a set number of zombies at a gate to smash it before moving on. Out of all the ways Tecmo chose to use zombies the zombie ladder is my personal favorite.

Undead Knights might not revolutionize the tactical action genre, but there seems to be a little more strategy in this game. Also, you can chuck zombies, which is so ridiculous I’m inclined to believe Undead Knights is going to be campy fun. Undead Knights is scheduled to come out on the PSP this fall.

http://www.siliconera.com/2009/06/10...craves-brains/ ...

When Assassin's Creed was downgraded to the DS and iPhone, it became an entirely different game. The upcoming PSP version, however, looks to be sticking a lot closer to the original than its handheld competitors.

While these two screens don't really show how the game will function mechanically, they do at least show that it's a full 3D title, with Altair stalking the streets of what look to be much smaller (and for the PSP more easily-managed) medieval cities.

For the record, Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines, as the game is known as, is no port; it is instead an all-new game, bridging the events between the first game and the upcoming sequel.

http://kotaku.com/5285177/assassins-...-looksfamiliar ...

When Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata took to the stage last week to unveil the Wii Vitality Sensor, he didn't really tell us how it all worked. No, that information now comes a week later.

Seems that the WVS works by measuring the flow of blood through the user's body, a small light sensor inside the device somehow able to measure that flow and determine various characteristics of your body's workings.

For instance, by watching your blood flow, the sensor can apparently determine when and how hard you're breathing in and out. One of the "games" demonstrated with the device - which may or may not make it into a "game" for the WVS - was a simple breathing exercise, as users timed their breathing to the tick/tock of a metronome.

How this can be used to enjoyment is at this stage up in the air. And until we get a firmer idea on what games/programs will be shipping with the WVS, we won't know whether it'll be the next revolutionary million-seller from Nintendo, or the next piece of hokey psuedo-science from Nintendo. Or both.

http://kotaku.com/5285232/how-the-wi...actually-works

Who actually cares about this new hardware from Nintendo ? ...