The PSP is not just for you to play alone. Unlike old handheld game consoles, the PSP has multiplayer games available for it. As long as you and your friends have the same games (and those games have a multiplayer mode), you can have an impromptu competition. Unlike the old Gameboys, you do not even need a cable. Everything is wireless.
Here is a short list of great PSP multiplayer games you should check out. These games a good when played against the computer, but even better and more intense when played together with your friends in a networked game. In some of these games, it is player versus player, while in others it is co-operative. If you are not sure whether or not a particular game is for you, just download the official demo of the PSP game from its website and test it out yourself.
1. Grand Theft Auto series: Basically both a driving game and a shooting game rolled into one. GTA is widely considered one of the best PSP games around. Multiplayer mode supports up to six players with deathmatch, capture the flag and king of the hill missions. The missions can be played as a team or in free-for-all mode. Not all the PSP games in this series have multiplayer modes. You’ll have to check the details yourself, but Liberty City Stories and Chinatown Wars are two of them.
2. Test Drive: Don’t like shooting games? Then try out Test Drive. In standalone mode, you slowly build up your collection of different cars and cruise around the streets of Hawaii looking for challengers. In multiplayer mode, you get to choose one of sixty different cars and challenge up to seven of your friends to a race.
3. Monster Hunter 2 and 3: Sort of a real time fantasy RPG. There is no magic system, but you can create your own weapons and stuff; you have to complete various quests; and you go around killing monsters like in MMORPGs. In multiplayer mode, up to 4 players can co-operate in adhoc missions. Solo gameplay is a bit kludgy, but if you do not have a networked PC at hand, this is one of the few ways you have to team up with your friends to hunt and take down a dinosaur-like fantasy monster.
The next two games are both shooters.
4. Metal Gear Solid: This game franchise has many fans should not need any introduction. The PSP version is just as intense. In solo mode, there are missions for you to complete. Some of it involves sneaking around, some of it requires some strategy and planning, lots of missions revolve around shooting enemies. What’s not to like? Versus mode supports six players, while co-operative mode (where players complete the same mission) supports two.
5. Medal of Honor Heroes: This time it’s a first person shooter. Medal of Honor is another game franchise with many fans. The default multiplayer mode allows up to eight players, but if you set up your PC as a server you can have 32 players all at once.
Although the PSP is a good handheld console, it has less processing power than something like the Xbox 360 or PS3. This is reflected in the performance of the games listed above. While they are fine ports of the originals, you will have to cope with the system halting or slowing down to load up a new scenario. The gamepad buttons are also not as responsive as a proper joystick controller, so this is another point to consider. But if you are having a party with fellow gamers, there isn’t really anything to beat these multiplayer games on the PSP.
Tags: psp multiplayer games