PlayStation Portable 3000 Core Pack System - Piano Black

I must admit for a long time I was not a fan of portable systems. I much prefer playing games on my PC or a big screen TV with the 360 or ps3. Since the mid 80's I have loved playing video games, and over time the Japanese Role Playing game, and Strategy role playing games became my favorite. The problem this generation was that for the most part they were few and far between on the 360/ps3. Sure you had exceptions like Disgaea, Valkyria Chronicles and Lost Odyssey. However, it was nothing like the SNES through the ps2 era. While I love some WRPGs like Skyrim and Dragon Age, I was craving some good old fashioned turn based goodness. For a long time I was noticing decent games in those genres appearing on the PSP. I finally broke down this year and decided to try a portable system, and the PSP had an attractive library of games I wanted. The debate then was should I buy the Vita or the PSP? While the Vita certainly looked great, the library was pretty small and the memory cards were quite pricey. A few games I was interested in were also not available on PSN as a download, and so were only available on disc. I decided to go with the PSP, and perhaps I would upgrade to a Vita in the future when the system had more games available. For those like me who enjoy a JRPG, or SRPG, you have some good games to choose from. Lunar, Jeanne D Arc, Final Fantasy Tactics, Gungnir, Tactics Ogre, Brave Story, Valkyria Chronicles 2, Disgaea 1 and 2, Wild Arms XF, and Growlanser are just some examples. Of course some of those are found on earlier systems, but they often had upgrades unique to the PSP version. Plus they are sometimes quite a bit cheaper than trying to find the game on an older system. I also love the fact that many good ps1 games are available on PSN and can be played on either the ps3 or PSP. Many of the Square Enix, Atlus, and even Working Designs classics are available and play great on the PSP. Another benefit of the PSP being so late in its lifespan is the fact that many of the games can be bought for pretty cheap right now. Make sure to compare prices between the disc and download versions. Sometimes I have found the UMD is cheaper than buying it off PSN. While I am a bit old fashioned and prefer physical copies, I realize download games have many advantages. Like I mentioned before, some games are not available though on PSN. Hopefully they will continue to add more of the PSP collection in the future. I would definitely recommend spending a few extra bucks to get a travel case for the PSP, some headphones, and a decent size memory stick.(especially if you plan on downloading most games). I am definitely happy I finally decided to get a portable system. The great library of games will keep me busy for awhile especially when I am on long trips for a week or two. Even at home I find myself playing the PSP as much, if not more than my PC or consoles. I never thought that would happen.

I'll just start by saying that I've had multiple versions of the PSP since 2007. The first games I played were Lumines 2 and Metal Gear Acid 2. Loved them both and since then I've played Breath of Fire III and the Lunar 1 remake, FFTactics and a few others. The PSP is really amazing if you love RPGs and SRPGs, and also has a fair amount of good shooter and puzzle type games to rival even the mighty DS, which I own as well. I've used the PSP many times just as an MP3 player, also on bus rides as a movie player. It's a convenient device and is a pretty much full on mini entertainment center in your pocket. The screen is beautiful and the sound can be turned up pretty loud and sounds clear and audible. You can even access the internet albeit a clunky browser but it's surely been improved upon with the newer Playstation Vita (which I haven't played yet). I always found the user interface to be pretty convenient, and never really had any gripes with the main menu. Now on to the negatives, which I have a few. The UMDs are nice to look at and at first I had no problem with them, and didn't understand why everyone on the internet did. They are clunky and feel cheap, and they don't play well in the disk drives sometimes. I think this is the biggest flaw of the PSP and the DS definitely has it beat in this department. Next, load times. Some of the load times on PSP games(UMD) are just horrendous, and comparing it to the DS the DS again here has the advantage again with their cartridge based system. The systems battery life is also dismal in comparison to the DS, but in general I think it's OK, but could of definitely be improved upon. I would usually get about 5-8 hours out of normal game playing time. On my DS Lite and even XL I get about twice that. Other than those things I can't really think of anything else to complain about right now, and these complaints are pretty miniscule for me. I still love this system and have recently acquired a ton of new games for it to keep me busy for a long while. I give it five stars but if I had to grade it on a scale of 1-10 I would give it a 9. Thanks for reading!

The PSP is an incredible handheld gaming device even though it's basically a 5-year old technology. Coming from the world of iPod Touch/iPhone gaming where games are often short and casual in nature with mediocre production value, I find the gaming experience on the PSP to be at a completely different level. The games are longer and immersive and graphics are downright stunning. The best part is a lot of quality games like MGS Peacewalker, GTA Vice City Stories, FIFA 10 and Gran Turismo to name some, can be had new for under $20! Not to mention the core pack itself is selling for only $130. What a bargain, especially for a cheap...err, value-conscious shopper like me. Btw, I ordered 5 games, brand new, with the core pack for about $70. Buying i.e. downloading those same games from SONY's PSN store would have cost almost $140! IMHO, this is another good reason to choose the PSP Slim over the PSP Go. Even though I can't speak highly enough of the PSP's gaming capability, I can't say the same about some of its other features. The web browser in particular is basically useless. It's slow, outdated and navigating the pages is a nightmare. I tried it once and I'm not gonna do it again. It's a shame that it still uses the 802.11b standard for internet (Wi-Fi) connectivity. The video feature is nice, but given the relatively high cost of movies (both UMDs and digital downloads) and memory cards I don't see myself using it that much. In conclusion, if you're looking for an affordable handheld gaming device that's well made (SONY quality), has good battery life (user replaceable to boot!), and a good list of games to choose from, the PSP Slim is a great choice. Oh, be sure to order a memory pro duo card as well (watch out for fakes! Buy from an authorized SONY dealer like Amazon) as the core pack doesn't come with one. Btw, a more advanced version of the PSP, tentatively codenamed the NGP will be hitting the market later this year, but if rumors are to be believed it will be very expensive with price guestimate of $300-$400. That's too steep a price for me, and I bet, a lot of non-hardcore gamers.

I bought this for my brother for Christmas and, of course, tried it out first. This was a used item sent from Amazon Warehouse where it was classified as "good". Pros 1. Works just fine. 2. Looks nice. Very few blemishes. Looks lightly used and not like a 5 year old threw it down a flight of stairs. Cons 1. None really. As a game system, I love the PSP. Even to this day it's still a great way to play the classics. With mine I have a collection of original PlayStation games so I have my childhood in my pocket wherever I go. With the latest (and I assume last) software update, you can still create homebrew games (since you can't buy any PSX game, I homebrew the ones I couldn't purchase) and mod it relatively easily. The PSP game titles are stale but still pleasant and I'm finding I like titles like Crisis Core and Kingdom Hearts. I can't believe this is still around after all these years and I'm extremely impressed that you can still have so much fun with it. My brother is a huge Final Fantasy (and other RPGs) fan and the ability to play FF7 wherever he wants is going to be awesome for him. A great cheap Christmas and birthday present. Protip The official memory cards for these things are expensive and small. They're quite terrible for buying games on PSN and downloading them (or storing homebrew games which can get as large as 1-1.5GB). I recommend buying a microSD-to-memory-card-duo adapter (they're on amazon for less than $10) and a 32GB microSD card (less than $30). That provides more than ample space for downloading games on to your PSP and it works flawlessly (tested on my PSP, my girlfriend's PSP, and my roommates PSP-2000).

I bought this from Amazon a few weeks ago. When ever I want to buy electronic goods, I run a complete research of the product by visiting websites and reading their reviews. Just to mention one such website: [...]. As far as I am concerned, the SONY PSP 3000 is an awesome handheld gaming console which you should definetly buy it if you are a serious gamer. Sure there are many other consoles like the DS LITE. But, I think SONY PSP is the best there is. The PSP boasts of a LARGE SCREEN, WI-FI capabilities, SKYPE, great graphics, sound, video playback. The product is very well designed especially for gaming purposes. This is as close you can get to a PS3 or a PS2. The system lasted long enough on a fully charged battery. The bottom line: "Best handheld gaming console". PROS: -Large display(4.3"), great graphics, weighs lighter than its previous versions. -Web browsing. -Has the Largest games collection for a handheld. -Play your PSP games on TV. -Can be used as a controller for PS3. -Good audio and video playback. -Customization (themes, wallpapers). -SKYPE. CONS: -The outer skin of the PSP is a fingerprint magnet. Though they disappear when wiped with a soft cloth. -Mandatory addons such as memory card, headphones, UMD game discs, USB cable or a card reader for file transferring do not come with the PSP pack and HAVE to be bought. Thus making it much more costlier.

Well I have to admit that I was a skeptical of getting this new psp ! I still have my original 1000 but I wanted to get a back up since my 1000 was getting old ! I had read all the reviews about the screen having interlacing and ghosting problems and was a little worried about getting a new one but once I got it i was really thrilled. The new 3000 is so much lighter now I can game for twice as long and my hands dont get tired. FYI I didnt notice any problems with the screen. The new screen is so much brighter its amazing its like going from an old tube tv to plasma tv. The colors are very vivid and bright and even the buttons on the console feel lighter, quicker and more responsive. One thing thou is that if you drop things alot I can see how the system could break easly but I am a 41 year old gamer who has been gaming since the 70's and I am pretty careful with my stuff ! This is a great system and you can pick up games really cheap right now (Also I have a Vita which is great system also but it just needs some new games like Gran Turismo and God of War to come out) ! I picked up the 3000 for $69.99 (originaly $99.99) but I got $30 off for applying for a new Amazon Visa Card and free shipping. Great deal ! The item acutally arrived sooner than expected because when I placed my order it was out of stock and backordered. It arrived in perfect condition and packaged correctly ! The only negative comment I can say is maybe Amazon should change there packing tape because it says Amazon all over it and I am not sure if you watch the news but there are people who drive around looking for Amazon boxes to steal ! Overall I am very pleased with my purchase and quality of service ! Would recommend to all if you need a cheap fun portable system for yourself or teenager ! Awesome job Sony !

I've wanted a Sony PSP for some time and went looking for one in great condition, as finding an affordable unit in great condition can be a challenge. I'm giving the PSP 5 stars for its capabilities and deep library of games. However, buyer beware: I bought this from FIVE STAR CAMERA, who listed the PSP as "Like New". I've waited a while to leave this review so I could assess my costs in making my Sony PSP playable. I immediately saw an issue as I pulled it out of the packaging. It had 2 large gashes in the faceplate that no amount of buffing would remove. It needed to be replaced because the gashes were both right in the middle of the screen. Not like new. Second, I plugged it in to power it on and begin to charge it. The system was set to an Asian language and I had to do a factory reset because I couldn't understand the settings menu to navigate to the language settings. I noticed there was no battery indicator and unplugged the power cord to see what would happen when I plugged it back in. The unit immediately turned off. It turns out there was no battery shipped with this, something I do not recall being mentioned in the description. Again, not like new. I have spent $14 for a new faceplate and $17 for a new battery on top of the $155 that I paid for the "Like New" PSP. I'll be willing to upgrade my seller rating from 1 star if FIVE STAR CAMERA reimburses me $31 for my expenses in making this unit playable. Until then, my 1 star will remain. But the PSP is great. If you can find one in at least good condition, there is fun to be had. UPDATE: I was hasty with my seller review. It turns out the analog joystick also had to be replaced, which I didn't mention earlier. That was another $6.43 to spend to make this like new.

!!!! Buy a Sony Memory Stick Pro Duo when you buy this or you cannot save your games !!! - I learned the hard way and had to wait three extra days to have one shipped from amazon. I have owned a DS for a few years and recently upgraded to the DSiXL. I have been happy with that system and the games, but a few key games caught my eye for this system. Namely the Final Fantasy titles and the Persona titles. I have to say that yes, graphically this is the superior system, but the library of games was a little lighter than those for the DS. But what I am happiest about is the ability to download classic PS1 games onto this system. Castlevania Symphony of the Night? Oh yes! Final Fantasy 7? Yup. So despite my preference for the library of the DS, I do give this system major kudos and a perfect rating. It's durable and fits adult hands well also. The screen is clear, and seems more durable than previous models. And with the larger hard drive, you can download more content. And it seems that RAM issues are improved and games load from UMDs faster. Do yourself a favor. Buy this system and Final Fantasy Crisis Core, Persona 3, and Persona Innocent Sin if you are an RPG fan. Oh, and FF Dissidia. I don't know why I waited to buy one! And I bought it just days before it dropped to $99.99 ! Jerks! Though it appears that Sony might be fazing this system out, it is still a great system and the games are pretty cheap right now. Many titles are selling for less than $10. Quality games! Others appear to be hovering in the $15 - $20 range. Rarely do I see titles for more than $30, and these tend to be the more collectible or rare titles. Buy it now while it's $99!