PSP gets Madden 12 bundle

EA Sports' Madden franchise is sitting this season out on Nintendo's handheld platforms, with only the PSP and iOS editions of Madden NFL 12 scheduled for on-the-go enjoyment. Sony is underscoring that snub today with the unveiling of a Madden NFL 12 PSP hardware bundle set to arrive alongside the football sim on August 30.

The $160 package will include a black PSP-3000, UMD copies of Madden NFL 12 and Need for Speed: Shift, and a 2GB memory stick. The stand-alone PSP-3000 system has been selling for $130 with no games or memory card since a price drop in February.

The PSP version of Madden 12 emphasized the game's Superstar and Franchise modes, along with the expected comprehensive assortment of teams, players, and stadiums. Originally released in 2009, Need for Speed: Shift attempted to take more of a simulation approach to the arcade racer with an emphasis on re-creating the feel of being behind the wheel of high-end performance cars.

EA Sports' long-running gridiron sim series has also been featured in a pair of previous PSP hardware packs. Madden NFL 11 was also bundled in with the hardware, while Madden NFL 09's package featured a limited-edition blue PSP and an NFL Films video on UMD in addition to the game.