What a difference a year makes, huh? I have been gone from here for a while, and that is my own fault, my friends. You see, a busy work and personal life got in the way of me doing something I grew to enjoy greatly! And that's coming here and running my mouth, only to have you all read it! Now I won't bore you with all the details that make no mind of anything not game related, and we'll just pick this up right where I left off.

In my last post, I was going on about the PlayStation 3. A system that is and was long on promise, but had yet to get the killer apps it needed to make it a mainstay, at least in my house. Well allow me to update you on that little situation. With my tax return this year, I went down to Sears and bought one. And I must say for the price I paid earlier this year, something about it just made me wonder why I bothered. And in the time since, I have seen a few games come along that actually made me glad I did pony up the cash wad to pay for it.

One such game would have to be Uncharted. Now I realize it wasn't the most beloved title in the PS3 library, but I have always been a sucker for Tomb Raider ****gameplay. And in this case, they didn't try to reinvent the wheel or add some crazy nuances to it to make it stand out. They went with a tried and true formula, and I loved it!

Another title I was all too happy to add to my library was a game that I believe launched with the system. You have no idea how big of a fan I have always been for the Ridge Racer games. The last few I have played were awesome. And Ridge Racer 7, which was a PS3 exclusive, was no different! The only complaint I had was finding a copy of the dratted thing. Not that it was Namco's fault, as it had been out a while when I went looking for it. But Jesus H. Morales, it took more than one search engine and several eBay trips only to find it buried in the bargain bin at a Wal-Mart! One of the best PS3 purchases I ever made!

In short, there were several good titles to come out for the PS3 since my last post. With Home coming out before we all grow old and MGS4 now out, I really have to change my tune about the PS3. I see the potential now where once I did not. If you all can recommend some more exclusives for this system, please do! I'm always looking for something new!

And by the way, now that life has found a way of straightening itself out, I feel it safe to say I'm back! Hope ya missed me!

I have to say thanks for all the feedback on my last post. And here I was thinking that since I'd been away for so long that no one would even remember me or bother reading my blurbs! So again, thanks for that. Now that I got some feedback, I can guarantee that I will be updating regularly. I like hearing from you all, what can I say! ( And more importantly, what does that say about me??)

A few of you sounded off on this PS3 debate, and you pretty much said what I have been thinking. This system has no killer apps for it right now, for one thing. There is really nothing on the shelf right now that I can't imagine not playing. As discussed, the price point is another issue entirely. I could swing $600, but that'd really hurt the ol' wallet. And quite frankly, I don't think it's recovered from the last beating when I got the Wii and all the crap I bought with it.

Despite all of that, I really have issues with the way Sony handled the PS3. They were far too conceited about it, thinking all they had to do was slap the PlayStation logo on a box and it'd sell like hotcakes. Shoehorning Blu-ray playability into it doesn't make it more valuable to me. Let's face it, Sony doesn't have the best track record for releasing new forms of media. (Of course, that doesn't mean I want an HD-DVD player either. )

And when a company acts the way Sony has (by lying, deceiving, and plainly being arrogant), I have a hard time supporting that. And since one voice doesn't make a world of difference, we have to vote with our wallets. And while they may spin it like the second coming, the PS3 is bombing at retail. How to tell? Try to find a Wii still, and then try to find a PS3.

Plus I remember that interview that the Sony honcho gave saying if someone could show him a PS3 sitting on the shelf at a store, he'd give them a $1000 for every one. Boy, I hope he comes to SC soon. I could quit my job.

So a lot of things have happened since my last blog! And it's obviously been a while since I have updated it, but I have a feeling this is about to change. Allow me to catch you up on all the things that have changed since last year when this little blog was last updated.

The first thing to change, and possibly the biggest, is me getting my hands on a Nintendo Wii. And may I say it is absolutely ridiculous for it to be this hard to find one of these consoles eight months after launch! This system was well worth the wait! And the people at Best Buy would agree with me, as I almost dared one of them to take it from me when I grabbed the box in my hands. ( I also got an HD LCD TV, for what it's worth! )

I also updated my Nintendo DS by getting a DS Lite. And if you didn't know, you can light up a room with the brightness of this thing! My old DS had a strong glow, but this thing is almost radioactive! My biggest pet peeve of the new DS is it has the same problem as iPod owners can sympathize with. Everytime you touch it, fingerprints! And I hate that! I am a person who likes to keep my stuff looking new and spiffy. And this is damn near impossible with the DS Lite. I guess that means I will have to buy some kind of protective case for it now.

The only next gen console not in my collection is the PS3. So this is where you, fellow readers and possible PS3 owners, come in. Is this thing really worth $600? Does it have any real killer apps for it yet? So far, the only one I have heard even remotely strong feedback for is Resistance: Fall of Man. What do you think? Is the system that reminds me of a George Foreman grill worth it?

Allow me to wish my American friends a very happy 4th of July! I realize it isn't a big deal for the other countries, but Americans seem to enjoy this holiday, as my yard is testament to several fired firecrackers from the neighbors. But fireworks and patriotism is not the reason I have returned!

Nope, I came here to clap excitedly for something I have just recently taken advantage of. That would the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. For those unfamiliar, now DS owners can play some of their games over Wi-Fi with folks from around the world. And yours truly has been doing little else other than playing Metriod Prime Hunters and Mario Kart over the web.

I have to admit I love this! Never having playing console or handheld games online, this is quite the experience for yours truly. And the fact that I have read this service will be usable with the Wii when it comes out makes me clap excitedly like one of those wind up monkeys with the cymbals in his hands.

In other news, it's good to be back. I took a little vacation from this blog to recharge, and now I'm back once more because there is too much news to ignore. We got a $600 PS3 which I will talk about later, the upcoming Nintendo console which I will talk about later, and the Xbox 360 which I doubt I will talk about much at all.

But for now, I'll close with this. I want new friends to play against. So if you have the DS and play online with it, it's time to add me to your friends list so you too can enjoy the fun of narrowly defeating me in race after race. You need the digits? Here they are: 158987478942 for Mario Kart.

All I ask is that if you add me, tell me who you are here in the comments section. Besides I don't know anyone around me who has a DS, so it's time to extend it to the GS network. So until next time when I talk about an overpriced gaming system.....be good or be good at it!

You've seen them, I know you have. The advertisements publishers stuff into their games nowadays. The sad fact is that this has become the norm of late, and it's starting to cheese yours truly off. Let me explain why.

The average game runs about $50-$60 nowadays. Now for that much, I expect a working and fun game that allows me to escape the real world for a few hours. Because games are just that, an escape. Something to do to take your mind off other things that might be going on in your life.

In a way, they are fantasies that have been given a life of sorts. And I don't know about you, but my fantasies don't have corporate logos on them. And I'm getting sick of seeing them in my games.

Right now, the intrusion is somewhat benign. A billboard in a racing game, a poster in an action game, all these minor things showing some kind of corporate logo or recent product. But that's now, where does it end? What do you do when you finish that quarter of Madden only to have the game fade out for a couple 30 second commercials?

Now the publishers such as EA would have us believe this is done to increase realism for the player. We all know this is pure crap. You want to increase realism? Make the graphics better. Make the sound effects more lifelike. Tighten up the controls to make them more responsive. I don't need an ad for Nokia to make my games more realistic.

Maybe I'm alone in this regard, but I have a sneaking suspicision that this is only going to grow more and more rampant. When you have ads, they are generally to defray costs, such as magazines to keep them from being $40 an issue. But we aren't seeing a price decrease in these ad-laden games. Nope, we are getting it from both ends. And like I said, I'm getting a little tired of it.

For those of you who know me and my gaming habits, you may be surprised to learn that I have not purchased a game all year till this past week. Now allow me to inform you why that should prove mind-numbing to you. Last year, I bought a new game or games virtually each and every week that came. ( And for those you who know your conversions, you know 52 weeks came last year as they are wont to do every year. )

But after getting a Christmas gift of the Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction game which is ace if you haven't played it, the gaming tsunami dried up for me. Now in that time, I did buy some videos for my PSP. But other than that, nary a new game was to be had by yours truly. And the single best reason for that fact was nothing that was out or coming out really supremely interested me.

I already had most all the titles that I really wanted, and I was content to whittle away the hours on them. But this past week, the gaming tsunami struck again! I bought two games, and rented a third. All three games inspired me in one form or fashion. The first game was Day of Reckoning 2 for the Gamecube. I liked this game quite a bit when I first played it, but not enough to pay $50 for it. Well finding it at EB for $24 (after discount), there be inspiration number one.

Inspiration number two came in the form of Daxter for the PSP, which I also bought. I have always adored the platforming genre, and no games that have come out within recent memory have matched the Jak games for good platforming love! Seeing Daxter was made by a different studio gave me pause, but after plugging it into my PSP, I was quickly rewarded for my impetuousness. And if you haven't, run don't walk to pick up a copy of this game. It is the best PSP game I have played so far.

And the final inspiration came from the video store near where I live. After buying a few previously viewed DVDs, the girl behind the counter handed me a free rental certificate. And what better use for a free rental than a game, duh! So I rented King Kong for the PS2. And I learned something. I should have bought this game a long time ago. It is stunning visually. Granted, it is easy thanks to the fact of restarting wherever you die at, and having infinite lives. But the point is that it is beautiful, and fun. Give it a shot, if you haven't already.

So the gaming tidal wave that was my life has returned, thanks all in part to rediscovering what really good games were all about. And may I say, it's good to be back!

Last year around September, most of you know I went out and got myself a PSP. And boy, was I excited about it! I had been patrolling GS here, reading all the reviews for all these great games that were coming out. And I drooled over games already released that looked great, such as Lumines and Darkstalkers Chronicles. I couldn't have been more of a fanboy, if I had tried.

But six months removed from the day I got my little black handheld, the fascination and intrigue have disappeared. And there are a couple reasons for that actually. First and foremost, the games overall have been somewhat lackluster for me. By and large, most of the games that have been released were ports of PS2 games or other systems' games such as the Mega Man collection that just hit retail stores. On top of that, it also seems like games only trickle out for it every so often. At the six month mark of any handheld or console, there should be at least 100 or more titles for the system. But the PSP has been releasing similiarly to the Gamecube schedule. And if you own a Cube like me, you know that schedule.

The other issue for me is loading times for the games. Now having all the current gen consoles, I am used to some loading times. I know it's a fact of life with CD or DVD based games, and I can live with that. But PSP games have exceptionally long loading times. Another PSP owner recently bought a copy of Raw vs. Smackdown for his PSP. Now this is a game I have thought about getting myself. But he showed me why I'll just get the PS2 version. He timed how long it took for him to get into a match in season mode, if he just skipped the cut scenes and all that and just went straight to the match. It took him 6 minutes and 28 seconds. That is downright ridiculous!

I haven't timed it, but I own a copy of X-Men Legends 2 for the system. And the game loads between levels, during levels, before cutscenes, after cutscenes, and probably sneaks in a load screen if I put it down to go to the bathroom. In the case of the WWE game, Sony should not have let that game ship like that. THQ could care less, they are just milking a license till it expires. In the case of the X-Men game, I think Activision dropped a ball there as well.

Now I still think the PSP is a marvelous little handheld. But I have a growing desire just to get rid of it. Playing it of late makes me appreciate my DS more. I haven't played all PSP games obviously, so what do you think? Are the loading times this bad across the board? Do you have or have had a PSP only to get rid of it soon after? Let's hear from the GS elite here!

Well I figured it was only a matter of time, and I was right. I must admit I am a wee bit saddened by the news that Atari has one foot in the grave, and the other foot slipping. But like Acclaim before it, Atari has few but itself to blame when it comes to reasons as to why its company is swirling the bowl.

For those who may not know it, Atari has switched owners so many times over the years, it's pathetic. Now owned by Hasbro, Atari has released either bad games or horrendously mediocre ones for quite some time. And again, their sales slump and earnings forecast has no one but itself to blame.

I own a few Atari games, but most were purchased when they hit the bargain bin. Demon Stone is one such title, a competent hack 'n slash. But that is no real compliment. It did nothing to distinguish itself from any of the games on the shelf, and thus it sank to $20 like a rock.

But the one Atari game I own and would have gladly paid full price for would have to be one I have went on and on about here and other places often. Kya: Dark Lineage was, by far, the best Atari game they have released in the last 5 years easy. A quality platformer that, unfortunately, no one heard of also sunk quickly to the bargain bin. But that game was stellar for what it was.

I knew it was coming, but I have a feeling they will just be bought by someone else who has no knowledge of the gaming industry. Atari was once a household name. Unfortunately it no longer is. And the CEO can fire off as many folks as he wants. But the guy in accounting isn't responsible for their financial woes. They are.

Yeah yeah yeah! I know it's been a while since yours truly has posted anything in this here journal, but hopefully that is about to change. As for the absence? I want you to send your hate mail to Blizzard. Because World of Warcraft is taking over my life, and I am helpless to stop it. ( Speaking of WoW, I'm on Shadow Council and my char is Viscero. Come say hi. )

Anyway, what I wanted to bring up today is the mess Sony is digging for itself lately. I won't even go into the rootkit mess and how ridiculously wrong and evil it is. If you kept up, you already know all that. Nope, my beef is with a rumor I am hearing about the PS3.

Now if this is an unfounded rumor, then I take it all back. But if what I have read is true, I will be one less PS3 buyer. Perhaps you haven't heard, but Sony is apparently making the games for the PS2 unusable but on the first PS3 it is played. What that means is that you can't take your new game to your friend's house to play, or vice versa. It also means you can't rent any games, because they wouldn't work on your system!

If this is true, this is bar none one of the stupidest decisions in corporate history. And I think it will bite them in the backside if it is true. I don't know about you, but the way I learn if I want to own a game is usually by renting it or borrowing it. Generally every game I rent, I do end up buying at some point. ( Call it good taste and good luck! )

I would love to have a PS3, but if this is some of the new features I will have to put up with, the stores can keep them. The next generation is supposed to be about making things better. Apparently Sony didn't get the memo!

Normally I reserve this space for games or publishers who deserve a good chastising for things such as lackluster releases for big franchises ( *cough* Activision *cough* ) or games that promise the world but deliver only the dirt ( Are you listening, THQ? ). But today it is time to chastise a game for being too damn good.

Case in point, I bought a copy of World of Warcraft about two weeks ago. And as a result, it has taken over my life. This game is like crack, but legal though still not cheap. The salesguy at the store warned me, I didn't listen. My teenage brunette muchacha warned me, I listened but didn't really believe it.

Well I'm a believer now. World of Warcraft is making a bid for my soul, and I didn't even know it was for sale. Curse you, Blizzard!! Curse you to the depths of Azeroth...dear Lord!

Well after a long wait, I have returned with yet another new rant for all your eager eyeballs. I assure you the absence was not my doing, it was thanks to the wonderful technical team here at GS who can't make a working site. I'll get to that in a minute.

This time, I decided to be a little more brief with the rant because it seems a lot of you complain I write too much and you have emergency surgery to attend to elsewhere to read anything too long. That's alright. I can deal with it, besides just means I can probably do more of these since I won't have to write a dissertation anymore.

Anywho, the 'new and improved' GameSpot is upon us. And at first, I will wholly admit I did not like it. And there are still facets of it I don't like. I see nothing wrong with the old design, it worked fine. But everything has to change at some point, including my fave gaming site.

What I don't get is why they didn't work the bugs out of this thing before going live with it? I mean the site was literally broken and worthless for more than a few days last week. And if I were a GS Complete member, I'd be asking for a day or two worth of refunds.

But for now, it seems to be fixed for the most part. I hope it will grow on me, but as of this point, the new GS is still a bit unwieldly. But that's just my opinion, how about you? Do you guys like it? Hate it? Let's hear from the GS glitterati!

I have had more than one person of late tell me that my journal entries are entirely too long, mainly because everyone who says so informs me that they have a very short attention span. Well before I get to my abbreviated rant this week, I am curious. What do my other readers say? Are they too long? I never thought they were, because if you can read a whole game review here, my rants are not even a third of their size. But anyway, you tell me. If I am being too wordy and making my point too well, I will try to tone it down.

Now onto more important things at the moment, and that would be the fact that Rockstar is trying to get the government involved in regulating the gaming industry. With releases like GTA with the ol' Hot Coffee scene, we as gamers are forced to have to listen to self important bureaucrats that say we are harming ourselves and planning to go out and practice all this violence and fornication. ( I personally have never joined a gang, or beat down a prostitute to take her money, but that doesn't apparently count. )

The worst part is Rockstar is hiding behind the 1st amendment here. Now I am a huge believer in that particular amendment, but what they are accomplishing here is helping blowhard politicians get re-elected by people who don't play games and just trust whatever comes out of the talking head. In a previous entry, yours truly defended Rockstar because I believed them when they said it was a hacker mod for the game. Well when I found out that they lied, yours truly took a much dimmer view of the company as a whole.

I realize that they want to be known as the bad boy of the gaming industry. But you know what? I remember when there were bad boys in my school classes, and invariably when they did something really bad, they weren't the only ones punished. And thanks to the folks at Rockstar, now the entire gaming industry is going to be punished for what one "bad boy" did.

Sure, people like Jack Thompson and Sen. Clinton are pompous and self important windbags. But that doesn't mean we should be giving them any ammo for them to continue their biased and pointless rhetoric. In short, trying to get one over on "the man" rarely works because sooner or later, someone has to pay for it in the end. And in this case, it will be us.

Yours truly is very happy to announce that the Real Gamers' Union is building very nicely. Since I started, I have been able to keep my word. Nary one invitation has gone out without a request for it. And on top of that, it seems a lot more applications are coming in than I anticipated. Long story short, ultimately it's the membership who makes the union special. And I got a feeling all of us here in this union are in for something special.

I know I have been ranting quite a bit lately about the PSP stuff, and well it's going to continue. How many racing games do we need for this thing? There are already so many of them, and granted the best are Ridge Racer and Burnout (which I have heard is good but I haven't played). And while I am on that, I am beyond ready for someone to do something new in a racing game. They are all the same. There has been nothing innovative in that field in forever. The other genres have had defining moments, this one hasn't.

As a racing game lover (but not of the sport), I can't help feeling like no one is giving this genre much in the way of new blood. They all have the same formula. You drive around trying to unlock new tracks and cars. And in some cases, some really worthless content you unlock as well. But the point is, these games need something to really set them apart. The last game to really do anything new is Burnout, and even that wasn't a huge leap. It just rewarded you for bad driving instead of punishing you for it.

I just want something more in my racing games. How about maybe a story mode? I know a couple games have tried it, but none successfully. ( R: Racing Evolution, I'm looking at you ). But just because it hasn't been done right so far doesn't mean the developers should give up on it. So many companies can make a good racing game, but none of them seem to be able to make it interesting. Most people play just to unlock stuff, not because of a driving interest (no pun intended) to see what happens next.

The thing that troubles me is when something becomes so formulaic, chances are it won't be around a lot longer. Every aspect of gaming needs innovation, including this one most of all. We all know what GTA did for open ended gameplay, well now it's racing games' turn.

In short, it's time to turn the corner before we hit the dead end.

It is time once again for another episode of Mind Squeezins, where yours truly waxes poetic over damn near anything in the world of gaming that I feel the urge to pontificate upon. I am really starting to like this "stream of consciousness" kind of journal entry, because it lets me get a lot of stuff off my chest in one big entry. Though I still plan to rant quite frequently. So let's get right to it, shall we?

Sony is entering the virtual goods market. This is old news really, but let me explain for those of you who may not be up on what I'm referring to. There is a huge multi-million dollar industry inside gaming that sells virtual content on games like EverQuest and World of Warcraft. For a lump sum, you can buy that shiny axe you've been wanting, among other things. Sony claims it is to help deter people from getting scammed by people who just take your money and never deliver. But for those of us who have a brain, we all know that has little to do with it. This is all about the almighty dollar. You think Sony gives a damn if you lose a few hundred bucks to some online scammer? Hell no, not as long as you keep a few bucks free on that credit card to renew that subscription to whichever game you play.

Nintendogs sells an ass-load of copies since its debut. I hardly call this a news item, since anyone could see this happening. And the fact that you still can't find certain versions, if any, in stores is more mute testament to that fact. As one who has played Nintendogs and owns a copy, I assure you that the novelty wears off quickly. After you have pooper-scooped some little digital doo-doo a few times, then playing the game becomes more of a chore. I'm glad some like it, it got old with me.

After having bought a PSP the other week after months of yearning, I find I should have done a little more waiting perhaps and even a little research. Why, you ask? Well quite frankly, where the hell are all the games? The PSP is starting to remind me of my beloved little Gamecube, in that when a new game for it comes out, you probably should replace the batteries in your clock. I know tons are coming, but after six months and only about 15-20 games, that's a little pathetic. Most consoles launch with that many titles, let alone have to wait half a year to get that many.

The GameBoy Micro is coming on September 19th. This is apparently aimed at the crowd who thinks the GBA SP is a little geeky to play in public. To these fine folks I say: If you play games, you already qualify as a geek in one form or fashion. Get over yourselves. Paying $20 more for a system with a smaller screen and no real modifications doesn't make you a savvy gamer. It makes you rather foolish, period.

Is it just me, or does the 1-up gaming site have about the ugliest design in gaming? I was visiting the EGM section last week, and I was amazed at its sheer ugliness. Also the fact that you have to click a link on two separate pages (so they can show you a little more advertising) to get to the article you want to read is a little irritating too.

IGN is bought by News Corp. for about $800 million dollars? Hahahahahahahahaha! Talk about getting ripped off! I could think of far smarter uses for that money if I wanted to buy a gaming site. I better stop here, for fear I'll start seeing a Fox News banner in the corner of the GameSpot site.

Why are gaming review sites and magazines docking points for a Gamecube game that doesn't have online capability? Case in point, the latest issue of EGM reviews Day of Reckoning 2 for the Gamecube. And in the cons listing, they put "no online play." Why is this a con? The Gamecube does not go online. It never will. That's like me reviewing Hello Kitty: Roller Rescue and knocking off points for it not having a first person shooter aspect. EGM, get over it!

And there you have yet another edition of Mind Squeezins. The opinions expressed are mine, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the gaming populace, though they should.

You guys never cease to amaze me. It was barely two weeks ago that I was commenting on how the charters of my union failed to respond in time. ( Well 2 in particular. ) So today, I once again attempt to start my union with new charter invitees, and what do you do? You accept within 2 hours of me sending out the invitations. For those of you who did, I appreciate it. For those who have not yet, what the heck are we waiting for!

As of right now, it is official! The Real Gamer's Union is LIVE! And as I promised before this thing even started, this union will hold a few policies as strict by-laws. The most important? Well that's simple. I, nor anyone in my group, shall send out mass invites to anyone who didn't ask for one. Because most of you, like me, are sick of getting masses of invites to unions you have no interest in just because you were on someone's friends list.

That's a thing of the past with this group. Another rule? This union is for people who have intelligent comments to add to the milieu. Not one member will be flaming anyone for their opinion, no matter if it is in disagreement with theirs or mine. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, not to mention mine! And what will happen to those who join but do not follow these two simple rules? Well they shall be excommunicated expeditiously.

In this union, anything goes! You can talk about games, game hardware, GameSpot itself, etc. If it is gaming related, it has a place here. I'm tired of these other unions with no direction. This one will have a direction, and I will go out of my way to make it fun and interesting for all involved. In short, the inmates are running the asylum here!

The Real Gamer's Union is here! Let the fun begin! If you would like an invitation, send me a PM or leave a comment here, and I will see to it you get one. Thanks to all my charters for what has to be a record sign-up! Look out, GameSpot! Here we come!

Those of you who have your own PSP will likely relate to what I plan to talk about here. Those of you who have a DS will likely relate in other ways. And those of you who have neither? Well now you can learn something about both systems and perhaps pick which one you want to get first. Now having both handhelds and having played both handhelds, I can see a clear cut winner in several categories for each system. So if you are basing a future purchase on one of the following categories, allow me to enlighten you and help you decide post haste.

Graphics - Hands down, the PSP is the winner in the graphics department. The thing is basically a miniature PS2. The processors are roughly the same speed, and the games released for it are roughly PS2 ports. Looking at games on both systems, it is very clear which one looks better. While the PSP is a mini-PS2, the DS is basically the N64 with a stick!

Sound - Now this one may prove surprising, but the DS wins in the sound department for me. When I play games on the DS, the sound is rich and full. It is in stereo, which is the main reason for that. Now I'm not knocking the PSP, but those two tiny speakers don't stack up. I'm not saying the sound is bad, it's just not as good as I have become accustomed to with my little blue DS. Nintendo wins that round!

Battery - Well the DS wins here again. The DS lasts about twice as long after a full charge than does the sleek and stylish PSP. Though there are caveats here. The PSP takes about half as long to fully charge than its competition however. In playing Darkstalkers relentlessly, the constant recharging over the past few days has shown me the reason for the PSP's untimely battery life. Basically put, the PSP does a helluva lot more than the dual screened DS, so it only makes sense that it eats up more power.

Games - This one is hard, because neither system seems to have a ton of games to compare against right now. The DS has most of the best games yet to be released, and the PSP is pretty much the same. Neither system has that one killer game you have to have. Some might argue that Nintendogs is that for the DS. Now I enjoy that game greatly, but something tells me the DS killer app won't arrive till Mario Kart hits store shelves. And as for the PSP? Well when GTA comes out for it, whoo boy! The winner? I think this one is a tie right now.

Price - This is where the PSP loses its shirt. And this is also what kept me from getting the PSP first. When I first decided to get a handheld, both were out. I chose the DS mainly because it was less expensive. I wanted a PSP, but $250 for a box of stuff ( half of which I'd never use ) was a bit exorbitant. And I think that is why Sony hasn't sold more of these things. The DS has far more buyers than the PSP, from what I have read at least. Sony should trim down that "value" pack a bit, and attract gamers who can't afford to shell out $250 a pop. On top of that, the peripherals are so high for the PSP. The DS has few peripherals, so less money. DS wins this one easily.

I'm not going to declare either system the best, because each system offers something different. The PSP is for those who love traditional games like you would find on most any console. The DS is for those of you who like something different. If you like traditional, go for the PSP. If you are not afraid to try something new, the DS has that in spades. It's really just a matter of preference. And what do I prefer, you may ask? I have no favorite. But until I get more games for my little PSP, the DS still eats up most of my handheld gaming time.

I guess the debate will rage on, though there really is no debate to me. If you can only afford one, get which appeals most to you. You can't really go wrong with either system. And from the looks of things, neither one is going anywhere anytime soon. The key, my friends, is pick the one you think you will have the most fun with. We can quibble on minor points all day, but the single and most important factor is fun. Always has been, always will be.

Well it looks like my union isn't going to make, mainly because I picked the wrong folks for charter members. Most of them haven't even replied to the invitation yet. But I'm not worried, my friends, as shortly I will try to reform it again if no one has stolen the name. ( And if they have, I will figure out a new one. ) And I have also learned whom will be charter invitees the next go round, namely the folks who did charter this time and the majority who sent me PMs and board comments asking to join. This union will be made!! So let it be said, so let it be done! ( Quoting Moses is not my thing, but it seemed like a good idea, so why fight the feeling! )

In other happier news, I am proud to report that I am the happy new owner of a brand new PSP. While at Wal-Mart, I decided to bite the bullet and shell out the big dough to get myself one of these bad boys. As a result, I had to get a game to go with it, right? So yours truly picked Darkstalkers Chronicle: Chaos Tower. And I didn't stop there. No, the madness consumed me. I had to have a peripheral. Namely the little cable that lets you hook it to your PC, so I could download video and whatnot to my new little friend.

I have wanted a PSP since the blasted thing came out, but I didn't want all the extra Sony was packing in so they could charge $250! I didn't need a headphone jack. I live alone, who am I going to bother with the sound? I didn't need a wrist strap. The case may come in handy though. The only real things I needed were the system, the charger, and the memory stick. I kept waiting for Sony to offer the bare bones package, but nope it hadn't happened. So anyway, I'm about $300 poorer now but I chalk it up to the fact I would have bought one sooner or later. I guess you can say I chose sooner.

The next PSP game I plan to make mine is Lumines. Everyone tells me how addictive and fun this game is, and well that's good enough for me. Besides I love Meteos, which is made by the very same folks who made Lumines. I figure I can't go wrong in that case. I have yet to read one dissenting opinion on the game, though I probably will find one now.

I do have a question for the PSP buffs out there. I wanted Chaos Tower since I heard about it, and Lumines is the next purchase. What else does the GS glitterati recommend? How about a good racing game? Seems the PSP has plenty of those. Wipeout? Ridge Racer? What about a good adventure or action game? Sound off, my extended family! Let your voice be heard, if by no one else but me!