My birthday's coming up near the end of the month, and it would be awesome if I got a PSP. Is this crazy? I know that the Vita is out and all, and that I could just download PSP games onto it, but that's extremely price-y and I kinda like having a box copy of my games. And I really want to play Persona 3 Portable. So...what do you guys think? Have I completely lost it? Or is it worth it for Persona and any other game I decide to pick up?

I get your boxed copy of games idea, I'm the same, but after getting a Vita last week, yes you are crazy. The screen is so much better, and for the difference in price, you get much more.

I bought a PSP Go pretty much just to play P3P. After that I picked up P2: Innocent Sin and don't have much regrets.

You are not crazy my friend.

The PSP is a great system, and there's plenty of other good games to keep you busy for a long while.

NO! You're not crazy. The PSP's been out for like 8 years now, and over that time... a dozen or so games have come out that I'm interested in playing. 'course they aren't all available for download on the Vita and the ones that are are super expensive, so if you're like me, a PSP is probably the way to go. Though I'm one of those crazy fuckers who bought a Vita mostly for Persona 4: Golden. On a somewhat related note, I'd argue that P3: FES is the superior version of the game to the death.

How much would it be? Because a price-cut/super-bundle for the Vita in the near future isn't all too unlikely I would have thought. Plus, if you love Persona so much (I don't blame you), wouldn't you want the machine that can play Persona 4 Golden, which seems to be a universally lauded version of an already bona fide classic of a game?

@Rokkaku: Probably around $130 for the game and memory card and everything. And I kinda just played Persona 4...so...I dunno.

@TooWalrus: BUT IN P3P YOU ACTUALLY GET SOCIAL LINKS WITH YOUR TEAM WHEN YOU PLAY WITH THE FEMALE CHARACTER AND I WANT THAT

I've had a PSP since they originally came out. I can honestly say I've only used it maybe a dozen times since then.

Don't get a PSP. If you really want a handheld system, get a Vita. And even then, think about it a little bit. Are there games out, or coming out for that system that you want to play?

Do you have a reason to want/need a portable system (such as long rides to work/school) or do you just want one "just because"?

@MetalGearSunny said:

@Rokkaku: Probably around $130 for the game and memory card and everything. And I kinda just played Persona 4...so...I dunno.

@TooWalrus: BUT IN P3P YOU ACTUALLY GET SOCIAL LINKS WITH YOUR TEAM WHEN YOU PLAY WITH THE FEMALE CHARACTER AND I WANT THAT

Yeah but you also get to stare at static character portraits for 100 hours while the backgrounds are just screenshots of the PS2 game and after playing Golden going back to that bullshit would be IMPOSSIBLE.

Hack it and it's probably the best system this gen. Snes and PS1 games. Also had some of the best jrpgs this gen a bunch of really weird and interesting titles - even the sims 2 game on it was superb in a really weird way.

The PSP is still selling in parts of the world, so you're not crazy. But I'd argue that the Vita will give you a superior experience... Better screen, longer battery life, extensive button remapping options for the right analog stick and the touch screen... Tapping the touchscreen is so much better than having to use the face buttons to advance during story sequences. And I got P3P on sale at 50% off, so the price was pretty nice too.

And of course, after Persona 3, you'll want to play Persona 4, and again the Vita is by far the best option...

@TooWalrus: Try playing Arena lol

@9cupsoftea said:

Hack it and

No.

@MetalGearSunny: ...the lips flap.

My post was going to be:

"Persona 3 Portable. That is all."

but I see you got there first.

I would get the second PSP if at all, I didn't really like my time with he PSP. But I had my first fun online experience with MGSPO.

@TooWalrus said:

@MetalGearSunny: ...the lips flap.

you can see their panties.

If you can get a Vita then that is the way to go my friend.

Yes, I know, boxed copies and all that. I thought I would miss box copies when I moved to PC gaming. I do not. Trust me, if you want a PSP and can get the Vita, then get the Vita. Besides, guess what else is available on the Vita?

@MetalGearSunny said:

@9cupsoftea said:

Hack it and

No.

Yes. If you decide PSP, then hack it and use it as a GBA. That's the best thing that ever happened to my PSP.

@believer258: @BlackLagoon: I really don't want to spend that much money, and I kinda just finished Persona 4. So I dunno.

I would recommend you just get a Vita. With games starting at around £7.99 for download I think its negligable to want a physical copy. I'm sure you can find a good deal on the Vita and it is a fantastic system - here's hoping it gets a few more amazing games. But even currently its worth the purchase with the large back catelogue of inexpensive psp titles and its a nice system over all. It seems wrong to buy an 8 year old system just to satisify a need for a physical copy of a game.

@Mikey2D said:

It seems wrong to buy an 8 year old system just to satisify a need for a physical copy of a game.

That's a really good point...

Well guys, I really want a Vita now. Thanks.

@MetalGearSunny said:

@believer258: @BlackLagoon: I really don't want to spend that much money, and I kinda just finished Persona 4. So I dunno.

Well, it's your money and your choice - but the PSP is already pretty far out of date. I just think it would be better to wait and save your money and get the better thing, the one that has all the abilities of a PSP and way more. The biggest issue here, really, is that neither system has a ton of games worth playing. The PSP's library is not barren, but it also isn't particularly rich, either, and a lot of games on it are kind of clunky because of the lack of a second analog stick.

No, you are not crazy for wanting a PSP. It's a good system - I'm just saying that the PSVita is the better system right now. Just keep in mind that it doesn't have a bunch of great games either.

Get the Vita, all the Persona games are available for download. I understand the want for a physical copy, but if you really want to play P3P, why not play it on a better screen. Once the Vita gets going, I think it will attract a lot of the great games like it did on the PSP. I don't think the PSP was a smash hit right away was it? Plus there are a lot of great games for the system like Disgaea 3, Virtue's Last Reward, Persona 4 Golden, Virtue's Last Reward, Ass-assin's Creed 3, Virtue's Last Reward, Gravity Rush, Uncharted, and of course Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward. Seriously get that game. Just make sure to get a biiiiiig memory card, because damn son, you gonna be downloading those PSP games.

1) Get a Vita and a 32GB memory card.
2) Download Persona 3 to your Vita.
3) Remove your memory card.
 
There is your physical copy of Persona 3.

For what it's worth, having all my games just on my Vita without having to keep games is really nice for me. I wouldn't necessarily say get a Vita just to play P3P, though. Hopefully there are other things on it you're interested in.

I had a PSP and hated it. I enjoy the Vita quite a bit more.

Digital is the way to go. Reading the discs was extremely noisy on my system and it always distracted me. Plus you have to carry the discs on you, which can be annoying as they are pretty bulky compared to other handhelds.

The analog disc thing was awful as well. I really need a protruding analog stick like the vita has (more like console controllers) then a sliding disc. It's kind of like the 3DS disc but really small and convex instead of concave so it's harder to keep your thumb on it.

At the time the PSP had merits, but if the games you want to play can be played on the Vita I see no reason to grab a PSP.

@Marz said:

Crisis Core is a game worth playing and you can't get that on Vita as far as i know.

I was going to sings the praises of that game as well. It sucks if you can't play it on VITA. If you liked FF7 at all it is a must play.

I have completely different taste from the OP but he is absolutely right about PSP being a good value. The games are super affordable now. Furtheremore there are many games only available as physical copies, meaning that owning an actual PSP is by no means redundant. That said I'm glad people are enjoying their Vitas, I wouldn't mind seeing it succeed, in order for the PSP to have a worthy successor.

Get a PSP Vita and get P3PandPersona 4: Golden and your life will be complete.

Oh and if you want it do be even more complete grab the PSP versions of Persona 1 and Persona 2: Innocent Sin.

And get Persona 2: Eternal Punishment for the PS1 unless you can read Japanese and buy a Persona 2: Eternal Punishment PSP copy imported from Japan.