PSP World

Namco showing seven for PSP at E3

Namco Bandai has announced its E3 2006 lineup, and it includes no less than seven PSP titles. Three of them are based on licensed franchises — Peanuts and The Fast and Furious — while another, Legend of Heroes II, is a PSP sequel. The games include:

Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception

This first PSP system installment of the popular Ace Combat franchise features an all new world and story, as well as a suite of licensed aircraft. New additions include original aircraft and wireless multiplayer. Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception also features a Strategic AI System where mission objectives reflect a player's decision. Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception flies into stores in Fall 2006.

Charlie Brown's All-Stars

Play as one of 30 Peanuts characters as you try and help Charlie Brown end his 900-game losing streak in baseball. In addition to the baseball, players can also take part in Party Games, including batting, fielding and pitching contests, as well as a good ol' fashioned game of "Lucy Says." Throughout the progression of the game, players will enter into classic Peanuts storylines and will be challenged to unlock every baseball-related Peanuts strip. Charlie Brown's All-Stars has a tentative release date of Spring 2007, although the title has not been concept approved by Sony Computer Entertainment America as of this story.

The Fast and The Furious

Inspired by Universal Pictures' upcoming film, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, this game will immerse players in the underground world of drift racing - a form of racing that replaces simple drag racing with a rubber-burning, automotive art form that consists of a balance of speeding and gliding through a course of hairpin turns and switchbacks. The game features a new drift mechanic that makes drifting accessible to both beginning and veteran racing game drivers. The gameplay features new systems like the Drift Indicator that help make The Fast and the Furious an accessible drifting experience. The game is expected at retailers in Summer 2006.

The Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch

The second installment of the franchise for PSP, in The Legend of Heroes II: Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch players embark on a pilgrimage to find 5 shrines in Tirasweel, and discover a mystery left behind by a mysterious witch. Enemies appear on the world map, eliminating random battles. They can gauge the player's strength and will "turn tail and run" if they sense the player is stronger than they are. Legend of Heroes II should arrive in June 2006.

Pac-Man World Rally

Pac-Man World Rally lets players race through a variety of environments from Pac-Man World as Pac-Man, Pac Jr. and other characters from past Namco titles. Players will race for the win or fight it out in colorful Battle Arenas with special weapons, power-ups and a variety of Pac-Man powers. The game arrives in Summer 2006.

Snoopy vs. The Red Baron

Join Snoopy in his dreams as he becomes a virtuoso flying ace, piloting his World War I bi-plane in a heroic attempt to foil the plans of his archenemy, the Red Baron. Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang will be around as you fly through the six levels. Pilot Snoopy's famous Sopwith Camel and other unique aircraft in perilous sky-high dogfights, air races and missions with dozens of comical weapons and gadgets at your disposal. Snoopy vs. The Red Baron is expected on store shelves in Fall 2006.

Tekken: Dark Resurrection

Tekken will make its debut on the PSP this summer with Tekken: Dark Resurrection. The game will have 19 stages with destructible objects, and players will have the choice of two new characters - Lili and Dragunov - allowing for more than 30 playable characters. This extensive list of characters is possible through character customization with more than double the items seen in Tekken 5. Using the wireless connectivity of the PSP system, players can battle friends using their customized characters. Tekken arrives on the PSP system in Summer 2006.