The Top 5 Imported Games for the PSP

The PSP has a lot of games available for it, and in pretty much every genre you could ask for. But one of the sore points is that there are titles produced which never make it to the US. For the true gamer, it’s not a problem dealing with a higher price or a menu that is only partly in English or not at all or having to tweak the game to play it. Nor are imports as hard to find and buy as they used to be - thank the power of the Internet and a credit card or Paypal for that.

So here’s five games that really rock the boat and show why gaming in the USA shouldn’t be confined to just what can be found on our shores.

Japanese animation titles (or “anime”) are hugely popular, and the story of the spiked orange haired high-schooler who sees Ghosts and fights evil like a crazed Samurai with a sword is both broad and epic. Get ready for plenty of 3D-type fightring action with lots of smack-down potential (especially when involved in a tag team match). All kinds of new moves and power ups too. And yeh, if the first 4 versions sell, do another one but pump it up good.

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It took Rock Band and Guitar Hero to prove what everybody already knew - that a video game could be based around music, not violence, and score big. in this case that means tapping along to tunes using combinations of buttons and your innate sense of rhythm. More than enough tunes to give you a challenge and the graphics accompanying it all are splendid enough to keep your attention but relaxed enough not to deter you from the job at hand. And sure there's multiplayer and online for those who like to socialize.

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Tekken DR (Dark Resurrection) is a strong conversion from the PS2 version - looking more compact and potent on the small handheld screen. There's all the action and secrets and content and characters that made the arcade version so hot. So for sure gamers will quickly get into the zone and start battling like nobody's business. Fighting, stories, unlockables, characters and more all juiced up with great looking graphics.

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Easy to pronounce? Well, no but get past that and dive into a virtual drum set as the icons warp past the screen and has you punching the buttons in time with the beat. This sequel to the original beefs up the number of songs and adds competitive and co-op multiplayer modes. Graphics for sure and even a story line grinding it all together. Enjoy the rim shots.

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Funny how this one works - taking a combination of role playing and battling and some stereotypical characters out to save the world while lost in the mystical land of Eternia filled with Dinos that never made it onto the Flintstones....

Good battle system makes it work, the mini-games keep one's interest and yeh the music is kinda nostalgic but then sometimes so are we.

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Now it's true that many if not most of the really hot games will end up being converted to sell here in the States - but who wants to wait? Not to mention having to put up with changes some company PR guy or gal deemed necessary for us "Yanks." Forget that and go for the original version if you want to see what all the fun is about.