Patapon

One of the best series on the PlayStation Portable, Patapon is a fantastic rhythm based game franchise that has spanned 3 iterations. Developed by Pyramid Inc., with the help of Sonys Japan Studio it has helped bolster the PSPs rather meek library. But with the developer now working on a PS3 title, Patapon might be coming to everyones favorite home console.

Following the successful launch of the PSP Essentials range back in May last year, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has revealed a number of titles that are set to benefit from an even greater price reduction. Originally launched as a wallet-friendly £9.99 range, a selection of PSP Essentials titles are now available from only £6.99 on PlayStation Network.

Ironstar: There is a mysterious countdown on the Sony Japan website that flashes an image that looks like the...

Former Sony PR guy and comedian Dave Karraker revealed that Patapon was originally set to be a PSN game before it was moved onto the PSP. Karraker guested on this week's Mobcast (Bitmob's official podcast) and revealed that this had been the plan for the franchise. Surely this breathes a little more life into rumors that the game will, one day, come to the PlayStation 3.

PlayStation LifeStyle writes: These game cards have now have had enough time to trickle into retailers nationwide, and Sony is already showing major support at a retail level with a variety of PlayStation Network Game Cards.

WorthPlaying contacted SCEA to find out if it planned to match the PSPgo Rewards program announced by SCEE this morning and was told that Sony had no plans at this time to match the European offer. There hasn't been any announcement yet that there will be an equivalent rewards program for North America...

Joystiq: Patapon 2 is finally coming to the PSP in North America. While associate producer Chris Hinojosa-Miranda couldn't precisely explain why the title has taken so long to reach its final destination, he did say that the added time provided more focus on localization and translation. (Even still, we manged to spot a few lingering instances of Engrish.)

Chris Hinojosa-Miranda // Associate Producer, SCEA writes: It brings me great pleasure to inform you that yesterday marked the anniversary of a very special day in Patapon history…P-DAY. It was a year ago (plus one day) that millions of spear-wielding, music-loving, monster-fighting, stew-making, desert-crossing, drum-beating Eyeballs invaded homes across America with their hypnotic mind-altering songs. It was on that day that the skies darkened with spears and arrows; it was this day that Zigoton blood saturated the earth. Many Patapon's fell during the great battle for Earthend… and those who survived… well you know how the story ends. So to honor this great and momentous holiday, this Day of days, we here at SCEA feel that its only fair to officially announce that the tribal drums of war have started to beat once again… the dark hour of dance-battle is upon us… Patapon 2 is in the horizon! Oh-Yeah!

Gamasutra writes: Media Molecule's LittleBigPlanet leads the nominees for the ninth annual Game Developers Choice Awards with seven nominations, organizers have revealed. Number None's Braid follows closely with five nominations. Among the nominations for LittleBigPlanet is the coveted Game of the Year award. Other nominees for that category include Fallout 3 and Left 4 Dead, each of which received a total of four award nominations; Rockstar North's Grand Theft Auto IV, which earned a total of three nominations, and Lionhead Studios' Fable 2. Winners will be honored at an awards show taking place during the 2009 Game Developers Conference.

Free for readers of the Official PSP Guidebook and GamesRadar - download the below zip file (37.7mb) to get 30 ready-to-use PSP wallpapers from some of the hottest games on the console, including Resistance: Retribution, Patapon and LocoRoco 2. There's even some Harry Potter in there too.