While the rest of the world watches, GPS continues to gain support and popularity in Japan. The latest commercial for Minna no Golf showcases a happy woman playing golf. Then, she uses the GPS device on her PSP to get details on the course she's actually playing on. Yatta!

It's interesting to see SCEJ promote the GPS peripheral so strongly in Japan. Certainly, the diminutive device deserves to get all the attention it can get. When will the rest of the world be able to join in?

[Update: IGN has revealed more details about the GPS support of Minna no Golf Ba. The game spans two UMDs due to the incredible size of these maps. "The first disk will include sixteen courses from southern Chiba along with one special course. The second disk will include fifteen courses from northern Chiba." Additional volumes are planned to be released later on, featuring even more golf courses throughout Japan.]

File Size: 157MB
Price: $5.99
Developed By: Clap Hanz
Published By: Sony Computer Entertainment of America
Original Release Date: February 29, 2000

Short Review
Recommended. For better or for worse, the golf genre's lack of significant evolution makes Hot Shots Golf 2 an incredibly worthwhile purchase. The graphics have aged very well, and the quick load times make this $6 purchase just as worthwhile as other fully priced modern golf games.

It doesn't seem that many games are released in Europe before they are in the U.S., but ProStroke Golf: World Tour 2007 was released last month in Europe, and publisher Oxygen Interactive (No, not the women's tv channel) recently announced the game will make it across the pond Nov. 10.

In addition to the release date, Oxygen also released information about how it's highly-touted "Prostroke" control system, which supposedly gives the player complete control of their shot, actually works.

The press release goes into painful detail about the shot, and I'm sure you probably don't want to read it all. Basically, you start your swing just like any other golf game by aiming the direction of your shot, but after you select your aim, you can zoom in even further to more accurately aim your shot. The actual swing is started by pressing and holding the R shoulder button. Once you've attained the desired power, you press the L shoulder button then release the R button to start the downswing. When the power gauge reaches close to zero, you release the L button, and you're shot is off.

Pretty simple, eh?

The upcoming camera and GPS peripherals have been getting a lot of attention, most notably because they have the ability to extend the PSP's already impressive capability set, and interface with games in new, original ways. One of the more creative examples we mentioned earlier was Hot Shot Golf's communication with GPS that transforms the game into a personal golf assistant when you're actually on one of Japan's golf courses. According to IT Media, this can become the "golf tool of the new age." This will certainly bring in a very unique audience to the world of gaming: golfers, who might pick up a PSP just to get all the golf data they could ever want. (But we wonder, how many people will actually use this functionality? And: will it work on US golf courses?)

Of course, Hot Shots Golf isn't the only game using PSP's GPS feature. Read on to see how other software is taking advantage of the device.

The fine folks of PSP Vault appear to have discovered a few new screenshots and details of the upcoming PSP accessories:

• The camera uses Chotto Shot, a program that lets you edit your movies. Using AdHoc, you'll be able to transmit videos to other PSP owners.
• Hot Shots Golf will let you plan your golf shots on actual golf courses in Japan.
• The GPS functionality will help you locate other Metal Gear Solid players.

Read - Camera details revealed
Read - GPS details revealed

[Update 1: IGN has revealed new pictures from the GPS interface.]
[Update 2: Vault reveals hints about MGS GPS functionality.]

GTAPortable.com has been keeping an eye out for everything Vice City Stories-related, and they've uncovered a plethora of new information for this highly anticipated PSP exclusive.

• Golf is now a playable mini-game. It will be played using only one button.
• "Empire Building" mode allows you to act like The Godfather and invest in businesses throughout the city. Depending on how much you've invested, and how the business is doing, you can make a fair sum of money... so long as you provide the proper protection. You can hire bodyguards, and when the business isn't being hit, it acts like a Safe House for you to save at. Taking a page from Sim City, you'll be able to place the businesses throughout the city, and proper placement can lead to the mad profit (an example cited by GTAPortable.com is a drug extortion business nearby an airport). Spanning over thirty buildings, this mode seems to add a hefty amount of gameplay to an already massive game. Business types can include protection, extortion, and prostitution, with many more to come.
• Like in Liberty City Stories, there will be load times between the major islands, but surprisingly this time around, the loads will be even shorter, according to TotalVideoGames.
• Not only can you ride around in helicopters, you can ride around in jets, according to an IGN preview. Although there is no infrstructure multiplayer, there will be more multiplayer modes to compete in.
• And unfortunately for German and Australian players, the game will be censored, according to Gamepro.de.

This really does seem like it's going to be one of the best games of 2006, not only on the PSP, but across all platforms. The depth of this game is incredible, and the fact that it's on a handheld is even more amazing. The game comes out on October 30th for $50.

I'm not very familiar with ProStroke Golf, which recently had a name change from World Tour Golf, but it released today in Europe and will release in a few months here. The game focuses on "the perfect swing above all else. The game lets you alter all aspects of your shot, from your position on the ball to the path of the club, allowing you to play shots exactly as you would in real life," according to Gamespot.

Developer Gusto Games added in real golfers like Ian Woosnam, Sergio Garcia, and Mark O'Meara and a total of 18 different courses.

"All versions of the game will include four-player multiplayer modes, though, including the PSP version over ad hoc wireless. Also, if you've created a map and want to play it with your friend, the PSP will stream the map over to them so that they can try out your designs," said Struan Robertson, ProStroke Golf's producer.

Sweet! I'm a sucker for map editors, especially when I can share them with friends.

(Via FCS Publishing/Gamespot)

Damn whoever reported the mostly innocent video of asian girls posing with the PSP as "inappropriate." It looks like we'll have to find love somewhere else... maybe yet another ecchi Japanese PSP video game? Sure thing! (These kinds of games are a bit TOO easy to find in Japan...) Simple 2500 promises the simple pleasures of life: shogi, limbo, shopping, golf... and girls. Really, really young girls too. You get to play with your choice of three girls: Riho, Yutaka and Haruka. Yutaka (pictured) has some curves... and is only 14 years old!

JAIL BAIT!!! For more pictures of the girls playing their simple games, head over to Famitsu.

[Via QJ]