Boktai, created by legendary game designer Hideo Kojima of Metal Gear Solid fame, was a game in which a player used actual sunlight, from our sun (the real sun, just making sure we’re clear), to burn vampires back to where ever it is they come from. Strange? You see, Kojima wanted not only to make a game that worked on a handheld but to make a game that would only work on a handheld. Admittedly, it would be hard to get an Xbox and TV outside for a little sunshine.

That was several years ago. Since then, I’ve read numerous interviews and opinions on how a portable game should be made. Some think portable game experiences should be short, pick-up-and-play deals. Gaming in bite size chunks because most people don’t have hours and hours of time on the road which is where we assume portable games are being played. While that seems to make sense, I rarely see anyone packing a DS on the bus, and when I do, my first tendency is to think, “that guy’s trying to hard to make the system portable.” He’s thinking, “It’s a portable gaming device. I should play it outside the house. That’s the point, hence the freakin` name!” If that’s the case, then why are the screens so hard to see under daylight.

It got me thinking. What else can we do with these portables if they don’t work that well outside? Besides games, the DS’s functionality is pretty limited right now; however, the PSP has great potential. With its multimedia capabilities, the PSP is basically a pocket LCD screen with speakers and buttons. Think about it.

Yeah, that’s pretty cryptic, but I don’t want to give out too much just yet. Here’s some ideas for things I’ve done previously with my PSP:

1. Handheld Powerpoint Slideshow: This is pretty obvious as a function, but if you haven’t thought of using the PSP this way and you’re an artist shopping around your portfolio, this is a convenient way to do it, if you’re indoors.
2. Trailer Player: Games are visual experiences, so it’s pretty hard to get someone to pre-order a game based solely on you verbal descriptions. Some `em some trailers and show off your ingenuity to your supervisor. Work at Gamestop / EB? See you you can borrow a used PSP to do this. You’ll have to buy your own Memory Stick though.
3. Personal Score: This is kind of a goofy idea I came up with years ago for Halloween. Say, you and a bunch of friends are dressed up as the Turks from Final Fantasy VII. Well, visually, you’re pretty much a bunch of people with suits, not that cool, but what if you could add the Turks theme to the whole ensemble? A PSP with Theater Experience from Nyko might just do the trick. Just remember to snap your fingers in time with the music.

I’ve got a new idea I’m working on and I think that at least some people out there will think it’s really cool. Check back in the next couple weeks to see the fruits of my labors, or something. I’ll leave you with a hint. A downloadable game that doesn’t require hombrew. Intrigued now?