PSP gone on the fritz

It’s with deep regret that I have to announce that my PSP’s navigation pad finally gave out.   I found out about it last Wednesday when my Monster Hunter Freedom character could no longer move sideways or even stop in place.  I thought that was just some quirk which would  just disappear after repeated tries – but when I took it to the the very store where I bought the said unit, my worst fears were realized.      

I am aware that the navigational pad is among the most frequently used buttons in the PSP…especially if one’s a Tekken: Dark Resurrection fan like me (So long, Lili Rochefort!!!  Goodbye, Christie Monteiro!!!!!).   That could also explain why I really had to take extra care when using that pad…the added degree of mobility is just too precious to lose. 

As I write this, my PSP is at the Sony Service Center in Alabang…the kindly receptionist assured me that I could possibly get it back in a week’s time (or maybe two…the PSP repair site is in Balintawak, well up north); hopefully, the total cost of diagnosis and repair would not exceed Php1,300 (the diagnosis alone costs Php300).   Such a pity, as my nephews and nieces didn’t get to see my unit and its various games (aside from Monster Hunter Freedom and Tekken Dark Resurrection, I also have Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops,  NBA Street v3, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and World Tour Soccer.  However, I’m willing to part with Armored Core: Final Frontier). 

Definitely looking forward to the debuts of Devil May Cry and God of War for the PSP over the next six months.   On the other hand, I’m keeping myself at arm’s length away from the clutter of movie tie-in games like 300: Rise to Glory, Ghost Rider and TMNT.

Meanwhile, for some visual stimulation…..