Remember when we used to see a handful of games appear on this list each week, often with a must-have appearing every other week? That hasn't happened in a long time, and it certainly isn't happening this week. We're left empty-handed yet again in the United States, as is Europe. Japan gets a few re-releases, and Australia comes up with Hellboy: The Science of Evil. Keep moving people, nothing to see here.

United States:

None

Europe:

None

Japan:

Burnout Dominator [EA Best Hits] (EA Sports) - August 21st

Tiger Colosseum [Best Price!] (Capcom) - August 21st

Australia:

Hellboy: The Science of Evil (Konami) - August 22nd

Please note: Release dates are liable to change at any time. We provide you with the most up-to-date information each week, here at PSP-Vault. Call your local game provider to verify the release date before ordering.

A respectable amount of content makes its way to the US Playstation Store (PC) this week, with Street Fighter Alpha as a newly available PSone classic, with some added themes and wallpapers. We'll take it!


PSone classics:

Street Fighter Alpha ($5.99)

PSP Themes:

Bionic Commando: Rearmed Theme

PSP Wallpaper:

Hot Shots Golf Open Tee 2 Wallpaper (x2)

Madden NFL 09 Wallpaper (x2)

Downloading content from the Playstation Store to your PSP requires the Playstation Network Downloader, which is currently only Windows-compatible. Your PSP must be at firmware 3.70 or above, and a USB cable is required.

With a rather surprising turn of events this Summer, one of the NFL's greatest quarterbacks, Brett Favre, has returned from retirement and been traded to the New York Jets. Now surely we wouldn't post this bit of news on PSP-Vault, unless it had some significance to the Playstation Portable. With EA Sports deciding to put Favre on the Madden 09 cover this year, anyone running to their local GameStop will see him in Packer's green and yellow on the front cover.

To cover this last-minute happening, EA Sports has released updated covers for each console, which you can download and slide over the current cover. The new covers feature Favre in his new Jets jersey. Each cover is available for download on the EA Sports website. The direct link to the PSP cover can be found here.

This week is all about the new Madden NFL 09, which features recently-traded, New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre on the cover, as well as improved, adaptable gameplay and a better online experience. Madden aside, there isn't much to look forward to this week, with a few local titles in Japan, and Hellboy: The Science of Evil.

United States:

Sony PSP Madden 2009 Bundle (EA Sports) - August 12th

Madden NFL 09 (EA Sports) - August 12th

Europe:

Hellboy: The Science of Evil (Konami) - August 15th

Madden NFL 09 (EA Sports) - August 15th

Japan:

Madden NFL 09 (EA Sports) - August 12th

Crazy Taxi: Double Punch (SEGA) - August 14th

Memories Off Sorekara (Cyber Front) - August 14th

Omoide ni Kawaru-Kun: Memories Off (Cyber Front) - August 14th

Australia:

Madden NFL 09 (EA Sports) - August 14th

Please note: Release dates are liable to change at any time. We provide you with the most up-to-date information each week, here at PSP-Vault. Call your local game provider to verify the release date before ordering.

Remember the Extended Life Battery Kit that Sony revealed late last year? The one that almost doubles your battery life (~80%), and adds a bit of junk to your PSP-2000's trunk? Well, Sony has just announced that they will be discontinuing the peripheral. Said SCEA's Al de Leon, "..we are discontinuing this product as we look for other opportunities to service the consumer."

I'm thinking we may see a more properly-sized replaceable battery, or perhaps they're working on a new method altogether. In either case, if you're interested in some extended game play, you may want to run out and snag one of these bad boys before they're pulled.