Sony’s PlayStation Portable launched in Japan to much fanfare on December 12, a mere 10 days after Nintendo’s DS arrived on the scene. Due to hardware shortages, initial sales figures were a bit weak when compared to DS, but the excitement surrounding the launch completely dwarfed that of Nintendo’s effort. Thousands of gamers lined up as much as 24 hours in advance to be among the first to get their hands on the sexy new handheld. Several stores reported lines of over 300 people waiting all night; the Shinjuku branch of Yodobashi Camera, one of Tokyo’s famous electronics outlets, had over 1,500 people queued up by the time it opened its doors at 6 a.m. We also hit the crowded streets to chat about PSP with some of these anxious gamers.

Yoshiyuki Sasaki (21), Tokyo, Japan

EGM: Which PSP games did you buy?

TK: Vampire Chronicle [dubbed Darkstalkers here], Minna no Golf Portable [Hot Shots], and Lumines.

Hiroko Minamoto (28), Tokyo, Japan

EGM: What about PSP excites you?

HM: It’s a sexy new gadget, like my

iPod. And PSP doesn’t feel like just a game machine.

Andrew Aitkin (26), Toronto, Canada

EGM: What do you plan to use your new PSP for?

AA: Games first, definitely. Then music. Movies are a distant third.

Copyright © 2005 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in Electronic Gaming Monthly.