After much speculation (mostly wishful) over a Nintendo DS version of StarCraft, a portable version has finally been released. The publisher isn't Blizzard, but a few dedicated fans who have ported it as a PSP hack.
StarCraft seems to be a hot console title these days. StarCraft: Ghost was one of the most anticipated games of the year before its postponement, and StarCraft 64 proved that you don't need a keyboard to play the game. While StarCraft is small enough to be transported and played on a USB key, the PSP port adds a new twist - no PC required.
The PSP's design presents both several challenges and several advantages. Sony's restrictive firmware is a major roadblock, and users will have to use different setups depending on whether they are using the 1.x series or the 2.x series. The PSP has far fewer buttons than the Nintendo 64's cumbersome trident, and the screen format is widescreen (16:9), unlike a a standard computer or TV screen (4:3). The PlayStation Portable's screen is still larger than the Nintendo DS', but the PSP has no touch screen, so users used to using the mouse will have a harder time.
The hack is being made by Kid101skater, Idkfawin32, psp333, butterballer360, and Lil13lazin, and is far from complete. The game isn't very playable - there's one (1) sound clip, and sprites for SCVs (playable), minerals (no functionality), and the command centre(no functionality). The group is forging ahead, however, with their current release, v1.2a, having been released yesterday. Keep in mind that this isn't modified source code - it's a third-party clone using original sounds and graphics.
Best of luck to those who have set out to prove that the PSP is worthy of one of the greatest RTSes to grace a handheld or PC screen.
Note that the orignal story was posted at Digg and made it to the front page, with over 400 diggs. Not many gaming stories make it to the front page there - Apple and Microsoft are often the subjects. Considering that Digg is the 345th most trafficked site, and that there are always enough visitors viewing each front page story to overload a server slightly less powerful than GosuGamers', that's a lot of people who still care about StarCraft!
Links
PSP Hacks - Article on the game
PSP 3D - Forum post with more details
PSP 3D - Download StarCraft PSP
