By: RJ (@rga_02)

As someone who relies on the train for my daily work commute, I have become more of a handheld apologist than ever. Whether if it’s my smartphone, PS Vita, or PSP, you can be sure that I’m burning my retina off staring at these tiny screens.

A majority of these games I play happen to be rhythm games. A few months ago I suggested some Vita rhythm games you should check out and some of you liked that listicle and suggested I do the same for the PSP. So for the five of you, here you go.

Note, some of these games are not sold in the United States and require importing.

Megpoid the Music

Move aside Miku, GUMI is here to take the spotlight……or at least try to.

This game flew over the heads of many. You could blame it on its relatively late release (2013 for a PSP game) or that the Ranka Lee-inspired GUMI isn’t that popular compared to her blue-haired counterpart. But don’t let its unpopularity sway you from checking this game out. 

Megpoid the Music is a more relaxed version of Hatsune Miku - which could be a good or bad thing for you. The gameplay is extremely trivialized and the customization is next to none. The songs are pretty great though. If you want some quick Vocaloid gaming, then this is for you. Just don’t expect anything more.

DJMax Portable Black Square

DJMAX Respect labeled itself in its press release as “The Dark Souls of rhythm games.” While that game does have its difficult moments, it doesn’t pale to the frustration - and joy you will get from Black Square. It’s hard but in a gratifying way. The game sucks you into a deep trance, telling your mind to better yourself with every fail screen you will encounter. 

Don’t fret, however. There is an “auto-correct” feature where if you press the wrong button, then you will still get note right. While hardcore players may gawk at this, for those with difficulty with the harder button modes, it’s a godsend.

THE iDOLM@STER SHINY FESTA

If you are an existing iDOLM@STER fan or are looking to get into the video games then the Shiny Festa series is worth checking out. Compared to the console games, these games don’t rely heavily on the development of your idols. It’s a near-true rhythm game experience with an included anime for you to watch.

You don’t need to purchase all three for the full experience as each game is self-contained. 

Pop'n Music Portable

For those who don’t have access to an imported PS2 or a Round 1 arcade, the PSP will be your best bet to experience this colorful series. Don’t be intimidated by the nine button prompts, you can ease in your way through the lower button difficulties. And while the control scheme is downright awkward due to the ergonomics of the PSP, this can be changed via the settings.

This game is roughly based on the arcade release of pop’n music 15 ADVENTURE, so you will have access to 81 songs which is quite staggering for a portable rhythm game from that era.

Patapon

My words can’t describe how fun this game is. Just watch this video and you’ll see why.