Games are now as central to a smartphone as texting, so the arrival of a mobile that’s PlayStation-certified sounds like a winner in waiting. And, boy, has it kept us waiting.
Look, real buttons! Slide open the Play and you find proper PlayStation controls underneath: a full D-pad and the four familiar symbols. Plus, it has two capacitive touchpads that work as analogue joysticks. These allow you to play proper, con sole-style games as nature intended, unhampered by onscreen virtual efforts. Two Shoulder buttons further increase the versatility.
Consoles usually launch with a handful of titles, so full marks to Sony Ericsson for having over 50 games available within days. They’re mostly Android titles from the Market’s special Xperia Play section, tweaked to work with the controls. And, of course, you can still enjoy the gazillions of other Android games available using the touchscreen.
If there’s a price to be paid for this excellent gaming interface, it’s the amount of trouser it takes up. The phone is decidedly chubby, so you won’t forget you’re carrying it around. The back of the device is curved so that it tapers in every direction, which makes it more comfortable in game play and in your pocket. But still – unless you’re a hardcore gamer its size might put you off.
Feeling nostalgic? Open the PlayStation Pocket app and replay PlayStation classics such as Jumping Jack Flash! and Crash Bandicoot These are the original full games, so they’re much more than casual time-wasters, and the phone’s resolution means they look pin-sharp, although they won’t play in widescreen.
We’re pleased to see the Xperia Play packing the latest Android release, 2.3 (Gingerbread) with its Wi-Fi hotspotting, improved text entry and app management features. And it includes those irresistible (if battery-sapping) moving wallpapers, including a new one that mimics the screen of the original PSP.
If you can stop playing games long enough to make a phone call, you’ll be treated to decent call quality, further improved by built-in noise-cancelling.
The virtual keyboard is big enough for speedy typing thanks to its predictive text suggestions, but we’d still recommend downloading Swift Key.
Vs. iPhone 4
There’s little to choose in terms of 3D graphics skills, but with no hardware controls the iPhone 4 struggles to make console-style games work, handing the Xperia Play an easy victory. However, in casual gaming the iPhone is still way ahead on quantity and quality, with superior build and a more extensive app store.
Tech Specs:
OS Android 2.3 (Gingerbread)
Display 4in, 4B0x854
LED backlit LCD
Storage microSD up to 32GB (8GB supplied)
Processor 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon
Connectivity 3.5mm socket, 3G, A-GPS, Bluetooth, microUSB, Wi-Fi (with DLNA) Camera 5.1 MP (rear), VGA (front)
Video WVGA @ 30Fps
