Ridge Racers, Wipeout Pure PSP footage

When it comes to the PlayStation Portable, Ridge Racers and Wipeout Pure are understandably high on our list of priorities. Neither series has put in a particularly memorable turn since the original PlayStation console was the box of choice, but as much as it's tempting to scold Namco and friends for plundering the franchises further, there is still the possibility that they could rediscover that magical something that compelled us to sit up with each until our thumbs were raw and the banging from the neighbours had deteriorated into little sobbing rhythmic yelps of "I kiiiill you".

But then obviously it's going to be difficult to say one way or the other until we get our hands on a PSP unit and some games shortly after the machine debuts in Japan next month - on December 12th, if we haven't rammed that one home enough for it to stick yet. Yet despite our caution both games still make a good case for themselves in video footage released by a group called United Games this past week.

According to United Games, the "shakycam" footage was to be part of the company's forthcoming DVD "What Next?", but was deemed too low quality. Hence they've released it on the internet just in case anybody's interested and, shakiness or not, it's still perfectly watchable - and at 4MB for the "Small" version definitely worth checking out. Here. You can even catch sizeable glimpses of some other PSP titles.

Unlike Ridge Racers, Wipeout Pure isn't, as far as we know, a launch title, but having sat through the pair of them in action we're certainly keen to take either for a spin. Look at the speed! The turning! The... games we remember! Both could be good. Either way, you ought to have a look at the movie.