Mobile gamers, warm up your thumbs because PlayStation Mobile has arrived on Android. In fact Sony’s new PlayStation Mobile store is now available for all manner of PlayStation certified devices, including Sony Mobile’s own handsets, a number of the latest HTC Android devices and further afield, Japanese manufacturer Fujitsu will be able to make use of the new service, but what does it actually offer?
PlayStation Certified Android devices
What does PlayStation Certification mean?
Back in 2010, Sony brought together the assets from their PlayStation gaming and Sony Ericsson mobile arms culminating in the release of the ‘PlayStation phone’ which arrived as the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play the following year. The Xperia Play was the first PlayStation Certified device, not because it featured dedicated hardware gaming controls, but thanks to the fact that Sony had imbued the device with unique mobile gaming abilities in the form of the PlayStation Suite (a precursor to the new PlayStation Mobile service). The device was able to browse, purchase and download a unique set of Sony licenced games optimised for the device, thanks to its PlayStation Certified status.
One year on and Sony Mobile have not only brought that same certification to other smartphones and tablets in their device portfolio; including the Sony Xperia S, the Sony Tablet P and more recently the new flagship Sony Xperia T, but they’ve licensed the software and the infrastructure out to other mobile manufacturers including HTC, Fujitsu and Sharp.
Which devices are PlayStation Certified?
The WikiPad gaming tablet plus an array of devices from the likes of Asus, Sharp and Fujitsu haven’t yet launched, but PlayStation Certification has been granted to all of these names. The current list of certified devices (not exclusively smartphones and tablets) is as follows:
Sony Ericsson Xperia Play
Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc
Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S
Sony Ericsson Xperia Acro
Sony Ericsson Xperia Acro HD
Sony Tablet P
Sony Tablet S
Sony Xperia S
Sony Xperia Ion
PlayStation Vita
Sony Xperia Tablet S
Sony Xperia T
Sony Xperia V
HTC One X
HTC One S
HTC One V
HTC One X+
Sony Xperia Z tablet 1 or further model
Sony Xperia Z mobile 1 or further model
What is PlayStation Mobile?
The new service, which launched today is a downloadable application which acts as a portal to a host of mobile titles licensed by Sony although the PlayStation Mobile gaming library is still small, it’s set to grow quickly over time.
Which games are available on PlayStation Mobile?
Currently there are just 20 titles available to download and play via the PlayStation Mobile app which have been grouped by genre:
Action - Wipe!, Nyoqix, Rebel, Hungry Giraffe
Arcade - Super Crate Box, Aqua Kitty-Milk Mine Defender, Fuel Tiracas
Casual - Everybody’s Arcade, Twist Pilot
Music/Rhythm - Frederic-Resurrection of Music, Samurai Beatdown
Puzzle - Loot The Land, Magic Arrows, Underline, NUMBLAST, Word Blocked, Tractor Trails, Beats Slider
Simulation - Incurvio
Sports - Flick Hockey
PlayStation Mobile app UI
Gamers will be able to install their games on three devices simultaneously.
How much are PlayStation Mobile games?
The titles currently available can cost anywhere between nothing (Everybody’s Arcade) or 65p (Beats Slider), right up to £5.89 (Incurvio).
Where can I download the PlayStation Mobile app?
So long as you have a PlayStation Certified device, you’ll be able to download the PlayStation Mobile application. Before you do so, you’ll need to allow ‘Unknown sources’ by opening your device’s Settings app, heading to Security and ticking the box allowing Unknown sources.
Once you’ve done that head to this link via your device and once the .apk is downloaded, install, allow permissions and then run the downloaded application. The PlayStation Mobile app requires that you sign in with a valid Sony Entertainment I.D. and from there onwards you can use the app without having to log in each time.
Using Sony's wireless controller for the PlayStation 3 with Android devices isn't a totally new trick. Apps enabling an Android gadget to pair with a Dualshock 3 gamepad have been around for years. These apps require root access, however, which renders them useless for a huge fraction of Android smartphone and tablet owners. Yet did you know that the Sony Xperia Z2, and a handful of other Xperia devices, for that matter, come with built-in, no-root-required PlayStation 3 controller support out of the box? Well, now you do, and once you're done reading this post, you'll know how to pair one to an Xperia device.
A USB on-the-go cable
Before you reach for your PlayStation 3 controller, there's one thing we have to point out – you need a USB On-The-Go cable in order to pair the controller with an Xperia Z2 smartphone. This is a cable with a Micro USB connector on one end and a full-size, FEMALE USB port on the other. It is often used for connecting USB storage devices to Android phones and tablets, by the way. Worry not – these aren't expensive. OTG cables cost about a dollar online, in case you need to buy one.
The cable is mandatory only for pairing the controller with an Xperia smartphone. Once that has been taken care of, you can disconnect the two and continue using the controller over Bluetooth.
With that out of the way, let's get to work! Now would be a good time to grab your Mini USB cable – the one that is used for charging the PS3 controller – as you'll need it in a bit. Got it? Good. Open the Settings menu on your Sony Xperia Z2 and choose "Xperia Connectivity". One of the options there says "Dualshock 3 wireless controller" – tap it. If this is your first time opening this menu, you'll be greeted by a tutorial screen. Otherwise, choose "How to connect a controller". You may now connect the Mini USB and USB OTG cables together and use them to connect the controller with the Xperia Z2. The wizard will automatically take you to step 2, if the connection between the phone and the accessory has been established. Choosing "Next" will enable the phone's Bluetooth and allow the controller to communicate with it over the air. That's pretty much it! Hit "Finish" to exit and disconnect the cable.
Now you can use the PS3 controller to navigate your Xperia's UI and, of course, to play some games. Not all Android games are controller-compatible, however. We can confirm that these work: Dead Trigger, Raiden Legacy, Radiant, AirAttack HD, and Zombie Gunship. Other titles have been confirmed to work as well, including GTA3: Vice City, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 episode II, Switch Galaxy, and Max Payne. Enjoy! Basically, if an Android game is said to have controller support, chances are it should play along nicely with your Dualshock 3 controller.
No comments:
Post a Comment