It’s no big secret that Sony Computer Entertainment Japan is pushing digital distribution for the PSP. All of their first party games get a retail and digital release on day one. Now Sony is extending this policy to their back catalogue, namely their PSP The Best series. “The Best” games are essentially Japan’s Greatest Hits and on December 11 two more SCEJ published games will join the budget selection: Echochrome and Sarugetchu: Saru Saru Daisakusen. You can pick them up in stores for 2,800 yen each ($28) or save a little bit of cash by downloading them on the PlayStation store for 2,200 yen ($22) each. The price gap isn’t as wide as say for Bleach: Soul Carnival, but you can save enough money to buy a PsOne game if you go the digital route.
Sony Computer Entertainment America has released a few older UMD games as downloads like Jeanne D’arc, but the UMD delivery system in North America isn’t nearly as sophisticated.