The Underminer returns with one of the earlier submissions in the game. Welcome again, PReSS — the preferred RSS reader for your PSP.

Watch the demonstration video. Afterwards you’ll no doubt jump ship.

PReSS 0.4 changes:

• full integration of http 1.1
• more stable due to reuse of connections
• speed up through higher cpu speed. To compensate; the speed is lowered when idle.
• the playing song now displays at the bottom of the screen
• 2 major bugs fixed,
• and some minor ones

Note: Current PReSS 0.31 users can update directly by subscribing to the ‘PReSS updates’ feed found under the English > News category.

Download: PReSS 0.4

- source: press-psp.com

Bored of the plain ol’ XMB? Perhaps you desire refined or more control over organizing/managing that mess of data on your memory stick. For those who like to keep things organized in a clean and functional manner, you best check out MyPspMenu.

“MyPspMenu” is a shell stemming from the well-known and much respected developer, Cpasjuste. It’s also been submitted into our Homebrew Idol competition as entry #15.

MyPspMenu R1 features:

• Organise your homebrews/games in 6 sections and launch them with a custom cpu speed: Games, Emulators, PSX, ISOs, Applications, UMD
• Filer explorer:
  • Explore memory stick, umd, flash0, flash1, , nethost0, usbhost0, iso, cso.
  • Copy, paste & delete files/folders from/to memory stick, umd, flash0, flash1, iso, cso, etc… (flash0 in write mode so be careful).
  • Create folders.
  • Rename files/folders.
  • View/preview images (gif, png, jpeg : 512*512 pixels max, 500Kb max).
  • Play a single mp3 (playlist to come with next version).
  • Show directory/files size.
  • Launch homebrews and iso/cso via wifi (nethost, can be bugged for now).
  • Launch iso/cso via usbhost in “oe” or “noumd” mode (with an umd inserted for noumd mode, no homebrew launching via usbhost for now).
• View battery, free space, date, time information.
• Setting menu:
  • Select/save your PSP cpu speed
  • Select/save your USB state.
  • Select/save the default skin.
• Quit menu: Reboot the PSP, Exit to XMB, Poweroff the PSP.

Download: MyPspMenu R1

- release thread -

The homebrew just doesn’t stop… Sangheili has released a minor revision of PSP Pileup. Adding one new mini-game and some in-game tuneage, we’re left with PSP Pileup v0.3a.

You’re also given the ability to customize the play list with your own MP3s. So load up your memory stick, move to the grove, and have fun unlocking the mini-games.

PSP Pileup v0.3a changes:

• added music!
  if you want to add your own music, add your mp3’s into PSPileup/bricks/ and name it the next number in the sequence.
• added a new minigame; “1000″
• added an easter egg in 0.2, but i don’t think anyone noticed it, yet…

Download: PSP Pileup v0.3a

…And we’re back like a vertebrate.

Last week Brick shared Rythm Engine: Rythm Box Mod for the Homebrew Idol fans worldwide. Today, well, actually yesterday, RE:RBM V2 was released.

If you missed our previous coverage, Rythm Engine: Rythm Box Mod packs a unique style of game play. Remain in sync with the beat while bouncing from the flashing walls, collecting power-ups, and destroying enemies. Consider it a “Rhythm Shooter”, if you will.

RE:RBM v2 changes:

• You can now break in pieces big enemies
• New particle effects
• Different attributes for each weapon
• Different particles for each weapon
• Smoother particle effects
• Added new power-up (SHIELD) (has a small amount of hp)
• Added animated effects for shield.
• New power-up icons.
• Added new boss-type enemy.
• Added new enemy type.
• Improved AI system (added more states , and mainly used by the new enemies).
• Added menu sounds.
• Added more particle effects (for bombs).
• Highlighted (menu) elements are now flashing.
• New score text effects
• Added menu sounds (nav/confirmation).
• Lowered down power-up timer.
• New theme
• New theme effect
• Some misc code optimizations.
• Updated level editor to v1.c (from v1.a).

Download: Rythm Engine: Rythm Box Mod V2

- release thread -

Today is the final day for Homebrew Idol contestants to submit their homebrew creations. The deadline: May 31st, 11:59 PM (EDT).

All entries will be reviewed and officially judged, by yours truly, throughout the next week period. The winner will be announced Sunday, June 8th. So stay tuned for that.

More Homebrew Idol after this short commercial break.

Last we saw MK2k showcasing Slembcke’s chipmunk physics library on the PSP. Today, MK2k serves Homebrew Idol with that potential dope factor I spoke of—

Stack, destroy, and claim your spot online. Exercising those skills will earn yourself bragging rights when you assume the #1 spot; thus, reigning Heavyweight Stakker Champion of the World.

Ready; set; get your stack on.

Stakker features:

• Heavily physics-based Gameplay
• Online Score System
  • view and upload your best attempts to mess with the best in the world!
  • You can also point your web browser to http://stakkerpsp.mk2k.net/scores/
  • (Sidenote) Like to cheat or hack that little online score? Okay do so and I’ll take that down. I’m here to develop games not hunt hackers down. You have been warned!
• GameShare
  • Send this game over to your friend’s PSP and have a nice fight for the first place in the online list
• MP3 Playback
  • automatically loads your music files in mp3 format from ms0:/MUSIC
  • plays back 44kHz mp3s in all bitrates you could think of
  • skip tracks, stop and start the player right in the game

Update #1: Requests in, Stakker Update #1 out:

1. Swap Controls implemented (you can choose between D-Pad and Analogue handling)
2. Reward system made easier (you get points in the following manner: +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +5 +5…)
3. Pressing Down lets the blocks fall 3x faster
   IMPORTANT: Letting a block fall faster directly on the platform could result in the situation where the block goes “through” the platform, and you get -10 points, that’s because of the simulation being fast forwarded by the factor 3.

Update #2:

• New feature: put a JPEG image called theme.jpg in Stakker’s directory and the image gets loaded as your new background (standard size is 480×272)

Update #2 SE:

• If your PSP analog stick is messed up for whatever reason, grab Update #2 SE. It doesn’t utilize the analog; instead, hold SELECT and press D-Pad Left/Right for song change, Down for Stop, and Up for Play. I’m looking at you Scuba Steve.

Download:
Stakker FiNAL BETA (Update #2)
Stakker FiNAL BETA (Update #2 SE)

- release/discussion thread – visit mk2k.net -

TV out — that’s what FuSa is all about… OldPrisoneR and Andy_maN with one up on Sony. Doing it right from the get-go — PSP Slim TV out with just about any cable, supporting full screen output, on just about any television set. Ya know…

FuSa Build 45 changes:

• Now FuSa supports 6 languages (ENGLISH, RUSSIAN, GERMAN, ITALIAN, DUTCH, POLISH)
• Fullscreen mode; 2 was added (REAL FULL SCREEN!)
• You no longer need dvemgr.prx now
• Now you can just hold RIGHT and LEFT buttons while setting up FPS/priority — values will scroll automatically
• NEW: menu hotkey was added — hold R-TRIGGER while setting up FPS/priority — 10x scroll speed
• And a few code improvements

Download: FuSa 1.0 Build 045

- source: foosa.do.am

Prepare to have your brain blown apart with Blizzrad’s Single Connector External DualShock Controller Mod… You’ll be left speechless, mouth hanging open, staring blankly at your screen.

Mad props for this one.

- source: acidmods.com

Still playing that Sega SG-1000? Oh man, it’s time to step your MSX game up… ZX has released version 1.3.0 of PSPMSX — the MSX, MSX2, and MSX2+ 8bit home computer emulator. It’s ported from Marat Fayzullin’s fMSX project. A straight blast from the past.

Or at least do the Master System thing…

PSPMSX v1.3.0 changes:

• Add gzipped disk file support to reduce disk file size from 700k to 50k! (you may gzip original dsk file using 7-zip available at www.7-zip.org)
• Add MSX eboot’s music (thanks to Konami)
• A thumbnail image is now displayed in the file requester while selecting any file with the same name of a previously saved game (rom, disk, keyboard, settings). It might be very helpful to recognize that game later if you have thousand different games in your disk and rom folders!
• In the emulator menu you can go directly to keyboard and settings menus using the L-Trigger key.
• Fix IR keyboard issue with fw >= 3.80 for FAT PSP
• Fix random black screen issue

Download:
PSPMSX v1.3.0 fw 1.50
PSPMSX v1.3.0 cfw 3.xx
PSPMSX v1.3.0 source code

- source: ZX-81’s web site

As we near the Homebrew Idol finale, developer MaxTheBest shares his creation — Protect Me. A simple yet effective homebrew app wrapped around a PRX plugin. The PRX is called on-boot prompting the user to enter his/her password before granting access to the XMB. So all that filth you wish to hide from your unsuspecting friends, siblings, etc… It’s safe now — for the most part.

Installation is easy — copy the “Protect-Me” directory to PSP/GAME on your memory stick, and run it. From here the rest is pretty straightforward: install / uninstall the PRX, set or remove your password, and so forth… As per the screenshot:

“Max, you the best.” Now that my unmentionables are safely protected.

Protect Me 0.91 changes:

• Now when the intruder inputs 3 wrong password, an alarm will be played to alert you about the thief.
• Some bugs corrected.

Download: Protect Me v0.91