It turns out that there is a seller on Amazon.com who sells copies of Breath of Fire III for PSP.  They are currently going for $39.99 here.

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Any owner of a PSP will tell you there are not many decent RPGs for the Playstation portable. Breath of Fire III is an exception, which is probably why Japan decided to port it to the PSP from the Playstation version. The game’s story is the same as the others in the series: a dragon boy named Ryu tries to save the world and his princess friend Nina from the forces of evil. The graphics are timeless, being mostly hand drawn 2-D sprites and 3-D cartoony backgrounds. Each dungeon is an extremely elaborate puzzle, and the Dragon transformation system is probably the coolest in the series, allowing the splicing of various ancient dragon genes.

The PSP version was translated into English and sent only to the UK. It was released in limited numbers, and for whatever reason SCEA or Capcom decided to not bring the game to North America. The UK version is in English, and the PSP is free of region restrictions, so anyone with a PSP can play it. Finding it outside of the UK is where things get a little tricky.

There is of course eBay, but as you can see the price for the English version (if the seller even specifies the language) is going for quite a bit, around $40-50 including shipping. If you are patient a good “Buy in Now” price may pop up, I have seen one for as low as $26.00. Another option is UK’s Amazon. While this version of Amazon refuses to ship software to North America, there are some sellers who will ship internationally. The price is a bit cheaper for just the game, but keep in mind the prices are in GBP(£), so you need to basically multiply the actual price by 2. This goes for the shipping as well. The average for the game on Amazon UK is around $19-28, so as long as you can find shipping for around $5 you will have a pretty good deal. Be sure to e-mail the sellers to confirm shipping prices before you make the order.

*NOTE* When ordering from Amazon UK you can still log in with buyer information from NA’s Amazon.com, which should recall all of your shipping and payment information. If you decide to simply purchase the game off of eBay instead, make sure to confirm that you are not purchasing the Japanese version before placing a bid (unless you don’t mind 日本語). The Japanese version may have a gray border around it, meaning it is a “greatest hits”.

If you manage to snag a copy, congratulations, and enjoy it!

Please check out the update to this post here.

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Some sources out there are indicating that Revelations: Persona will be coming out for PSP. No clear date is given yet, or any details whatsoever, only word that Atlus is releasing a title for the PSP called “Persona”. I have already written an entry concerning the game’s localization for the Playstation. Hopefully, given the popularity of the series, the game will be released in its true, untampered form.

If this is the case, I would advise any Persona fans to avoid purchasing the Playstation version from sites like e-bay, since they are drastically overpriced. If the game comes out first in Japan, we can assume that there will be a direct translation made, rather than port of the old Playstation version to the PSP. I will continue to check until I find something in either Japanese or English, and report any findings as soon as I can.

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I know what you’re thinking: “I already know how to buy video games!” Well, I am sure you do, but the meaning of this post is simply to give some advice on the matter depending on the type of game you’re buying, and what kind of benefits you want to get along with it.
I break games into 4 Categories, and give you an idea of where to buy them and why.

1. Big Name Games

By “Big Name Games”, I mean games like Madden 2K9, Halo 4 and etc. Games that anyone with the appropriate system will probably feel compelled to buy.
Best place to buy: Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal-Mart, Target, Wholesale stores
Reason 「理」: Constant price wars between mega-powers mean you can probably get a better deal than at a place like Game Stop or EB. I was employed at Best Buy for roughly a year, and saw these games come and go in mass quantities. By mass I mean upwards of 150 copies per system. And yet there would always be people who reserve them. If you are like me, and try to buy games the day they are released, then reservations are entirely unnecessary for this type of game. However, if you are the type who is likely to meander in whenever they happen to remember that Halo 4 is out, then definitely make a reservation, as you cannot be trusted. If you are interested in any kind of promotional item that comes with the reservation, act fast, as they run out extremely quickly.
When to Buy: The first week or two of release

2. Small Name Games

By “Small Name Games”, I mean games that are released by small companies with a tiny but dedicated fan base.
Best place to buy: Direct from publisher’s website, Gamestop, EBgames
Reason 「理」: Generally released in low numbers, and the bigger guys sometimes don’t even bother until a week or so after the game has been officially released. Also, many of these kind of games come with an incentive to reserve, like an OST, art book, or stuffed animal. In some cases, a limited edition is released as well, which usually goes fast since for an extra $10, you can get a lot more.
When to Buy: A.S.A.P.

3. Wild cards

By “Wild cards”, I mean games that are not easily categorized. They are games that are so new or different from the norm, that even the companies themselves who produce them cannot predict how well they will sell. The best example that comes to mind would be Rock Band’s Limited Edition bundle. While EA did predict the game would be intensely popular, with the $169.99-129.99 price tag, it is best to make sure you are getting your moneys worth.
Best Place to Buy: Gamestop, EBgames
Reason「理」: Since these games are fairly new, you may have questions about them. The smaller places are usually the most knowledgeable and most capable of providing any help you may need, beyond making the purchase
When to Buy: With games like this, there is not much hurry. It is better to just wait and see what kind of reception it gets, and make a decision based off that. Do your research!

4. Old Games

By “Old Games,” I mean games that have been released and are no longer in print, making them difficult to find. I am sure we have all been in this situation, and the desire to own it seems to be accentuated by its rarity. Try your best to stay calm. The old me would have gotten in the car and driven to all the Gamestops or EB’s in the area trying to find it. Now I realize that if you take your time, you can get a better deal and probably get more for your money.
Best Place to Buy: E-bay or Amazon (used)
Reason「理」: Since these games are so rare, you will have a tough time finding them at a Gamestop or EB. Especially since they only carry games for last gen systems (i.e PS2, XBOX etc.) and up. The internet is where people who love games as much as you or I gather, so if you are careful about user feedback and ratings, than you should have no problem buying it. Also, there should be many copies to choose from, so the price will be more fair than at a used games store.
When to Buy: A.S.A.P
Note: It is nearly impossible to predict when a game will become insanely rare and popular, but DO NOT wait too long. Last year I purchased Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (or Maniacs) off of eBay for around 45 USD. It now sells for about 70 USD. Probably due to the popularity of Persona 3, more people are looking for a similar experience. The sooner you can find it, the better!

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