Although PS3 owners have been enjoying dozens of free levels in the perspective-bending echochrome, PSP owners are not as fortunate. They'll have to shell out $5 on the PLAYSTATION Store today to get an expansion pack which adds 40 new levels to the game -- that's (according to the PS.blog) 71% more content.

The blog entry also reveals a few interesting facts about the PSP version of echochrome, notably that the simple-looking title is surprisingly stressful on the hardware. It may surprise you to hear this, but the game takes up all 333MHz of processing power the PSP can take advantage of.

When echochrome debuted earlier this year, it was praised for its innovative use of perspective. Players had to manipulate their perspective to guide the on-screen avatar to various echoes. The Escher-inspired game quickly became a fan-favorite hit. However, don't expect a sequel to this celebrated game. Producer Tatsuya Suzuki and Kyushu University's Jun Fujiki from Japan Studios told the Develop audience "we're not doing a sequel - we're not doing echochrome 2".

Instead, Fujiki is working with Japan Studio on an entirely different game that uses yet another method of "trick imagery." What does that mean? We're not entirely certain, but considering the incredible fascination we have with echocrhome, we can't wait to see what surprises they'll have in store for us.

[Thanks, Kyle P.!]

How does one craft the music for a game like echochrome? It must have been a challenge to create the ambiance necessary for such an abstract puzzle game, but Hideki Sakamoto was up to the challenge. Speaking with Siliconera, the musician noted the need for simplicity to match the game's visual style. echochrome is a game that needs no language, and Sakamoto wanted to convey that through a sound that's universally appealing. "Considering that the visual aspect of the game is strikingly simple, I had it in mind not to let the music overpower the overall design. I wanted to avoid distracting the player by using unusual sound effects or unfamiliar instruments. Classical music seemed to me the best choice because it is universal."

One of the challenges of crafting the musical landscape for echochrome was creating a sound that doesn't necessarily move the player in a particular way. "In Echochrome, the important thing was for the player to have such feelings, just for their own sake. There was no sense of striving to manipulate the player's emotions, and that was something of a realization for me as a musician."

Please read the entire interview at Siliconera for more. It really is quite fascinating. Samples of the soundtrack can be heard here. The soundtrack is available for import at Play-Asia.

Now available on the PLAYSTATION Store, this MC Escher-inspired puzzler is downloadable for only $10. Want to try your luck at scoring a copy for free? Here you go.

• To enter this giveaway, leave a comment with the biggest prime number you can think of.
  
• You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec).
  
• Limit 1 entry per person.
  
• This entry period ends at 12:00pm ET on Monday, May 5th. We'll randomly select 1 winner at that time.
  
• For complete rules, click here.

Note: Please make sure you know how to use the PLAYSTATION Network Downloader before entering this contest. You will receive a digital download of the game. Visit store.playstation.com and try downloading one of the many free videos and demos available.

Happy echochrome day! Seventy-five percent of today's new content is related to the mindbending puzzle game. Sure, that sounds a lot - until you realise there are only four new items available for purchase on the store. Don't forget, echochrome on the PSP is a different game from the PS3 version and is exclusively available in America from the PlayStation Store. Here's the full release list:

Playable content

• echochrome full game ($10)

Trailers

• echochrome trailer (free)
• Burnout Paradise Wyclef "Fast Car" video (free)

Themes and wallpapers

• Four echochrome wallpaper (free)

The mind-bending echochrome is coming out on PS3 and PSP tomorrow -- just one week after the release of last week's demo. Both versions will cost $9.99 each. The PS3 and PSP version both feature 56 unique levels each, with plans for more downloadable levels in the future. With a level editor included in both versions, this is an incredible value.

Stay tuned for our full review.

Wish you could have the soothing strings of echochrome with you everywhere you go? Looks like the popularity of Sony's intriguing puzzle game has greenlit production of the soundtrack CD. Available on May 21st in Japan, the CD will include 13 tracks from the game, including such hits as "prime #3" and "prime #9973." These hits will undoubtedly open your mind to new kinds of perspective -- please don't listen to them while operating a motor vehicle.

The soundtrack CD will retail for the standard price of 2,940? (~$28.21 US).

The fine folks at SCEA wanted us to tell you that an echochrome demo will be available in tomorrow's Thursday PSN update. If you haven't been keeping updated, echochrome is a unique downloadable puzzle game that plays with perspective. Watch the trailer above to get a feel for the game.

This is the same demo we made available a few weeks ago. SCEA's Scott Goryl added: "Yes, this is the same demo that was available on the Japanese Store. Except, well, you know, with English." That's an added plus for many of you, we're sure.

Until then, check out our new updated gallery of the PSP version.

Information on the European version of echochrome has been sadly lacking, especially considering all the fun and games surrounding the game's method of release in America. A Pocket Gamer reader has stumbled upon the official product page on the official PlayStation website, which clearly states that echochrome will be "available on UMD for PSP and to download on PLAYSTATION 3 in May 2008." No word on pricing for the PSP version or if it will also be available via the PC Store, but it's nice to know Europeans will be able to get their hands on a physical copy.

We suspect the reason for this might be that the European PC Store hasn't really taken off, with SCEE saying very little about the service since it was launched. As for the release date, we've had echochrome penciled in for May for a wee while now, so no surprises there.

[Via Pocket Gamer]

The brain teaser echochrome is finally getting a US release. (Check out the downloadable demo here.) The PSP version of echochrome will be a downloadable title, available in early May for only $10. All the content featured in the PSP version will be unique to the system (and none of the content from the PS3 version will be in the handheld version either).

A level editor is included with the game, but unfortunately for PSP owners, trading levels can only happen via local Ad-Hoc, not Infrastructure. We're hoping that with Memory Stick, it'll be possible for friends to simply e-mail levels to each other.

Here's your chance to get echochrome on your PSP. This demo will give you a small taste of this Escher-inspired perspective-bending puzzle game. The Triangle button will pause the game, allowing you to think. The X button will speed up the avatar. Simply experiment -- we're sure you'll do well!

1. Download the demo zip file. [Click here for direct download from PSP.]
2. Extract the contents of the zip file.
3. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable.
4. Go to the PSP/GAME folder.
5. Copy NPJG90019 folder into the GAME directory. Make sure there are no sub-directories in this folder.

Check out our demos site:
demos.pspfanboy.com

Ever wanted to know what echochrome would look like in the real world? It would be scary. Here's the Japanese advertisement for the only-in-Japan PSP game. Notice how it's being advertised on the new, sexy minty green PSP? Nice.

The mind-bending dimension-shifting puzzler, echochrome, will be receiving a playable demo next week. Japanese gamers will just need to access PlayStation Spot and download the demo to their systems. We don't know if it will be DRM-free or not. We hope we can offer it to you next week, because this might be one of the few opportunities we'll have to play the title on PSP, unless SCEA decides to bring it over.

Here's the thing: Sony Computer Entertainment America hasn't actually picked up the PSP version of echochrome for the US. We're pretty sure they will in due time, but just in case they don't, you can still enjoy the puzzles in English.

Sony Computer Entertainment Asia is releasing the game on PSP with the title echochrome plus, which has language options of both Chinese and English. Or Mandarin and English. Whatever is more appropriate sounding. This version comes out around the same time as the game's debut in Japan -- March 19th. So if you don't hear any localization buzz, feel free to get your import on.