Life can be quite the playful minx.

I was unable to attend E3 this year (the reasons for which goes far beyond the scope of this blog), so I didn’t get a chance to get my lion paw-like mitts on the PSP Go when it was officially unveiled a few weeks back. Thinking that I had blown my chance to play with it before its October release, I was totally shocked to find it resting in my hands on Wednesday night.

The location? NYC. The venue? The Metropolitan Pavilion, which played host to “Pepcom” a technology showcase held a handful of times per year. Typically, gaming isn’t a vital element of the Pepcom experience, but Sony was out in full force with the PS3, PSP, and PSP Go.

Upon picking it up, I was surprised by how lightweight it felt. Sony claimed that it’s 43% lighter than the PSP and that figure seems to be the real deal.  Between the lack of heft and the compact body, the PSP Go can be said without hesitation to be the first truly pocket-friendly PSP.

Much has been said about the PSP Go’s resemblance to the Sony Mylo; thankfully, all that they have in common is the rounded, sliding design. Anyone who has manhandled a Mylo dealt with a plastic, somewhat filmsy device; anyone who has manhandled a PSP Go dealt with a nicely constructed portable console. It felt solid in hand, and was quite easy to hold. Colors on the 3.8-inch display really popped when I blew every note presented to me in Rock Band Unplugged.

All in all, the $249 PSP Go looks to be a winner – - if you can swing the lack of UMD slot. But as they say, that’s a debate for another day.