So I was sitting in a coffee shop this morning and I noticed that they were offering free wireless. So I wipped out my trusty PSP and got myself a connected. I was intending to do a bit of browsing, but then realised I had a copy of FIFA 2008 in the drive. Given that the coffee shop was offering free wireless and I had a game that supported both adhoc and infrastructure wireless I thought I’d try a bit of online gaming.

The setup was a bit of a pain, especially as I’d forgotten my EA account name, but once that was out of the way I was dropped into a lobby area with about, according to the screen, 100 other players. I wonder were any of them sitting in this coffee shop. While I was musing this a message popped up from Zubee159 asking me did I fancy a game? Well heck Mr Zubee159, I’m your man. So I clicked on accept and within 30 seconds the game was loaded and I was playing FIFA 2008, online from the a big comfy chair in a coffee shop in the middle of Cambridge.

Now I’ve been into online gaming for what seems a lifetime, but the feeling you get when you realise you are outside, in a town centre, playing someone else, potentially on the other side of the world, or indeed the other side of the coffee house, on a hand held gaming device. It’s pretty special. The game itself, well best not to talk too much about that. Turns out Zubee159 was a bit of a FIFA guru and quickly racked up a 5-0 thrashing of me. Still it was fun and I like how the lobby system works, especially with the option to chat to players pre and post game.

For me though more games, for the PSP, need to support Infrastructure wireless gaming, and indeed more free hotspots need to spring up around towns and cities. I mean you would think shops would do this so us lads can have something to do while our other halves are trying on 95% of the shops merchandise. You see, everyone’s a winner !

Right, I’m heading back online to find Zubee159, revenge is sweet after all !