Power-up PSN

Downloadable packs can make your game go the extra mile with more levels, more features and more fun – and PlayStation Network has a massive range of titles ready for a boost...

One of the joys of PlayStation Network is that you can expand and upgrade your games as time goes by, meaning you can download fresh content that increases your enjoyment. Here's a look at a few of the add-ons you can blend into your PSN collection for a most delicious combination.

Pain

One of the most popular titles on PSN, Pain has taken the world by storm with its fantastic array of comedy driven action. Simply put, you place your hapless character into a giant rubber band, aim him or her and fire them into the city to damage them as much as possible through a combination of collisions, explosions and other cartoon style excesses. With its laugh-a-minute gameplay, it's no surprise Pain has a large number of expansions and extras ready for you to download and take things to a new level.

First of all, there are numerous playable characters to unlock, such as a shopping mall Santa, helper elf Cookie, the ninja Hung Lo, hip-hop pirate Scurv Dogg, and schoolgirl Yeony. These human missiles can be fired around any of the new environments, such as the Amusement Park, which includes the incendiary challenges of Fun With Explosives and Clown Toss.

Not enough? Well how about Trophy achievements, online leaderboards, costumes and even more characters (some very surprising ones - keep your eyes peeled) to come? Or a downloadable Pain theme song to hum along to? There's even a Movies Studios pack which lets you take aim at a Western saloon, gladiator's arena or a sinking ship - and even unlock everyone's favourite game show host, Buzz as a new character.

Pain is the title that just keeps on bringing the gameplay pleasure - so make sure you don't miss out. 

Warhawk

There have been a myriad of goodies released for Warhawk, truly making it a great ambassador of PSN. Along with a couple of patches that have introduced Trophy support and other extras, there are three expansions that can increase your enjoyment of the online vehicular combat title - Operation: Omega Dawn, Operation: Broken Mirror and Operation: Fallen Star.

Omega Dawn adds a new map, the Omega Factory, into Warhawk for five different battlefield layouts with ship decks, raised platforms and factory rooftops, all designed to encourage more vertical gameplay, and a new Combat Dropship - the KT-424.

Broken Mirror supplies you with ten new battle arenas on the Vaporfield Glacier to increase your terrain options, a fearsome Armoured Personnel Carrier and the E-POD (Electrostatic Plasma Ordinance Disrupter) that provides a temporary shield for your troops.

Fallen Star offers another ten exciting maps to engage, introducing the rural slant of Tau Crater, and the tellingly named Icarus Mk. 1 Rocket Pack, which allows you to enter the skies and take on the Warhawks themselves in a refreshingly different manner.

Both Omega Dawn and Broken Mirror can be purchased together in the Booster Combo Pack, or if you want Fallen Star as well then you can go for the brilliant Triple Pack - both are great value for fans of Warhawk, new and veteran alike. Get the game, then get into these expansion packs and join the thousands of online gamers enjoying what it's like to be the hunter... or the hunted.

PixelJunk Monsters and Eden

The PixelJunk titles are slices of quirky fun, each providing something a little different from the norm, whether it's the psychedelic pollen collecting platform action of PixelJunk Eden, or the wonderfully addictive strategy of PixelJunk Monsters. Both games have their own extras which increase the enjoyment you get from them.

PixelJunk Monsters Encore pack adds a new island to explore, with 15 fresh maps, a revamped economy system and five new music tracks to jam to. And if you enjoy the score, why not indulge in the downloadable PixelJunk Monsters Album, which features 24 songs from the ambient techno soundscape of Otograph. The PixelJunk Eden Album is also available, with 12 mesmerizingly minimalist techno tracks created in collaboration with the acclaimed DJ Baiyon.

Trophy support is planned for PixelJunk Monsters from October 30, 2008, letting you earn dozens of Trophies to reward your skills in the game, with contests such as clearing each stage perfectly or building all types of tower available on a level. Are you up to the challenge?

Snakeball

Snakeball is a title that you have to truly try for yourself, such is its fantastic frenzy of ball collecting, obstacle avoiding, weapons battling, goal scoring energy, which has you doing all these things while gliding across a dazzling disco floor. By downloading the Team Mode, you'll also be able to revel in five additional levels for up to eight players online. Join forces with your friends and battle it out in the sneaky Snakeball arena!

THE EYE OF JUDGMENT

THE EYE OF JUDGMENT is a revolutionary card trading game that uses the PlayStation Eye camera as a vital part of its gameplay, helping to bring the action to life in full 3D. By putting each card into the camera's gaze, characters and spells are animated on screen in glorious High Definition. And through PSN you can increase your deck by downloading one of the two Biolith booster packs; Set 2 and Set 3.

Biolith Rebellion Set 2 offers 100 cards, a batch of new creatures, attacks, spells, strategies and exciting new gameplay. The pack also features a new Replay Mode which allows players to save and review replays of their most intense and memorable battles. Finally, several new features make the game more accessible to beginners, with a new, encyclopaedic in-game glossary that explains everything you need to know in order to do battle.

Due for an October 2008 release, Biolith Rebellion Set 3 expands on the already massive and rich THE EYE OF JUDGMENT universe, with a range of 100 cards (bringing the grand total of available cards to 310 when combined with Set 1 and Set 2), new creatures such as the Goblin Chickenrider, fresh attacks that encourage more tactical playing based on creature formation and the player's battle plan, new spells, bonus content and Trophy support.

Toy Home

Speeding around the house has never been so much fun, thanks to Toy Home - a colourful racing game that has you using motion control to zip around brilliant household environments, such as a kitchen and toy laden bedroom, with wind up cars. Expansion pack 2nd Gear gives the amusement an extra boost with the addition of six new vehicles including a monster truck and classic car, extra courses, four player battle mode support, online ranking and the option to listen to your favourite music from the PlayStation 3 system's Hard Disk Drive while playing.

Want to recapture that sense of childlike wonder and excitement? Toy Home is the perfect place to house those desires, no matter what age you are.

High Velocity Bowling

Taking videogame bowling to new levels, High Velocity Bowling is guaranteed a fun strike with all the family thanks to its whacky characters, ten themed alleys and best of all, motion controls which let you swing your arms to replicate the actions of a real bowler. If you're looking to add to this madcap world of motion sensitive sports, there are two characters you can download to High Velocity Bowling - Amber Vorhees, a semi-pro softball player, and Mike "The Strike" Diaz, who uses his unorthodox style to spice up the lanes.