One of the best things about the PlayStation Network service restoration is being able to check out the US PlayStation Store every Wednesday morning (South African time) for new content. This week there’s not much in the way of killer apps, but if you look carefully enough you should find a couple of games and add-ons to make your shopping trip worthwhile.

If you’re a PlayStation Plus subscriber don’t bother checking for free dynamic themes - there are none. I don’t know about you but that’s the first thing I look for!

However, as a PlayStation Plus member you’re entitled to download the Sega Genesis classic Streets of Rage 2 for free. It’s an awesome side-scrolling beat ‘em up with funky tunes, stylish backgrounds and lots of nostalgia-invoking sprites. You can play the game in co-op or versus mode with a friend either locally or over the PlayStation Network. There are four selectable characters, each with their own fighting styles, and you can pick up weapons as you progress through the levels to unleash fatal fury on your opponents. Overall, it’s a top-notch fist-fest featuring pitch-perfect emulation.

Outland is another highlight on the store update list, but unlike Streets of Rage 2 it’s available to everyone for the price of $9.99. I haven’t played it yet so can’t give it my personal stamp of approval, but the notion of Super Stardust HD’s creators (Housemarque) teaming up with Ubisoft to create a platformer is an enticing thought.

What catches your eye on this week’s store breakdown? Which of these do you plan to purchase over the next couple of weeks? Let us know in the comments section below.

PlayStation Plus

Full Game Trial

• Midnight Club Los Angeles: Complete Edition

Featured Games & DLC

• Streets of Rage 2 (Free and exclusive to PlayStation Plus subscribers)

Discounted Games

• Braid (PlayStation Plus price $3.75, regular price $14.99)
• Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 – 20% Discount (PlayStation Plus price $7.99, regular price $9.99)
• MicroBot (PlayStation Plus price $5.00, regular price $9.99)
• Spare Parts (PlayStation Plus price $5.00, regular price $9.99)
• The Fancy Pants Adventures (PlayStation Plus price $5.00, regular price $9.99)
• Cuboid (PlayStation Plus price now $7.99, regular price $9.99)
• Smash Cars (PlayStation Plus price now $11.99, regular price $14.99)
• Magic Orbz (PlayStation Plus price now $3.99, regular price $4.99)

Updates

• Rock Band 3 – Johnny Cash Pack 01 – Sale (PS3) (now $8.99, original price $13.49)
• Rock Band: Alt Country Pack 01 – Sale (PS3) (now $5.49, original price $8.49)
• Rock Band: Going Country Pack 01 – Sale (PS3) (now $5.49, original price $8.49)
• Rock Band: ‘Going Country Pack 02′ – Sale (PS3) (now $7.99, original price $10.99)
• Rock Band: Going Country Pack 03 – Sale (PS3) (now $5.49, original price $8.49)
• Rock Band: Roy Orbison Track Pack 01 – Sale (PS3) (now $6.49, original price $9.99)
• 1942: Joint Strike – Sale (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
• Magic Orbz – Sale (PS3) (now $4.99, original price $9.99)
• Dynogems – Minis – Sale (PS3/PSP) (now $1.49, original price $1.99)

Downloadable Games

• Akimi Village ($9.99): Get swept away to a mysterious, floating island in the sky in Akimi Village, a city-building game from NinjaBee! Help the tiny Akimi build their village and spread light to free their island from the grip of the Gloom’s thick shadow. Put the cheerful villagers to work harvesting and refining resources. Unlock blueprints and piece together dozens of unique buildings! Purify the island, defeat the Gloom and build a beautiful living city! (262 MB)

• Greg Hastings Paintball 2 – ($19.99): Dive into authentic paintball action from Greg Hastings–the #1 name in the sport. Create an unstoppable team of real players, load up on revolutionary new gear and guns, and brave the unpredictable elements in 62 massive fields based on real locations around the world. This is real paintball combat, intensified with PlayStation Move motion controller support for precision hits and 7 vs 7 online play! (1008 MB)

• Midnight Club Los Angeles: Complete Edition ($19.99): The originator of open world street racing is back and bigger than ever. Race the hottest, fully customizable real world cars and superbikes day to night across stunning real-world L.A. Midnight Club Los Angeles Complete Edition makes L.A. even bigger adding the iconic South Central area plus new vehicles, aftermarket parts, music and races including delivery missions, red-light races, and all-new battle maps for when it’s time to race online. (5.1 GB)

• Outland ($9.99): In the middle of Balance and Chaos, now stands one man whose efforts may bridge the ancient divide, or doom the world to destruction. The award-winning studio Housemarque, maker of Super Stardust HD, has teamed up with Ubisoft to create an ambitious platformer. Each player’s adventure will take him between light and darkness and force him to adapt to an ever-changing world. SPECIAL OFFER: Free Avatar with purchase (Limited Time Offer). (1.17 GB)

• Magic The Gathering: Duels Of The Planeswalkers 2012 ($9.99): All-new, Magic: The Gathering — Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 lets you face off against the AI, or gather your allies for the new multiplayer format: Archenemy, where you team up to take down a boss. Choose from among ten unique decks, which you can customize. As you progress in the game, you can enhance your deck by swapping in new, unlockable cards! Gather your allies. A challenge awaits. (695 MB)

Game Demos (free)

• Outland – Demo (1.17 GB)
• Magic: The Gathering – Duels Of The Planeswalkers 2012 – Demo (695 MB)

Add-on Game Content

• Alice: Madness Returns – American Mcgee’s Alice ($9.99): Purchase American McGee’s Alice today, or download it for free as part of your Online Pass, and experience where the madness began! Play through the cult classic and relive Alice’s battle against the Queen of Hearts as she fights to regain control of her Wonderland. (946 MB)
• Alice: Madness Returns – Weapons And Dresses Pack ($1.99)
• Record of Agarest War Zero – Daily Life Extension Pack ($1.99)
• Record of Agarest War Zero – Extra Dungeon 1 (free)
• Record of Agarest War Zero – No Underestimated Pack ($1.99)
• Record of Agarest War Zero – Point Addition Pack 1 (free)
• Record of Agarest War Zero – Shriveled Chicken Pack (free)
• Marvel Vs Capcom 3: Fate Of Two Worlds – Shadow Battle 09 ($0.99)
• DiRT 3: BMW M3 Rally ($1.99)
• DiRT 3: Chevrolet Camaro SSX Concept ($1.99)
• DiRT 3: Ford Focus St Rallycross ($1.99)
• DiRT 3: Lancia Delta S4 ($1.99)
• DiRT 3: Scion TC ($1.99)
• Yoostar 2: I Don’t Like Your Jerk-Off Face ($1.99)
• Yoostar 2: I Want More Life ($1.99)
• Yoostar 2: Sow Royal Oats ($1.99)
• Yoostar 2: The Shrieking Eels
• Yoostar 2: Spock’s Brother From Another Mother ($1.99)
• Yoostar 2: You’re A Good Listener ($1.99)
• Yoostar 2: American Flag (free)
• Yoostar 2: French Flag (free)
• Yoostar 2: Italian Flag (free)
• Yoostar 2: Spanish Flag (free)
• Yoostar 2: UK Flag (free)
• Yoostar 2: German Flag (free)
• ModNation Racers – Big City Theme and Career Extention ($9.99)
• ModNation Racers – Prehistoric Props Pack ($4.99)
• ModNation Racers – Construction Props Pack ($4.99)

Rock Band 3

• “I Alone” by Live ($1.99)
• “Lightning Crashes” by Live ($1.99)
• “Take On Me” by A-Ha ($1.99)
• “Tubthumping” by Chumbawamba ($1.99)
• “Unholy Confessions” by Avenged Sevenfold ($1.99)
• “Welcome To The Family” by Avenged Sevenfold ($1.99)

Rock Band Network

• “Airbrushed” by Anamanaguchi ($1.99)
• “Fight For Greatness” by Bloom ($0.99)
• “Lost Soul” by Amberian Dawn ($1.99)
• “Spaghetti Cat (I Weep For You)” by Parry Gripp ($0.99)
• “You Will Leave a Mark” by A Silent Film (1.99)

Bundles

• echochrome ii – Music + Game Bundle ($14.99): In celebration of them music from echochrome ii, being accepted into the Guinness Book of World Records, we have a special offer featuring both the game and the musical score for a limited time at $14.99. echochrome ii introduces a new take on the puzzle genre that lets players use their imagination to solve puzzles by controlling light and shadows! (597 MB)

• DiRT 3: Power And Glory Car Pack ($5.99): Download the Power and Glory Car Pack to gain access to 5 new cars available for singleplayer, split screen and online multiplayer events. Race the BMW M3 Rally, Lancia Delta S4, Ford Focus ST Rallycross, Scion tC and Chevrolet Camaro SSC Concept, each with a range of liveries. (171 MB)

Avatars

• Prinny 2: Avatars ($0.49) (x4)
• DISSIDIA 012 [duodecim] FINAL FANTASY – Assorted Avatars ($0.49) (x10)
• Mega Man Legends 2 – Assorted Avatars ($0.49) (x7)
• Armageddon Riders: Armageddon Rider Avatars ($0.49) (x7)

Game Videos (free)

• Storm – Autumn Trailer
• Storm – Spring Trailer
• Storm – Summer Trailer
• Akimi Village Trailer

PS3 Themes & Wallpapers

• Akimi Village Theme (free)
• Armageddon Riders Free Theme (free)
• Yakuza 4 – The Hostesses Of Yakuza 4 Theme ($2.99)
• Record Of Agarest War – Theme #1-#13 ($1.99)
• Castlevania Lords Of Shadow Themes ($1.99) (x2)
• Hard Corps: Uprising Gold Version Theme ($1.99)
• Rocket Knight Themes ($0.99) (x2)
• Jackass 3.5 Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Destinations: Bangkok Rush Hour Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Destinations:Hong Kong Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Deep Surveillance Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Digital Fountain Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Devine Light Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Animal Buddies: Retriever Puppy Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Marines Dynamic Theme ($2.99)
• Akimi Village Wallpaper (free)
• Dungeon Defenders Wallpaper (free)

PlayStation Store for PSP

Add-on Game Content (also available from PS3 Storefront)

• Gods Eater Burst: DLC (free): Battle against two new Aragami, the dreaded Caligula and the beautiful but deadly. Craft exclusive Caligula and Venus equipment. Exclusive challenge missions that unlock material for new color varients of uniforms and outfits. (34 MB)

PSP minis (also available from PS3 Storefront)

• Run Ghost Run ($2.99)
• Babel: The King Of The Blocks ($2.99)
• The 2D Adventures Of Rotating Octopus Character ($3.99)

PSP Themes (also available from PS3 Storefront)

• Wendy PSP Theme (x3) ($1.99)

Source: PlayStation Blog