Multiplayer games on portables are still hit and miss, thanks to convoluted nomenclature that doesn't really make anything clear. Ad-Hoc doesn't mean much to your average gamer and Infrastructure probably means less. First, let me clear up those two terms: Ad-Hoc simply means you can multiplayer, but only with people within a local Wi-Fi area - say at your local Starbucks. On the other hand, Infrastructure means you can play over the Playstation network, join game lobbies, find games, create games and compete against a global pool of players.

Often you'll see on a game box that it has Infrastructure support, but even that doesn't tell you the whole story, as some games simply allow you to download new content while offering no actual multiplayer support. Well, downloading content is fine and dandy, but doesn't do me much good if you want to play with your friends. I thought I'd spotlight a few of the best PSP multiplayer games currently available, which anyone can play as long as you have access to a Wi-Fi connection. Next week I'll take a stab at some of the better Nintendo DS WFC games.

Field Commander – PSP

Players: 2-4

Field Commander stands tall as one of the few strategy-based games available on any portable. While the single-player campaign is enjoyable, the game really shines when duking it out with other players across the globe. Sony piled on the options in Field Commander, offering a cool leader board, ranked matches, the ability to download custom missions and 4 different multiplayer modes. Field Commander is a turn-based strategy game that will appeal to fans of Advance Wars, though with kick-ass graphics and audio.

Killzone: Liberation – PSP

Players: 2-8

Originally, Killzone: Liberation only supported Ad-Hoc multiplayer, which was kind of lame. But thanks to a recent 65-meg patch available via the menu screen, players can now take their aggression to a global battlefield, competing in straight-forward deathmatches, team deathmatches and a little capture-the-flag action. The patch even comes with several new maps to keep things fresh.

MLB '07: The Show – PSP

Players: 2

MLB '07: The Show is a pretty good baseball game in its own right, but the ability the play multiplayer games with people all over the world while you're sitting in a coffee shop is hard to beat. It probably would have been enough just to allow two people to hook up and play through some innings, but Sony went the extra mile on this title, offering full-featured league play with full stat-tracking. Heck, you can even create your own league from scratch and coordinate everything yourself. To top it all off, you can get current real-world MLB news right on your PSP, as well as up-to-date roster changes.

SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Fireteam Bravo – PSP

Players: 2-16

While Killzone presents the action from a top-down perspective, SOCOM brings the multiplayer goodness to eye level in a traditional 3rd-person perspective. With 12 multiplayer maps on offer, including the ability to communicate with cohorts via headset, SOCOM is about as close to a portable Counter-Strike as you're likely to find. Game types range from capture and hold to locating intel within an enemy base. If you're in the mood for simple-minded slaughter, then you'll be happy to know SOCOM supports a basic free-for-all match.

Test Drive Unlimited – PSP

Players: Unlimited

I loved Test Drive Unlimited on the 360 and that feeling carries over to the PSP version, thanks to the great support of infrastructure mode. Just like its console iterations, Test Drive Unlimited on the PSP plops you in a game world packed with human opponents who are all going about their business across the streets of Hawaii. It's a seamless integration of single-player and multiplayer and a signpost for how things may be shaping up in the future.

Twisted Metal: Head On – PSP

So cruising around Hawaii in a Ferrari is all fine and well, but some of us can't sleep well at night unless we know our car is properly outfitted with missiles and a machine gun turret. If you're one of those people, and there's no shame in admitting it, then Twisted Metal: Head On is the game for you. This title is loaded with multiplayer options, including straight-up deathmatch, Last Man Standing, Fox Hunt, Collector, and team versions of everything above. If vehicular combat is what floats your boat, then this is a must have.