Stay on target
The PSP’s life was kind of unfair. By most metrics, the PlayStation Portable was a success, selling over 80 million units becoming far and away the only non-Nintendo handheld worth anything. But it couldn’t help but be dwarfed by its direct Nintendo competition, the quirky underpowered Nintendo DS that sold over 150 million units. Weird design choices like spinning UMD discs and a focus on compromised console performance over dedicated handheld scale games held the system back, too. But the PSP still left a sizable mark on the industry. Here are the best PSP games.
Lumines
Best PSP Games of All Time Best PSP Games of All-time is a pretty broad term, especially given the PSP had a shelf life of approximately 10 years following its launch back in 2004/5.
Lumines, one of the first PSP games, is still arguably the best PSP game. It takes a lot to make a puzzle game rivaling the falling block perfection of Tetris. But Lumines, with its rhythmic freeform gameplay of squares and waves, comes as close as any other game so far.
God of War: Chains of Olympus
The PSP’s big hook was that its PS2-esque power allowed it to play games within striking distance of then-AAA console games. God of War is about as big as blockbuster spectacle gets in video games. So successfully shrinking it down in God of War: Chains of Olympus made it one of the most impressive best PSP games.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Getting a Grand Theft Auto game on a portable system was always going to be a huge deal, especially if it’s less like the 2D originals and more like the 3D games that made the series popular beyond belief. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories may not be as good as Vice City or San Andreas. But GTA on the go still makes it one of the best PSP games.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Everything great about Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, from the focus on Big Boss building his army of soldiers to strapping balloons to stuff, was first workshopped in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Being one of the best Metal Gear Solid games automatically makes this one of the best PSP games.
Best Psp Games Jrpg
Half-Minute Hero
Too many PSP games tried to be as big as their console counterparts but buckled under the weight. However, Half-Minute Hero literally forces you to progress through its action RPG levels in 30-second chunks. It represents classic bite-sized portable game design, earning it a spot among the best PSP games.
Twisted Metal: Head-On
Alif laila in hindi. Some way or another an evil flaming clown driving an ice cream became one of Sony’s most beloved characters. 1990s edgelord aesthetic aside though Twisted Metal practically defines the very fun vehicular combat genre, a genre right at home on the go in Twisted Metal: Head-On, one of the best PSP games.
Gran Turismo
A Gran Turismo game on PSP sounds ludicrous. That series takes its sweet time developing the most realistic depictions of automobile racing possible including the most realistic visuals possible using the power of the latest hardware. But the first Gran Turismo you can actually play in a car does right by the franchise, one of the classiest best PSP games.
Loco Roco
Sometimes Sony remembers it’s a Japanese game company and puts out something totally bizarre and great. Loco Roco is an adorable take on a kind of Katamari Damacy-esque game in that you’re controlling a blob absorbing more mass into itself. It’s not just one of the weirdest PSP games, though. Its irresistible presentation and legitimately clever gameplay make it one of the best PSP games.
Patapon
Kind of a companion to Loco Roco, Patapon is also a SCE Japan Studio game about manipulating weird little circle things. Only here you’re a god leading your army through rhythmic drums beats in moody silhouette battlefields. But again, it’s not just the weirdness but the quality of the execution that makes this one of the best PSP games.
Wipeout Pure
A racing game is always a great way to show the gorgeous visuals a new piece of hardware can spit out at blinding speeds. A futuristic racing game like Wipeout is an even better choice since its surreal imagery doesn’t have to be bound to reality. The Wipeout series is no F-Zero, but it’s hard to argue a Wipeout game on PSP isn’t one of the best PSP games.
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite
One of the not so secret reasons why the PSP did as well as it did is because Japan just couldn’t get enough of the Monster Hunter franchise. It was a huge blow for Sony portables when the series shifted to Nintendo handhelds and later next-gen consoles. Monster Hunter and its… peculiar gameplay is very divisive. But just because of its sheer significance Monster Hunter Freedom Unite is one of the best PSP games.
So that’s our list of best PSP games. Pour one out for the Vita. For more retro game lists check out the best original Xbox games and the best N64 games.