The PlayStation Portable is one of the most underrated systems out there. The games supported on it were great, the system felt great to play on, and it was a fantastic option in the handheld market that consisted of the Nintendo DS and its later iterations. Since the PlayStation Store for PSP shut down in 2022, finding the best games can be difficult. However, if you can find any of these top 10 PSP games in a retro game store, they’re worth picking up.
10. Valkyria Chronicles 2
The Valkyria Chronicles series has long been revered – the original even has its own anime. The game is a tactical turn-based game that also includes combat. Players take control of a squad in the middle of a war, and while the combat is as enthralling as it is stellar, the real treat of the series lies in the characters and the stories.
Valkyrie Chronicles 2 in particular stands out because of how well it blends gameplay with narrative, and the cast of characters featured in it is enough to keep players coming back for more. For the PSP, it was a knockout title that brought many to the system in general.
9. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy is a franchise that’s hard to ignore on any Sony system, and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is no different. The game’s story and music were pretty different from past Final Fantasy games, but it worked, and players and critics alike loved it. The combat was also a hit as well – while it wasn’t the first Final Fantasy title to use real-time combat, it was the first one to do it well.
The game was such a hit among Final Fantasy lovers as a whole that it’s been remastered for PlayStation 4 and 5, the Nintendo Switch, and PC.
8. Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions is the tactical game for the PSP. Of course, there are a few others on the portable system, but Final Fantasy Tactics does it better. It may be due to the fact that the title is actually an improved version of the 1998 Final Fantasy Tactics. The PSP version of the game was vastly improved, updating graphics and even adding new classes and better translations.
If you don’t have a way to play PSP games, then you’re in luck. Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions is available on iOS and Android.
7. LocoRoco 2
If you’re looking for wacky, tacky platformer action that doesn’t feature a sack boy, then LocoRoco 2 is the game to go to. With bright levels and addicting gameplay, the game offered plenty of reasons to forget the outside world and focus on colorful little blobs of emotion instead.
While the main part of the game offered a solid platforming experience, there were also minigames that included rhythm and racing elements. LocoRoco 2 charmed people of all ages and united people in a way that many games can’t. It might not offer the same heart-pounding action or compelling story, but it’s worth giving a play for the enjoyable vibes alone.
6. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
One of the best games of all time for the PSP is Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Metal Gear Solid creator, Hideo Kojima, is praised for his incredible mind when it comes to great games, and Kojima was more involved in the production of Peace Walker than he was in other PSP Metal Gear Solid games. Part of what made the game great was that it felt satisfying – it was a difficult title, but beating things rewarded players enough to keep them coming for more and not be frustrated.
Many people also enjoyed the co-op mode that was available, and there were gorgeous landscapes and scenes that kept players involved with the story.
5. Tekken: Dark Resurrection
Many fighting games on the PSP fall short of modern-day standards, but Tekken: Dark Resurrection was one of a kind. The game looked amazing and seemed to showcase the PSP’s capabilities without any drawbacks, and it was genuinely just a fun game. Even in single-player, the game’s replayable, and the fighting is smooth. Customization was also featured in the game, but players had to earn money in order to do so. Of course, this was all done through fights, which made the game feel full.
Not only is it one of the best PSP games in general, but it’s one of the best Tekken games overall.
4. LittleBigPlanet
It would be a disgrace to talk about the PSP’s best games and not include LittleBigPlanet. The platforming title brought the infamous Sackboy to handheld, and it included all the same wacky, tacky adventures that fans knew and loved. LittleBigPlanet also delivered on the customizable side of the series, and players could transform Sackboy into almost anything they wanted.
It’s hard to explain the charm of LittleBigPlanet, but it somehow combines Mario, cuteness, and Happy Tree Friends to create something pretty unique for Sony that can be enjoyed solo or with friends. And with simple controls, anyone can pick it up and have a great time.
3. Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Grand Theft Auto may not be everyone’s thing, but it’s impossible to escape the fact that Chinatown Wars was one of the best games on the PSP. There were several great features of the game that made it stand out as both a GTA title and a PSP game. Running a drug business on the side, being able to ram police cars to make them stop chasing you, and easy replayability were just a few things that the game did particularly well on, and it’s some of what people remember the most about this day.
Chinatown Wars has since been released on mobile, so players can still enjoy the game today.
2. God of War: Chains of Olympus
Of course, a God of War game had to make it on a top 10 PSP list. With impeccable storytelling and fighting mechanics that feel as smooth as the best RPGs out there, God of War: Chains of Olympus is an easy contender for the best PSP game in general. The game showed off the PSP’s graphical capabilities, and it gave handheld lovers a way to enjoy the Sony-exclusive title. It may not be the best God of War game, but it’s a solid one.
It was also one of the selling points for the PSP in general. It even had its own special edition PSP that was blood red in color.
1. Persona 3 Portable
Persona 3 Portable offered a handheld experience unlike any other, perfecting the JRPG genre when it was released. While the game played out in a very traditional way (a high school student has to save the world before it all comes crashing down), the characters pull you in and don’t let go the entire time. Plus, everything about the combat in the game flows too well to not enjoy, and the soundtrack keeps your head bopping the entirety of the game.
Luckily, the game’s been re-released on most modern-day platforms, and it’s even available on Xbox GamePass so nearly everyone can enjoy it.
