The PSP library is perfect for phones: games were made for a small screen, run well on almost any modern phone, and many are short enough for a bus ride. Here are the 25 PSP games we’d play first on PPSSPP, ranked. Every one of them runs at full speed on a mid-range Android phone.
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The 25 best PSP games
1. God of War: Ghost of Sparta
Action · 2010
The best-looking game on PSP. Kratos at full power, huge bosses, and it plays great on a phone with a controller.
2. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Open world · 2006
A full GTA in your pocket: 1984 Vice City, helicopters, boats and a great 80s soundtrack.
3. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite
Action RPG · 2009
Hundreds of hours of hunting and crafting. The game that made Monster Hunter huge in Japan.
4. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Action RPG · 2008
Zack’s story before Final Fantasy VII. Fast battles, emotional ending, top-tier cutscenes.
5. Tekken 6
Fighting · 2009
Almost the full console Tekken 6 with the whole roster. Still one of the best fighting games on any handheld.
6. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Open world · 2005
Toni Cipriani’s story in the GTA III city. Smaller than Vice City Stories but just as fun.
7. God of War: Chains of Olympus
Action · 2008
The first PSP God of War. Shorter than Ghost of Sparta but tight and polished.
8. Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Action RPG · 2010
Three characters, three stories, and the deck-based battle system fans still love.
9. Persona 3 Portable
RPG · 2009
School life by day, dungeon crawling at night. Adds a female protagonist route not in the PS2 original.
10. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Stealth · 2010
A full Metal Gear with base building and co-op. Plays best with a controller.
11. Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
Fighting · 2011
Final Fantasy heroes and villains fighting in 3D. Huge roster and a long story mode.
12. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3
Fighting · 2009
Fast 2.5D Naruto fights with a big cast. Very light, runs on any phone.
13. Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai 2
Fighting · 2007
A fan favourite for a reason: quick, flashy DBZ fights that run smoothly even on cheap phones.
14. Need for Speed: Most Wanted 5-1-0
Racing · 2005
A top-down PSP version of Most Wanted with police chases and plenty of cars.
15. Midnight Club: L.A. Remix
Racing · 2008
Open-world street racing around Los Angeles from Rockstar. Still looks good upscaled.
16. Burnout Legends
Racing · 2005
Takedowns, crash mode and the best sense of speed on PSP.
17. Pro Evolution Soccer 6
Football · 2006
Many players’ favourite PES. For newer squads, our FC27 PPSSPP post has a modern option.
18. Patapon 2
Rhythm · 2008
Command a tiny army with drum beats. Unique, charming and perfect for short sessions.
19. LocoRoco 2
Platformer · 2008
Tilt the world to roll your blob through bright, musical levels. Great for all ages.
20. Daxter
Platformer · 2006
A full 3D platformer from the Jak and Daxter world that still holds up.
21. Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters
Action · 2007
Gadgets, weapons and planets to explore: the classic Ratchet formula on PSP.
22. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Strategy RPG · 2010
One of the deepest strategy RPGs ever made, with a story that changes with your choices.
23. Valkyria Chronicles II
Strategy · 2010
Turn-based strategy with third-person action. Japan got two more on PSP; the second came to the West.
24. Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron
Shooter · 2007
Classic Battlefront battles with space fights and a custom soldier.
25. WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2011
Wrestling · 2010
The last big WWE game on PSP, with a large roster and Road to WrestleMania.
Quick picks by genre
| If you like… | Play |
|---|---|
| Action | God of War: Ghost of Sparta, Chains of Olympus |
| Open world | GTA Vice City Stories, Liberty City Stories |
| RPG | Crisis Core, Persona 3 Portable, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep |
| Fighting | Tekken 6, Dissidia 012, Shin Budokai 2, Naruto Ninja Heroes 3 |
| Racing | Midnight Club L.A. Remix, Burnout Legends, NFS Most Wanted 5-1-0 |
| Football | Pro Evolution Soccer 6 |
| Short sessions | Patapon 2, LocoRoco 2 |
Tips to play them at their best
- Use our best PPSSPP settings: 2x–4x resolution makes these games look sharp on modern screens.
- Action games like God of War and Peace Walker are much better with a controller; see how to map one.
- Save space by compressing your ISOs to CSO.
- If a game is slow, our 12 PPSSPP lag fixes sort it out.
Emulators are legal. Game files are copyrighted: the legal way is to make your own copies from UMDs you own, or buy the games where they’re still sold.
FAQ
What is the best PSP game on PPSSPP?
God of War: Ghost of Sparta is our top pick, followed by GTA Vice City Stories and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. All three run at full speed on most Android phones.
Can every phone run PSP games?
Almost every Android phone from the last five years runs most PSP games at full speed with PPSSPP. Very heavy games may need 1x resolution on budget phones.
Which PSP games are good for low-end phones?
Light games like Dragon Ball Z Shin Budokai 2, Naruto Ultimate Ninja Heroes 3, Patapon 2, LocoRoco 2 and PES 6 run well even on cheap phones.
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