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The Top 25 PSP Games - IGN

by IGN PlayStation Team

Dec, 28 2011
The PSP has been part of our lives for six years now. In that
time, we've had classics, follies and the PSPgo. With the sun
setting on Sony's original handheld gaming machine, it's time
for the IGN PlayStation Team to gather and decide the best
games ever to come to the platform. This is that list -- the 25
games we think every PSP player should have played. Let us
know what you think of it in the comments below.
25
Daxter
Released March 14, 2006
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While PSP noobs will know developer Ready at Dawn more
for its God of War PSP games, folks who have been rocking
the UMD for a while know that it all started with Daxter. While
the Jak and Daxter franchise started with Naughty Dog,
Ready at Dawn stepped up in 2006 to give the wise-cracking
ottsel his own game on Sony's portable. What stood out
about the title was its focus on platforming. Jak II and Jak III
were pretty much action games, but Daxter took the
gameplay back to what fans originally fell in love with -smart platforming with a healthy dose of humor.
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24
Rock Band Unplugged
Released May 26, 2009
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When it first came out, I harped on Rock Band Unplugged for
not supporting multiplayer of any kind. I still think I was
justified -- the developer added it to the DS spinoff -- but I
missed the point of how great this game was. Months later,
Rock Band Unplugged remained in my UMD drive as I added
fans to my band's total. There were no peripherals to Rock
Band Unplugged. Just you taping buttons and switching
tracks in an attempt to keep every part of a song going along
in perfect harmony. The tour mode was deep, the songs were
great, and there is still a whole bunch of DLC to grab.
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23
MotorStorm: Arctic Edge
Released September 29, 2009
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MotorStorm: Arctic Edge rocks because, well, it's
MotorStorm. Whereas a lot of franchises come to the PSP
and lose a feature or two, Arctic Edge came and kept the
series' single-player offering and its online options. It
controlled the same with fast and frantic racing, it looked
great, and there was so much to do and unlock. If you want a
true racer on the PSP that feels just like its console

counterpart, look no further than MotorStorm: Arctic Edge.

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22
Killzone: Liberation
Released October 31, 2006
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Killzone: Liberation surprised the gaming population with a
radically different take on Killzone. While its predecessor
delivered action as a first-person shooter, Liberation mixed it
up and pulled the camera back for a third-person, isometric
experience. This alone makes Liberation a unique entry in
the Killzone series. It also expands on the story of Jan
Templar and includes an ad-hoc multiplayer mode for those
of you interested in stomping some Helghast with a friend in
tow.
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21
Jeanne d'Arc
Released August 21, 2007
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What is there to say about Jeanne d'Arc? Released in 2007,
Jeanne d'Arc told a fictionalized tale of Joan of Arc as she
fought monsters across the English countryside in a strategy
RPG that packed beautiful anime cutscenes. It was an
interesting, endearing tale that grabbed your attention but

kept it with gameplay tweaks such as skill stones and

dynamic weak points for enemies. You had to think to get
ahead in Jeanne d'Arc, and that's why we love it.
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20
PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe
Released October 1, 2009
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Plenty of video games have done tower defense, but
PixelJunk Monsters does tower defense well. Developing
defenses for your village only takes moments to figure out
and balances periods of aggressive tower building with
passive upgrading. While learning the ropes might only take
minutes of your time, mastering the various challenges and
developing your preferred strategy requires a serious (and
fun) commitment. PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe had it all, and
still ranks as one of the best tower defense games released
on Sony's platforms.
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19
Mega Man Maverick Hunter X
Released February 2, 2006
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Mega Man X was one of the great games in the entirety of
the Super Nintendo library, so when the game meandered

over to the PlayStation Portable, Mega Man fans and

newbies alike were quite excited. Maverick Hunter X was a
complete remake of the famous original, with a graphical
overhaul that brought it into the 21st century. However, the
gameplay that has always been the hallmark of the classic
Mega Man and Mega Man X franchises alike remained
intact, much to the delight of series veterans. The non-linear
nature of the game is what really sucked gamers in, and
unlike the classic series, an extra emphasis was added on
revisiting and exploring already-completed stages to find
hidden items that would make X stronger, such as armor
upgrades and additional health.
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18
Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep
Released September 7, 2010
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Chronologically the first Kingdom Hearts game in the series,
Birth by Sleep tells the story of three Keyblade Masters:
Aqua, Terra, and Ventus. Completing each of the three
campaigns reveals much of the Kingdom Hearts lore and
illuminates our knowledge of Sora's origin. Birth by Sleep not
only weaves an interesting tale but also adds a number of
incredible additions to the Kingdom Hearts battle system; a
perfect way to fight the forces of darkness.
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17
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

Released October 24, 2005

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See It in Action
The first four sentences of the IGN review for Grand Theft
Auto: Liberty City Stories tell you why it's on our list. "Few
games actually change the way you feel about a platform.
They take the established standard and tear it to pieces.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City (LCS) Stories is one such
game. It takes the preconceptions about what a handheld
can do and totally ignores them." Released within the PSP's
first year on the market, Liberty City Stories delivered a huge,
free-roaming GTA game that many thought only the PS2
could deliver. Third-person, sandbox action in your pocket?
Hell yes.
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16
Resistance: Retribution
Released March 17, 2009
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Developer Bend Studio knows its way around a portable, and
Resistance: Retribution is the pinnacle of its PSP pedigree.
Setting us between Resistance: Fall of Man and Resistance
2, Retribution tells the sad story of James Grayson, a
decorated British Marine who goes AWOL after having to put
down his Chimera-infected brother. From there, Grayson is
on a one-man journey to take out every conversion center he
comes across, and that makes for a touching, thrilling ride.
Even beyond story, Resistance: Retribution succeeds at
giving players an online infrastructure packing clans and at

making an enjoyable shooter on a system missing a second

analog stick -- no small feat.
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15
Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles
Released October 23, 2007
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These days, new Castlevania releases have slowed to a
trickle, and many fans of the franchise would agree that the
series appears to have lost track of its roots. But if 2007's
Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles proved anything, it
was that the old style of Castlevania not rooted in the 3D or
Metroid-vania inspiration was still alive and well. Of course, it
was really a reimagining of Rondo of Blood, a 1993
Castlevania game that never made it outside of Japan. But it
was new to everyone else in the world who hadn't played the
initial rerelease on Super Nintendo. Chronicles even came
packed with what's arguably the best Castlevania game of
all-time -- Symphony of the Night -- if you could figure out
how to unlock it.
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14
LocoRoco 2
Released February 10, 2009
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Before the Patapon tribe danced onto the PSP, LocoRoco

was the cutesy puzzle game everyone loved. With catchy
music and collectables that took your brainpower to grab,
the LocoRoco franchise was designed for the PSP and used
the shoulder buttons to tilt the screen and send the pile of
little yellow balls to out of reach places. LocoRoco 2 kept the
basic idea but added the ability to swim and squeeze, and
that only added to my enjoyment of the title.
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13
Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee 2
Released June 3, 2008
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You'd think that we'd get tired of Hot Shots Golf seeing as
how it's a franchise that's been around for more than a
decade, but that just doesn't seem possible, and Hot Shots
Gold: Open Tee 2 is the perfect example of why. This is a
portable game packed with characters, costumes and more
goofy secrets than most players will ever find. But on top of
all the cartoony chaos, developer Clap Hanz has created an
accessible and deep golf engine. You can suck at real life
golf (like me) and still have a blast playing this because the
system is easy to understand. From there, you just have to
learn about topspin, backspin, and how to unlock the
skimpiest outfits for your characters.
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12
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

Released October 20, 2006

Read the Review
See It in Action
Many would argue that Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on the
PlayStation 2 is the best Grand Theft Auto game ever made.
So it would make sense, then, that Grand Theft Auto: Vice
City Stories on the PSP would follow in the proud tradition of
the game that inspired it. Set in the 1980s, just like the
PlayStation 2 iteration, GTA: Vice City Stories expanded on
the themes of the original: excessive drug use, exorbitant
amounts of crime and, of course, great music. Vice City
Stories was -- and remains to this day -- a great way to get
your GTA fix on the go, with familiar gameplay and
mechanics that make for one incredibly fun experience.
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11
Lumines II
Released November 2, 2006
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Before it hit every downloadable platform known to man,
Lumines was a franchise that was strictly for the PSP. And
fans loved it with good reason. Taking block-based puzzles
and slamming it together with catchy tunes, Lumines gave
the world a brand new "easy to understand, difficult to
master obsession." Make four-part blocks of the same color,
add beats to the song, and try to keep the screen clear.
Lumines 2 gets the nod over the original because it added
missions and a custom skin option, but if I could just give
this slot to the franchise as a whole, I would.

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10
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Released March 25, 2008
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Crisis Core gave fans of Final Fantasy VII a much deeper
look into the life and feats of Zack Fair, Cloud's predecessor
and one of the original heroes of Final Fantasy VII. Crisis
Core told this story with a battle system that favored
real-time action over a traditional turn-based setup. And with
an impressive collection of challenges and unlockables to
hunt for, Crisis Core packed a whole lot of game onto one
UMD. And every gamer deserves to see it through to the
touching end.
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9
Mega Man Powered Up
Released March 14, 2006
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For old-school Mega Man fans, Mega Man Powered Up is
something supremely special. In essence, it's a remake of
the very first Mega Man game from the NES days, brought
into the modern era with an aesthetic facelift and some new
features to toy around with. But purists shouldn't worry;
Mega Man: Powered Up is just as gruelingly difficult as the
original, and even has a couple of extras thrown in, including

two new bosses. And it's those bosses that are at the heart
of Powered Up, because you can play as each and every one
of them through a myriad of challenges catered to each one,
giving this game a significant length and replay value.
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8
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of The Lions
Released October 9, 2007
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The original Final Fantasy Tactics took the beloved series in
a different direction, making it one of the most fondly
remembered spin-offs in gaming history. The War of the
Lions introduced beautiful cutscenes and a new translation
that more accurately represents the charm of Ivalice. To see
and do everything in War of the Lions means hundreds of
hours of play, guided along by a complex, political tale
brimming with personality. Visit Ivalice and see why Ramza
Beoulve's story has enthralled so many gamers over the
years.
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7
Valkyria Chronicles II
Released August 31, 2010
Read the Review
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To a lot of us, Valkyria Chronicles II was a kick in the teeth. I

mean, the first strategy RPG was an awesome PlayStation 3

exclusive that fans spent months begging SEGA to go back
and add Trophies to. So when a PSP exclusive sequel was
announced, some flipped because their baby was getting
justice. Turns out, we were wrong to rush to judgment
because Valkyria Chronicles II is awesome and a PSP game
you can easily sink a hundred hours into. VC2 followed a new
batch of students turned soldiers, but it kept the class
combat and thrill of plotting your troops, dropping into thirdperson action and executing a flawless takedown of an
enemy encampment.
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6
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Released February 15, 2011
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See It in Action
As a remake of a strategy RPG from the Super Famicom,
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together might seem to some as
nothing more than a rehash. After all, it saw several
re-releases in its native Japan in the 1990s before being
remade and sent to the PSP for worldwide consumption. But
that would be selling Let Us Cling Together short. This is an
artfully-made, immersive, deep and incredibly lengthy
adventure that stresses tactics above all else. Part of the fun
is catering your party to your own play style, switching in and
out characters -- as well as upgrading their gear and
manipulating their classes -- making Tactics Ogre: Let Us
Cling Together an exercise is customizable gameplay.
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5

Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection

Released April 19, 2011
Read the Review
See It in Action
As one of the greatest RPGs ever made, Final Fantasy IV has
earned its place in the annals of gaming greatness. Yet, it's
also been re-released quite a few times. What makes The
Complete Collection on PSP so special, however, is how
much is packed into a single package. Indeed, it is
hands-down the definitive version of the game. Cecil and
company's adventure can be relived in the lengthy singleplayer epic, but players will also have access to The After
Years content that was previously exclusive to the Nintendo
Wii. And then there's the Interlude that connects the main
game to The After Years, something brand new for Final
Fantasy IV buffs to experience, and something that can only
be found in The Complete Collection.
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4
God of War: Ghost of Sparta
Released November 2, 2010
Read the Review
See It in Action
When it's all said and done, God of War: Ghost of Sparta is
going to go down as one of the best looking games to ever
grace the PSP. The way water cascades, the flame effects,
the attention to environmental detail -- developer Ready at
Dawn outdid itself. But saying that is selling the overall
package short. Ghost of Sparta is great because it is God of

War in your pocket. Kratos is brutal, the enemies aren't

nerfed, and there are plenty of magic spells to go around. If
you want to jam a sword in a minotaur's mouth or fight a
massive monster on your bus ride, God of War: Ghost of
Sparta has you covered, and it's a blast.
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3
Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
Released March 22, 2011
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Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy -- no video game has more
thoroughly honored the Final Fantasy series and JRPGs as a
whole. Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy assembles some of the
most memorable heroes and villains in the franchise's long
history and pits them in a battle of light and darkness. With
an insanely flexible fighting system powering the core of
Dissidia, you can invest an enormous amount of time into its
campaign. Each character provides a different style of play,
and each exhilarating fight comes scored with incredible
music. Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy is, without a doubt, a
special game that's aimed at fans.
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2
Patapon 3
Released April 11, 2011
Read the Review
See It in Action

Patapon and Patapon 2 took home our PSP Game of the

Year honors in back to back years, but it was Patapon 3 that
took all the lessons learned and put them in one game that
stretched the PSP's legs in its final laps. Patapon 3 kept the
premise of controlling a game via drum beats assigned to
the face buttons, but it ditched the army. This time, you were
controlling one hero that you could pimp out as you saw fit.
You could make him an archer, a warrior and a whole bunch
of other classes on a whim. You could replay missions
against massive bosses for extra items, you could sell items
to buy materials to make different bonuses, and -- most
importantly -- you could play online. There was none of this
ad-hoc nonsense; you could go online and make clans,
befriend warriors and prove that you were the ultimate
Patapon hero.
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1
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Released June 8, 2010
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Declaring Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker the best PSP game
of all time is pretty simple considering it might be the best
Metal Gear Solid game of all time. Period. In portable form,
Peace Walker gave fans another Big Boss story to CQC
through, but this was the most coherent and most touching
story in the series. Even if you never played a Metal Gear
Solid game before, watching Big Boss investigate the
reappearance of his dead mentor and seeing his pain
resonates. Beyond that, the game blew the majority of other
PSP titles out of the water in terms of things to do. You could
tackle missions with your friends via ad-hoc play, take on the

strategy game packed into your base, and replay missions

over and over again to capture better soldiers and make your
army unstoppable. Peace Walker even included a
recruitment game that read wireless hotspots near you, so in
the waning days of the PSP's lifecycle, players were
encouraged to carry the portable with them everywhere they
went.
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