PlayStation Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep

The last edition of the PlayStation Portable (or PSP) was discontinued back in 2014, so to say that this system is past its heyday would be something of an understatement. But the early generation of PlayStation’s games are still some of its best, and many of them are playable on this handheld game console in some form. In a lot of ways, there’s been no better time to be a PSP gamer! For one thing, both the system and games can be found for just a fraction of what they cost when Sony’s flagship portable was released in the mid-2000s.

Back then, that sticker price was one of the main gripes against the PSP, but it was clearly worth it to the millions of gamers who bought one. The PSP was an early adopter of some the bells and whistles that are now commonplace to handheld systems like the Nintendo Switch, like the ability to play it on a television or monitor. And while they’ve stopped making games for it, the graphics hold up well on its 4.3 inch LCD screen.

Those games included nearly every genre there is: Action / adventure (“God of War: Ghost of Sparta,” “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories”), role-playing (“Final Fantasy 7,” “Kingdom Hearts”), racing (“Ridge Racer,” “Need for Speed: Underground Rivals”), sports (“NFL Street 2: Unleashed”) and much more. While solo is the primary way most gamers play on the PSP, you can play with a friend on some designated multiplayer titles if they also have a PSP in the same room. Failing that, you can hook up to Wi-Fi through the system’s internet capability and find other players online. Just bear in mind that Sony’s online support for the PSP has been largely phased out, so the community of players you find online may be less than robust.

While we’re on the subject of online support, it’s helpful to know that Sony has also phased out the PlayStation Store on the PSP, where you would originally go to download games. Barring some inventive tech solutions, the only way you can play the PSP’s games now is on the primary media that it launched with: The UMD, or Universal Media Disc. But that’s not to say your options are limited! Over its lifetime, Sony and other big developers put out hundreds of titles for the PSP. They’re still out there for sale, used and new. And as has been said before, they’re still some of the best.

• When you’re buying a PSP game, consider the player. If that player is a young child, you might have to do a tiny bit of homework first. With its slick presentation and sharper graphics, the PSP was initially marketed toward an older crowd of gamers than the Nintendo DS, its primary competition at the time. That’s not to say that the PSP didn’t have games for younger kids. Titles like “Daxter” and “Little Big Planet” are not only some of the system’s top-selling games, they’re great fun, no matter what age you are. But there are more mature games whose violence level might be a concern for parents, such as “God of War: Ghost of Sparta” or “Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.” When in doubt, check the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) box on the cover of any game. It’ll not only tell you what age range the game is suitable for, but also the reasons the game is rated that way (violence, language, etc.).
• Do you plan on playing the game with others? Group play is a highlight of the gaming experience for many, but the PSP — being a handheld, portable device — caters slightly more toward the solo player. That’s not to say you can’t play select games with friends, but since online support for the system has been largely discontinued, your options are a bit more limited. For the most part, you’ll need another player physically present in the room with another PSP to connect to. This can be a particular concern if you’re buying sports games or one-on-one fighting games like “Darkstalkers Chronicle,” where multiplayer competition is a primary appeal.
• A lot of parents buy games to occupy their kids on long car trips or to buy a little quiet time at restaurants. If that’s the case, consider whether the game needs the sound on to be playable. While it’s nice to hear the soundtrack on “Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core,” that game and RPGs like it usually have subtitles for the dialogue. If a game really needs the sound up, maybe consider another option — or just invest in headphones, so your young player won’t bring the whole room into the game.
• Another factor to consider is repeat playability. It’s great to binge-play an engrossing new game when you first get it out of the box. It’s not so great to be done the next day when you’ve played through the storyline and there’s nowhere else to go.
• A word on the software: While you used to be able to download games and even movies through the PlayStation Store, that’s no longer the case now that Sony has phased out the PSP in favor of its newer handheld (the PS Vita). You can still play games on their primary physical format, the Universal Media Disc. That “universal” part is not to be taken at face value, though. Keep in mind that UMDs will work only in your PSP, and not in your larger PlayStation consoles or any other device.