5 Best PSP Games Of All Time, Ranked

Sony's first major handheld console was the Playstation Portable, which launched in 2004 with its own extensive library of games. The console garnered its fair share of fans before being followed by the PlayStation Vita in 2011, with the PSP still trending on Twitter on occasion thanks to nostalgic gamers. The PSP featured a mix of existing games ported to its hardware and plenty of original titles exclusive to Sony's handheld. The console was also capable of online gameplay and could interface with PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 consoles to bring the fun to bigger screens.

Simply put, we love the Playstation Portable, and its catalog of games deserves more attention in the way that other consoles have seen similarly favorable reappraisals. Whether it's installments from established fan-favorite franchises or all-new titles, the PSP built up an impressive library of games. But even in revisiting its numerous releases, there are just some games that visibly rise above the rest. These are the five best PSP games of all time ranked, epitomizing the handheld console's appeal.

Rockstar Games' "Grand Theft Auto" franchise had expanded to handheld consoles ever since 2004's "Grand Theft Auto Advance" arrived for the Game Boy Advance. The best "Grand Theft Auto" game for portable platforms is "Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars," which was released in 2009. Bringing the franchise back to its classic New York City-inspired setting of Liberty City, the game has protagonist Huang Lee drawn into the city's criminal underworld while helping his uncle. This primarily includes Huang becoming embroiled in a power struggle to lead Liberty City's Triad syndicate as the young mobster makes a name for himself.

"Chinatown Wars" improves upon the top-down perspective in prior handheld and classic entries to the franchise, offering a more intuitive camera system. The game also provides a more technically impressive visual presentation than its Nintendo DS counterpart, while adding exclusive missions to the experience. Moreover, "Chinatown Wars" embodies what "Grand Theft Auto" can be on portable devices, easy to pick up and play while offering online multiplayer. An overlooked entry in the franchise, "Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars" stands among the PSP's most unabashedly fun titles.

Bandai Namco's "Tekken" franchise has been a fighting game staple on PlayStation consoles ever since the '90s. The series' highlight on the PSP is the 2006 port of "Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection," an upgraded version of 2004's "Tekken 5," which was originally released for the PS2. The game retains the original "Tekken 5" story of Jin Kazama taking on his resurrected grandfather Jinpachi Mishima, while adding three new playable characters. The technical performance has been subtly enhanced compared to the PS2 version, while also adding online functionality with the creation and download of ghost fighters to test your skills against.

"Dark Resurrection" offers a full rebalance of the roster, avoiding the overpowered characters that plagued the original version. The PSP version also added more stages, customization options, and game modes, including Devil Within, the best "Tekken" minigame in the franchise. Though "Dark Resurrection" was eventually ported to the PlayStation 3, fans were disappointed that this version had less game modes than its PSP counterpart at launch. This arguably makes the PSP version of "Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection" the most feature-rich version of the game.

The PlayStation Portable got its own endlessly entertaining puzzle game with the "Lumines" series, starting with "Lumines: Puzzle Fusion" in 2004. Like "Tetris" or "Dr. Mario," the game involves falling blocks, with players grouping the pieces by color to clear them before being overwhelmed. There are special blocks and patterns adding to the gameplay depth and keeping players on their toes as they try to stay ahead of the cascading objects. There are also a variety of game modes to keep the experience fresh, including multiplayer modes to let gamers go head-to-head with friends.

With its vibrant display and beautifully synced-up presentation to its original soundtrack, "Lumines" is one of the best puzzle game series of the 21st century. A lot of that charm is present in its inaugural title and gorgeously rendered on the PSP's hardware. In addition to spawning an entire franchise, the game received a remaster in 2018 that's become an underappreciated gem for the Switch. Providing hours of addictive block-busting fun, "Lumines: Puzzle Fusion" is the perfect game to enjoy on the go.

The "Metal Gear" franchise has a surprisingly robust line of titles on handheld consoles, dating back to 2000's "Metal Gear: Ghost Babel" on the Game Boy Color. The best portable game in the series is 2010's "Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker," following Big Boss as he leads a mercenary group in Latin America. Taking place several years after "Portable Ops" on the "Metal Gear" timeline, Big Boss investigates a paramilitary organization linked to the Soviet Union in Costa Rica. Big Boss moves to keep the titular Peace Walker, an artificial intelligence programmed to automatically retaliate with a nuclear strike if attacked, from falling into the wrong hands.

"Peace Walker" refines the gameplay experience started in "Portable Ops," including the online multiplayer mode, progressive mission structure and squad-selection segments, while adding base-building elements. The game is also much more narratively driven, providing direct links to the events of "Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater" and its impact on Big Boss. "Peace Walker" was eventually remastered for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, but the PSP version remains a thrilling experience. Weaving together the fan-favorite features from across the franchise with its usual stealth-oriented gameplay, "Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker" is one of the best entries in the series.

As far as console exclusive properties for PlayStation, few are more iconic than the "God of War" series, and the hack-and-slash franchise received a prequel title on the PSP in 2008 with "God of War: Chains of Olympus." The story is set several years before the events of the 2005 original game in the "God of War" timeline, with the warrior Kratos still serving the Olympian gods. After defending the city of Attica from an attacking army, Kratos ventures into the underworld to reunite with his daughter, only to stumble on a plot by a vengeful Persephone.

Looking and handling marvelously, "God of War: Chains of Olympus" is the most impressive game on the PSP. The prequel captures all the adventuring entertainment from its home console counterparts while maintaining a visually stunning presentation. The game's narrative is also one of the series' most emotional, depicting the tragic dynamic between Kratos and his lost daughter. A stellar entry in the acclaimed series on par with its PlayStation 2 predecessors, "God of War: Chains of Olympus" is a triumphant entry in the franchise.