5 Hit PSP Video Games No One Remembers Today

After dominating the home console space, Sony turned its attention to handheld consoles with the PlayStation Portable. Launching 2004, the PSP received a robust library of ports, remasters, and, of course, loads of original games for the platform. The PSP saw a mix of PlayStation's biggest franchises, titles from previously established properties, and brand-new ideas. Some of the best PSP games of all time stand among the greatest games ever released for a PlayStation platform overall.

But like any other platform, there are a multitude of PSP games that just don't carry the same widespread recognition that they enjoyed at launch. This isn't a critique on the quality of the games themselves, but an observation that most gamers don't talk about these titles anymore. Even Sony's major exclusive franchises aren't immune to the effects of the passage of time. These are five hit PSP video games that no one remembers today, despite their initial success.

"Jak and Daxter" was one of the big Sony-exclusive franchises introduced for the PlayStation 2, mixing 3D platforming with action-adventure fun. The game received a PSP spin-off in 2006 with "Daxter," focusing on the eponymous ottsel, a cross between an otter and a weasel. Set during the events of "Jak II," the spin-off has Daxter working as a bug exterminator while trying to rescue his best friend Jak from a local tyrant. Daxter gets into 3D platforming antics of his own, while primarily defending himself with a bug swatter, as he searches for a way to save his friend.

"Daxter" provided a smooth translation of the "Jak and Daxter" franchise to the PSP, while proving that the series didn't need the conventional fantasy hero Jak for a good time. The game sold over 2.3 million copies by 2008 but the series only released one additional brand-new title with 2009's "Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier."

After a compilation title for the PlayStation 3 released in 2012, "Jak and Daxter" became a dead video game franchise as Sony and Naughty Dog prioritized different projects. Like many first-party PSP games, "Daxter" is available to play through the PlayStation 4 and 5's digital library, but without much fanfare, and with no revival for "Jak and Daxter" in sight.

Among the launch titles for the PSP when the handheld console came to North America was the racing game "Wipeout Pure." The futuristic series features anti-gravity ships racing each other on tracks similar to Nintendo's "F-Zero" franchise. In addition to thruster capabilities, every ship comes with shields and can pick up various weapon power-ups to attack their competitors. The 2005 PSP title features the usual gameplay modes and, in a first for the series, online multiplayer.

"Wipeout Pure" retains the high-speed action and eye-popping visuals of the home console entries, translating beautifully to the PSP. For a 2005 title, the game's online multiplayer modes are handled well, bringing together fans like never before for the franchise. The game sold over a million copies and saw over 500,000 players obtain its DLC content, proving the console's online viability. One of the best racing games on the PSP, "Wipeout Pure" isn't talked about as readily as other contemporary franchises like "Gran Turismo" or "Need for Speed."

Jak and Daxter weren't the only PS2 duo that had a prominent presence on the PSP, with Ratchet and Clank starring in their own handheld spin-off. 2008's "Secret Agent Clank" focuses on the robotic member of the mischievous sci-fi pair, though Ratchet is also playable in select sequences in the game. The game opens with Ratchet framed for the theft of a valuable gem and consequently imprisoned, prompting Clank to launch an investigation to identify the true culprit and save his friend. Clank gets into his usual platforming gameplay, but now armed with his own array of weapons and gadgets to update in order to combat his enemies.

Unlike "Jak and Daxter," the "Ratchet & Clank" series has survived into the PlayStation 5 era, most recently with the PS5 title "Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart." But "Secret Agent Clank" remains an underrated and overlooked entry in the franchise's history, at least by gamers today. Clank plays a much more action-oriented role than he usually does in the series' mainline entries while the franchise's wacky sense of humor remains firmly intact. "Secret Agent Clank" sold over 1.1 million copies though Clank was relegated back to his primarily supporting role moving forward.

The first two "Kingdom Hearts" titles stand among the best PS2 games of all time, blending Disney properties with Square Enix's "Final Fantasy" franchise. After a set of spin-offs on Nintendo handhelds, the series came to the PSP with the 2010 game "Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep." A prequel to the original game, "Birth by Sleep" revolves around three Keyblade apprentices who take on the villainous Keyblade Master Xehanort. This adventure takes them to a variety of Disney worlds, including realms based on "Fantasia," "Lilo & Stitch," and "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves."

"Birth by Sleep" features the familiar action RPG and hack-and-slash gameplay as the PS2 "Kingdom Hearts" games, albeit with slight refinements. The magic meter is replaced with focus-based attacks while players get the option to launch command techniques in addition to their regular attacks. The game performed well, selling over 1.2 million copies in less than a year after its launch, but isn't as widely recognized as the franchise's mainline entries. A remaster version was included in a compilation with "Kingdom Hearts II," underscoring the title's ancillary position in the entire "Kingdom Hearts" series rather than getting its own standalone recognition.

Another fantasy action RPG that was commercially successful on the PSP but isn't as well-known today is "God Eater." The 2010 game has players take on monsters, known as Aragami, in various environments, restricted by time limits and other objectives in a mission-style format. The player's weapon, the God Arc, provides four functions: operating as a gun, a blade, a shield, and a form that allows it to consume harvestable elements from defeated Aragami. Players can complete missions solo or in teams of three through computer-controlled teammates or online multiplayer.

While the original "God Eater" was released exclusively in Japan, it received an expanded version later in 2010 that saw an international release under the title "God Eater Burst." The combined sales of both of these titles was over a million copies worldwide and spawned a small franchise. But after 2018's "God Eater 3," publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment hasn't done much with the monster-hunting property — except leave a tantalizing link to it in the original "Code Vein." Compared to competing titles like "Monster Hunter" or "Dragon's Dogma," "God Eater" hasn't enjoyed the same enduring relevance.