As you can tell from my recent Astro Bot review, I’m a big fan of Sony’s PlayStation Portal handheld, which lets you stream your PS5 games without losing any DualSense functionality.
Still, as much as I like and appreciate the premium feel of Sony’s newest handheld, I’d much rather a dedicated gaming device like the PlayStation Portable.
Released in 2004/2005 (depending on the region), the PSP was arguably a little ahead of its time, providing a home console quality experience in a pocket-sized form. It’s something the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck would successfully replicate many years later.
Indeed, unlike the stuff you’d find on the Game Boy, DS and other popular handhelds, PSP games felt more like the kind of thing you would play on a traditional console.
With this in mind, we’ve picked out a handful of PSP games that we would love to see make a comeback, whether that’s a full remake, a remaster, or even a PlayStation Plus Premium re-release.
Let us know some of your favourite PSP games in the comments below.
After Burner: Black Falcon
As a fan of SEGA, it pains me that so many arcade classics have been forgotten, from iconic racers like OutRun, Super Hang On and SEGA Rally, to frantic shooters like Space Harrier and After Burner.
After Burner: Burner Black Falcon features the same classic on-rails action as its arcade predecessors, albeit with a more modern visual style and a banging soundtrack.
This is a series that needs to make a comeback in general, but we’d take a PS Plus Premium re-release of Black Falcon over nothing at all.
(Image: SEGA)
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
With Rockstar Games recently revisiting the iconic GTA trilogy from the PS2 era, it’s not completely unrealistic to think that Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars (and let’s also throw Liberty City Stories into the mix) could get the remaster treatment at some point in the future.
Chinatown Wars is certainly one of the more unique and interesting GTA games ever created. With its top down viewpoint, Chinatown Wars better resembles the original GTA games from the PSOne era, albeit with the polish, mission variety and flair for storytelling of the 3D greats.
While it initially made its debut on the DS, the PSP edition feels like the definitive version thanks to the system’s additional horsepower. If Rockstar remastered this for the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck they’d have another hit on their hands.
(Image: ROCKSTAR GAMES)
Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops
Because it wasn’t directed by Hideo Kojima, Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops is rarely talked about, despite being recognised as part of the series canon by Konami.
Unlike Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (which was directed by Hideo Kojima and featured in the HD Collection), Portable Ops has also never appeared anywhere other than the PSP.
This makes it a fascinating entry for anybody wishing to learn more about the story of Big Boss. With Konami working on Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Volume 2, there’s a chance we may finally get the Portable Ops remaster we’ve been waiting for.
(Image: KONAMI)
God of War: Chains of Olympus/God of War: Ghost of Sparta
The perfect demo for the power of the PSP, God of War: Chains of Olympus (and Ghost of Sparta) gave fans the ability to pummel Greek Gods on the go. It was like having a proper triple-A blockbuster in the palm of your hand, featuring the same outrageous and over-the-top action that made the PS2 entries a firm favourite among fans.
While I love the direction Sony has taken the God of War series in recent years, there’s still a part of me that misses the all-out action of the original games, which is why I’d love to see every old-school entry get some kind of modern-day re-release on the PS5.
Sony already gave Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta a PS3 makeover, so there’s no reason it can’t be done again.
(Image: SONY)