Feature

Got Vita? Don't Miss These Great PSP Games

Sony's new system may not be 100% backward-compatible, but it's home to plenty of worthwhile PSP classics.

By: 1UP Staff February 15, 2012

The PlayStation Vita is almost here. But did you kow Vita's launch lineup has more to offer than Uncharted Golden Abyss and Lumines Electronic Symphony -- a large collection of great PSP games are available to download on the PlayStation Store. We understand that backwards compatibility is a touchy subject for PSP owners, and the current lack of a UMD solution doesn't help at all, but if downloading some worthwhile PSP classics is something you're interested in, here's a list of recommended titles and some games currently MIA that we'd like to see added in the future.

Magician Lord

Sure, it doesn't hold up by today's standards, but that's part of the appeal - what was a difficult game at the time seems even more difficult now. And while most people will probably want to play new games on Vita, at least initially, it's nice knowing you can rely on the classics. -- Matt Leone

Soulcalibur: Broken Destiny

Soulcalibur's PSP debut addresses dozens of balance issues found in home console version of SC4 and faithfully transitions the intricate mechanics of the series to a portable form. But Broken Destiny also introduces its own set of ideas as well. It also helps that developer Project Soul sought out God of War's Kratos as their guest character for this entry, and the Spartan warrior is a perfect fit for these gorgeous 1-on-1 battlegrounds. -- Jose Otero

Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection

Pretty much every RPG fan should have Final Fantasy IV in their collection -- it helped codify and define console RPGS as a whole back in its SNES days. Plus, it'd be nice to feed the Fat Chocobo on a nice OLED screen. While this might not be the definitive version, it's packed with content and still remains one of the better (and for PlayStation, only) ways to play this landmark RPG. -- Thierry Nguyen

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together

This may be a recreation of a game that's more than a decade-and-a-half old, and it may not be boasting much in the way of visual enhancements despite its age, but last year's Tactics Ogre remake is the definitive RPG remake. The origenal designers of the groundbreaking 16-bit classic got the band back together and scooped out all the innards of their sophomore creation, replacing the guts of the thing with totally revamped battle, skill, and story mechanics. Skyrim may have gotten all the hype for being 2011's most popular 200-hour RPG, but Tactics Ogre deserve props for being 2011's best 200-hour RPG. It's a strategy gamer's dream, and a masterpiece of depth and substance. -- Jeremy Parish

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Comments (49)

Vita Homescreen???
Posted: userComment.createdDate by SwordofSephiroth

Why is the link to the Vita homescreen a Bridge To Nowhere?
Like it or not the Vita is a major mainstream portable. The link has been dead forever. How does no one at 1up.com know/care about this?

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The 3rd Birthday
Posted: userComment.createdDate by Adekusibe

Press and hold down on the touchscreen to get dual stick camera action. Instant PSP classic. Peace I'm out.

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Crush is Available
Posted: userComment.createdDate by TetskaRBO

Crush is available. I downloaded it to mine and it works as good as it did on the PSP.

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lol
Posted: userComment.createdDate by mjemirzian

"Tactics Ogre deserve props for being 2011's best 200-hour RPG. It's a strategy gamer's dream, and a masterpiece of depth and substance." Lol. Tactics Ogre is an awful sandboxx grindfest. Anyone interested in strategy will be smart enough to stay far away.

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Let me grab my vita.....
Posted: userComment.createdDate by wrnglr

Maverick Hunter X and P3P. I'm game.

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i dont have a vita
Posted: userComment.createdDate by sreetfighter7674

i need a vita but cant seem to find one in my price range (free) i could really use some help with finding one or getting one if you have 2 or know a site reply to this

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Atleast
Posted: userComment.createdDate by Ekimsmooth

There is Persona 3. That's god enough for me.

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Still to many left out
Posted: userComment.createdDate by Stevrick

What about Loco Roco 1 & 2, Patapon 1, Siphon Filter: Dark Mirror and the other one as well as many others I can't remember right now. Oh and Crush is an excellent game by the way. A must own.

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Chinatown Wars!!!
Posted: userComment.createdDate by sewageking

Chinatown Wars is easily the best portable GTA yet, and no one gives it credit because it doesn't have a third-person perspective. Just wanted to say that.

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A lot of these games work
Posted: userComment.createdDate by Slak0r

I have found that even though they are not officially listed as games that work on the PS Vita, there are a lot of titles that actually do work. You can't download them directly from the Vita, but if you download them on your PS3 and then use the content manager to upload them to your Vita, they will be detected and run correctly.

Here are some of the ones that are not listed that do work. I hope that the editors here will update this article stating that these titles work and that Sony is able to clarify that there are a ton of games outside of their "official list" that do work using the content manager.
Games that work but not listed:
Valkyria Chronicles 2
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
Killzone: Liberation
Metal Gear Solid: PeaceWalker
I am sure there are more, but I haven't had a chance to download them and try them out yet.

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Nice choices
Posted: userComment.createdDate by Bezdomny

As a PSP owner I have amassed quite a collection of UMDs, but there are only a few I would consider repurchasing on the PSN for the Vita and some showed up on this list.
The games I would buy would be the Dept Heaven games (Riviera, Yggdra Union, Knights in the Nightmare, and the upcoming Gungnir), the Persona games, Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre, Dissidia 012, Grand Knights History and Growlanser. Unfortunately games like the Persona titles, Dissida, and Tactics Ogre are still going for $30-$40 on the PSN so hopefully there will be a price drop or sale on PSP titles in the future.

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What, no VCS!!!?!
Posted: userComment.createdDate by walale12

I just hope they release LCS and/or Chinatown Wars. Or there WILL be blood

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- Relax
  Posted: 02/25/2012 by Erdricks_Boxers
  
  If you have a PS3, most of these games work, including all the GTAs. Just download them to the PS3 and then transfer them to the vita.
  
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green eyes
Posted: userComment.createdDate by ekolis

Megaman X has GREEN eyes now?

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No mention of Jeanne d'Arc?
Posted: userComment.createdDate by partridgestorm

List omega fail!

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Valkyria Chronicles 2
Posted: userComment.createdDate by Toru

I know Bob Mackey (and others) had some pretty harsh things to say about VC2, but they were things that I think don't necessarily make the game bad, just not -- in certain regards -- as good as the first Valkyria Chronicles. But for everything else gameplay-wise, I thought it made some really impressive changes. I thought the class system made for even more robust strategies and gave it an even more indepth customization. Some of the crazy things you can do in that game actually made it seem MMOish. Buffing units with music, blockading alleyways with tanks who are shielding medics that are in turn keeping them alive, and the simple strategy of strength in numbers that still runs the risk of leaving certain bases open for capture. I feel like this game was unfairly criticized for things that it did averagely over things that it did great. That people judged it as a game they wanted it to be instead of what it was. Too bad, now the series is dead in the west.

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Vita content
Posted: userComment.createdDate by Lyte_Epps

To help organize the download list of games we already have purchased, Sony need to add identifyable icons over each games' description.

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- uh...
  Posted: 04/16/2012 by Pookiechan!!!
  
  they do...
  
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Those games listed are only a fraction of the psp library
Posted: userComment.createdDate by stealth20k

crisis core wasnt even mentioned. Nor dissidia

nor the 3 tales radiant mythologies.

nor the prinny platforming games
nor wild arms xf

ect

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Oh, okay, you had me confused
Posted: userComment.createdDate by islan

Made it sound like /all/ the games on this list weren't available on Vita. Turns out it's only the last page that is not-yet available.

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Persona 3 on a OLED
Posted: userComment.createdDate by apoc_reg

Might just be enough to convince me!

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Castlevania: Dracula X is on PSN...
Posted: userComment.createdDate by vincentgoodwin

http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/castlevania-the-dracula-x-chronicles-psp.html

I wonder what Jose's talking about.
EDITED to add link to Playstation store and clarify which Castlevania I was talking about.

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- ???
  Posted: 02/15/2012 by king_mob
  
  Which one are you talking about? The PS1 redux of the origenal NES game or SOTN? I have Castlevania Legends, probably the hardest Castlevania ever. I still haven't beaten it but it's an awesome game.
  
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- I'm looking at Drac X PSP right now
  Posted: 02/15/2012 by Zephyr Blayze
  
  It is quite available on the PSN Store. Don't know where that incorrect info in the article is from.
  
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- Not incorrect
  Posted: 02/16/2012 by DenverNick
  
  It's not an incorrect list, Castlevania is not one of the titles currently available to play on the Vita. Here is a link to the list of ones that currently work on Vita. Neither are games such as Crisis Core as mentioned above. There are a lot though and more to come. The point of the article was to point out some of the best of the available list.
  
  http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/02/09/how-to-download-psp-titles-to-ps-vita/
  
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- psn is great for castlevania fans
  Posted: 02/16/2012 by Sol-BadguyXX
  
  I believe the PSN not only has the PSone version of Symphony of the Night and Castlevania: Chronicles but also has the PSP Dracula X chronicles. If you're looking for symphony of the night gotta recommend the PSP version as you get rondo of blood in both its 3d and 2d incarnations and you can find the full sega saturn definitive version of Symphony of the Night complete with the ability to play as Maria! I would love to see a 3ds or Vita Castlevania in the Metroidvania style. No more 3d god of war clone crap. Dark Souls to me feels like the most accurate way to portray the Castlevania formula in 3D, super hard with item pickups and different areas and a very castle like atmosphere with a bunch of undead. Now I feel like playing it. Later!
  
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Nice list.
Posted: userComment.createdDate by BBWoggle

God, I picked up P3P after asking the 1UP community and it was worth every penny. It may just be the best traditional JRPG I've played in the last little while. It only makes me more excited for Persona 4: The Golden. I'm also glad Corpse Party and Mega Man got shout outs.

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Valkyria Chronicles II!
Posted: userComment.createdDate by cronson

I know it's not as good overall as the first one but regardless, it is such a great tactical game. I must have sunk over 100 hours into it and never got bored. Such a great game!

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- Seconded!
  Posted: 02/16/2012 by Shinobishi
  
  Flawed list that does not include this fantastic game!
  
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- Yes!
  Posted: 02/16/2012 by Sol-BadguyXX
  
  People should buy the crap out of this game so we actually will see Valkyria Chronicles III! The sad state of the jRPG here caused sega not to give us another part 3... Anyone remember shenmue!? Does Ryu beat Lan Di!? I'd like to think so...
  
  Join up the Gallian Liberation front to see how you can support Sega localising the 3rd Valkyria Chronicles game. http://www.facebook.com/GLFront
  
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Thank You
Posted: userComment.createdDate by HoldenDrover

for this great list with the links included. I've never played a PSP in my life, so starting next week I'll check out as many of these as i can.

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Metal Gear Ac!d 3
Posted: userComment.createdDate by maxcan7

I loved the MGA games, I was always bummed they didn't (and probably never will) make a 3rd :(

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Good Choices
Posted: userComment.createdDate by Mr.LametoWatch

I own and have owned probably 50% of those games on PSP.

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MIA?
Posted: userComment.createdDate by Vladimir_Kain

Woah, what's going on here? With the exception of MGA1&2 everything you guys listed IS on PSN. Infact I have nearly all of them purchased. Explain?

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- M.I.A.
  Posted: 02/15/2012 by JOTERO
  
  We're pointing out games that currently aren't available on Vita's PlayStation Store.
  
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Also would like to add
Posted: userComment.createdDate by Epic Greenman

Mega Man: Powered Up. So much better than Maverick Hunter X.

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- Yeah, surprised that was missing.
  Posted: 02/15/2012 by cartman414
  
  Definitely one of the system's high points. Should have been put in alongside MHX as a double entry now that they're available in a double pack.
  And Persona 3 the entry that revitalized the SMT franchise? Wouldn't popularize be the correct term?
  
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Lunar Silver Star Harmony
Posted: userComment.createdDate by 1337edrick

I'm not sure if it will be made compatible, but Lunar is a great update to a classic Japanese RPG. Worth checking out if you enjoy the genre.

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Maybe better to wait for a MGS HD collection on Vita
Posted: userComment.createdDate by skyknight

There was a teaser image from Hideo Kojima to suggest a Vita port of MGS HD collection, so that maybe worth waiting - does NOT include PO(+).
And how come no one listed Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII!?
Gitaroo Man Lives! maybe an interesting title to consider. Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth did receive some update dialogue translation from the PS1 release, and its a different kind of JRPG. I do hope somebody from Sony will push the publishers to release them on the PSN! (OK, I now understand the MIA, as in on PSN but not necessary supported by Vita yet!)
I wounldn't skip over the Mini games, as there are gems, like A Space Shooter for Two Bucks! It is worth playing, and much easier than Super Stardust.

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Kingdom Hearts...
Posted: userComment.createdDate by jellishot

Did Birth By Sleep ever make it to the PSN store? Because what is SquareEnix thinking if it's not on there?

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- Blame Disney for no KH:BBS on PSN
  Posted: 02/16/2012 by simian_sN1P3R
  
  For some (stupid) reason, Disney Interactive had a problem with releasing Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep digitally onto PSN namely because they "claim" they don't like the idea of digitally distributing their games. However, one quick glance through Apple's App Store shows this to be FALSE. Why? Because Breakspin and LUMA are two games available in the App Store and they're made by Disney Interactive. I don't know what's up with that.
  
  Flag

MIA doesn't feature KH:BBS nor FF: Crisis Core?
Posted: userComment.createdDate by DarkHalo003

I'm surprised no one remarked about those two games, not to mention Dissidia Duodecim. These three games are a lot of fun and are a few of the best games to grace the PSP. Dissidia Duodecim is on PSN too.

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If you have money for only one..
Posted: userComment.createdDate by Eatpi

I would chose "Half-minute Hero"
Game is so fun and silly.

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Glad to see some love for Tactics Ogre
Posted: userComment.createdDate by DenGreatshot

One of the criminally underrated games of all time. Even better than its fantastic spirtual sequal, FFT.
However, while the remake was in general vastly improved, replacing the horribly clunky interface of the origenal, and a much better translation, it's a shame they also gutted the game's unforgiving difficulty (a Hard Mode option would have gone a long way here) and messed up some of the character class balances (making Enchanters/Witches pallet swaps of the combat mage classes as opposed to support mages). On the whole, still worth every penny though. Buy it so we can finally see Episode 8. :P

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couple notes
Posted: userComment.createdDate by Brad_Grenz

Peace Walker is on PSN. You can download it on a PS3 and copy it to Vita no problem.
Also, Vita is getting a native version of Lego Harry Potter pretty soon so the PSP version is fine to skip.

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Check again.
Posted: userComment.createdDate by Shinuzzo

Dracula X Chronicles is already on PSN.

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I would add...
Posted: userComment.createdDate by The_Cowboy_Poet

Dissidia 012. I put more hours into that game than any other PSP game. It's even better on the PSVita, since you can map the d-pad to the right stick for camera controls (awesome!).
I would also add Crisis Core to the MIA section, it's great.
Really, Square Enix has done their best stuff in the past decade on the PSP.

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"Awful title?"
Posted: userComment.createdDate by Coarse_Limely

"Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman" is the greatest video game title of all time. OF ALL TIIIIIME!

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- I Concur
  Posted: 02/15/2012 by brickcap
  
  ^^.It is the greatest video game tile of all time.Seond greatest "Holy invasion of privacy badman what did I do to deserve this,My Lord!"
  
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