We’ve reached the golden age of portable gaming. In 2004, Sony and Nintendo were pushing the boundaries of handheld gaming, exploring new possibilities for on-the-go entertainment. Hot on the heels of the Nintendo DS resurgence, Sony announced the PlayStation Portable just a month after its reveal. The world was heading into an era where big-budget titles could fit in the palm of our hands.
For many gamers, the PlayStation Portable was their introduction to Sony’s consoles, especially if they missed out on the PlayStation or PS2. With over 80 million units sold during its impressive 10-year lifespan, the PSP became a household name among gamers of that generation.
The UMD format was revolutionary for its time. Though now defunct, it housed a collection of standout games that redefined portable gaming. Beyond gaming, the PSP shared the PlayStation 2’s multimedia capabilities, serving as a device for watching movies and listening to music, making it a true all-in-one entertainment system.
Since we’ve covered the best titles from the PlayStation and PlayStation 2, here are my picks for the five best PlayStation Portable games:
Patapon
Admit it: whenever you hear Patapon, you can’t help but sing its iconic marching song. Patapon emerged when video games weren’t afraid to embrace new and creative concepts without fear of failure. It debuted on a portable console, making it even more impressive. People were thrilled by the ability to play it on the go, even as its levels became increasingly challenging.
It was one of the first games to teach me the value of strategy. Unlike games where you simply press a button to move from point A to B, Patapon requires careful consideration of battle formations and unit deployment. Every decision mattered, adding depth to the experience.
And then there was the rhythm-based combat—an endless drumbeat that demanded precise timing. Pata-Pata-Pon and Pon-Pon-Pata-Pon echoed from my PSP speakers late into the night as I blissfully forgot about the school day looming ahead.
Persona 3 Portable
Persona 3 Portable was the second Persona game I played, following my time in Persona 4’s quiet, rural Inaba.
It was the first Persona game to combine social simulation with RPG elements, marking a major leap forward from the series’ earlier, more linear hallway-simulator style. The core mechanics remained familiar: traditional dungeon-crawling paired with my favorite aspect of every Persona game: making unforgettable moments with my fictional friends.
I’ve always loved talking to fictional characters in video games, so Persona 3 Portable resonated profoundly with me. Its story of coping with grief and trauma felt profound, even if much of its mature themes were beyond me at the time. Looking back, it introduced my younger self to the concept of existential dread, which was a heavy but unforgettable part of my formative years.
Monster Hunter Portable 3rd
Ah, Monster Hunter. It’s one of those series that has truly evolved over the years. Gone are the days when we had to throw Paintballs at monsters to track them on the map. In modern MH titles, you just have to hunt to your heart’s content.
The first Monster Hunter game I tried was Freedom Unite, but it proved too difficult for me (Tigrex was the bane of my Hunter’s existence).
Monster Hunter Portable 3rd was the first game in the series where I clocked over 100 hours. There’s something uniquely satisfying about hunting monsters and crafting weapons and armor from their remains. Hunting Zinogre for the first time was a highlight of my Portable 3rd journey—his theme music was unforgettable.
It’s a shame the game was never officially localized in the West. It remained a Japanese exclusive, leaving Western fans to rely on unofficial translations to experience it.
Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy
The moment I found out that Dissidia had a sequel with Lightning from XIII and Tifa from VII, I was beaming with excitement. I spent over 300 hours in my original Dissidia save file, all of which involved playing with my friends ad hoc, which was pretty huge back in the day.
When 012 or ‘Duodecim’ came out, I was excited to try the new characters. Laguna from VIII became an instant favorite, but Yuna’s summoner playstyle grew on me. I was switching from multiple FF heroes, chasing the same high I had with the original.
I didn’t pay much attention to the main story—arguably the weakest aspect of every Dissidia game. What drew me in was the ambitious crossover of my favorite Final Fantasy characters, and it delivered in spades. Even the opening FMV had me hyped beyond belief.
LocoRoco
LocoRoco’s blobs were truly unforgettable. Anyone with a PSP has likely heard of or played this iconic game. It was a whimsical fever dream transformed into a delightful platformer featuring massive blobs singing in gibberish.
It was the first PlayStation Portable game I encountered that employed such an inventive traversal mechanic. Watching the blobs move as I tilted the camera with the shoulder buttons felt ingenious—something I hadn’t imagined possible. It was like observing an interactive aquarium teeming with vibrant, responsive creatures.
Seeing LocoRoco represented with a dedicated level in Astro Bot was a delightful surprise this year. Team Asobi’s integration of LocoRoco’s gameplay mechanics, enhanced by gyro controls, made me smile, especially with the familiar song accompanying the level.
That said, my time with the PlayStation Portable was nothing short of magnificent. I could mention plenty of other incredible games, like God of War: Ghost of Sparta, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, or Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core. However, these five stand-out titles defined and shaped my portable gaming days.