Among Sony’s many gaming achievements, the PSP often gets overlooked. Sandwiched between the mega-success of the PS2 and the future-forward PS4 and PS5, the PSP quietly delivered some of the best games in pisces88 PlayStation’s extensive history. Even now, years after its production ended, the system’s standout titles remain fun, creative, and important to the evolution of PlayStation games as a whole.

Take Daxter, for instance—a game that managed to stand on its own apart from the Jak and Daxter series with sharp visuals and tight platforming. Or Resistance: Retribution, which smartly adapted the popular console FPS into a third-person shooter tailored to handheld controls. These weren’t just great games “for a handheld”—they were great PlayStation games, period. They proved that portability didn’t have to come at the expense of quality or ambition.

The PSP also proved to be a sandbox for ideas that would later find their way into mainline console games. Developers experimented with smaller-scale open worlds, tactical gameplay systems, and narrative mechanics that felt more intimate due to the handheld format. These concepts later matured in flagship PlayStation titles, showing how handheld innovation could benefit the broader PlayStation strategy.

As the PlayStation brand continues to evolve, the influence of PSP games should not be underestimated. These titles were a vital part of Sony’s strategy to expand its gaming footprint and refine its creative output. With many now available through digital emulation or remasters, there’s no better time to revisit these gems. They represent a crucial chapter in PlayStation history and a reminder that some of the best games can come from the most unexpected places.