10 Most Popular PPSSPP Games

Just installed the PPSSPP emulator but have no idea what to play? That’s perfectly normal. The PlayStation Portable (PSP) has thousands of amazing games, and picking the best one can be overwhelming.

Luckily, a game’s popularity is usually a good sign of its quality. There are a handful of titles that are always sought after, always played, and have become the “face” of PPSSPP emulation itself.

We’ve rounded up the 10 most popular PPSSPP games of all time that are guaranteed to give you hundreds of hours of fun. Plus, we’ve added a few performance tips to make them run even smoother!

Here is the list of games most frequently downloaded and played by the PPSSPP emulator community worldwide.

1. God of War: Ghost of Sparta

  • Genre: Action-Adventure, Hack and Slash
  • Why It’s Popular: This is the “King” of PSP games. Its graphics were the best on the console, pushing the hardware to its absolute limit. The story continues Kratos’s legendary brutal saga. If you want to show off just how well PPSSPP can run games, this is the one.
  • Performance Tips: This game is quite heavy. Use the Vulkan backend for the best performance. Set the Rendering Resolution to at least 2x PSP for sharp graphics. If it feels slow, set Frameskipping to 1.

2. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

  • Genre: Open World, Action-Adventure
  • Why It’s Popular: Freedom. That’s the key word. You can steal cars, bikes, and even helicopters, run crazy missions, or just explore the iconic Vice City. Having an open-world game this complex in the palm of your hand was a miracle at the time.
  • Performance Tips: GTA games often stutter while loading the map. Make sure you use Buffered Rendering (this is a must!) to prevent graphics from glitching or buildings from becoming invisible.

3. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Impact

  • Genre: Action, Fighting, Hack and Slash
  • Why It’s Popular: This isn’t your typical 1v1 fighter. It’s a Musou (like Dynasty Warriors) game set in the Naruto universe. You’ll fight H-U-N-D-R-E-D-S of enemies at once on a battlefield. Unleashing a Rasengan or Chidori on dozens of enemies at once is incredibly satisfying.
  • Performance Tips: This one is quite light! It runs smoothly on most phones. If you see weird graphical glitches (like lines), try checking “Disable slower effects” in the graphics settings.

4. Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai 2

  • Genre: Fighting
  • Why It’s Popular: For many fans, this is the best Dragon Ball fighting game on the PSP. The gameplay is fast, the combos are fun, and the character roster was massive for its time. Its unique “Another Road” story mode is also a major highlight.
  • Performance Tips: Very light. This game can run smoothly even at 1x PSP Resolution. For a sharper image, crank it up to 2x or 3x; even most low-end phones can handle it.

5. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite

  • Genre: Action RPG
  • Why It’s Popular: This game is a phenomenon. It has one addictive loop: hunt giant monsters, get their parts, craft stronger weapons/armor, and then hunt even stronger monsters. You can sink 100+ hours into this game and still not be bored.
  • Performance Tips: This game relies on a stable framerate. Lock the framerate at 30 FPS (original) or 60 FPS (if your phone is powerful). Use Vulkan for better stability when there are many effects.

6. God of War: Chains of Olympus

  • Genre: Action-Adventure, Hack and Slash
  • Why It’s Popular: This was the first God of War on PSP and it instantly shattered all standards. Even though it was released before Ghost of Sparta, it still has the same epic, emotional story and brutal gameplay. It’s the perfect companion to Kratos’s adventure.
  • Performance Tips: Slightly lighter than Ghost of Sparta. The same settings (Vulkan, 2x Resolution, Frameskip 1 if needed) will work perfectly here.

7. Tekken 6

  • Genre: Fighting
  • Why It’s Popular: The 3D graphics are incredible for a PSP, and it’s the full Tekken experience on a portable device. All your favorite characters are here, complete with deep costume customization and an addictive Scenario Campaign mode.
  • Performance Tips: Quite heavy. Vulkan is a must. If it runs in slow motion, try lowering the Rendering Resolution to 1x PSP and disabling “Simulate block transfer effects”.

8. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

  • Genre: Action RPG
  • Why It’s Popular: Before the Remake and Rebirth boom, this was the only way to see the FFVII world in modern 3D (at the time). The story of Zack Fair is heartbreaking and a crucial piece of the Final Fantasy lore. The action-RPG gameplay is also unique and fun.
  • Performance Tips: This game has a lot of FMV cutscenes. Make sure your audio settings are correct to prevent sound delays. It runs well on both OpenGL and Vulkan.

9. Harvest Moon: Hero of Leaf Valley

  • Genre: Simulation, Farming
  • Why It’s Popular: Need a relaxing game? This is the champion. After fighting gods and monsters, sometimes you just want to farm, raise animals, and socialize with villagers. This is a classic, calming 3D Harvest Moon game.
  • Performance Tips: Extremely light. This game could probably run on a calculator. Crank the Rendering Resolution as high as you can (4x or 5x) to get a super crisp and clear picture.

10. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker

  • Genre: Stealth, Action
  • Why It’s Popular: This isn’t just a spin-off. This is a full-fledged Metal Gear Solid game directed by Hideo Kojima himself. The story is canon, the stealth gameplay is solid, and it features a very addictive base-building mechanic.
  • Performance Tips: This game was designed for 20 FPS on the original PSP. To get a smooth 60 FPS in PPSSPP, you may need a special cheat code (easily found online). Without cheats, use Frameskipping to make it feel more responsive.

Conclusion

And that’s the list—10 of the most popular games that form the foundation of the PPSSPP experience. This list is, of course, just the beginning of the thousands of other great games waiting for you to try.

Did your favorite game not make the list? Or do you have another recommendation for a must-play title? Drop it in the comments below!