How to Install PSP Games on Android and PC
The PlayStation Portable (PSP) did change the console gaming atmosphere during its time. Released in 2004, it gave an outstanding experience for over a decade before Sony decided to halt its production.
Despite the production being stopped, a lot of ways have been invented to replay PSP games regardless. The common way is via emulators, and the PPSSPP emulator has proven to be a great choice to relive classic PlayStation Portable games.
Developed by Henrik Rydgård, the PPSSPP (PlayStation Portable Simulator Suitable for Playing Portably) has brought back the experience on Android, iOS, macOS, Linux, Windows and much more. In this guide, we’ll teach you how to install PSP games on Android and PC.
Things You’ll Need:
To install PSP games on a smartphone or PC, you’ll need the following:
- An Android device with good specifications.
- A PC running Windows or macOS.
- WiFi Network.
- PSP Game File.
- Zarchiver (To Extract Files)
How to Get Started: A Step-By-Step Guide
Since this guide is focused on both Android and PC, the sections will be divided into two, with the Android version being the first guide.
Installing PSP Games on Android
If you’re an Android user who wants to enjoy the classic PlayStation Portable games on your device. Here are the steps you need to follow as it covers everything about playing PPSSPP games on Android.
1. Go to the Google Play Store and search for PPSSPP (Install the one with the Blue Icon since it’s free.
2. While the PPSSPP Installs, also search for Zarchiver and install it as well.
3. After the PPSSPP has finished installing and the app is on your home screen. Launch it, then click OK, while the option is set to Create or Choose a PSP Folder.
4. Create a New Folder and save it as PSP, then click on USE THIS FOLDER.
5. Click on Allow to Let PPSSPP to access files in PSP.
6. Get your PSP game file ready. Make sure it’s from a PlayStation Portable console you own or from a safe source.
7. Launch Zarchiver, then locate the PSP game file from where it’s saved on your Android device.
8. Click on the compressed PSP game file once and use the Extract… option.
9. Extract the file to storage/emulated/0/PSP/GAME, then click the arrow button facing down.
10. With the above step done, launch the PPSSPP emulator, go to Games >Browse > PSP > GAME > Use This Folder.
11. You should see the available PSP games right away from the PPSSPP emulator on your Android device.
12. Click on the game and start reliving the classic PlayStation Portable games once again.
Steps to Install PSP Games on PC (Windows)
Since I’m using a Windows PC, I’ll only provide the steps for Windows users. However, the steps are similar if you’re using macOS. Without further ado, let’s get started.
1. Head to the official PPSSPP website, which is https://www.ppsspp.org/.
2. Click the Download button and wait for the next page. Under Windows, click the option to use Zip File (Portable).
3. After downloading the portable zip file of the PPSSPP. Go to File Explorer > Windows to locate the compressed file. Right-click on it and extract the exact file name.
4. With the PPSSPP extracted, it’s time to set up the PSP game file. Grab a game file from any source of your choice.
5. Extract the PlayStation Portable game file and place it in a folder you can easily locate.
6. Head back to where you extracted the PPSSPP portable file. Open the folder and double-click on the PPSSPPWindows icon.
7. Once the emulator launches, click on Games > Browse and locate the folder where your PSP games are saved.
8. You’ll see all your available games in the games section of the PPSSPP. From there, you can play any title available.
9. You might also want to use a controller. For that, there’s a detailed guide on how to use PPSSPP gamepad on Android.
Basic PPSSPP Emulator Settings to Get You Started
Installing these PSP games isn’t just the only thing you’ll need to do. You might want to consider some basic setups to help enhance gameplay quality on your Android device or PC. Below are the configurations you might want to set in place.
PPSSPP Emulators Settings for Android Users
Before playing any game as an Android user, make sure to utilize these settings:
For PPSSPP Graphics Settings
Go to Settings > Select Graphics and set the following configurations.
- Backend > Set to Vulkan or OpenGL, depending on your device’s GPU.
- Rendering Resolution: Set to “1x PSP” for lower-end devices and “2x or higher” for powerful phones.
- VSync > Enable It.
- Frame Skipping > Set to “Off”.
- Auto Frameskip: Enable to allow the emulator to adjust frame-skipping dynamically.
- Prevent FPS from Exceeding 60: Enable to avoid speed issues.
For Audio Audio Settings
- Enable Sound: ON
- Global Volume: 10
- Alternate Speed Volume: Use Global Volume
- Reverb Volume: Set to 10
For System Settings
- Fast Memory (unstable): Enable for better performance.
- Ignore Bad Memory Accesses: Enable it.
- I/O Timing Method: Set to Fast (Lag on Slow Storage.
Basic PPSSPP Settings for Windows PC
Using these default configurations, you should be able to configure the PSP emulator on your PC.
Setting Up Graphics
Launch PPSSPP > Go to Setting > Graphics, and apply these configurations.
- Backend: Select Vulkan or OpenGL.
- Device: Select your PC’s GPU Dedicated or On-Board Graphics.
- Rendering Resolution: Set to 1x PSP or 2x for high-end GPUs.
Normal System Settings
- Fast Memory (unstable): Enable for better performance.
- Ignore Bad Memory Accesses: Enable it.
- I/O Timing Method: Set to Fast (Lag on Slow Storage.
For a more detailed enhancement guide, you can read this article on steps to enhance PSP game graphics on PPSSPP. It covers all there is to know about getting the best out of any PlayStation Portable games on the Android emulator.
Conclusion
With the detailed steps provided above, you’ll surely find it easy to install PSP games on Android and PC. Just make sure you follow everything as instructed and you’ll be reliving the classic PSP retro gaming once again.
