The PlayStation Portable (PSP) already has a wonderful library. But that does not stop the hobbyists from creating or porting unofficial games to the portable console. Here are seven of the best homebrew games on the PSP.
Best PSP homebrew games
7. Geometry Dash PSP
Geometry Dash is a rhythm-based action platformer game that challenges players to jump, fly, and flip through dangerous passages and spiky obstacles. This fan-made version is a little bit buggy on the performance side, but it retains the greatness of Geometry Dash. This homebrew game is still being updated, hence the future is very bright.
Created with Game Maker, Geometry Dash PSP is colorful, wonderful, and controls well. The music is also great. There is a "low detail" mode for improved performance. Its simplistic gameplay endures the test of time and, probably from here on even more.
6. Metroid - Escape Mission PSP
There is one thing for sure that should cause a stir from Sony fans: Nintendo games are just more iconic. Nintendo consoles are the most emulated, well that comes from the territory since the big N games do not appear in other hardware. It makes sense that most homebrew games feature Nintendo properties. Therefore, it is not a surprise that someone has created a Metroid game for the PSP.
Metroid Escape Mission PSP is exactly what its title says. It is a fan-made Metroid game. It uses a cleaner version of SNES Metroid graphics. It hasn’t been updated since 2014, but it is complete on its own. It is a decent Metroid game with challenging AI. It also went through a number of revisions to improve its code. Hence, the performance is surprising for a homebrew game.
5. Trogdor - Reburninated PSP
This faithful recreation of the original Flash game, complete with intermissions, offers an enhanced experience with a new Options menu. Now, players have the flexibility to modify archer frequency, set points required for extra lives, adjust the frequency of Strong Bad's commentary, and more. The addition of a level select feature and new cheats, alongside the classic Konami code, enhances gameplay possibilities.
Furthermore, players can opt for an optional soundtrack from Stinkoman 20X6, another notable Homestar Runner game. The inclusion of screen scaling options for both full-screen and integer scaling, ensuring a "pixel-perfect" display, adds to the visual appeal. Notably, this recreation addresses bugs present in the original game, providing a smoother and more enjoyable gaming experience. This enhanced recreation of the Homestar Runner Flash game, Trogdor, is also available across various platforms, including PC, Switch, Wii U, Wii, 3DS, and the Vita.
4. Wagic the Homebrew
Wololo.net is a website that focuses on PS5, PS4, PS Vita, Nintendo Switch, and PSP programming, security, and homebrews. Wagic the Homebrew is the combined effort of the members of the Wololo.net community.
Wagic the Homebrew is a game engine that allows you to play card games against an AI on various platforms, such as PSP, Android, Windows, and Linux. It is inspired by the popular game Magic: The Gathering, but it also supports other card sets and customizations. You can create your own cards, themes, rules, and modes, and enjoy challenging and diverse gameplay. Wagic the Homebrew also updated regularly with new features and cards, and it has a large and active community of fans and developers.
3. PSP Legacy
Every single modern electronic hardware can run Doom. It deserves all the reverence it has received for decades now. It is the first-person shooter that started it all. Its legacy is eternal.
Speaking of Legacy, PSP Legacy is a homebrew game that is a port of Doom Legacy, a source port of the classic first-person shooter Doom for the PSP. Doom Legacy is a modified version of Doom that adds features such as 3D floors, deep water, split-screen, chasecam, and support for Doom, Doom II, and Heretic.
PSP Legacy is based on Doom Legacy 1.42, but it also fixes many bugs and adds most Legacy features, such as hardware-accelerated rendering, music as MP3s, ad-hoc multiplayer, and support for up to five custom files PSP Legacy is a game that offers challenging and rewarding gameplay, improved graphics and sound, and a faithful translation of the original game.
2. Top Classic Plaigarized
Top Classic Plaigarized is a homebrew game for the PSP that is inspired by Top Neon Rush, a mobile game that involves dodging obstacles and shrinking when necessary.
The game has basic controls, such as moving with the left joystick, shrinking with the X button, selecting with the D-pad, and closing with the O button. The game also supports custom music, which you can add by placing MP3 files in the MUSIC folder of the game. The game has no voice acting, and it may have some glitches and bugs. However, the game is still fun and challenging, and it is a good example of what homebrew developers can do with the PSP.
1. JellyCar
The adage "old is gold" holds true, especially when one realizes that children today are nostalgic about JellyCar as their first video game. Contrary to what many might expect, it's not Mario that holds this distinction for the vast majority of contemporary gamers. Instead, it's a game on iOS that has captured the hearts of the younger generation.
JellyCar PSP is a homebrew game that is a port of JellyCar, a popular indie game developed by Walaber. JellyCar is a game where you control a car made of jelly and drive through squishy worlds full of obstacles and challenges. The game features soft-body physics, which means that the car and the world can deform and bounce in realistic ways. The game also has various abilities, such as growing, shrinking, rocketing, and sticking, that can help you navigate the levels. You can also customize your car, create your own levels, and enjoy the colorful graphics and sound effects.
JellyCar PSP was ported by Marcin Ploska. The game was rewritten from C# to C++, and it has most of the features from the original game, such as 20 levels, 60 fps, and a level editor. The game also has some improvements, such as hardware-accelerated rendering, music as MP3s, and ad-hoc multiplayer.