From Console to Handheld…PS1 Classics on PSP

October 2nd, 2009

The way my schedule in life works, I don’t have access to my home consoles a majority of the week. So a majority of the time I play handheld games. Which is great, because handheld games are great. But sometimes I want that console experience in the palm of my hands…and that’s where PSOne classics come in.

The PlayStation Store offers old PlayStation One games up for download, and I couldn’t be happier with the service. I can download these games onto my PS3, and then transfer them to my PSP! I grabbed a cheap 16GB memory stick off of Amazon (only $65, which isn’t bad considering a lot of them go for well over $100), and currently have the original Metal Gear Solid as well as Final Fantasy VII on my PSP, available to play whenever I want.

Practically the actual size, all the actual awesome.

Now of course there are some minor issues. The PS1 controller featured two analog sticks, and four shoulder buttons. The PSP has only one analog sick, and 2 shoulder buttons. That’s where the restrictions come in: Dual-Shock only games will never be available for PSOne play, and older games have modified control schemes. The L2 and R2 buttons are delegated to left and right on the analog nub, with up on the nub designated to L2 and R2 pressed simultaneously. That fix aside, though, it’s awesome.

And you still get the complete package. You can change discs and controller input from the home menu (so you can complete the classic Psycho Mantis boss fight in Metal Gear Solid), and you can view the entire manual, as well as front and back art. Nothing’s been scraped and it plays great.

On top of that, due to the greater resolution of th PSP screen and the superior sound system, these old classics look and sound BETTER than the originals! Not by much, but Final Fantasy VII is sharper by comparison, and Metal Gear’s cutscene dialog couldn’t be clearer.

Ever since Sony had to kick it up a notch at E3 this year, they’ve put attention and care into everything they do. The PSOne lineup before then was awful, with a handful of mediocre titles. Since then, though, we’ve seen Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Tekken, Syphon Filter, Tomb Raider, and many more coming in the very near future. It’s great to see so many classic titles readily available, and for so cheap! Titles have yet to exceed $9.99, and considering that Final Fantasy VII goes used for upwards of $40, that’s more than a bargain.

For anyone looking to get extra use out of their PSP, or looking for fun things to do with their new PSPGo, I highly recommend the underappreciated PSOne classics library. It’s one of the best ways to get a full on console experience in the palm of your hands.

Entry Filed under: Video Games