Here at My Dpad, we are hardcore PS Vita lovers. That means we lament every single day that the Vita didn’t get to fulfill its destiny as the best handheld console (with the best handheld console library) in history. That said, the Vita still has a pretty healthy library for people to work through, no matter what genre of games you prefer. The library gets even bigger, though, when you consider that there’s another source of games: the PSP library.
These are the best PSP games that you can download from your PS Vita right now (if you’re in North America, at least).
Ape Escape On The Loose
Ape Escape On The Loose was first one of the best games on the original PlayStation, later one of the best games on the PSP, and now one of the best games available for the PS Vita. Ape Escape is one of the best-looking (art direction-wise) and most creative games out there, as the games consist of catching apes who do not want to be caught with a net. Aside from a great story mode, Ape Escape also has all sorts of great minigames for endless fun. Ape Escape On The Loose will run you $7.99. It’s worth nothing, though, that the right joystick does not do anything in this game (since the PSP didn’t have one), and that might be a dealbreaker for some of you, so just know that.
Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee
Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee is yet another great Hot Shots Golf offering, and its dated graphics compared to the gorgeous Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational isn’t even really a problem. Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee will run you $3.99, and if you can’t get enough of it there’s also a sequel which runs for $7.99. If you’ve already run through the entirety of World Invitational like I have, this is your next step. Trust me.
Hot Shots Tennis: Get A Grip
Speaking of the Hot Shots series, Hot Shots Tennis: Get A Grip is another must-play. This is one of the best tennis games of all time, and boasts one of the best story modes of any sports game around. Since there’s no Hot Shots Tennis for your Vita, this is a must-buy if you want to play some handheld tennis on the go. Hot Shots Tennis: Get A Grip will run you $7.49, and acing the story took me about 15 hours, so it’s well worth it when you consider the replayability of exhibitions.
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
If you have already completed the Metal Gear Solid: HD Collection on your Vita, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker should be your next purchase. Peace Walker is easily the best Metal Gear Solid game originally developed for a handheld console, and since it was designed with portability in mind it works perfectly on the Vita (even though the HD collection already works perfectly well itself). Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker will run you $19.99, but if you know Hideo Kojima you know that’s well worth it.
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable
Finally, if you’ve already played through as much of Persona 4 Golden as you can (just like every PS Vita owner certainly has by now), the next logical move is Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable. The third installment of the Persona series is less socially-based than Persona 4 Golden is, but the battles are great so most Persona fans (aside from the ones who only like the social aspects of P4G) will love this one too. Like Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, Persona 3 Portable will cost you $19.99, but has hours and hours of gameplay that make it well worth it.
If you have a PS Vita and have exhausted all of your Vita games, make sure to start dipping into some of the great PSP games available. All of the above games are excellent options for Vita lovers, and are generally both cheaper and smaller (storage-wise) than Vita games. If you only pick one, I would suggest Hot Shots Tennis: Get A Grip.
