Take a trip down memory lane with PSP games on Quest 2 and Pico 4
The best PSP emulator is now available for standalone VR headsets. A 360-degree mode even puts you inside the games themselves.
PPSSPP is the leading open-source emulator for the PC, smartphones, and many other platforms.
VR developer Luboš Vonásek, who is also responsible for the Pi Launcher for Meta Quest 2, has been working on a VR version of the emulator for months. PPSSPP VR is now good enough that Vonásek released it on Sidequest. The emulator works on Meta Quest 2 (review) and the new VR headset Pico 4 (review).
Experience PSP classics larger than life and in higher resolution.
The emulator displays PSP games either upscaled on a virtual screen or in an experimental 360-degree mode.
In the latter, you are placed in the middle of the game world and even head movements are spatially transmitted. However, depending on the game, bugs, artifacts, popping graphic elements, and stutters can occur in this mode. The following Youtube video showing early tests of the emulator this summer includes some of these bugs.
PPSSPP supports around 1,000 games, including classics like Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, God of War: Chains of Olympus, and Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core. However, not all of them work flawlessly in VR.
Not the only emulator
Meta Quest 2 is powerful enough to emulate a variety of older game consoles (SNES, N64, Playstation 1). In most cases, an Android version of Retroarch is used. Those who, like me, grew up with the Gameboy, can find the emulator Gamebov at Sidequest. Both emulators support Bluetooth gamepads.
PPSSPP is available from Sidequest for Pico 4 and for Meta Quest 2. If you don't have any experience with Sidequest and want to try PPSSPP VR, refer to our sideloading guide.
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