The PPSSPP (an acronym for “PlayStation Portable Simulator Suitable for Playing Portably”) is a piece of free and open-source PSP emulator for Windows, OS X, Linux, iOS, Android, BlackBerry 10, and Symbian that increases the focus on speed and portability It was first released to the public on November 1, 2012, licensed under the GNU GPLv2 or higher. The PPSSPP project was created by Henrik Rydgård, one of the co-founders of the Dolphin emulator. Now, emulation is quite fun if you want a better, more vivid gaming experience and that is why I have decided to dedicate today’s article to this emulator.
As of 2021, the PPSSPP does not support PlayStation One games. Regardless of the way you rip these games, they just aren’t supported, which is natural, since the actual PSP couldn’t play those games as well. Luckily for retro gamers, there are PlayStation One emulators available that you can use instead.
In today’s article, I am going to tell you about emulating games on the PPSSPP emulator. You are going to find out whether PlayStation One EBOOTs are compatible with the emulator or not, as well as whether the emulator is safe for use. I have to state, though, that you should only use this to better your gaming experience if you already own an actual PSP and actual games, as everything else would be considered piracy, which is illegal and not supported by this site. Now that I have cleared these things up, I can continue with the article itself.
Can the PPSSPP emulator play PlayStation One EBOOTs?
Since its introduction, the PPSSPP emulator has focused on portability with support for multiple systems and processors. Initially, you needed Windows XP or higher and Android for computers and mobile devices, respectively, but has been extended for use on Symbian, Blackberry 10, OS X, Linux computers, and even iOS.
Its source code was unofficially ported on other systems and platforms, including but not limited to Raspberry Pi, Loongson, Maemo, Meego Harmattan, and Pandora.
There was a release on Xbox 360, but it was abandoned and its source code was reused on the other systems and platforms, offering support to CPUs with big-endian and cards that are only compatible with DirectX, since not all computers have OpenGL v2.
In 2017, 984 games are playable, while an additional 67 games load to some in-game state frame. Four games can only see the main menu or the introduction sequence. As of 2020, all games became fully compatible with the PPSSPP.
Now, what does this tell us in relation to the main question? It tells us that the PPSSPP is designed to emulate the PSP. If you’re not that versed in Sony’s products, the PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a portable video game console designed by the Japanese company Sony and is the fourth console to be designed by Ken Kutaragi. The PSP was used for video games, connecting to the Internet, and playing and viewing multimedia.
It was Sony’s first portable console sold worldwide and the second launched in Japan. The PSP console changed the trend of making handheld devices smaller and smaller, releasing a console with a larger screen and becoming the second handheld console with a D stick (after the Neo Geo Pocket). The current firmware of the console is 6.61, where the stability of the system software has been improved during the use of some features.
As you can see, the PSP is a completely different console than the PlayStation One. The PPSSPP emulator is fully compatible with that console and its games, using the .iso file format to backup and play its roms. Of course, you’ll need an original PSP and an original game (either on disc or bought from the official store) to get the necessary data, as everything else would be piracy, which is something I do not endorse in any way.
Now, I’ve told you that the PPSSPP runs all PSP games if they’re properly converted, but what about PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games? Can you run them on the PPSSPP?
Sadly, you cannot. Well, not at the time of writing this, at least. The PPSSPP is designed to accept PSP games, while PlayStation One games won’t work. The PlayStation One EBOOT files aren’t compatible with the PPSSPP and there is absolutely no way to convert these files into a PPSSPP compatible format. If you do want to play your PlayStation One games via an emulator, there are several free variants online which are going to allow you to enjoy your old games in a new look.
Which PlayStation One games are compatible with the PPSSPP?
As per the above-given answer, PlayStation One games aren’t really compatible with the PPSSPP. Multiple threads online confirm this fact and there is no way to use your PlayStation One EBOOTs on the PPSSPP.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t play any PlayStation One game on the emulator, as there are several games available for both consoles you can play without much trouble. So, if you have a game that was released for both the PlayStation One and the PSP, you’ll be able to play it on the PPSSPP, as it runs all PSP games as of 2020. If you want to play your PlayStation One games, you’ll have to find another functional emulator, like the ePSXe.
Which emulators can play PlayStation One games?
For a PlayStation One emulator that Windows, Mac, Linux or Android, try using EPSXE. If you’re looking for an emulator that can run other game system games too, then you can try Mednafen or RetroArch.
All of these are free (though I am sure donations would be welcome)
Is the PPSSPP safe to use?
As far as safety goes, the PPSSPP is one of the safest and most reliable emulators you’ll find out there on the Internet. It has a long tradition and is by most considered to be among the best (if not the best) PSP emulators for a lot of devices and/or operating systems.
The PPSSPP is reliable, it doesn’t contain any viruses, and it won’t do any damage to your device. On top of that, it is visually impressive, it allows you to play all PSP games ever released, and it is pretty easy to use, which cannot be said about some available emulators. This is, ultimately, why I would recommend it to gamers around the world.