25 Things You DIDN'T Know About the PSP

25 Things You Didn’t Know About The PSP

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we are jumping back to my personal favourite handheld console of all time. I know, I suck. These are 25 Things You Didn’t Know About The PSP. Let’s go.

Nintendo PSP

The "PSP" had a bit of a hidden superpower. If you were willing to tinker with it, players could unlock the ability to run emulators and basically turn the handheld into a retro gaming machine. Once that was set up, you could play everything from "NES" classics all the way up to some "Nintendo 64" titles. I know this isn’t the most intense hidden secret, but if you didn’t realise, you can probably do it today with relative ease. SPEAKING OF…

Surprisingly Easy to Hack

If you were even slightly tech-savvy back in the day, you probably knew the "PSP" could do way more than Sony intended. One of the most famous tricks was something called the “Pandora’s Battery.” It sounds dramatic, but it was basically a way to force the system into recovery mode. By modifying a battery, you could make it boot the "PSP" straight into a state where custom firmware could be installed. Once that was done, the console opened up completely. You could run homebrew apps, emulators, and even play downloaded game files. It was WAY too easy to turn this console into a tiny little custom handheld.

The Concept Was… Interesting

Looking back, the "PSP" really does feel like the little sibling of the PlayStation family. The all-black design, the familiar button layout, it was just a PlayStation controller with a screen. But the concept design? Not nearly as cool. It had a clean look, sure, but the feel of it wasn’t perfect for everyone. The buttons were flatter than usual, which made button mashing feel like button slapping. The analog stick also wasn’t the typical raised kind, instead being a small, flat circular pad. If you had big fat boy hands like me, you’d have been furious.

DualShock-alingo

Not many people realised the "PSP" could double as a translation tool, and it actually had software built for exactly that. "Talkman" was designed as a language-learning app, but it also worked as a real-time translator using a microphone attachment. You’d connect the mic to the top of the system, and then just speak into it. The "PSP" would process what you said and translate it into another language on the spot. It was pretty impressive for the time, particularly since it took iPhone years to have the same technology. Unfortunately, every time I lifted my PSP up to have a chat with my Japanese roommate, he just wanted to play it… Is that joke racist? I think it might be racist.

Could Connect to TV

Even though the "PSP" was built for handheld play, you could actually hook it up to a TV and use it like a mini console YEARS before the Switch. All you needed was a compatible component AV cable. The setup was pretty straightforward: plug the coloured AV cables into your TV, then connect the other end to the video-out port on the "PSP." As long as your battery wasn’t about to die, you were good to go. That said, the results weren’t perfect. Because of the "PSP’s" native resolution, games often looked a bit blurry when stretched onto a bigger screen. It worked for a laugh, but just play it normal you weirdo.

PS3 and PSP

The "PSP" had a surprisingly advanced feature for its time: Remote Play with the "PlayStation 3." In simple terms, you could stream certain content from your PS3 straight to the handheld. And I know it worked well, because I actually did it, and enjoyed it. You couldn’t play full PS3 titles, but some PSN games, like "Bionic Commando Rearmed," were actually compatible and could be played this way. On top of that, the "PSP" could run "PlayStation 1" games directly, which made it feel like a portable throwback machine as well.

Portable Browsing

These days, having a web browser on a device feels like a basic requirement, but back in the early 2000s, that wasn’t a given at all. A lot of devices didn’t even have Wi-Fi, which sounds wild now. That’s part of what made the "PlayStation Portable" stand out. It came with built-in Wi-Fi and could actually browse the internet, which was pretty forward-thinking at the time. You could load web pages and even download things like music, videos, and images straight onto the system. And as a 16-year-old me, you could also do… Other things. But that’s a story for another video. Stupid parents.

PSP Hi-Fi

If your "PSP" speakers weren’t cutting it, there were some seriously over-the-top accessories to fix that. One of them was the Gamexpert Phase 4 PSP Hi-Fi, which basically turned your handheld into a full-on sound system. You’d dock the "PSP" into it, and suddenly you’ve got 23 watts of stereo audio blasting through midrange speakers, plus a subwoofer underneath pushing out some heavy bass. It was cumbersome, and useless, but so am I so I can’t talk sh*t.

Go!Explore

The "PSP" having Wi-Fi was already a big deal, but it didn’t stop there, it could actually double as a GPS as well. With an add-on called Go!Explore, you could turn the handheld into a navigation device without even needing an internet connection. The setup was pretty simple. You’d plug a GPS receiver into the USB port, launch the Go!Explore software, and suddenly your "PSP" was giving you directions like a dedicated GPS unit. I went through so much effort to get it running, presented it to my old man expecting a thank you, and he just kept using his Melways. For my non Australian fans, a Melways is a giant book with maps of Australia. For my younger fans, a map is like google maps on paper.

PCSP

Thanks to the hacking scene around the "PSP," a whole wave of homebrew developers went mental, experimenting with turning the handheld into something completely different. Believe it or not, people even got versions of Windows and Mac-style interfaces running on it. Before you get too excited though, it wasn’t the full experience. These weren’t real operating systems, just visual “skins” that mimicked how they looked. You could move around the interface and use a few basic apps, but that was about it. Still kinda cool. Minesweeper on the toilet? Count me in.

Portable Radio

Did you know that starting with the 3.80 firmware update, players could stream internet radio directly on the system? All you had to do was connect to Wi-Fi, open the Internet Radio feature, and you were in. From there, you could download one of a few radio player options onto your memory card and start browsing stations, and there were over 50 to choose from. None of which were even 10% as entertaining as “Daxter”, but still!

Remote Play Predecessor

One of the standout features of the "PSP" was its multiplayer, especially how it handled game sharing. Titles like "Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection" and "Metal Gear: Peace Walker" let one player host a session while others joined using a downloaded demo version of the game. It was a really slick way to play together without everyone needing their own copy. There was also a more old-school trick involved. Kind of like the PS1 disc-swap days, you could start the game, enter the ad-hoc multiplayer screen, then swap the UMD into another "PSP." If you timed it right, both systems would stay connected and let you play. A bit janky, but it still came years before Remote Play on Steam.

Home of the Spin-Offs

The "PSP" definitely had appeal for casual players, but it really thrived with die-hard PlayStation fans. Sony’s reputation helped bring some seriously big titles to the handheld, including "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII," "God of War: Chains of Olympus," and "Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker." These weren’t just throwaway spin-offs either, they explored new parts of their stories that hadn’t been shown before, which made them feel important. New fans to these series should be made well aware that some of the best entries in their respective franchises lived on this humble little rectangle.

Multi-Media Champion

Before smartphones took over everything, the "PSP" was basically your all-in-one entertainment device. You could load it up with music, watch videos, browse the internet, and even store photos, all on one handheld. You could customize themes, organise files, and treat it almost like a tiny computer in your pocket. For a lot of people, the "PSP" wasn’t just for games, it was their first real digital hub. Compared to the more game-focused "Nintendo DS," it felt like a glimpse of what future devices would become. For me, it felt like something that I couldn’t resell years later because of all the questionable data I downloaded on it.

Almost as Strong as The PS2

The "PSP" wasn’t just impressive “for a handheld”—it was straight up competing with home consoles at the time. Visually, some of its games came surprisingly close to what you’d expect from a "PlayStation 2." Developers really pushed the system hard, with titles like "God of War: Chains of Olympus" showing just how much it could handle. You had detailed character models, full voice acting, and proper cinematic cutscenes, which made it feel like a full console experience you could carry around. I remember exclaiming loudly when I first played it, “this looks better than our PS2”, and trying to wrap my head around how this was even possible.

The Worst Stick Drift

Long before “stick drift” became a common complaint, the "PSP" already had its own version of the problem: Nub rub. That’s what I’ve called it, and I hope it catches on. Its single analog nub could start acting up over time, either becoming unresponsive or randomly moving on its own. Dust buildup, general wear and tear, and internal damage from rubbing (hehe). The frustrating part was how tricky it could be to fix. Unlike modern controllers, repairing or replacing the nub wasn’t simple, and sometimes required an entirely new console.

PSP Camera

Move over Game Boy Camera, did you know you could turn your PSP into a camera? The "PSP Camera" plugged straight into the USB port and attached to the top of the system. Once it was set up, you could open the Photo section and launch the camera from there. You might have missed it, as It didn’t arrive in the US until 2010, four years after dropping in Japan. At just 0.3 megapixels, the quality wasn’t amazing, but it was still fun!

PS2 and PSP

The "PSP" was obviously pretty connected to the PS3, right down to its homescreen, but while not many people noticed, there were a few games that linked the PSP and the previous generations PS2 together in some pretty creative ways. "SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs: Fireteam Bravo 2" on PSP could connect with "SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs Combined Assault" on PS2. Completing certain objectives in one game would unlock content and even affect gameplay in the other. It wasn’t a huge feature overall, but it was one of a few you could find hidden on these systems.

Tilt FX

If you ever wanted motion controls on the "PSP," there was actually an accessory for that. Made by Datel, the Tilt FX let you control games by physically moving the system. Getting it set up was actually super easy, all you had to do was have a PC, install software on the PC, connect your PSP with a specific cable, load specific files onto the PSP, and then plug a separately purchased sensor into the audio port and boom, easy as pie, or beef wellington. Once it was working, tilting the console would control movement in supported games. It wasn’t compatible with everything, and was basically a huge waste of my time-YOUR time, your time.

Riiiiiiiidge Racer

Anyone over the age of 25 knows this dead meme, but I have to bring it back for our younger viewers. At Sony’s 2006 E3 conference, Kaz Hirai revealed that "PlayStation 1" games would be playable on the "PSP," which was already a pretty big deal. To show it off, he booted up the original "Ridge Racer" live on stage. But instead of just focusing on the feature, the internet locked onto something else entirely, his vocal delivery. That now-famous “Riiiiiiiidge Racer” moment quickly turned into a meme and spread everywhere.

The First Console with a Digital-Only Version

For a lot of hardcore fans, the "PSP-1000" and "PSP-2000" are still the go-to models, mainly because they’re much easier to modify. Later versions added improvements, but the most noticeable redesign came with the "PSP Go." This version was way more compact, and lighter. It also came with 16GB of built-in storage, plus the option to expand it with a memory stick. Sounds great, right? Well, there was a catch. Sony completely removed the UMD drive, meaning it only supported digital games. And this was kinda rough back at release, today it’s barely worth talking about.

Region Free

Region-locking has always been a bit of a sore spot in gaming, since it stops players from using games outside their console’s region. But did you know that the PSP was the first Sony system to be region-free for games. That meant you could import titles and play them without any restrictions, which was a huge win for players chasing Japan-only releases. So if you wanted to try something like "Final Fantasy Agito," you could just pop it in and go, no extra hoops.

CFWCheat

If you had custom firmware running on your "PSP," one of the most popular tools you could use was CFWCheat. It was a homebrew app that let players load in cheat codes and mess around with their games in ways the developers definitely didn’t intend. To use it, you’d install the program, then open the cheat menu before launching your game. From there, you could toggle different effects depending on the title. Want infinite lives in "Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories"? No problem. Feel like taking down enemies in one hit in "God of War: Ghost of Sparta"? It’s on Donkey Ko-Kratos.

The UMD

The "PSP" used a pretty unique type of media called the UMD, which stands for Universal Media Disc. It’s a small optical disc housed in a plastic cartridge, and funnily enough, the "PSP" was the only officially licensed device that ever used it. Many people assumed that the GameCube and PSP shared the same cartridge type due to their size, but the GameCube actually used a disc type called “Mini DVD”. In terms of storage, a single-layer UMD could hold up to 900MB, while a dual-layer version could go up to 1.8GB. That was enough to handle full games and even movies.

San Andreas Stories

Both "Grand Theft Auto III" and "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" ended up getting prequels on the "PSP" with "Liberty City Stories" and "Vice City Stories," which were later ported over to the "PlayStation 2." Because of that pattern, a lot of people expected a "San Andreas Stories" to follow. That never happened, but did you know the idea was actually explored? The size of the "San Andreas" map was just too big to fit onto a UMD, so Rockstar didn’t even attempt it. Instead, they kind of made up for it by releasing a short in-engine video that explained the events leading into "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas." Thanks Rockstar, that’s just as good as a game. Idiots.