ppsspp

PPSSPP is a free, open-source emulator for the Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP), a handheld game console released in 2005. It lets you play PSP games on Android phones, Windows PCs, Macs, Linux machines, and iOS devices. The project has been in active development since 2012 and does not require a PSP BIOS file to run games, because it uses a technique called HLE (high-level emulation) that re-implements the system software directly.

The emulator is known for being fast and compatible with a wide range of PSP titles. It includes graphical enhancements that go beyond what the original hardware could do: you can run games at higher resolutions than the PSP's native screen, apply texture upscaling filters to make low-resolution textures look sharper, and adjust various rendering settings. A community-run compatibility database tracks how well individual games run.

PPSSPP supports local wireless multiplayer (called ad hoc on the PSP) through relay servers, which allows players on different devices to connect as if they were on the same local network. There is also integration with RetroAchievements, a service that adds achievement tracking to classic games.

Controls are flexible. On mobile devices you use on-screen touch controls, which can now be positioned separately for landscape and portrait orientations. Physical controllers are also supported, including the Sony DualSense, DualShock, and Nintendo Switch Pro controllers, with native tilt control support for DualSense on Windows.

The project is open source under the GPL license and welcomes contributions through GitHub pull requests and bug reports. Active development channels include Discord and a public issue tracker. Recent updates have focused on UI improvements, multiplayer reliability, graphical fixes for specific games, and controller support. The full README is longer than what was shown.