On July 2, the PlayStation Store is closing on PSP and PS3, with the PS Vita store shuttering later on August 27. Once the stores are closed, that’ll be it for digital purchases on these legacy consoles. While you can still pick up most PS3, PSP and PS Vita games from discount stores or on eBay, losing the digital store will be a major blow for users and the preservation of digital-only games. The PS Vita in particular has an incredibly dedicated fanbase, and indie developers are still actively creating games for the platform.
The announced closure of the stores comes as a surprise for users, and it’s left many scrambling to grab games and DLC that won’t be available after August. If you’re in the same boat and you still want to experience everything the PSP, PS Vita and PS3 has to offer, here’s what you should grab before it’s gone.
(Note: You’ll need to access the PlayStation stores natively on each console, the web version has already been taken down.)
PSOne Classics (PS3, PSP, PS Vita)
PSOne Classics are the games most in danger of disappearing entirely because their physical equivalents are getting more difficult (and expensive) to find. There’s not a massive range of PSOne Classics available on the PlayStation store, but there’s definitely a few gems you should add to your library, like the Crash and Spyro trilogies, MediEvil, Gex 3 and Kula World.
You may have other favourites depending on what you played as a child, but it’s a good idea to head in and nab everything that catches your eye before you lose your chance.
If you miss out, expect to fork out $50+ for classic PSOne discs.
inFAMOUS 1-2, Festival of Blood (PS3)
Infamous: Festival of Blood is hands-down one of the best DLC chapters in any modern game. Not only do you play as electricity-powered superhero Cole MacGrath, you can also become a vampire and rain hell down on your enemies. Games don’t get as silly and fun as this often, so every moment of this chapter is a blast.
Sadly, this game’s nature as a DLC pack means you won’t be able to grab it once the PS3 store goes down, and that’s a real shame. The entire Infamous series is great (and absolutely deserves a remaster) but a big chunk will be taken out of it when the PS3 PlayStation Store goes down.
It’s also a good idea to grab the Sly Cooper PS3 games while you’re at it — but these are widely available and shouldn’t be a massive drama to grab.
LocoRoco Midnight Carnival (PSP)
LocoRoco Midnight Carnival was a digital-only sequel to LocoRoco 2, and it’s a real spooky delight. But like other titles on the list, it’s set to disappear in July. A lack of a physical release means the only way you’ll be able to play the game at all is if you’ve already purchased it.
The LocoRoco series is iconic, and there’s a fair chance this game could return in another form — but until that happens, Midnight Carnival will likely wind up being a lost chapter in PlayStation history.
If you’ve ever wanted to “boing” your way through a cutesy fantasy landscape, you’ll want to hop on over to the PlayStation store and snap this up ASAP.
Ape Quest (PSP)
Like LocoRoco Midnight Carnival, Ape Quest is a PSP digital-exclusive that will disappear when the PSP PlayStation store shutters in July. Not only is it a silly-fun adventure, it also marks one of the last times the Ape Escape apes appeared.
Basically, this is a retelling of The Three Musketeers with a bit of wild high fantasy and ape warriors thrown in. It’s very ridiculous, but also knows exactly what it’s doing. If you’re in the mood for some cute mini-games and over-the-top monkey antics, you’ll want to check out Ape Quest before it vanishes into the ether.
Uncharted: Golden Abyss (PS Vita)
Physical PS Vita carts never really seemed to take off in Australia. As someone who worked at EB Games during the height of the console’s popularity, I can honestly say I never sold a single cart. The display in my store was relegated to about ten game boxes, half of which were preowned. As of 2021, there are no carts left in stores. Beyond being a disappointment for Sony, this fact also means it can be difficult to track down physical PS Vita games unless you head online.
Uncharted: Golden Abyss is a game that doesn’t deserve this treatment. In fact, it’s just as good as other games in the Uncharted series, and deserves far more attention. Sadly, without a port or remaster it’s going to end up being forgotten on the PS Vita.
Do yourself a favour if you like action-adventures, and grab this game before it’s gone.
A nice palate cleanser you might like to play afterwards is LittleBigPlanet for PS Vita, another gem on the console.
MediEvil Resurrection (PSP)
Putting MediEvil: Resurrection on this list is probably a bold claim for some, but outside of a few questionable changes it’s currently the best way to play the original MediEvil. Yes, the shiny PS4 remaster is also there, but it was arguably too faithful in that it still had a lot of issues with level design and the game’s locked-on camera.
MediEvil: Resurrection is a “reimagining” of the MediEvil franchise rather than a faithful recreation and features all-new areas, new story and a bunch of new mini-games. (They did also put a racist genie caricature in for no reason, but you can safely skip his cutscenes.)
If you’re looking to experience all the joys of a classic platformer, MediEvil: Resurrection on PSP is a fantastic game, and well worth preserving in your library.
If you’re looking to expand your collection of PSP, PS Vita and PS3 games, you’ll need to get in quick. The days of all these digital games are numbered.
Do you have any recommendations for your fellow Kotaku Australia readers? Pop on down to the comments and share your favourite games from across the PSP, PS Vita and PS3 range.
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