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NGP Backwards Compatible With and Enhances Your PSP Games

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Getting access to that second analog stick is going to be a godsend.

Kratos loves the second analog stick, too.
Kratos loves the second analog stick, too.

Hey, I'm a fan of the God of War games, but I have zero interest in playing the reportedly excellent PSP versions because of the gimped controls. Maybe I'll finally get around to them on my NGP, since Eurogamer is reporting the PSP successor will have full compatibility, with some perks, too.

In addition to simply running existing PSP games via software emulation, NGP enhances them by allowing access to the second analog stick. That'd be awful useful in God of War when Kratos needs to roll away or in Resistance: Retribution, when camera control is mapped to, er, buttons. Gross.

You'll also have the ability to upscale the visuals, too, which means they may even look better!

Between this and the PSP Remaster series, which I'm expecting we'll hear about at E3, Sony seems to be offering plenty of new ways to take another look at PSP's existing library.

Patrick Klepek on Google+
Filed under:
PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Vita

121 Comments

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Deusoma

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Edited By Deusoma

But these games came out years ago, the only way the existing software would be able to make use of a second analog stick is if they were programmed to optionally take advantage of hardware that didn't exist in the first place!

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buft

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Edited By buft

the controls for both GOW and resistance where fine, they both made excellent use of what was available but this sounds like a fine solution for other portable games.

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floodiastus

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Edited By floodiastus
@Deusoma said:
But these games came out years ago, the only way the existing software would be able to make use of a second analog stick is if they were programmed to optionally take advantage of hardware that didn't exist in the first place!
Yeah, this articles just makes me think the writer does not know anything about software or hardware.
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sins_of_mosin

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Edited By sins_of_mosin

Gotta have the games first which the PSP lacked for its entire life.
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sixpin

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Edited By sixpin
@floodiastus said:
@Deusoma said:
But these games came out years ago, the only way the existing software would be able to make use of a second analog stick is if they were programmed to optionally take advantage of hardware that didn't exist in the first place!
Yeah, this articles just makes me think the writer does not know anything about software or hardware.
I'm glad you guys are not only software engineers, but also accomplished journalists.
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Jiggah

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Edited By Jiggah
@Deusoma: 
 
All the article is saying is that the old games will be able to use the second analog thanks to emulation.  I'm confused on why you believe they will receive additional functionality.
 
The remapping of controls can be done through emulation and it can probably be done on a game-by-game basis.  All you have to do is take a look at PS1 games on PSP that use R2/L2 buttons remapped on the d-pad to understand what they will do with the older games.  For example, the Monster Hunter games have camera controls mapped on the d-pad.  This can easily be remapped to the second analog.  Resistance: Retribution had the camera controls on the button faces, which again can be remapped to the second analog sticks.
 
So, no the existing games do not have to be programmed to take advantage of the second analog stick.  The emulator can be programmed to remap those functions.
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Addfwyn

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Edited By Addfwyn
@sins_of_mosin: PSP had some incredible games that got unfortunately overlooked because of the platform, but were really some of the best games of the past couple years.  Maybe being in Japan where mobile gaming is more common exposed me to a lot more, but there really are some terrific PSP games you're missing out on if you just dismiss the whole platform.
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floodiastus

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Edited By floodiastus
@sixpin said:
@floodiastus said:
@Deusoma said:
But these games came out years ago, the only way the existing software would be able to make use of a second analog stick is if they were programmed to optionally take advantage of hardware that didn't exist in the first place!
Yeah, this articles just makes me think the writer does not know anything about software or hardware.
I'm glad you guys are not only software engineers, but also accomplished journalists.
You need to be a software engineer to think logically?
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sixpin

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Edited By sixpin

@floodiastus: No, but it is handy to know what you are talking about.

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EightBitShik

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Edited By EightBitShik

I am really excited about this. I was afraid it wouldnt play the older games.

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floodiastus

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Edited By floodiastus
@sixpin said:

@floodiastus: No, but it is handy to know what you are talking about.

I don't think you need to be a software engineer to talk about games, but you should have SOME idea of how your PSP works if you are writing articles about it. 
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Jiggah

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Edited By Jiggah
@floodiastus: 
I'm still confused on what you guys keep believing Patrick is wrong about.
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sixpin

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Edited By sixpin

@floodiastus: I take it you don't understand how software emulation or hyperbole works. Here's the solution to the former; control functions can be remapped using emulation software. It is something that software emulation has done for years. Maybe read up on a topic before calling Patrick out next time.

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penguindust

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Edited By penguindust

Can I play the Valkyria Chronicles and SMT: Persona games made for the PSP on it?  That's all I need to know right now to convince me to buy one. Yeah, I could get a 3000 but why waste the money on that when the NGP/Vita is going to be the main Sony portable for the next few years?  Backwards compatibility was a big deciding factor in my purchase of a Playstation 3, so it will also be prominent in my potential purchase of the NGP. 

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floodiastus

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Edited By floodiastus
@sixpin said:

@floodiastus: I take it you don't understand how software emulation or hyperbole works. Here's the solution to the former; control functions can be remapped using emulation software. It is something that software emulation has done for years. Maybe read up on a topic before calling Patrick out next time.

It is quite different than remapping 4 digital buttons to function with an analogue stick though, which he in the article, makes it sound like it would work. In my experience, alot of old games does not even work properly without any new features on backwards compatible consoles.
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Mmmslash

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Edited By Mmmslash

I know this basically equates to me happily gobbling up my leftover shit sandwich, but I'm going to buy a Vita, REBUY Monster Hunter, and finally play a Monster Hunter game with tons of content, and a second analog of camera control.
 
I wonder if saves are transferable.

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LordXavierBritish

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Edited By LordXavierBritish

Now I'm glad I bought a PSP Go so I was forced to adopt the new digital format early.
 
I won you fuckers, you all said I lost but I mother fucking won.

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thebunnyhunter

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Edited By thebunnyhunter
@LordXavierBritish: you lucky bastard, you get your games while we get are now usless umds
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sopranosfan

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Edited By sopranosfan
@sins_of_mosin said:
Gotta have the games first which the PSP lacked for its entire life.
I think this is a misconception that started early with the PSP which was true at the time and why I sold my PSP and now have a DS.  But I sorted reviews on Gamespot and they have 99 PSP games rated 8 or higher and 102 DS games rated 8 or higher.  
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Masha2932

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Edited By Masha2932

I'll just wait and see

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Hector

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Edited By Hector
So as this confirmed at E3? If it is I am definitely getting a Vita.