This was requested by Dave Snider before the Iron Brigade TNT, thought I would get a list going for games you guys love from the PSP platform that people might have missed and could get on both the PSP or Vita. Also I have the posters' names after their nominee in the latter half of this post incase people have questions about the games. Go for it! I'll add mine:

----------I am listing games that are downloadable on the PSN store now that the UMD conversion program is no longer planned.-----------

-----------List With Nominators (If you have questions for them about the games.)---------------------

• The 3rd Birthday (CounterShock)
• Ace Combat: Joint Assault (Xpgamer7)
• Ape Escape: On the Loose (TepidShark)
• Beats (Xpgamer7)
• BlazBlue Portable: Calamity Trigger (Xpgamer7)
• BlazBlue: Continuum Shift 2 (Xpgamer7)
• Burnout Legends (Xpgamer7)
• ClaDun: This is an RPG! (LordXavierBritish)
• ClaDun X2 (Xpgamer7)
• Class of Heroes (TopSteer)
• Corpse Party (mosespippy)
• Crimson Gem Saga (TopSteer)
• Crush (Wraith1)
• Darkstalkers Chronicle: The Chaos Tower (Xpgamer7)
• Daxter (TepidShark)
• Dead Head Fred (Xpgamer7)
• Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness (m1k3)
• Disgaea Infinite (Xpgamer7)
• Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days (m1k3)
• Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy (thehexeditor)
• DJ Max Portable 3 (Xpgamer7)
• Echochrome (Xpgamer7)
• Echoshift (Xpgamer7)
• Everyday Shooter (Xpgamer7)
• Fate/Extra (EVO)
• Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions (Mitch0712)
• Final Fantasy Type-0 (TepidShark) ***Coming Soon***
• Gladiator Begins (Shun_Akiyama)
• God of War: Chains of Olympus (L44)
• God of War: Ghost of Sparta (L44)
• Gods Eater Burst (Xpgamer7)
• Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (shootermcclay)
• Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (shootermcclay)
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (shootermcclay)
• Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure (LordXavierBritish)
• Half Minute Hero (SlightConfuse)
• Hammerin' Hero (Xpgamer7)
• Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier (Xpgamer7)
• Jeanne d'Arc (Aquablak)
• Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble (Cube)
• Knights in the Nightmare (Xpgamer7)
• The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky (TopSteer)
• Little Big Planet PSP (Xpgamer7)
• LocoRoco (Mitch0712)
• LocoRoco 2 (Mitch0712)
• LocoRoco Midnight Carnival (Mitch0712)
• Manhunt 2 (Xpgamer7)
• Me and My Katamari (Xpgamer7)
• Medal of Honor Heroes 2 (Xpgamer7)
• Mega Man Maverick Hunter X (TepidShark)
• Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker (MethodMan008)
• Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops (shootermcclay)
• Metal Slug Anthology (Xpgamer7)
• Metal Slug XX (Xpgamer7)
• Monster Hunter Freedom Unite (Mitch0712)
• Motor Storm: Arctic Edge (Xpgamer7)
• Mercury Meltdown (Xpgamer7)
• No Heroes Allowed (What Did I Do To Deserve This My Lord (1&2) (Xpgamer7)
• Patapon (1-3) (Redbullet685)
• Phantom Brave: Heroes of the Hermuda Triangle (TopSteer)
• Power Stone Collection (TepidShark)
• Pixel Junk Monsters Deluxe (Aquablak)
• Prince of Persia: Revelations (Xpgamer7)
• Prince of Persia: Rival Swords (Xpgamer7)
• Prinny: Can I Really Be the Hero? (LordXavierBritish)
• Prinny 2: Dawn of Operation Panties, Dood! (LordXavierBritish)
• Pursuit Force (1&2) (Xpgamer7)
• Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters (Xpgamer7)
• Resistance Retribution (Xpgamer7)
• Ridge Racer (mosespippy)
• Riviera: The Promised Land (Xpgamer7)
• Rock Band Unplugged (GS_Dan)
• Samurai Shodown Anthology (Xpgamer7)
• Secret Agent Clank (Xpgamer7)
• Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 2 - Innocent Sin (LordXavierBritish)
• Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable (LordXavierBritish)
• Silent Hill: Origins (Xpgamer7)
• Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (Xpgamer7)
• Socom Fireteam Bravo (1-3) (Xpgamer7)
• Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny (Xpgamer7)
• Star Wars Battlefront: Elite Squadron (Xpgamer7)
• Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron (Xpgamer7)
• Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror (Xpgamer7)
• Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow (Xpgamer7)
• Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (SlightConfuse)
• Tekken 6 (Xpgamer7)
• Tokobot (Xpgamer7)
• Twisted Metal: Head-On (Xpgamer7)
• Valkyria Chronicles 2 (SlightConfuse)
• The Warriors (Xpgamer7)
• Thrillville Off the Rails (Xpgamer7)
• WTF: Work Time Fun (MikeGosot)
• Ys: The Oath in Felghana (FacySoapsMan)
• Ys Seven (TopSteer)
• Zettai Hero Project: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman (SlightConfuse)

Metal Gear Solid: Peacewalker

Although the HD Collection is better for that... Still a great game no matter what platform you play it on.

Let's make sure that everyone on this list actually can be bought and played on a vita.

valkyria chronicles 2

tactics ogre

half minute hero

almost forgot about ZHP vs evil darkman

If Patapon 1-3 can be bought on Vita, then those. Also, MGS Peace Walker.

Jeanne D'Arc

Pixel Junk Monsters DX

I'll just add in a few not yet mentioned, I'll fill this out a bit later when I have the time.
 

• Jeanne D'arc
• Grumumin: A Monstrous Adventure
• Persona 2: Innocent Sin
• Cladun: This is an RPG
• Persona 3 Portable
• Prinny 1 & 2
• Zettai Hero Project: Unlosing Ranger vs Darkdeath Evilman

Power Stone Collection and Patapon 2, I think it's the cheapest of the three on the PSN Store.

I'll second Persona 3 Portable. 

Persona 2

The 3rd Birthday

Peace Walker

I haven't played my PSP in awhile so...

Thanks I was wondering this too since I only owned a DS. ZHP looks interesting.

Them God of Wars

All games mentioned are Vita compatible (as in, on the PSN store)

Fate/Extra: Persona 3 meets Highlander-esque Holy Grail War of Masters and Servants in a great looking RPG.

Z.H.P: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman: A hilarious roguelike by the creators of Disgaea. Has the great distinction of being one of Erik Wolpaw's top ten games of 2011, where he said that it accompanied him while he was busy doing press for Portal 2.

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together: PSP remake of the 1995 Super Nintendo classic. An isometric turn based strategy game with tons of gameplay value.

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite: Absolutely huge, 500+++ hour game with STEEP learning curve but immensely rewarding. Kill monsters, gather materials, craft (one of THOUSANDS OF) amazing looking armor sets and weapons. The Call of Duty (in terms of popularity) of Japan that never took off here in the West. BENEFITS TREMENDOUSLY FROM VITA SUPPORT AS YOU CAN MAP THE CAMERA TO THE RIGHT ANALOG STICK-- IMPROVES ENJOYMENT OF THE GAME TENFOLD

Persona 2: Innocent Sin : Never before released in the West officially, a remastering of the Playstation 1 game with tuned gameplay, updated visuals and music. A great story about a group of memorable characters who pursue the mystery behind a serial killer that makes wishes come true (wishes like resurrecting motherfucking Adolf Hitler)

I would mention Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep <edit: not on the PSN store, thanks for bringing that up T_T>, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, and Dissidia 012 but I have a feeling you would not be interested in those games at all.

I took the time to write all this for you Dave so you better buy all of these motherfucking games and play them to completion. Kidding

When you play these games on a Vita you can tap the screen to open up a menu that allows for right analog stick binding (only matters for Monster Hunter) and Bilinear Filtering which smooths out some pixellation.

The only noteworthy Vita game coming out anytime soon (launch window) is called Gravity Rush and is a beautiful game with novel gameplay mechanics (manipulating gravity) that got 39/40 score in Famitsu magazine which is insane considering it's a launch window Vita title (Uncharted: Golden Abyss for example got 35/40).

Other great PSP games are (YES I'VE PLAYED ALL OF THESE TOO I WAS A PSP FREAK) Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, Persona 3 Portable, God of War: Chains of Olympus, GoW: Ghost of Sparta, Final Fantasy IV Complete Collection, Patapon 1-3, The 3rd Birthday (hesitant about mentioning), MGS: Peace Walker.

The PSP's swan song, Final Fantasy Type-0, a massive 2-UMD epic which apparently has one of the best if not the best story and world of any recent Final Fantasy with the gameplay to match (39/40 Famitsu) , is probably going to come out in the West remastered for Vita. PSP's all but dead here (you could argue that our swan song was Peace Walker) and it's confirmed they're working on a western release. I'm looking forward to it.

@snide: So do they need to have been on the PSN store to be playable on Vita? Did they give up on the UMD conversions to digital copy?

@Mitch0712 said:

@snide: So do they need to have been on the PSN store to be playable on Vita? Did they give up on the UMD conversions to digital copy?

Yes. UMD Passport still exists.

Good news is pretty much every goddamn PSP game worth playing (and there are a lot of great PSP games unless you hate everything from Japan) is on the PSN store.

Damn the New Zealand PSN store really sucks. It's missing so many of these. Guess I'll only be able to get Tactics Ogre, Final Fantasy Tactics, Valkyria Chronicles 2 and Patapon 3.

@Scrumdidlyumptious: If you really want to, you can create a US PSN account, and buy an American prepaid PSN card online. I would suggest doing this only if there is a game or two on the store you ABSOLUTELY KNOW you're going to love. But yeah, shit sucks. On the upside the games you've mentioned (I haven't played VC2 but have heard great things) give hours upon hours upon hours of enjoyment.

@thehexeditor: Yeah those 4 will probably do for now. Not a huge deal.

@Scrumdidlyumptious said:

@thehexeditor: Yeah those 4 will probably do for now. Not a huge deal.

PM me if you want to work something out; I can go to the 7-eleven a stone's throw away from my home and buy PSN card(s) for you; I can send you the redeemable codes you can pay me through paypal or whatever.

@thehexeditor: Nah it's okay. I can use a credit card if I need to. Thanks a lot for the help though.

I recommend Fate/Extra

Crush belongs on the list.

Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops

God of War: Ghost of Sparta

Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness

Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days

Both great Disgaea games on a portable.

All of these games have downloadable versions:

• Ape Escape: On the Loose
• Daxter
• Mega Man Powered Up
• Mega Man Maverick Hunter X
• Power Stone Collection
• Final Fantasy Type-0 (Currently only out in Japan, where it has a downloadable version, but it has been announced as coming to the West.)

Sidebar: It is not currently on the Playstation Store but if anyone out there is interested in Kingdom Hearts at all, then you really should play Birth by Sleep. It is the best game that series has put out so far even beating out 1 & 2 in my book. I can't recommend that game highly enough.

Class of Heroes is a great old school dungeon crawler in the vein of Wizardry.

Ys Seven

Brave Story: New Traveler

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky

Crimson Gem Saga

Phantom Brave: Heroes of the Hermuda Triangle

FYI, Birth by Sleep is not available on PSN. :[

Just made a list. Took me a couple hours, but it's worth a read. http://www.giantbomb.com/profile/xpgamer7/best-games-on-the-psp/46-71791/

@FTomato said:

FYI, Birth by Sleep is not available on PSN. :[

Bah you're right. Thought it was considering how good Square was at releasing their big titles on the store.

• Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth
• Tales of Eternia
• Gitaroo Man Lives!
• Disgaea 2: Dark hero days
• Persona 3: Portable

I'll recommend Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together without hesitation. It was one of my top games of 2011 and is the most essential RPG, strategy or otherwise, on the PSP platform. Masterful recreation by Matsuno and co.

Crisis Core and KH: Birth By Sleep aren't on the PSN.. Dammit Square. They're totally just going to release an HD version of those instead. Fucking scammers.. but I'd be there day one.

I just looked at the PSN store. The only games that I saw there that are worth mentioning that haven't been already are Ridge Racer and Corpse Party. Also, you can absolutely skip LocoRoco 1 and dive into LocoRoco 2.

@RainVillain said:

Crisis Core and KH: Birth By Sleep aren't on the PSN.. Dammit Square. They're totally just going to release an HD version of those instead. Fucking scammers.. but I'd be there day one.

I hope they do that. I can't speak to Crisis Core (because I never played it) but Birth by Sleep's problems would all be solved if they made an HD version.

This has turned out to be a great list.

@Mitch0712: I recommend The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, Ys: The Oath in Felghana, and Ys Seven.

all of them are on the PSN as far as I know.

@Mitch0712: You should update the first post there are alot of new great suggestions.

@Xpgamer7: Can you recall which games on your list are available for download?

@snide said:

Let's make sure that everyone on this list actually can be bought and played on a vita.

Also, are you a fan of Japanese Anime art styles? This is in a lot of these games.

Patapon 2 & 3 are still very good, but I'm not sure which I prefer.

I also really like the PSP's version of Rock Band.

@Mitch0712: I'll check and reference the PSN store...

Beats

Burnout Legends

Claduun Series

Crush

Daxter

Dead Head Fred

Dissidia: Final Fantasy

Disagaea PSP series

Disagaea Infinite(not a typical Disagaea)

DJ Max Portable 3

Echochrome

Echoshift

Everyday Shooter

God of War PSP series

Gods Eater Burst

GTA Vice/Liberty City Stories

Half-Minute Hero

Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier

Jeanne D' Arc

Little Big Planet PSP

LocoRoco 1/2/Midnight Carnival

Metal Gear Solid Peacewalker

Metal Gear Solid Portable Ops

Monster Hunter Freedom Unite

Motorstorm: Artic Edge

No Heroes Allowed(What Did I Do To Deserve This My Lord 1/2 as well)

Patapon 1/2/3

Prinny 1/2

Pursuit Force 1/2

Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters

Resistance Retribution

Rock Band Unplugged

Secret Agent Clank

Silent Hill Origins

Silent Hill Shattered Memories

Socom Fireteam Bravo 1/2/3

SoulCalibur Broken Destiny

Star Wars Battlefront Renegade Squadron

Syphon Filter Dark Mirror/Logan's Shadow

Twisted Metal: Head-On

Valkyria Chronicles 2

The Warriors

Honarable Mentions:

Ace Combat: Joint Assualt

Blazblue Series

Darkstalkers

GTA Chinatown Wars

Hammerin' Hero

Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble

Knights in The Nightmare

Manhunt 2

Metal Slug XX/Anthology

Me & My Katamari

Medal of Honor Heroes 2

Mercury Meltdown

Power Stone Collection

Riviera: The Promised Land

Prince Of Persia 2/3

Samurai Shodown Anthology

Persona series

Star Wars Battlefront Elite Squadron

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together

Tekken 6

Thrillville Off The Rails

Tokobot

WTF: Work Time Fun

Ys PSP Series

Z.H.P

@Mitch0712: Thanks for updating. By the way, you may already know this but here is a page where you check if a game is downloadable.

The PSP reduxes of Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy 2 were very solid.

No Lumines love? I am disappointed in you giantbomb community.

@Jimi said:

No Lumines love? I am disappointed in you giantbomb community.

Well, Lumines vita is a launch title..

I really like a game called gladiator begins. I've sunk many many hours into it.

Thanks for the list. This is something I was going to have to do on my own based off metacritic and youtube.

@Xpgamer7: Do you think your honorable mentions are good enough to put on the list of recommended games? I'll add them if yes.

Killzone Liberation. By far my favorite PSP game.

Also I'd say that you don't have to worry @snide since almost all PSP games are on the PSN by now. The only 3 big omissions I can think of are Crisis Core: FF7, Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep and Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth.