App Store emulator surge continues, this time for PlayStation Portable games
PPSSPP, a popular emulator for PlayStation Portable games, is now available for gamers to play their nostalgic favorites from years past.
![Smartphone displaying PPSSPP emulator interface with menu options and a question 'how can I get games?' on screen.](https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/59684-121921-PPSSPP-header-xl.jpg)
PPSSPP on the App Store
Apple has officially welcomed PPSSPP, a popular PSP emulator (and not the sound to summon a cat), to the App Store. It's a significant development in the company's approach toward emulators.
Users can download PPSSPP directly from the App Store. The app promises to deliver a high-fidelity gaming experience on iOS devices, supporting a wide range of PSP titles.
The system requirements for running PPSSPP on an iPhone include iOS 12.0 or later. The app is also compatible with iPad, iPod touch, and Apple Vision Pro so that gamers can play their favorite PSP games on various Apple devices.
![Smartphone displaying 'PPSSPP Homebrew Store' with a list of game titles like 'Cave Story' and 'Ozone' on a blue background.](https://photos5.appleinsider.com/gallery/59684-121920-free-games-xl.jpg)
The app offers some free games
The app's developer has a support page on how to get games for PPSSPP. PSP games downloaded from PSN onto an actual PSP can be transferred from the PSP and played directly.
There is also a small selection of free games offered in the app.
A change of heart
One longstanding policy of the App Store has been prohibiting apps that run external code, which has effectively banned emulators for console and classic games. However, a change in April to guideline 4.7 of the App Store has now modified this policy.
Apple is now permitting "software that is not embedded in the binary" to run within apps available in the App Store. The company has specified that this includes "retro game console emulator apps."
Developers must ensure that any software loaded into an app adheres to several guidelines and complies with all applicable laws, including add-ons and ROMs.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
When an emulator runs Playstation games, there's a software implementation of the Playstation CPU:
https://github.com/hrydgard/ppsspp/blob/master/Core/MIPS/MIPS.cpp#L180
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_Portable_hardware#CPU
Same as this old emulator: