How To Install GBA Emulator On PSP? Follow This Simple Guide [2021-2022]

Every console is designed to play games native to the system.

While some consoles also play the older systems’ ports, they’re still manufactured by the same company.

Is it possible to play games that are not meant for a system on it?

Theoretically, it’s not possible, but emulators are designed to break the mold.

An emulator refers to a piece of software designed to imitate or emulate the characteristics of another system.

For example, if a program is called a GBA emulator, it means the program can run games released on the GBA or Game Boy Advance.

There are some key considerations in choosing an emulator.

Compatibility with a console isn’t the only thing that matters.

It should also be compatible with the system where it will be loaded onto.

If a GBA emulator is made for Windows only, you’re not supposed to run it on Linux or another system as it’s not going to work.

In this article, we’ll explain how to install GBA emulator on the PSP.

There are several choices available, but your focus should be on getting one with GBA support and PSP support.

gpSP is one of the few that meet this requirement.

If you’re unfamiliar with this, gpSP is an open-source emulator designed to run GBA games on the PlayStation Portable.

One of the reasons to use this is because it has excellent compatibility with the PSP.

Some sources reveal that it does better in emulating SNES ports than some SNES emulators themselves.

How to Install GBA Emulator on PSP

1. The first important step is to install custom firmware on your PSP.

You can’t randomly add a program to the system and expect it to run without a problem.

That’s because are restrictions put in place about the installation of third-party programs.

The purpose of custom firmware is to help you work around the limitations.

Does this scenario sound familiar to you?

Yep, you may have heard of a similar thing happening to other systems as well.

For the step-by-step instructions, you can check out the following video.

2. Once you have, it installed on the system, proceed with the next steps.

But before we get started, make sure there’s enough battery left on your PSP.

You wouldn’t want it to switch off suddenly because it runs out of power.

It can lead to errors in the system, so better be safe than sorry.

It’s also essential to prepare a functional PC and a working USB cable.

3. NEXT, search for the gpSP emulator file.

It can be found on several sites, but to save time, you can get it through this link instead.

There you can find the overview of the software, the release date, versions, etc.

For the record, the software was released in 2009, meaning that it’s quite old by now.

However, some people have used this version for years and haven’t had any problems.

Please note, this post is meant for informational purposes only. We can’t and won’t be responsible for using the software; do it at your own risk.

4. There are two links next to the gpSP version, direct and indirect connections. You’d need to click on the direct link.

It will prompt a download notification.

Depending on the browser, you might see the progress on top or at the browser’s bottom.

It comes with the.rar extension format.

5. Next, you have to unzip the program.

Just right-click on the file; there should be an option to extract it.

Extract it to ‘Desktop’ to make it easier to locate.

In case you don’t have file compression software installed, then add one to the computer.

There are many choices, like Winrar and 7-zip.

6. Head to the Desktop, and then open the folder.

You will find a subfolder and then another 3 in the next click.

We’re not going to do anything with the folder, just providing a glimpse of what appears inside.

7. Now that we have the emulator set up, the next step is to find ROMs.

A ROM is a game file. As said in the previous articles, there are two main things in running an emulator, the first one is the emulator itself, and the second one is the game or ROM.

By the way, we’re not in any way, shape, or form suggesting downloads of ROMs due to the copyright protection associated with this type of content.

So, if you want to go ahead, do it at your discretion.

What’s the risk of downloading a ROM?

We can’t say for sure as it’s not our domain, but many articles in the internet are covering this topic.

You can read them to find out.

8. Let’s say you’ve decided where you get a ROM from. On that particular game, you should see a download link.

If the game is compressed, you have to extract it like what you did to the emulator file.

Extract it to Desktop for easy searching.

9. And now connect your PSP to the computer using a USB cable, and go to USB mode.

10. Copy the extracted game file, paste it into the emulator folder in this exact location; gpSP > GBA > ROM.

11. Go back to the main gpSP folder, copy it, and then paste it into your PSP folder in this exact location; PSP > GAME. Use the ‘Open Windows Explorer’ feature to locate your PSP on the left sidebar.

12. Unplug the USB cable from your PSP, and then restart the console.

13. Done correctly, you should be able to find the gpSP emulator in the game section.

14. Open it, an archive page will appear with the game on it.

Next time you add other games, they’ll also show up here.

Highlight the game you want to play, press X on the PSP to enter.

That’s pretty much it. Now you should be able to play the game on the console.

Putting a Gameboy Advance Emulator on PSP: Final Thoughts

That’s how to install GBA emulator on PSP.

While it looks like a long process, it’s pretty simple actually.

Basically, you’d need 2 primary elements, an emulator and a ROM.

Custom firmware is another requirement since it’s for the PSP.

Install custom firmware on the system to allow for the installation of a third-party app.

Once it’s added, download the emulator and ROM on your PC.

Extract both files to the same location for easy searching.

Move the game file into a specific folder on the gpSP folder.

Connect the PSP to the PC using a USB cable, and then move the parent PSP folder into the GAME folder in the console.

That’s all, now the PSP will have the emulator on the menu and you can play classic games on it.