C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
TL;DR
- PPSSPP 1.20 is now available, bringing performance tweaks, quality-of-life improvements, and new features to improve PSP gameplay across phones, PCs, and handheld gaming devices.
- A major highlight is full portrait mode support, allowing the interface and controls to adapt when you rotate your phone vertically.
- Ad hoc multiplayer gets a reliability boost with a new server-provided packet relay system that improves connections between players.
The most popular PSP emulator just received a major upgrade, and this update is more than just a routine bug fix.
PPSSPP 1.20 is now available, offering quality-of-life improvements, performance tweaks, and new features to help Sony’s classic handheld games run better on phones, PCs, and handheld gaming devices. For longtime users, this update fixes several small issues and adds some genuinely useful features.
For context, PPSSPP has been the go-to PlayStation Portable emulator for years. It lets users run PSP games on platforms like Android, Windows, Linux, macOS, and even iOS. The software recreates the PSP environment, so games like God of War: Ghost of Sparta or Persona 3 Portable can run at higher resolutions and with smoother performance than on the original hardware.
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Version 1.20 builds on that goal with improvements in usability, connectivity, and interface flexibility.
A standout new feature is full support for portrait mode. Before, PPSSPP was mainly made for landscape screens, so the interface felt awkward when you turned your phone vertically. Now, the emulator adjusts its interface and controls when you change orientation. You can also set up different touch control layouts for portrait and landscape modes.
Another useful upgrade lets you upload files over HTTP from devices on the same network. This means you can now transfer game files, saves, and other data to the emulator from another device using Wi-Fi, instead of moving files by hand.
Multiplayer also gets a technical boost. PPSSPP 1.20 introduces a server-provided packet-relay system for ad hoc multiplayer sessions. This feature routes network traffic through a relay server, improving reliability compared with direct connections between players.
Save states, a staple feature of emulators, are also getting a bit more flexibility. PPSSPP 1.20 now allows users to configure the number of save state slots, supporting up to 30 slots if needed. You can read the full changelog here.
The update is already available on supported platforms, and, as always, the developer continues refining features with ongoing updates.
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