If you’re the lucky owner of a PSP there’s a good chance you have heard about the ability to download games, movies and music and use them on your system. It’s a great way to keep your PSP stocked with all the newest games and make sure you never get bored! One of the most common questions we get from PSP users is “How Do I Download PSP Games?”

There are a few options available for downloading PSP games. Some free, some risky for your computer, some neither of these. Let’s examine these options.

You may have already seen some sites which say they have “free” PSP game downloads. Now, as you may know, you do get what you pay for in many cases, and this would be one of those. Many of these sites are full of spyware, viruses and other things you just don’t want on your computer. If you must go visit these sites, well, you have been warned.

These websites are operated on little to no money, and have no incentive (e.g. profit) to make sure files submitted are valid and free of hazards, there are often corrupt files to be found - meaning that they do not work once downloaded. Even worse, the download speeds on these sites are very very slow, so you may spend a whole day downloading a file, which turns out to be useless.

Obviously, I am no friend of these “free” PSP download websites. They are at best a waste of your time, and at worst can do serious damage to your computer.

Membership sites are really your best bet for downloading PSP games. They are not free, but are typically not very expensive. These fees are more than offset by even a few downloads. These sites are run like a business, because they are businesses. They put some care into ensuring that the files hosted on their site are free of viruses and other threats, and are tested to make sure that they work.

It is amazing that not more PSP users are aware of these websites. The fees are generally less than the cost of a single new PSP game, and allow members to download any file provided by the site, any time the user wants. Some sites even give members the software they need to transfer their downloads to a PSP

Look for a membership site that only charges a one-time fee for a lifetime membership. For $35-$50 you will be able to download anything you want (including new releases) whenever you want without having to pay again. Some of the sites charge a monthly or “per-download” fee - I suggest avoiding these as you can find a better deal elsewhere.

Downloading games for your PSP is a wonderful thing, and saves PSP gamers lots of money and time. Just trying to find parking can sometimes take longer than downloading a game, for instance - and wouldn’t you rather be enjoying your new games in minutes and spending more time with your PSP?