Can I play PSP games on my PS3?

[Magus]

So I got a PS3 recently and apparently you can buy and download PSP games. So I was hoping this meant you could just go ahead and play them on the PS3 through some kind of virtual console, much like the PS One Classics (I bought Breath of Fire IV so far), and didn't have to own a PSP. I really wanted to play FFT: War of the Lions but don't want to have to buy a PSP.

However, it seems different from the PS One Classics in its description, makes it sound like you can only play it by downloading it to a PSP, so I wanted to ask if it's possible to play the PSP games on the PS3 console itself or if it's just a glorified hard drive? This would save me buying something I can't play.

OH, BTW, what is up with charging 9.99 for all the Squarenix titles whereas everything else is 5.99? Just...blargh. If it weren't so blatant I wouldn't have mentioned it.

[Kim]

Square Enix games almost always cost more. Many call it the Squeenix tax.

You can only play them on a PSP if they're listed as PSP games.

[Magus]

Man, that sucks. Maybe in the future with a firmware update they'll add a PSP virtual console? Or a downloadable emulator program (they could even charge a fee, as long as it was reasonable)? That would be nice. I mean I always loved the Super Gameboy and Gameboy Advance Player and stuff that Nintendo had, I wish Sony would take a lesson.

Too bad about the Squarenix tax. I mean, I own the Final Fantasy Anthology version of Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI but I would still totally rebuy them just for the convenience, but the extra money just makes it seem foolish when I could always just use my PS2 still.

Although, here's another question: does the PS3 make the load times faster than the original PS One games? Or are they still the same? Like I might even rebuy something like the original Final Fantasy Tactics (God help me, I would, just to avoid having to sort through my PS1 memory cards and such) if the load times were shortened.

[Kim]

I think the load times are shorter with some games, but I'm not 100% sure.

I know I've been playing Blood Omen, and there's still a bit of loading time for any menu finagling.

[TDK]

No, but you can play PS1 games on your PSP WITH your PS3. :P

[EVILNess]

You can play the PSP minis on the PS3, but as was mentioned before, no PSP games.

Still getting a PSP isn't a bad thing. If you like RPGs there are a lot of great ones on the PSP. I was incredibly surprised.