How to use the PS3 to install Sony PSP downloadable games

Sony's PSP is a beefy little piece of hardware, but it does have some odd quirks. Some of the most puzzling are the seemingly false installation requirements given by the PSP's own online store. Upon accessing the store, each product has a size requirement that the purchaser must have free on his or her memory stick at the time of download, but many intrepid gamers who manage to clear just enough space are met with a less-than-satisfying "There is not enough room on the memory stick" message.

This can be very frustrating for someone not familiar with how these downloads work, and even for those who are. When you think you've cleared enough room for your newly-purchased game to be downloaded and the system just refuses to go by the requirements it itself has set forth it can be enough to pull some hair out. However, if you happen to also own a PlayStation 3, there is a handy trick to getting around this little annoyance.

The first thing you'll need to do is boot up your PS3 and head over to the PS Store. There you'll be able to download the same PSP titles as you would directly from the handheld itself. Once downloaded, the game will appear as a bubble on your Games list. Clicking it will ask you if you'd like to install it to a PSP system.

At this point you'll want to plug your PSP directly into your PS3 via the Mini USB cord that came with your console. Once connected, your PS3 will start to install the game...to itself. Yes it sounds crazy, but it's true. Once the game is fully installed on the console it will transfer only the installed game data onto the PSP's memory stick. This process cuts out the hassle of wasting space on the PSP's memory stick by moving just the raw game data to the handheld.

This little trick should save you some headaches when downloading PSP games, as well as keep you from deleting any valuable files in the haste of making room for LocoRoco.