10 Best PS3 Games to Get Before the PSN Store Shuts Down

The PS3 became one of the most notorious consoles from Sony's iconic video game console franchise; you had a crazy number of discussions on its complex architecture, while nowadays, you still have people raving about some of the exclusives still stuck on that system, with no modern ports or backwards compatibility support for them.

And unfortunately, the moment we all feared finally came—the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita's PSN stores are shutting down next year, in July 2027. This means you'll no longer be able to access the store or make any more purchases, and a rich catalog of digital-only or otherwise unobtainable or scarce PS3 titles will no longer be available to consumers.

As much as it genuinely hurts me to see PlayStation's horrific downfall with their string of monumentally bad business decisions, we don't have time to discuss that. Instead, join me with this list, where I briefly discuss my picks for the best PS3 games you need to get from the store before it closes next year.

10 Siren: Blood Curse

Tension Through Helplessness

If the PS3's digital storefront eventually disappears, Siren: Blood Curse is one to have in your library because not only was the game packaged for physical release ONLY for Europe and Japan, but the NA version was a straight-up digital-only format on PSN.

And while we're still here, one of the game's defining features is the Sightjacking mechanic, which lets you see through the eyes of enemies and other entities. It sounds simple on paper, but it completely changes how you approach each level.

Instead of blindly walking into danger, you're constantly scanning the environment, figuring out patrol routes, locating objectives, and trying to understand what's happening from multiple perspectives. It's an incredibly creative mechanic that remains unique even today. With that oppressive Japanese horror atmosphere and episodic, TV-style storytelling, you've got a distinctive horror game that shows a time when Sony wasn't afraid to experiment with niche subgenres.

9 LocoRoco Cocoreccho

A Spin-off Worth The Attention

Unlike the main LocoRoco games you might've seen or played on the PSP, Cocoreccho! is less a traditional platformer and more a relaxing interactive toy in a sense. It only takes a couple of hours to finish, but its charm and uniqueness make it a memorable experience on the PS3, especially since it slipped under many people's radar—a recurring theme with other games on this list.

It never received a physical release, wasn't remastered for newer PlayStation consoles, and isn't available on PC or other platforms. Once the PS3's PSN Store closes, there's a good chance this quirky little game will become difficult, if not impossible, to purchase legally.

Instead of directly controlling the creatures, this time you're gently influencing them via a Butterfly (or Cocoreccho, actually) by solving simple environmental puzzles, collecting hidden MuiMui, and encouraging the LocoRoco to sing, bounce, and interact with the world around them. An unconventional concept if you ask me, but one that perfectly captures the playful personality the series is known for.

8 Motorstorm: RC

Bite-Sized Vehicular Chaos

This here's a special one because, rather than trying to compete with the realism of Gran Turismo or the chaos of the mainline MotorStorm games, Evolution Studios took the franchise in a completely different direction with Motostorm RC, creating a fast-paced, top-down RC racer that somehow still captures the series' signature personality. Tracks are compact but packed with shortcuts, jumps, and tricky corners that encourage constant replaying, like an arcade game funhouse.

And I don't think I need to mention that MotorStorm RC has never been ported beyond the PS3 and Vita, making them the only official ways to experience it. But hey, one major advantage is its cross-buy and cross-save support with the PS Vita version if you manage to snag that version.

7 Trash Panic

Not for Everyone but Still Worth Keeping

Trash Panic was never a mega-hit title nor an extremely obscure gem, but that's exactly why it's worth preserving in your library. It's a game that will probably never be greenlit today, simply because it was so experimental for a puzzle video game. At first glance, Trash Panic can look simple, since the surface-level stuff can seem like just throwing garbage into a bin.

In practice, it's a surprisingly deep physics-based puzzle game where every item interacts differently with everything else, from optimal weight distribution to preventing dangerous items from causing chain reactions. The PS3 generation was full of unusual downloadable exclusive titles, like this, so don't let the presentation sway you; try to nab this in your PS3's Store cart for just 5 buckeroos.

6 Ratchet Deadlocked HD

Not Perfect but Not Bad Either

While the original PS2 release already had a loyal following, Ratchet Deadlocked HD on the PS3 offered a convenient way to experience one of the series' more unique entries without digging out older hardware. Now, I will say this port had issues, but that's beside the point, because the mainline Ratchet and Clank HD collection wasn't all sunshine in the technical department either.

More importantly, it remains the easiest digital way to experience Deadlocked on modern PlayStation hardware without owning the original PS2 disc. Also, I reiterate my unique namesake for this entry because not only does it have a more combat-focused direction, but the platforming takes a back seat, replaced by larger battle arenas, objective-based missions, and nonstop firefights. It almost feels like an arena shooter mixed with a third-person action game.

5 Puppeteer

Fancy a Jolly Good Show?

Genuinely speaking, Puppeteer is exactly the kind of game many players will regret overlooking when the PS3's PSN Store shuts down, not just for its memorable theatrical presentation but also for its equally creative gameplay elements. I mean, for crying out loud, it literally embraces the feeling of watching a magical puppet show.

And the biggest reason that I can give for you to pick up is that it's one of the select few first-party PlayStation exclusives that has never been remastered, ported, or made available on later PlayStation hardware. Unlike a few PS3 classics that can now be played on the PS5, Puppeteer remains tied to Sony's seventh-generation console here, making it a no-brainer pick-up in my eyes.

4 Tokyo Jungle

We Got Animals and Games

Let's be honest, Tokyo Jungle is one of those games that could only have come from the PS3 era; it's strange, experimental, and unlike almost anything else Sony published. The premise alone is enough to grab your attention: Humanity has mysteriously vanished, leaving Tokyo to be reclaimed by wildlife, so instead of playing as a human survivor, you take control of animals ranging from tiny Pomeranians and house cats to lions, crocodiles, hyenas, and even dinosaurs, which are unlocked later on.

The whole gameplay idea is to outrun and survive the food chain. Smaller animals have to avoid predators, while larger carnivores hunt to stay alive. It is almost like an absurd roguelite-style structure that keeps every run engaging and encourages you to adapt rather than rely on a single strategy.

And while you can stream it via PS Plus Premium—c'mon, just buy the game digitally to actually own it, or if you're against the whole digital concept, that's fine, but don't blame me if you can't find that Best of PlayStation Network Vol. 1 compilation disc or the Japanese physical copy.

3 Rain

Short, Sweet Yet Deeply Melancholic

At first glance, Rain looks like that indie game that'll tug at your heartstrings, but you'd be surprised to know that it was backed by Sony, and no, it wasn't a game that was trying to wow players with bombastic action or cutting-edge visuals. Instead, it tells a touching, wordless story through atmosphere, music, and clever yet simplistic gameplay mechanics that people still remember.

The game's defining mechanic is brilliantly simple: you can only see the protagonist when raindrops fall on him. Stepping under rooftops or into buildings makes him disappear again, forcing you to think differently when solving puzzles or sneaking past hostile invisible creatures. So, for anyone interested in preserving one of PlayStation's most creative exclusives, Rain is an easy recommendation from yours truly.

2 Infamous Festival of Blood

Not for the Faint of Heart

Rather than being a full sequel, Infamous Festival of Blood is a standalone expansion after Infamous 2 that lets Sucker Punch have fun with the series' formula by turning Cole into a vampire during a single Halloween night in New Marais. And with PlayStation having these DLCs mostly in a digital-only format, that's exactly why it is such an important add-on to keep in your PS3 library.

Festival of Blood also introduces abilities that completely change how Infamous's gameplay pans out. Flying across the city with a swarm of bats, impaling enemies with vampiric attacks, chaining new powers and draining civilians to restore health gives combat a fresh identity compared to the main games. It's unfortunate that this all didn't receive the same attention or praise as the two mainline Infamous titles, but hey, at least it might get some eyes on it now, given that it's going to be impossible to play on the console legally.

1 PAIN

The Arcadey Crash Course National Treasure

On the surface, I know PAIN may look like a silly physics sandbox where you launch a ragdoll character from a giant slingshot, but hear me out—it's extremely addictive. The score-chasing gameplay and endless replayability are two of the core ingredients that made it a cult favorite during the PlayStation Network's early years.

Every level is packed with interactive objects and environmental chain reactions that reward experimentation. And then the fun comes from figuring out how to cause the biggest possible disaster, since a single well-placed launch can trigger explosions, collapse structures, and dozens of other accidents that rack up enormous point totals.

Most importantly, though, PAIN embraces its over-the-top humor from beginning to end, from its exaggerated ragdoll physics to the countless slapstick animations that many modern physics games struggle to replicate. I know it's a struggle to navigate the PS3's PSN Store, but trust me, this kind of pain will be worth the trouble... sorry, I'll show myself out.