PS3-compatible PS1 games launch in Japan

Sony is rolling out the first PlayStation 3-compatible PSone games in Japan today, with Tekken 2, R-Types, Arc the Lad, Bishi Bashi Special and Resident Evil among them.

The list is still quite short, with just 11 titles initially, but Sony has added 14 new PSP-only PSone titles, which is certainly not going to be confusing.

Among the newcomers are Metal Slug X and several of SNK's other titles from the Fatal Fury and Samurai Shodown series.

All the games - listed on the Sony Japan website - require the PS3's 1.70 firmware and the PSP's 3.40 firmware to work.

One of the fringe benefits of all that faffing, though, is that you can actually use your old PSone save-games with the downloadable titles. Just plug a PSone memory card into the USB PS3 memory card adapter accessory and you're off.

Sadly though there's no word on when the situation above will be replicated in Europe, with Sony yet to get back to us this morning.

Last time we asked, we were told announcements would be forthcoming in due course, on - we'd surmise - a timescale similar to that offered by Sony America.