View RSS Feed

Seigfried of Pandemonium

It's the PS1's 20th Birthday Week! Let's List its Best Games

Rate this Entry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTi5EaocGaY

This week the PS1 turned 20 years old. What's crazy for the people old enough to have played/owned the PS1 (or rather a PlayStation) when it was the new hotness is that there are probably people reading this right now that weren't even born then. It's that old. The first time that these people played FF7 might have been on a iPhone. Gross.

Back then the Xbox was still just a twinkle in Bill Gates' eye and SEGA was still making consoles (oh and happy 16th btw to the Dreamcast too yesterday).

And, there was the great Crash Bandicoot v. Nintendo feud. Granted, it was pretty artificial. Nintendo DGAF about Crash Bandicoot and Super Mario 64 was probably better anyway, but still, commercials like the one above were great and probably won't ever happen again.

Good times. Anyway though, before we get lost going down memory lane, let's reopen a discussion many of us have probably had a 1000x over. Why? Because it's fun. I'll get the ball rolling for making a list of the PS1's best games. Here are a couple of not-as-obvious ones first:

Ape Escape: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ape_Escape_(video_game)

It's a shame what the series has become because the original was revolutionary. It was the first game to require the then brand new Dualshock controller and unlike a lot of new controllers/peripherals, it wasn't a gimmick. We take dual sticks for granted now but back then it was a luxury and Ape Escape took full advantage of it. It encouraged creative gameplay using all the different gadgets and had tons of replay value in trying to catch all of the monkeys.

Crash Team Racing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crash_Team_Racing

I'm pretty sure there are some people that believe that cart racing games still have not surpassed the excellent CTR. I don't know if I'd go that far, but CTR is definitely one of the greatest of all time. Not only was it a silky smooth cart racer with excellent tracks, but it had a deep adventure mode that incorporated elements from the platformers such as gem hunting.

Final Fantasy Tactics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_Tactics

So maybe not so "less obvious", but perhaps overlooked as most people immediately start throwing out 7,8, or 9 when the PS1 era Final Fantasy conversation gets going. I'd consider FFT and all the numbered games god tier PS1 titles, but I'll pick FFT as for me, it is the game that perfected the classic SRPG genre. It mixed deep SRPG gameplay with the FF job class sytem and a memorable story to boot.

I have more of course, but I'll stop here. What are your can't miss, god tier, greatest PS1 games of all time?

Comments

  1. Lucavi -
    Lucavi's Avatar
    I don't know how this has happened. Twenty years... I remember being salty about kids who grew up without ever having played the SNES... about all they missed out on. Now I have to think about kids who grew up entirely AFTER the PSX... That's crazy to think about.
  2. FNH -
    FNH's Avatar
    I can forgive not mentioning Jet Moto, I CANNOT forgive not mentioning TWISTED METAL!
  3. Seigfried of Pandemonium -
    Seigfried of Pandemonium's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by FNH
    I can forgive not mentioning Jet Moto, I CANNOT forgive not mentioning TWISTED METAL!
    HAHA if I kept going I PROMISE I would have mentioned both of those games at some point. TM2 specifically.
  4. Zetanio -
    Zetanio's Avatar
    Granted, it was pretty artificial. Nintendo DGAF about Crash Bandicoot and Super Mario 64 was probably better anyway,
    Are you fucking high? Bandicoot was top tier. Mario is some guinea who sucks at laying pipe.
  5. Charismatic -
    Charismatic's Avatar
    No wonder the princess keeps [I]getting kidnapped[/I] by Bowser.