From Bandicoots to battle-hardened super-soldiers, the PlayStation is single-handedly responsible for some of the most iconic characters and franchises of all time, and while there are so so many to love, we wanted to look back at the very best the console had to offer. These are the greatest PS1 games of all time.
What’s your favorite PS1 game, and what was on your list that didn’t make ours? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check out our picks for the best PS2 games, too, or for a more modern library, our picks for the (current) best PS4 games!
PaRappa the Rapper
PaRappa the Rapper
Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee
Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee
Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped
Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped
Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Ape Escape
Ape Escape
Crash Team Racing
Crash Team Racing
Syphon Filter
Syphon Filter
Syphon Filter offered a wide assortment of fun weaponry that allowed you a good amount of freedom to approach problems in different ways throughout its 20-odd levels of espionage action. Perhaps most memorably, you could tase enemies to death, preempting the whole “don’t tase me bro” fiasco by nearly a decade.
Soul Reaver: Legacy of Kain
Soul Reaver: Legacy of Kain
Medal of Honor: Underground
Medal of Honor: Underground
Arriving just a year after the original and late in the console’s lifespan, the prequel/sequel Underground is one of the best shooters of its era thanks to its memorable main character Manon Batiste, a fantastic array of levels, and its terrific behind-enemy-lines tone. You could also trick Nazis into posing for embarrassing photographs before you shot them, which is simply brilliant.
Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy IX
Silent Hill
Silent Hill
Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage
Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage
Breath of Fire III
Breath of Fire III
Breath of Fire and Breath of Fire II were classics in their own right, but Breath of Fire III goes down in history as the one that brought the series into 3D. It also featured voice acting for the first time in the series, not to mention being remembered for its jazzy soundtrack by composers Yoshino Aoki and Akari Kaida. A memorable story involving Ryu, the last survivor of a race of people who can transform into dragons, didn’t hurt, and combined all these elements ensured Breath of Fire III’s place in history.
Driver
Driver
From the deeply satisfying squelch of crumpling steel under its detailed collision modeling to the surprisingly deep Director Mode that let you turn your wildest mission and free-roam moments into your own Hollywood action sequences, Driver handily e-brake slides into the PS1 hall of fame
R4: Ridge Racer Type 4
R4: Ridge Racer Type 4
Vagrant Story
Vagrant Story
You’ll manage special attacks, customize weapons tailored for specific enemy types, build your own armor, solve puzzles, and fight some of the hardest bosses this side of Dark Souls using a quasi-rhythm based battle system. While it remains the most underrated and oft-forgotten entry in Square’s PlayStation catalogue, that doesn’t prevent this hidden gem from being one of the best the console had to offer.
Tekken 3
Tekken 3
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 2
Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider
While it cemented Lara Croft as a video game icon that would span several more generations, the original Tomb Raider should also be celebrated for its genius, with intricate level design and properly awe-inspiring environments. Plus, a shotgun that you can still feel through the ages.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
Gran Turismo 2
Gran Turismo 2
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid offered a singularly unique blend of stealth/action gameplay, and coupled it with a wholly bizarre yet utterly delightful cast of characters and a story that challenged our ideas of traditional video game “heroes,” and pushed at the boundaries of cinematic storytelling in video games at the time. All of these exceptional elements, plus some truly unforgettable breaks in the fourth wall, combined to create a gaming experience that still holds up as one of the best to this day.
What’s your thoughts? Do you remember these games or any others that I haven’t included?
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