It’s odd to think back to a time when Sony and the PlayStation were the new kids on the block muscling in on the established line-up. Especially today, as they hold such a dominating position in the console market.

It’s perhaps because they started with a bang, the PSX. A console that set Sony up for success with some amazing tech, and more importantly, some amazing games to urge players to flock to stores, can grab a console of their own.

It’s rare that you see any actual PS1 consoles floating around outside of collections of retro enthusiasts, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on this console’s retro classics, as the PS Plus Catalog plays host to quite a few.

So, to pay homage to Sony’s breakout console, and to act as a PSX PSA to all PS Plus Classic subscribers. Here is a list of some excellent options that first appeared on the PS1.

10

Coolboarders

Hit The Slopes

While we don’t have any THPS oldies on the PS Plus line-up, we do have something that will scratch that same itch while also offering something for all you racing fans and SSX fans. Quite a versatile game is this winter extreme sport masterclass.

It’s a game that admittedly feels primitive compared to those mentioned, but the thing you need to remember is that, without Coolboarders, there probably would be no SSX.

This game not only acted as a trailblazer for the extreme sports genre, but also provides arcade fun in abundance, a blend of tracks that blend the need for speed and style in equal measure. Plus, you have excellent local co-op options too.

Admittedly, the sequels would offer a more polished experience, but to see where all your THPS, SSX, and Dave Mirra games blossomed from, you need to play this one and give yourself a history lesson on the slopes.

9

Syphon Filter

As Solid As Snake

If you’re someone who loves a little bit of espionage, but perhaps grew up in the era where Sam Fisher was the man in the spotlight, it might be time to dial it back a generation. No, I don’t mean Solid Snake, I mean Gabriel Logan.

Syphon Filter is essentially Splinter Cell before it was even a thing, offering high-stakes espionage storylines, tight 3D over-the-shoulder gunplay relative to the era, and plenty of action to punctuate every level you blitz through guns blazing.

Not to mention, the game also offers a healthy blend of all-out action and more methodical goals to clear each level, which keeps things feeling fresh. Sure, it’s a little clunky by modern standards, but it’s still got a lot to offer to the stealth-loving collective out there.

8

Ape Escape

Cheeky Little Monkeys

If you’re on the hunt for a classic platformer, the PS1 was a hotbed for running, jumping, and causing chaos in a classic level-based format. However, you would be hard-pressed to find a series quite as fun and exciting as the Ape Escape series.

Offering a fun blend between a creature-capture title and a mascot Platformer, this top-tier PSX gem offers a wealth of ways to round up rogue monkeys that are just about as sly and slippery as you would expect.

However, with a series of handy gadgets, you’ll be able to get to all those hard-to-reach places and coax those cheeky monkeys out of their hiding spots. It’s a timeless epic, and one that makes me wish for a modern reimagining of the Ape Escape formula.

7

Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare

Carnby’s Creepy Caper

When you think PS1 horror games, your mind tends to naturally jump to the big hitters like Silent Hill and Resident Evil. However, once you get the A-listers out of the way, the next in line is Alone In The Dark, a series that has fallen on hard times in the modern era, but earned its horror prestige decades ago.

This iteration of Alone in the Dark is arguably the most fondly remembered of all, offering visuals, fixed camera angles, and clunky combat that feels a stone’s throw away from that of Resident Evil. However, this one does enough to stand out from the pack.

This is accomplished not only through the compelling dual protagonist story, but also through intricate puzzle design, survival horror scarcity, and the innovative lighting that makes your flashlight as important as the bullets in the chamber. It’s horror royalty for a reason, so ignore the modern flops and flock back to this one.

6

Blood Omen: Legacy Of Kain

Sate Your Bloodlust

While I would admit that on a personal level, I have a lot more fond memories of Blood Omen 2, if we’re speaking purely objectively, you have to concede that the top-down PS1 outing is probably the better of the two.

This is mostly due to the much more put-together and rich narrative this original outing offers as you play, not as a villain, but as an equally bloodthirsty and relentless villain aiming to take back Nosgoth by force.

Not to mention, the gameplay, despite its 2D isometric limitations, still feels incredibly deep, fluid, and rewarding in terms of Kain’s vampiric powers and the typical ARPG exploration on offer. There simply aren’t enough vampire games, but this one might just sate your bloodlust until the next one.

5

Kurushi

Respect the Cube, Or Else!

While the PS1 was rife with puzzle games like Bust-a-Move and Mr Driller that were more keen to offer an arcade-style puzzle epic, some games were going for gasps, and that’s exactly what the surprisingly intense and intimidating block puzzler Kurushi achieves.

Also known as Intelligent Qube, this game puts you in the shoes of a fragile little dude as they must manipulate blocks in real time to ensure that as you slowly but surely topple towards them, they don’t end up flat as a pancake under them.

It’s a real cognitive effort to stay alive here, and visually it feels like a precursor to what would be the PS2’s launch screen. Perhaps a happy accident, but it’s just one more reason to check out this atmospheric and challenging PS1 Puzzler.

4

Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee

Mudokon Revolution

We’ve already mentioned that the PS1 wasn’t abundant with atmospheric and cerebral puzzle games, but if you’re on the hunt for a game that fits that description, you don’t get many games more fitting than Abe’s Oddysee.

This game manages to blend cartoonish comedic charm and endless flatulence with a gritty setting that sees you try to break you and your kind free from a rather grizzly fate at the hands of Rapture Farms.

It will require a keen understanding of the world around you, an acceptance that you need to use brains over brawn, and some clever puzzle solving to succeed. But, it’s either that or getting chopped up and canned for consumption, so when the stakes are this high, it’s either succeed or die trying.

3

Tekken 2

Crouch, Leg Sweep, Repeat

I’m not even going to limit this to get the PS1 classics. If you’re in the mood to play one of the best fighting games to ever grace the industry, then you can’t really do much better than Tekken 2, an undisputed fighting game titan that still holds up today.

Not only does this game establish and provide one of the strongest rosters in the series. It also provides solid fighting game fundamentals that make it fun for beginners, but challenging for veterans to master. Which is definitely needed if you want to beat Devil Kazuya

Then, on top of all that, it’s a fighting game that even back in the 1990s offered the welcome bonus of a story for those willing to seek it out. Truly a masterclass in brawling brilliance, and one you need to check out.

2

The Legend Of Dragoon

An Underrated Gem

There is a wealth of JRPGs of the PS1 era that are worth checking out, some of which, like Wild Arms and Grandia, can even be found on the PS Plus Classics line-up. However, to me at least, none can hold a candle to the ever-underrated gem that is The Legend of Dragoon.

While it has its shortcomings, which all mainly boil down to the fact that the game simply isn’t Final Fantasy as much as it might try to emulate it, but if you can look past that, you’ll enjoy an incredible story supported by some very enjoyable features.

Features like breathtaking pre-rendered backgrounds, the combat system that offers the iconic addition mechanic, and you also have Dragoon transformations to play around with, too. It’s a flawed gem for sure, but a gem worth playing nonetheless.

1

Dino Crisis

Life Finds a Way

What do you get when you mix the survival horror formula of Resident Evil with the dinosaur-fueled fear factor of Jurassic Park? Simple answer, it’s Dino Crisis.

In a genre dominated by undead enemies, zombies, and demonic entities, Dino Crisis felt like a breath of fresh air, putting you up against fearsome prehistoric beasts that don’t shamble after you, they stalk, they run, and they have a mean bite.

But, even putting the dinosaurs to one side, the game also boasts decent visuals for the era, clever puzzles, and the kind of resource scarcity and difficulty that makes for a top-tier survival horror hit. Up until recently, there wasn’t an easy way to play Dino Crisis, but as Mr. Goldblum said, life finds a way.