Arriving on December 2018, the
PlayStation Classic is the latest in the line of mini retro consoles that have become popular over the past year and a half. With the success of the NES and SNES Classic mini consoles, this is surely another retro console that would reignite feelings of nostalgia among longtime PlayStation fans.
So far, only five games have been confirmed to be on the PlayStation classic, namely Tekken 3, R4: Ridge Racer Type 4, Jumping Flash!, Wild Arms, and Final Fantasy VII. While the announced games so far can be considered as some of the best games on the console, the remaining 15 games still have yet to be announced. With so many incredible games on the PlayStation, choosing the best set of games to represent the iconic console will surely be a challenge.
With the final announcement yet to happen, we try to predict the 15 games that we would like to be a part of the classic console.
Twisted Metal 2
Twisted Metal is one of the first games that I ever saw, and
the second game in the series is heralded as the best of the bunch. With a diverse cast of characters and vehicles, along with crazy and innovative levels, this is surely a fun game worth playing alone or with a friend. Oh, how fun it would feel to play as Axel or Sweet Tooth again.
Metal Gear Solid
Arguably one of the best PlayStation games of all time, Metal Gear Solid was a groundbreaking masterpiece that combined immersive stealth gameplay, cinematic style, and some of the most memorable boss battles of all time. Another round in Shadow Moses as Solid Snake is an experience that every PlayStation fan should experience.
Gran Turismo
While Gran Turismo 2 is another safe bet to be in the PlayStation Classic, I’m playing it even safer and say that the original Gran Turismo would be the one picked. Perhaps the best racing games of its generation, Gran Turismo is a driving simulator that is rewarding and fun to play even after all these years.
Tomb Raider 2
The original Tomb Raider helped make the 3D platformer popular, while also making Lara Croft one of the most popular gaming icons. The sequel takes it up another notch, with more expansive levels, and challenging gameplay that younger fans should experience to appreciate how far we’ve come when it comes to third-person adventure games.
Medal of Honor
While DOOM made the FPS genre popular, and N64’s GoldenEye was heralded as the best console shooter of the generation, Medal of Honor tends to be overlooked when it comes to quality FPS games. The World War II shooter that spawned many others, Medal of Honor is the reason why franchises like Call of Duty came to be. I’m happy to be able to put so many hours into this game back then, and I’m happy to do it all over again.
Resident Evil 2
As you’ll notice in this article, we’d be mentioning a lot of sequels, which shows how well developers were able to capitalize and take their games to another level during that time. Resident Evil 2 helped establish the franchise to a wider audience, with two characters with two different stories, an eerie and bleak setting, and tight gameplay that feels timeless. With the remake on the way, revisiting the original is surely worth doing.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Castlevania took it up another level with Symphony of the Night, boasting a huge map to explore, RPG elements, challenging bosses, and many secrets to explore. The Metroidvania formula was surely crafted to excellence in this game and being a part of the 20-game package would make it all sweeter.
Wipeout
One of the early games of the PlayStation, Wipeout is a blazingly fast futuristic racing game that has you zipping around bright and colorful tracks while listening to some of the best video game music of its time. The recent remakes have shown that the franchise still has a good amount of fans, and with so few games like it, it would be nice to see Wipeout reach a bigger audience.
Ace Combat 2
More than 20 years on, the Ace Combat series remains as the most popular air combat game franchise around. With the next installment on the PS4 about to arrive, it is worth looking back at Ace Combat 2. The second game in the long-running series is where the core gameplay elements of the series got its start, from the tight controls to the diverse selection of aircraft.
Crash Bandicoot 2
The Crash Bandicoot series was the PlayStation’s premier platforming franchise along with Spyro, showcasing the technological capabilities of the console, along with providing a great gameplay experience that now feels timeless. Crash Bandicoot 2 was the best game of the series in terms of balance and variety. While Crash Bandicoot 3 was the game I had so much fun in, the second game is the one that provides a good challenge while still being enjoyable.
Spyro 2
Like Crash Bandicoot 2, Spyro 2 was a sequel that improved a lot from the previous game. With more challenges, new worlds to explore, and colorful characters, Spyro 2’s colorful and wonderful presentation makes it a must-play game on the system. With the Spyro Trilogy remake rolling out, it is worth getting back into Spyro’s original world a few more times.
Suikoden 2
Heralded as one of the most underrated RPGs of all time. Suikoden 2 is an epic adventure that will have you invested from start to finish. With hundreds of characters to meet and use, along with gameplay that will have you playing for hours on end, Suikoden 2 is one of those unique experiences that are worth trying out at least once.
Silent Hill
Next to Resident Evil, Silent Hill was another survival horror franchise that offered its own brand of chilling suspense and horrific imagery. The very first adventure into the abandoned town of Silent Hill has you play as a father looking for her lost daughter. The town of Silent Hill remains as one of the bleakest places in gaming, with a good amount of horrible creatures and puzzles to face.
Xenogears
When it comes to RPGs, the PlayStation has perhaps one of the best lineups in any console next to the likes of the Super Nintendo. One of the shining examples of quality RPGs in the system is Xenogears, which is a multi-disc epic that has you explore vast worlds, and even pilot some of the most powerful mechas in any form of media. While Final Fantasy VII stands as the most popular RPG on the system, games like Xenogears show the vast depth that the PlayStation has when it comes to epic story-driven adventures.
Front Mission 3
While this may be perhaps the weirdest selection and one game that would most likely not be included in the list (although I’d be hyped if it would be),
Front Mission 3 is my all-time favorite game on the system. A tactical mecha RPG, Front Mission 3 offers two huge storylines, a dozen or so playable characters, and a diverse customization system that enables you to create the best wanzer fit for battle. While the chances of this game becoming a part of the list are fairly low, this wouldn’t be a bad choice overall.
So there you have it, our predictions for the 15 games that could be on the PlayStation Classic. While not all of them are going to be a part of it, we’d be happy to see at least of these make it. We had to omit so many games for this list, and here are some of them:
Honorable Mentions: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, Syphon Filter, Alundra, Oddworld: Abe’s Odyssey, Crash Team Racing, Final Fantasy XI, Bushido Blade, Bloody Roar 2, Tenchu, Warhawk, FIFA 98, Vagrant Story, Ape Escape, Dino Crisis, Final Fantasy Tactics, Driver,
Gundam Battle Assault 2
Have any PlayStation games that you wish would be a part of the PlayStation Classic? Leave a comment and let’s talk!
About the Author
A former teacher and guitarist, Jude (Twitter, Instagram) is currently a writer that covers video games and is one of the co-hosts of The Geeky Juans. Apart from hosting the podcast, you can also catch him streaming at Dude It’s Jude on Facebook.
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