The first PlayStation had (and continues to have) a lot going for it. CDs, dual shocks, a start-up sound so satisfying Frank Ocean began an album with it. It also boasted an impressive library full of subversive and genre-defying games that some of us on the team are still exploring to this day. These are some of our top picks: the games that defined our childhood and/or persevered through the passages of time.
1. Digimon World – Kane
Nothing like that other monster game
The first in a long-running series of games based on the multimedia franchise, this title in particular draws most heavily on the franchise’s origin as a Tamagotchi spin-off. You’ll be tasked with raising your own partner Digimon, taking care of their numerous needs and training, while attempting to find the island’s scattered inhabitants and rebuild a town.
Honestly, the gameplay can be pretty jarring to start, with your digital friend crying out for the toilet every few minutes, and any fight having a chance to wipe you out. But pretty soon, you’ll discover that all acts are in service to the real goal of the game: Being the best dad you can be to your digital monster and hitting those stat requirements to turn him into your favourite flavour of dragon-shaped tank.
2. 102 Dalmatians: Puppies to the Rescue – Melty
Paw Patrol could never
This isn’t the only 3D platformer that’s on this list; however, it’s the only one featuring the voice talents of child star Frankie Muniz. As far as stories go, we all know how the 101 Dalmatians stories usually go. Cruella is in there somewhere, stealing 100 puppies, and the main puppy is the one that needs to save them. However, in this story, there are two saviour pups: Domino and Oddball.
Cruella’s toy line sales have slowed down significantly. So much so that our hero pups have found one of her dolls buried in the back garden. Because of this, she has decided to have her toys reprogrammed to capture any nearby pets. This is so she can freeze them in “Super Gloop”. Why? To sell them as realistic animal toys, of course! I’m not gonna lie and say that the story is super solid, but the gameplay is fun and memorable enough for me to recommend it here.
3. Pepsiman – Kane
Is Pepsiman DC or Marvel? – Some guy on Google
I’m not about to try to tell you that this has fun gameplay. Or that the music is decent. Nor that it has good graphics or even that it has any redeeming qualities that you would want out of a game.
But despite all of that, I somehow have to admit to myself that it’s an experience worth sharing and worth going through yourself if you haven’t yet.
Based on a series of adverts from around the same time it was released, Pepsiman follows the titular “hero” as he runs, rolls and falls around a Pepsi-themed city in which somehow the only emergencies that take place are problems that Pepsi can solve. All set to a soundtrack that consists of plentiful remixes of the Pepsiman Jingle. Think Temple Run or Subway Surfers, but a little more Pepsi.
You might expect that’s where the weirdness stops, but no, it carries on. Specifically, the cutscenes are unnerving. They follow a seemingly random American gentleman going steadily more insane as you progress through the game. Spouting memorable broken English lines such as “Pepsi for TV game!” and “Pepsi, it’s only my choice!” as he descends further and further into a pepsi fuelled mental breakdown.
Ultimately, it’s not a great game. It’s not even a good game, but damn if it isn’t a game you need to try.
4. Ape Escape – Riley
Escape the ape that’s in you.
What if you desire some levity from the serious and just want to monkey around? Well, Ape Escape is here for you! Taking a very unique approach to controls, Ape Escape utilises the Dualshock controller in a way that has not been replicated. Rather than using them to control the camera, as is standard these days, the stick here swings the net in the direction of your push. This allows for greater control over the swing and prioritises action gameplay over movement. This creates clunky platforming, but very engaging capturing of the titular Apes.
Featuring a wide range of locales, from deep forests to secret bases and ruins, there’s a lot of visual variety here. Plus, the monkeys dress up in different costumes and get up to varying degrees of shenanigans. While the control may not have aged that well, this is still a unique entry in PlayStation’s early experiments and deserves respect as an art form at the very least.
5. Final Fantasy VIII – Melty
Linda, listen… HEAR ME OUT.
I know, I know. FF7 is also on the PS1, and everyone LoVeS~ that game. Well, I have two words for you: Triple. Triad. Yes, the card game that dominates the world of FF8 is what sealed the deal and made this the Final Fantasy game that made our list. You’re welcome.
This JRPG has great characters, a wonderful story, and Zell. Zell is a cutie. The game starts with you playing as Squall Leonhart, yes, that Squall from Kingdom Hearts, a young SeeD mercenary hired out to complete missions by Balamb Garden. Travelling your way through the world, you encounter various companions, battle many creepies, and duke it out with a Triple Triad board, collecting rare cards, whilst also losing them to a young girl in the street who is surprisingly difficult to defeat.
FF8 truly is a piece of art. If you’ve somehow skipped over this title and you’re a fan of JRPGs, check out our list; however, I urge you to go back and give it a proper try. Also, see if you can find the secret alien Pupu (pictured right). I’d be truly surprised if you don’t come out the other side with a new video game crush. Mine was Zell, though as I got older, I quite liked Quistis. My brother’s was Edea.
6. Metal Gear Solid – Sean
Snake? SNAKE?! SNAAAAAAAKE!!!
Metal Gear Solid laid the groundwork for the epic, story-driven cinematic games that seem so common today. The Last of Us, God of War, Uncharted and the other usual suspects can all trace their origins back to the tale of a chain-smoking man who hides in a cardboard box.
It’s important to understand that back in the late 90s, videogames simply weren’t like this. Though important developments such as music, voice acting, fleshed-out characters and actually having a plot had already happened in the video game world, Metal Gear Solid was arguably the first game to take these elements and truly showcase just what videogames could be as a storytelling medium. If there was a singular game I could use as an example of why videogames can be considered art, Metal Gear Solid would be my pick. Well, either this one or its sequel.
Acting as a sort of remake of Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (the naming of this franchise’s entries can be confusing to newcomers, I know), Metal Gear Solid involves the bandana-wearing Solid Snake infiltrating Shadow Moses Island to stop a nuke. That’s the very, very broad strokes summary of the game, which also involves letting a wolf pee on you to gain the affection of its more aggressive pack, a psychic who can read your memory card and an elderly man who really, really likes revolvers. There’s also a British man with a blonde mullet who likes fighting shirtless and a tech nerd who designs robots because he likes anime.
The game balances its potentially conflicting tones beautifully, with poignant messages about war and the nature of the human will being juxtaposed with cool cyborg ninjas doing ninja flips and mechanical death machines that roar like dinosaurs.
Metal… Gear?
Though the graphics and gameplay may seem dated by today’s standards (even compared to its PS2 sequels that are themselves 20+ years old), Metal Gear Solid still holds up as a fantastic experience that kicked off a franchise known for an incredible, painstaking attention to detail, plot twists that flip the whole experience, and characters that are still discussed today.
In every aspect apart from the gameplay, it’s my personal favourite entry of the franchise, with an atmosphere, soundtrack and cast of characters that elevate it above its sequels. Shadow Moses has a unique, eerie atmosphere with its dank corridors and synth-heavy soundtrack that makes it feel incredibly immersive. And FOXHOUND remains unmatched as the definitive quirky boss squad of the series.
In the modern day, Hideo Kojima has become known for hanging out with his favourite stars and plonking them into his work, sharing his thoughts on movies, and gathering an almost cult-like following through a body of work that’s borderline esoteric.
Regardless of how one feels about his current output, it’s undeniable that he and the rest of the development team back in the late 90s produced an experience that was unparalleled at the time, and managed to keep a consistently, ahem, solid level of quality through its sequels.
But also screw that key card section.
7. Ridge Racer Type 4 – James
Ridge raaaaacerrrrrrr
Quite possibly the greatest racing game ever made. Quite a strong statement, but bear with me. Ridge Racer Type 4 is unparalleled in my personal opinion in terms of audiovisual experience, control and just general vibe. Streamlined into GP, Race and Time Trial modes, there’s no fluff here.
In GP mode, you have the choice of four racing teams and four car manufacturers. Your racing team determines your difficulty in varying degrees. Your car manufacturer determines whether you have a car that drifts like something straight out of Initial D, or hugs corners as tight as an F1 car. As you progress through the GP, you unlock cars of varying speeds depending on how you’re performing. Your team will congratulate or be incredibly disappointed in you, just like Christmas at the in-laws. The less said, the better, really. Just play it.
8. Theme Park World – Melty
Uhhooohoo! This Toilet is a REAL Toilet
Before Planet Coaster, there was Theme Park World. In this game, your object is to build the world’s best theme park, enticing guests to visit and have the time of their lives. This game takes the name “Theme Park” literally; with so many themes to choose from, you can make a classic-style theme park, a cutesy one, or even a spooky, Halloween-themed park.
Though the build style isn’t as complex as the aforementioned Planet Coaster (this was released in 1999, after all), the pure joy in this game is hearing the excitement and fun emanating from your park-goers. Or, if you’re anything like me, building the deadliest coaster that you can. It’s a joy sending those little pixel-people flying through the air to their demise. Good fun!
9. Fisherman’s Bait 3/ Big Ol’ Bass 2 – Riley
Monster!
Ah, a Konami fishing title from the good old days, how delightfully out of place. I fully expect very few readers to have even heard of this title, unless you really enjoy fishing games. I’m unsure if this title does anything interesting or special mechanically; I haven’t played their other titles. As for the presentation, it features 2D images of different angles of a lake or river, with 3D fish models in a 3D water space. It controls decently. In fact, I believe that, as far as most PlayStation games go, it holds up very well.
What sets this apart, and why I think it deserves your time, is its interesting premise and story mode. You’re tasked with travelling the world and looking for and catching elusive legendary fish from different locales. From the legendary coelacanth to a Tyrannosaurus Rex, these outlandish and frankly ridiculous catches elevate this game from a standard fishing sim to a fantasy adventure. I adore this game; it’s frankly stupid and shouldn’t work, but it weirdly does, and I love it all the more for it.
10. Tombi/Tomba – Kane
Pink-haired Feral Children, mortal enemies of pigs, who knew?
The evil pigs have taken over, and it’s now up to Tomba, a pink-haired feral child, to save the day. I mean, that’s not his goal really, he just wants to get back his stolen bracelet, but he’s willing to save the day to do it.
Featuring an almost painfully colourful world with an equally colourful cast of characters, both friendly and hostile, you’re never short on people to interact with or tasks to finish
Tomba himself is an equal mix of early years Goku and Flint the Time Detective, with all the athleticism to match. As Tomba, you’ll scramble up rock faces, throw everything you can grapple onto, and explore the maze-like open world, finding new abilities to progress. The rule seems to be that if they could make it look goofy, then Tomba can do it, something we see quite early on when he reveals his inventory is his stomach, and he can keep live poultry in there without harm.
It’s a metroidvania with a super bright and friendly art style, with an absolute ton of things to find in each area. If you like platformers with real imagination and haven’t tried Tomba, you’ve been missing out.
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