PSX "Must Haves"

[goatdan]

I've had my Playstation for a while now, and I was just thinking the other day about how little I actually own for it. This recently increased when I bought four games I have been interested in at a GameStop -- Robotron X (heard it sucks, but I love the N64 version and for a couple bucks complete, what the hey?), True Pinball (I think, also on Saturn which I really liked), Iron Soldier III and Metal Gear Solid VR Missions.

I realized from having added these games to my collection that there are no "must haves" that I can think of for the system. For every other system, there are usually at least two or three games that were only released for it that almost everyone says are the titles you have to play.

Are there any "must haves" for the Playstation? If so, what do you think they are? I don't want to know about games that were ported from other systems, I want to know about games that are original to the PSX. I can think of Metal Gear Solid. Anything else that has stood the test of time?

[briskbc]

A bunch of them:

Metal Gear Solid
Final Fantasy 7, 9, Tactics, Chronicles, Anthology, & Origins
Chrono Cross
Klonoa
Intelligent Qube
Wipeout (the 2nd one)
Castlevania Symphony of the Night
Driver
Crash Team Racing
Gran Tourismo 2
Einhander
Resident Evil 1, 2 & 3

That's just off the top of my head.

[Queen Of The Felines]

Suikoden I and II. Especially II. (Which probably explains why it's way ovepriced on ebay. :roll: )

Kristine

[hezeuschrist]

There's a whole bunch, the system has anything for everyone. I definitely agree with the following though:

Metal Gear Solid
Final Fantasy 7/9/Tactics (anthology/origins/chronicles are re-releases)
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Xenogears
Suikoden I/II
Valkyrie Profile

Plus all the others mentioned... definitely had a great run if you know where to look.

[buttasuperb]

Die Hard Trilogy
Twisted Metal 2
Tekken 3
Syphon Filter 2

[AMG]

Here's some:

Resident Evil 1-3
Final Fantasy 7-9 & Tactics
CastleVania SOTN
Gran Turismo 1-2
Tekken 2 & 3
Ridge Racer 4
Silent Hill
Dino Crisis

[SoulBlazer]

On top of all the other ones listed, I'd add the two Lunar games and Front Mission 3.

[Goodwill Hunter]

Driver
Final Fantasy Tactics
Front Mission 3
Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor Underground
Point Blank Series
Super Puzzle fighter II Turbo
Tactics Ogre

I think Driver is the most pure fun you can have on the playstation. Playing survival mode in San Francisco is the closest you'll get to actually being in the Blues Brothers movie. And though the final mission is way too hard, when you finally figure out the route and beat the game, it's something to brag about!

"Nice drivin' there son!"

Rich

[Kejoriv]

For shoot 'em ups, Time Crisis. I love that game.

[petewhitley]

C'mon, the original "Tomb Raider." You know, the one that got our hopes up that it would be a good series...

[Xskaterjake]

RPG:
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy Origins

Action:
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid:VR Missions
Grand Theft Auto
Grand Turismo 2
Resident Evil 1
Resident Evil 2
Resident Evil 3
Silent Hill

Thats all I got, happy hunting. Here across the street the people sell maybe 300 psone games and maybe 50 OS2 games for about 5-10 dollars apiece. Some rares too hehehe.

[poe]

Want to second Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (for the 4th time on this topic,really).
FF7 isn't a bad pick, but for me, FF8 and FF9 seemed like a lot like knockoffs of 7, so if you end up not liking 7, stay away from the rest.
Soulblade, Tekken 3, and Street Fighter Alpha 3 will pretty much give you the best fighting games on the system. Don't know if you were counting them, since they are all arcade ports.
Twisted Metal 2 is pretty much considered the best of that series. Some people say Black comes close, but thats PS2.
Any particular genres you have in mind? That would narrow it down quite a bit.

[Perkar]

at this point i think castlevania: sotn is a pretty safe bet... and i just want to reaffirm that fact =)

also, super puzzle fighter 2... man, SPF2 tourneys with my friends got ugly!

and something others haven't mentioned... all 3 Point Blanks. god those games are just plain fun, in either single player mode or with a friend.

[Jorpho]

Are most of these games still widely available ("Greastest Hits" or otherwise)?

[poe]

Most of what's been mentioned so far is still pretty easy to come by in some form. Castlevania is kind of hard to come by, even in GH packaging. Suikoden 1 and 2 both are, 2 especially ($80+ on eBay). Tactics Ogre, Valkyrie Profile, and I believe Super Puzzle Fighter 2 are also pretty rare. Everything else mentioned so far is either still in stores or 10-20$ on either eBay or in second-hand game dealers.

[Sand_monkey]

Final fantasy 1,2,4,5,6,7,8,9 =P
Star Ocean 2
Wild arms
Blaze and blade (Graphics suck but it's fun)
Bishi bashi special (Best party game EVER)
Point black 1+2
Omega Boost

[goatdan]

I'm not looking for any genre's in particular. I was just thinking that whenever I think about the Jaguar, Tempest 2000 springs to mind. Dreamcast is Soul Calibur. NES is Mario 1, Mario 3 and Zelda.

When I think about the PSX, I just don't necessarily relate to any particular game or series. This could be because there are so many games for the PSX, or it could be because there wasn't just one game that stood out. I'm just wondering what others think.

I think that the series most associated with the system, from what I've seen so far, is the Final Fantasy series. While a lot of people have said Castlevania, it isn't really the only place to find a game like that (Import Saturn).

Just something I've been thinking about...

[SoulBlazer]

Front Mission 3 is easy enough to find, but be prepared to pay $40-50.

The Lunar games -- Number one was re-released as just the game, and I've seen that cheap enough. If you want the collector's edition, or Lunar 2, that goes about $40-50 as well.

Valkryie Profile is'nt RARE, but again, it's about the same price range.

Really the only rare game mentioned so far is Suikoden II -- and that's not even really RARE, but popular game combined with low production equals a game worth big bucs.

[Cmosfm]

Irritating Stick
Bust-A-Groove 1 & 2 (Best dancing games ever)
Parappa The Rapper
Umjammer Lammy
Dance Dance Revolution
Dance Dance Konamix
Croc (Croc Rox! F' The Bandicoot)

That is all for now.

[jerkov]

I think that the series most associated with the system, from what I've seen so far, is the Final Fantasy series. While a lot of people have said Castlevania, it isn't really the only place to find a game like that (Import Saturn).

Haven't a lot of the PSX Final Fantasy games also been released as PC games?

[goatdan]

I think that the series most associated with the system, from what I've seen so far, is the Final Fantasy series. While a lot of people have said Castlevania, it isn't really the only place to find a game like that (Import Saturn).

Haven't a lot of the PSX Final Fantasy games also been released as PC games?

True, and I actually thought about that right after I finished typing it.

On the other hand, they probably are the best known overall series for the PSX...

[ubersaurus]

Metal Slug X
R-Type Delta
Street Fighter 2 Collection (1 and 2)
Mega Man X4-X6
Chrono Cross
Azure Dreams
Thousand Arms
Tomb Raider 1
Thunderforce 5
Street Fighter Alpha 3 (way better version then the DC one)
Tenchu
Tempest X3
Suikoden 1/2 (they are really good, and you can even use your data from the first game to effect the second)

imports:
vib ribbon
Zanac x Zanac
Soukyugurentai

[Red Warrior]

Tomba
Tomba 2
Klonoa
Bushido Blade

Those are some of my faves.... including Castlevania, but that's been listed already.

[Sotenga]

Recommended already or not, here are some of my favorite Playstation games:

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Top priority!)
Strider 2
Gradius Gaiden (Import only, I'm afraid)
Metal Gear Solid
R-Type Delta
R-Types
Tekken 1, 2, 3
Soul Blade
Thunder Force V
Tenchu
Tobal No. 1
Bushido Blade 1, 2
Final Fantasy VII, VIII, IX, Anthology, Chronicles (Haven't played Origins yet...)
Parappa the Rapper
Mega Man Legends
Rayman
Skullmonkeys
Klonoa
Brave Fencer Musashi
Castlevania: Chronicles
Oddworld: Abe's Odessey, Exodus
Ehrgeiz
Twisted Metal
The Namco Museum Quintology
G-Darius
Einhander
Xevious 3D/G+
Konami Arcade Classics

[calthaer]

Why just the one-line appraisal? Let's really cut to the chase:

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is one of the greatest games of all time. Perform whatever ritual you must (DARK METAMORPHOSIS!!!) to obtain this game! IMO it's easily the best game on the PS1, and quite possibly the best game to come out for any console during that era (yes, better than Zelda: OOT).

I concur with a lot of the other suggestions, but would also add Vandal Hearts. Solid game, there.

And about the Final Fantasy games: FF7 and FF8 were released for PC, but not 9 or 10. The PC has XI, of course, since it's massively multiplayer.

The only noticeable difference between the PC and PSX versions of these games are:

-Several Creative Labs soundfonts have been created specifically for FF7 and / or 8 on the PC, improving the quality of the music IMO.

-FF8 included this "Chocobo World" mini-game that would run on your desktop. It could play itself (it did better when you were controlling it), and your chocobo would go around and pick up items for you. I left it on one day, came back, and it had found a really good item. Transported my chocobo back into the game and the item was some sort of crown that taught GFs the +60% magic skill! I think I used it on Quetzalcoatl. I didn't finish the game, though - I thought that while the combat was alright the fact that baddies leveled-up with you and the inane plot were too much.

[Jorpho]

Blaze and blade (Graphics suck but it's fun)

No kidding? I heard the PC version was absolutely awful.

[calthaer]

It is, Jorpho. I don't see how the PSX version could be any different, either, unless they changed...well...everything.