The PlayStation stormed onto the video game scene in 1994, and the brand has since grown to include the most popular consoles in history. The PS1 was a revolutionary home console that boasted nearly 8,000 games released globally. In the United States, the number was closer to 1,300, but either way, there were a ton of PS1 games. Finding the top ten was no easy task, as everyone has their opinions on their favorites. To do so, we aggregated contemporary critics’ scores to determine which was considered the best. We then cross-referenced that with sales data, selected the highest-rated entry in each franchise, and identified the top ten PS1 games.
10) Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
The Resident Evil franchise launched on the PS1 in 1996, and by ‘99, there were two sequels. Resident Evil: Nemesis is often considered to be the best of the PS1 releases, and it’s set concurrently with its sequel’s narrative and was developed at the same time as Resident Evil – Code: Veronica. The game is technically a spin-off, as it focuses on Jill Valentine instead of Leon S. Kennedy or Claire Redfield. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is an action-packed survival horror that was a massive hit on the PS1, selling around 3.6 million copies. Additionally, the game was remade as Resident Evil 3, released in 2020.
9) Tomb Raider
Calling the first Tomb Raider a massive, franchise-establishing hit doesn’t seem to cover how impactful the game was upon release. While it’s since been ported to other devices, the PS1 release of Tomb Raider did incredibly well, selling more than 7 million copies, not including remakes and remasters. Since her introduction in 1996, Lara Croft has grown into a cultural icon and a graphical touchstone of the late 20th century. While her depiction has evolved from its early days into more photorealistic depictions, anyone who played the original Tomb Raider will never forget the character as she once was.
8) Street Fighter Alpha 3
Street Fighter Alpha 3 was released in 1998 to widespread success in arcades and on various consoles of the era. The game expanded the already extensive roster of fighters from Street Fighter Alpha 2 and introduced several fighting styles players could choose. Unlike its two predecessors, Street Fighter Alpha 3 removed the “Manual” and “Auto” modes, instead focusing on three different “isms.” A-ism is from the first two Alpha games, X-ism is based on Super Street Fighter II Turbo, and V-ism allows for custom combos. The game sold around 1 million units on the PS1 and remains a classic representation of the genre.
7) Vagrant Story
If there was ever a PS1 title that fans would love to see remade, it’s Vagrant Story. Unfortunately, as of writing, that has yet to happen, leaving players to dive back into the 2000 original. Vagrant Story is an action role-playing game developed by Square, and like the studio’s other efforts in this area, it’s a masterclass in storytelling. The game is unusual in the genre, as it lacks shops or NPC interactions, focusing instead on puzzle-solving, weapon creation, strategy, and gear modification. It wasn’t a big seller, having sold only around 800,000 units, which is shocking given how much love fans have for Vagrant Story.
6) Tekken 3
The PS1 featured numerous fighting games, and several made their mark on both the console and the industry. Tekken 3 was a fantastic success, as it did remarkably well with more than 8 million copies sold. On top of that, because it’s set nearly 20 years after Tekken 2, it introduced an entirely new cast of characters players could fight with or against. It also incorporated sidestepping for each character, which has since become a staple of the genre. Players loved Tekken 3 for how well it was ported from the arcade, its replayability, and innovations that pushed the fighting game genre forward.
5) Chrono Cross
If you played Chrono Trigger on the Super Nintendo, odds are you quickly snagged a copy of its sequel, Chrono Cross, when it came out in 1999 on the PS1. The RPG is one of many developed by Square, and it features brilliant level design and a story that’s engrossing, harrowing, and entertaining. The game is very much like RPGs of the era, differing in several ways while remaining true to the format. When it was released, Chrono Cross did remarkably well on the PS1, selling over 1.5 million copies. It’s since been re-released and remastered in 2022’s Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition.
4) Final Fantasy VII
Of all the RPGs Square developed for the PS1, the one that often comes to most people’s minds as the greatest is Final Fantasy VII. The game evolved the pre-existing Final Fantasy format and was originally targeted for a Super Nintendo release. Then, Square began developing it for the Nintendo 64, but ultimately settled on the PS1. The system allowed the introduction of full-motion video, 3D computer models, and 2D pre-rendered environments. While the game’s controls and styles were much like those of the previous Final Fantasy titles, Final Fantasy VII significantly improved on the entire RPG genre. It sold over 10 million copies on the PS1 and has since been remade for modern devices, which also sells incredibly well.
3) Gran Turismo
While the racing game genre isn’t as popular today as it was in the 1990s and 2000s, there were several impressive titles released on the PS1 in its early days. The best of these is Gran Turismo, which spawned a multimedia franchise. The game is complex and took the designers at Polys Entertainment five years to complete. When it was released, it became a smashing success, selling nearly 11 million copies. It’s actually the best-selling game on the PS1, so a lot of people spent hours on end driving the game’s roster of incredible cars, as it features 140 vehicles that could race on 11 tracks.
2) Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
Back in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, pro skateboarder Tony Hawk appeared in several video games, and they did incredibly well. The best of the era to show up on the PS1 is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, which came out on several consoles and PC after its initial release on the PS1. The game is much like its predecessor, as it utilizes the same graphics engine. It differs significantly in gameplay and graphics, but beyond that, it’s a fun game with an excellent score. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 is challenging, but not to the point of pushing players to rage-quit, as it’s incredibly entertaining and addictive, ensuring hours of gameplay every time it’s loaded into a PS1, which sold more than 5.3 million copies.
The original Metal Gear franchise, developed by Hideo Kojima, is a classic, but it took some time for the games to expand beyond its 1980s roots. That came with the release of Metal Gear Solid in 1998, and it completely revitalized the franchise, making Kojima a gaming superstar. It’s widely regarded as one of the greatest games ever made and features many improvements over previous titles, thanks to the PS1’s hardware capabilities. The game sold more than 7 million copies, and because of its widespread critical acclaim, impact on the industry, and sales, Metal Gear Solid is the best game on the PS1.
What’s your favorite PS1 game? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!