The PS1 is famous for its incredible library. Over the course of its lifespan, all kinds of hit titles came to the original PlayStation, including Final Fantasy VII and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. These games came to define the PS1, and they’re still considered masterpieces to this day.
Even though many PS1 games stood the test of time, some titles haven’t really held up. Games like Resident Evil: Director’s Cut and Final Fantasy VIII are hard to go back to, to the point that they’re virtually unplayable. Gamers are nostalgic for the PS1 era for a reason, but players should avoid these titles if they want to hold on to their happy memories.
Resident Evil’s Director’s Cut Dual Shock Version Is Unbearable
Resident Evil is a classic survival horror game that follows the surviving members of Raccoon City’s S.T.A.R.S. unit as they take shelter in a mansion overrun by the undead. This mansion, owned by the Umbrella Corporation, hides the origins of the zombie outbreak: technology and experimentation that led to the city’s downfall. With danger around every corner, agents Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine must fight to survive and uncover the truth.
The original Resident Evil hasn’t aged as well as other PS1 classics, but it’s still fun to play. However, the same can’t be said for the Director’s Cut: Dual Shock Version. While it’s not completely unplayable, it’s made far more frustrating by its infamous soundtrack, which all but ruins the eerie atmosphere that defines the series.
Dance Dance Revolution’s PS1 Version Can’t Compete With the Arcade Experience
Dance Dance Revolution was originally an arcade sensation that eventually made its way to home consoles like the PS1. As most players know, the core gameplay involves stepping on directional arrows in time with music, effectively mimicking dance moves. The difficulty ranges from simple to nearly impossible, depending on the song and speed.
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While the arcade version of Dance Dance Revolution is still timeless, the PS1 port is a different story. It offers two control options: the standard controller or the DancePad accessory. Although the game is technically playable with a controller, the PS1 version feels stripped down and pointless without the DancePad.
Gran Turismo Will Cause Memory Cards to Crash
Gran Turismo is a classic racing game that launched a franchise that’s still going strong today. The game provides two main modes: an arcade-style racing mode and a more in-depth simulation mode. In simulation, players can choose from a wide selection of licensed vehicles and work their way toward becoming the top racing driver in the world.
While the original Gran Turismo still holds up in many ways, there are issues that make it unplayable today, like memory limitations. As players progress through the simulation mode and accumulate cars, licenses, and race wins, the game’s save file steadily grows. Eventually, it can become so large that it consumes nearly an entire PS1 memory card, leaving little to no room for saving other games or even continuing progress in Gran Turismo.
Vib-Ribbon Isn’t Fun in Its Digital Form
Vib-Ribbon is a rhythm game that’s best known for its charmingly minimalist art style and quirky gameplay. Created by the same studio behind PaRappa the Rapper, the game has players guide a wireframe rabbit named Vibri through a series of rhythm-based obstacles. Like in other rhythm games, players have to hit the correct button combinations in time with the music.
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What made Vib-Ribbon truly special on the PS1 was its innovative feature that allowed players to insert their own music CDs. The game would generate unique levels based on the rhythms and beats of any track, which made the game incredibly replayable. Unfortunately, this CD functionality is missing from digital re-releases, and players are limited to the game’s built-in soundtrack.
Cyber Sled’s Steep Learning Curve Makes It Less Fun to Play
Cyber Sled is a vehicular combat game that started out in arcades and was later ported to the PS1. Set in a futuristic arena, players pilot hovercraft-style vehicles and engage in one-on-one battles, using both firepower and maneuvering to defeat their opponents. While Cyber Sled had a strong arcade presence, its PS1 version struggled to make the same impact when it was released, and it’s even less impressive today.
Since Cyber Sled was released early in the PS1’s life, it lacked analog stick support, and its gameplay felt stiff and awkward on the standard D-pad. In hindsight, the game might have fared better had it been released later in the PS1’s lifecycle, when dual analog support became standard. As it stands, it can’t hold a candle to other titles in the genre, like the Twisted Metal games.
Final Fantasy VIII Has a Special Mini-Game No One Can Play
Final Fantasy VIII is a controversial entry in the long-running JRPG series, and the title has sparked many fan theories over the years. Set in a fantastical world teetering between magic and military technology, the game follows Squall Leonhart and his companions as they battle a mysterious sorceress manipulating events from behind the scenes.
One notable drawback of Final Fantasy VIII’s original international release was its reliance on the PocketStation, a peripheral exclusive to Japan. This accessory was required to play Chocobo World, a mini-game that allowed players to earn powerful items transferable to the main game. Because the PocketStation never launched outside of Japan, international players were locked out of this content unless they used third-party tools or emulators, and that issue persists today.
Time Crisis Has Clunky Controls That Don’t Hold Up
Time Crisis is a light gun rail shooter that arrived on the PS1 in 1997, where it supported the console’s GunCon peripheral. The game follows intelligence agent Richard Miller as he works to stop a foreign operative from seizing control of a fictional country. Set in the “present day” of 1995, the plot reflects the geopolitical intrigue often found in action thrillers of the era.
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While the PlayStation port of Time Crisis does include the option to play using a standard controller, it was clearly designed for a light gun, and the control scheme is far from ideal. The sluggish aiming and awkward button layout make the experience clunky and frustrating. Since most modern TVs don’t support light screen technology, Time Crisis feels like it’s aged out of being playable.
Densha de Go! Has Been Derailed With Time
Densha de Go! is a train simulation game that tasks players with managing Japan’s rail system as it existed in the 1990s. Players must handle everything, from passenger transport to cargo runs, all while keeping a close eye on speed, braking, timetables, and various other gauges.
Despite its popularity in Japan, Densha de Go! is still largely inaccessible to Western audiences. The game was never officially released outside of Japan, and even importing it presents challenges. Beyond the language barrier, Densha de Go! relies heavily on a unique train controller peripheral designed to replicate the controls of a real train cab, and without it, players have to use a standard controller, which the game clearly isn’t designed for.
R/C Stunt Copter Has a Hard Landing Today
R/C Stunt Copter is a flight simulation game where players operate a remote-controlled helicopter with a PS1 controller. The title was designed to mimic real R/C helicopter controls, and it allows players to perform a range of aerial stunts.
Since R/C Stunt Copter was specifically designed for the PS1’s Dual Analog controller, it doesn’t offer much support for the DualShock model. Like many PS1 titles that rely on analog input, it can be difficult to control today due to the stiffness and imprecision of early analog stick implementation. It’s one of many forgotten PS1 games, but R/C Stunt Copter deserves to be overlooked.
i Modo Mo Issho Is Literally Unplayable
Doko Demo Issyo is a virtual pet game where players create and care for their own feline-inspired virtual pets, interacting with them in a variety of ways. The game was a success in Japan, leading to several expansion packs and sequels.
One of those expansions, i Modo Mo Issho, made use of Japan’s i-mode mobile phone service, which allowed players to communicate with others online. Unsurprisingly, given that these games are now over twenty years old and i Modo Mo Issho relied on a now-defunct online service, it’s no longer playable. As a result, i Modo Mo Issho is the least playable PS1 game today.