Wow, it’s actually happening. Sony is taking a page out of the Nintendo playbook and releasing the PlayStation Classic this year. It is a miniaturized version of the classic, disc-based video game console that changed the world. It will come with about 20 games, five of which have already been announced. That leaves another 15, and there are plenty of possibilities to fill in the rest of those slots.
So I took a look at some of my favorite games for the system, eliminated the ones that weren’t as monumental on the platform, and whittled down a list of ten games that are absolutely worthy of those spots. Enjoy.
Wild Arms 2
Look, if you’re gonna do Wild Arms , you have to do Wild Arms 2. It’s practically non-negotiable. Out of all the chains of sequels on the PlayStation, Wild Arms and Wild Arms 2 felt the most like two parts of a whole. That said, both games totally operate as great standalone experienes as well, which only justifies the inclusion of Wild Arms 2 that much more.
Street Fighter Alpha 3
I figure Capcom’s gonna squeeze a fighting game on this thing, and Street Fighter Alpha 3 is perhaps the most crucial one from that era. It’s one of the more enduring Street Fighter games of its time, and it just so happened to have a great PlayStation port with a really cool World Tour mode.
Legend of Dragoon
Legend of Dragoon released the same year as Ape Escape, from Sony’s Japan Studio. The PlayStation Classic won’t be able to play Ape Escape without analog sticks, so Legend of Dragoon it is. This is a classic RPG that doesn’t get the spotlight it deserves these days, with an interesting story, mechanics, and a reputation for being one of the chunkier RPGs on the platform.
Crash Team Racing
Putting one of the Crash Bandicoot platformers on the PlayStation Classic would be a bit redundant, considering the remastered trilogy that millions of people already bought for the PlayStation 4. But what about Crash Team Racing ? The PlayStation Classic can’t be all platformers and RPGs, and something like a kart racer would be perfect for The sake of variety.
Dragon Warrior VII
Okay, let’s go back to the RPG nonsense. Dragon Quest is one of Japan’s biggest series, but it didn’t have a ton of PlayStation presence in North America. There was Dragon Warrior VII , which is known for being one of the longest RPGs ever made. While there is a remake on the 3DS, it would be cool to the the original version come back from the past.
Metal Gear Solid
When people think PlayStation, people think Crash Bandicoot . They think Spyro . They think licensed sports games that will never appear on the PlayStation Classic. They also think Metal Gear Solid . This game was revolutionary, a precursor to the storytelling and visual ambitions that would drive games to where they are today. Not including it would be a mistake, but luckily Konami would probably be happy to provide it.
Parappa the Rapper
While it was remastered for the PS4, Parappa the Rapper didn’t get the treatment it deserved, and just dropping the original on the PlayStation Classic seems much more ideal anyway. This game is a bonafide classic, with a visual and musical identity no other game can or will ever match.
Xenogears
This one’s a bit of a long shot, since it’s considered a severely imperfect game even with all the other hyperbolic labels applied by its fans. Xenogears was the beginning of the long and turbulent history of Tetsuya Takahashi, who has spent his career in video games just trying to get a complete “Xeno” story out of his head and into video game form. He’s having success now over at Nintendo, but this early attempt is as fascinating as it is troubled.
Resident Evil 2
Capcom’s almost certainly putting a fighter on the PlayStation Classic, but it would also be weird if one of its many horror classics didn’t show up in some form as well. While the original Resident Evil may have aged a bit too poorly at this point, Resident Evil 2 still kinda holds up. Plus, with the remake coming out soon, here’s a perfect opportunity to give fans an accessible reference point.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is arguably the overall best game you could possibly play on the PlayStation ever. While there have been recent rumors of the game appearing on the PlayStation 4 in a collection with Rondo of Blood , there are already several ports of Symphony floating out there and another isn’t going to hurt anybody. It’s too important of a game, in a historical sense, to ignore for a collection like this. It almost needs to happen.