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The PS1 changed the gaming landscape forever. What game(s) won you over?

I was a SNES owner and had my eyes across all the upcoming consoles of that time... there were a lot actually (32X & derivatives, 3DO, Jaguar, CD32, even Neo Geo CD). Half of those never made it to Australia or if they did, not many of them.

So realistically, it was always going to come down to N64, PSX and Saturn. At first, Saturn and it's arcade ports were tickling my fancy. But Australia again... it was only at a few retailers initially, and it was something like $800 AUD. I think PlayStation was $700... don't quote me on these! Then one day I saw Daytona in the flesh, and on a dpad, with those graphics... it just wasn't doing it for me like i'd hoped (I should add, nowadays, it's Saturn that i have the most games for!). PSX was getting all the buzz and was cheaper.

But i couldn't afford either in reality, so unfortunately i traded my entire SNES collection to fund that PSX. My first game was DOOM. Lots of my friends said WHY at the time ... but i didn't have a PC, and so i really wanted to play it, and of course it was great!

The demo disc was my poison though. Wipeout first and foremost, Destruction Derby, Toshinden and even Loaded were so new. And the trailers for Ridge, Tekken and so on... But i never really had much money, so I hired games mostly, i think i only bought Ridge Racer Revolution, Wipeout 2097 and Street Fighter Alpha.

I loved them all, but it was the lack of Nintendo games, and perhaps the regret of trading in my SNES... and of course, lack of cash... that forced me to trade the PSX, so i could buy an N64. This was of course after playing Mario 64 at a demo truck they had going around town.

Over time, some of my friends got their own PlayStations, and so I experienced most of the big PSX games like Resident Evil, FF7 and MGS. I kept playing Wipeout and Street Fighter Alpha series with my friend for years too. Over time i went back and played some more of the classics, most memorable would be SOTN.

In retrospect, the variety on PSX made it more like the SNES 2 that i wanted, than the N64, so there was still some regret at trading in my machine. Thankfully with more money later in life, i haven't had to trade in anything since those days!
 

Wolfe

Member
Resident Evil 3 was another favorite of mine. Was the first RE game I bought, I had played 1 at some point at a friends house I think but 3 was the first one I beat. Had a lot of fun with it. The tension created by the sounds/atmosphere combined with the clunky movement and tight spaces while having Nemesis chasing you down the entire time, good stuff.
 

erlim

yes, that talented of a member
I got the system because it was cheaper than saturn, I think? I was about 9. I just loved NBA Jam and Street Fighter so much as a kid. So NBA JAM TE and Street Fighter: The Movie: The Game got me to buy in. NBA JAM TE looked way better on PSX than on Genesis, and Street Fighter: The Movie: The Game seemed so novel at the time.
 
Colin_McRae_Rally_cover_PlayStation_PAL.jpg


Being able to play something that looked like to the Sega Rally arcade machine at home was massive for me.
Remember playing it on a playground(yes playgrounds had game consoles back then where I lived) with someone much older than me and going through the set up screen and seeing mud get stuck on the car was mindblowing.
I wanted a Playstation so bad back then and it took such a long time to convince my parents to buy me one since to them video games meant expensive arcade machines.
By the time I got it the PS2 was a month away from being released in Europe.
I didn't matter. Every game no matter how shitty or dated felt like stepping into a new world.
 
The game that did it for me was either Toshinden 1, Twisted Metal or Jumping Flash I played them all at the same time at Blockbuster demo kiosks.

The only reason we didn't get one around then-ish was because the Canadian dollar was brutal and my parents were in the midst of separating and I dont think it was feasible.

I got one in summer of 97 (I think) and I bought Beast Wars and Megaman X4 with it.
 

Chittagong

Gold Member
614C4SF4EPL.jpg


First game i got on the system at launch.

Change my tastes in music, and made me pursue graphic design years later.

You and me bro, you and me.

After this, what really made me realise PlayStation is the place to be was the incredible combo of

Gran Turismo / Resident Evil / Metal Gear Solid / Silent Hill / FFVII / Parappa

All within a year or two
 
Back then? It was probably MegaMan X4. Megaman X and X3 were my most played SNES games (along with Final Fights 2 and 3) by far. MegaMan X4 is probably my favorite MegaMan of all time, and it's too bad that X5 was such a crushing disappointment (TERRIBLE level design and constant interruptions from the freaking dialogue boxes). Megaman Legends was also one of the big reasons. Man, I loved it. Back then I didn't know there was a console version of most of my favorite PS1 games (SFAlpha 2, MMX4, MM Legends, though I'd still miss Strider and Legends 2. I did know about MGS PC though, and I looooooved it!), which is funny to me considering I've been a PC gamer for as long as I've been a console gamer!

I still absolutely adored the Nintendo 64 however, and my closest friend had it (just like he had the MegaDrive and I didn't), so I got to enjoy both.

In retrospect, I'm not really sure which system I like the most. However, I will say that I bought an N64 eventually and I still own it, but my PS1 broke, I got a replacement and the replacement eventually broke as well. I'm sure I could replace the disc readers myself nowadays, but back then I was too young.
 

bbalde

Member
I went to a friend place, and I saw Ridge Racer and Winning Eleven. Always love racing (sport) games, the sound in the tunnel made me wow, this look and sound real... Bought the console the following month.

Now we have Forza, Driveclub, NBA 2K, etc... It's quite interesting to see in real time this media evolve, and its not over yet :)
 
My fourth favorite console of all time and the only Playstation I've ever loved. It was truly an industry changer and almost everything on it felt fresh and new.

In 1995, everyone I knew was selling their soul to Nintendo, believing that pack of lies called the Ultra 64. None put any stock in CD based systems, often citing the 3DO and Sega CD as reasons why they all would inherently suck.

But I didn't buy it. I was watching. I was interested in the potential.

It was August '95. While visiting the mall with my wife and son, I saw a small Playstation exhibit off to the side of an EB. I don't remember any playable demos, but there were definitely lots of videos, and before my wife dragged me off to whatever "important" thing we were there for, I saw my first glimpse in motion: Battle Arena Toshinden and Warhawk. I wanted to see more, but she was dogged. I caught a couple seconds of Loaded as I walked away.

The next week, I was visiting a local mom 'n pop shop, and they had an import system with BAT. I got to try it out. Picked Eiji and got trounced in my first round, but adapted to dodging in 3D and won the next two.

I was sold.

September 15th, 1995. I walked into Sears and picked up a system, a copy of BAT and Warhawk, and called in sick to work. The Nintendo faithful I worked with were upset and made fun of me, saying I had wasted my money. But I knew better. I was having a blast.

Grabbed heaps of games over the next few months. Loaded, Twisted Metal, NBA Jam TE. Mortal Kombat 3, Destruction Derby, Primal Rage, Tekken, Doom, Darkstalkers, Toshinden 2, Alien Trilogy, Resident Evil...

I kept my steady supply coming. This was the last real revolution in games that I feel I've seen, and I was a loyal Playstation fan.

I did support the Saturn during this time, and I love it to death, but it just didn't have the pull of the PS1. Loathed the N64, but had to have one for the exclusives.

While I still collect the games, my buying has slowed down now that I own almost all of the stuff I was interested in. Current count of 162, but I'm still looking for some rarer stuff like Silent Bomber and Deception 3.

I hope that some day, I can again experience what I felt with the PS1. That rush of being there for something new and exciting.

I'm not sure it'll ever happen, though.
 

Massaki

Neo Member
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All of the Tekkens really, but Tekken 2 sealed the deal. It's aesthetic, atmosphere, style, roster and soundtrack was incredible.
 

oggob

Member
The PS launched in late 95 for Australia, strong hints over the following year and it was a Christmas present in 96 (i was 15), total surprise too. I still remember mum saying after gettin it, that it would be the last console they purchase, anything more would be on me somehow.

Over that year prior I had people try to convince me the Saturn was the way to go, coming off a Mega Drive it would be a natural move, but we jumped around Atari to C64 to NES to MD, so it was also a natural jump to something new.

I had a passing knowledge of games like Destruction Derby, WipEout, Tekken and Toshinden, Crash Bandicoot... So these titles were known and a lesser reason to get one, but they weren't "the" game.

For me it was Psygnosis' Formula One, we have never been a PC gaming family, so for me it was learning of a racing game that was fully 3D, fully licensed (teams, drivers and sponsors), real tracks, full championship season with practice and qualifying and full length races and full commentary from Murray Walker and throw in some licensed music also (Steve Vai & Joe Satriani).

It was fucking voodoo, it was something that didn't seem possible on consoles and yet here it was.

Brother and I spent way too many hours trying to shave off thousands of seconds off our person best laps on each track.
 

Mung

Member
It wasn't one game for me. It was the combo of Wipeout, Resident Evil, Tekken, Gran Turismo, FFVII and MGS. Incredible. I was so pleased when I finally got a Playstation in 1999.
 

MilkBeard

Member
I had an n64 first, but I bought a Playstation so that I could play Final Fantasy VII. After that, I stayed for the wealth of other jrpgs that graced the system. It was good times.

favorites:

Final Fantasy VII
Star Ocean: Second Story
Tales of Destiny
SaGa Frontier (both I & II)
Final Fantasy Tactics
Suikoden II
 
Colin_McRae_Rally_cover_PlayStation_PAL.jpg


Being able to play something that looked like to the Sega Rally arcade machine at home was massive for me.
Remember playing it on a playground(yes playgrounds had game consoles back then where I lived) with someone much older than me and going through the set up screen and seeing mud get stuck on the car was mindblowing.
I wanted a Playstation so bad back then and it took such a long time to convince my parents to buy me one since to them video games meant expensive arcade machines.
By the time I got it the PS2 was a month away from being released in Europe.
I didn't matter. Every game no matter how shitty or dated felt like stepping into a new world.

What a fantastic game this was.
 

Kill3r7

Member
My younger brother got a PS1 for his bday, Crash was amazing but really FFVII/VIII sold me on it.

Classics
SOTN
MGS
FFT
Xenogears
RE2
CC
GT
FFIX
Suikoden II
Tekken 3

And many, many more.
 

Bubba77

Member
Soul Edge (the japanese version) in december 1996.

Not only a great fighting game, but also has THE BEST OPENING FMV OF ALL TIME. Also an awesome soundtrack.

For me the magic behind the PlayStation is the diversity, so many wacky and fun ideas, specially the japanese games.

I still have the mp3 on my pc. Love it! A lot of my favorites listed but number 1 for my is suikoden. I beat it 6-7 times and it launched my love of rpgs. And ps1 was the best gen for jrpgs.
 
Going to my friends house and watching his older brother boot up FF7 and go through thefirst Midgar Reactor mission. I was literally sold the moment I saw Aeris' reflection in the window. It was my first time.

A couple months later my older brother brought home a PlayStation and I've done the vast majority of gaming on Sony platforms ever since.
 
I've already answered but I guess to be more specific I wanted a Saturn, but before I knew my brother was planning to buy the PlayStation he was really trying to sell me on the PlayStation. I wanted a Saturn because I loved VF1 and wanted to get VF2. My bro sold me on PS1 by telling me that Toshinden and Tekken 2 were better than VF1 (he was half right). I got WAY into Tekken 2.
 

sublimit

Banned
Ah, you're right. We must have taken turns playing 1v1. I've edited the OP to reflect reality.

I loved taking turns with my friend while we were playing the Tomb Raider games.I remember if one of us was stuck at a difficult jump or a puzzle the other one would help.Sometimes it felt like team work especially on Tomb Raider 3 which was super challenging.

I miss those times.
 

BlueTsunami

there is joy in sucking dick
zIu7Ru7.jpg


I originally received FF7 with my Playstation as a kid but its Wild Arms that left the bigger impression on me. Where FF7 was bigger, a blockbuster in gaming Wild Arms is a smaller scale, subtle yet effective story with one of the best scores of all time. I believe it shaped my taste in music, its mood and somber tone. The 2D and 3D mixture, the latter which is now dated looking, allowed for a forward looking game that tugged at SNES nostalgia. One of my favorite games of all time.
 

Metalmarc

Member
Without a doubt i can tell you exactly what, after school on a weds and fri we would go to the local youth club but beforehand we'd go to a friends house and play his playstation, this went on for months.

The games he had blew my mind, they were Fifa, Soul Blade , and Tekken 2 demo

Then another friend got a playstation out of his xmas/bday money

He had Tenchu, Worms, tekken 2 Demo, Time Crisis Plus Gun

The 3D graphics blew me away i had to have one, asked for one that xmas and tho i loved all those games it was

Soul Blade and the Tekken 2 Demo that i really wanted the most as i loved Fighting games esp Mortal Kombat and Streetfighter and although the 3D style of play was odd at first i got to love them.

I still love the Tekken and Soul Calibiur games to this day.
 

I Wanna Be The Guy

U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!
Believe it or not, playing the kiosk of Bust a Move 2 sold me on a PlayStation. Before playing that I'd wanted a Sega Saturn and then a Nintendo 64 but they were pretty new and my parents wouldn't fork out the cash to buy be me one of those. By the time I got my hands on that Bust a Move 2 demo I guess the new consoles had gone down in price enough that when I asked for a PlayStation they were willing to buy it.

Fun fact. The PlayStation is responsible for me discovering that Santa isn't real. I accidentally found a PlayStation hidden in my parents room shortly before Christmas. Getting the PS1 for Christmas, I put two and two together. Santa didn't get me a PlayStation at all!

But anyway, I might have came for Bust a Move 2, but the likes of Tekken, Tomb Raider, Driver, Die Hard Trilogy, Resident Evil, Crash, Spyro etc wowed me.
 

I Wanna Be The Guy

U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!
I lived in that game. Especially the skating level.

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Before I got the actual game, I played the demo and the skating level was in it. I played it soooooo much. The full game was very disappointing compared to Spyro 2, but still that skating demo was so addictive that I can't complain about Spyro 3 too much.
 
zIu7Ru7.jpg


I originally received FF7 with my Playstation as a kid but its Wild Arms that left the bigger impression on me. Where FF7 was bigger, a blockbuster in gaming Wild Arms is a smaller scale, subtle yet effective story with one of the best scores of all time. I believe it shaped my taste in music, its mood and somber tone. The 2D and 3D mixture, the latter which is now dated looking, allowed for a forward looking game that tugged at SNES nostalgia. One of my favorite games of all time.

Terrible post, because it reminded me that we don't get new Wild Arms games anymore. I miss them so much.
 

Mega

Banned
I did stick with Nintendo but a few years after I also got a PS1. Even before that I had once borrowed a PS1 for a week early in the console gen and was blown away. Early in the gen, I could not deny the PS1 library was superior and its disc-based format had strong advantages over the N64.

I was only an N64 owner at first, and was damn jealous of all the games my system did not have, the eye-popping FMV cutscenes, sharper visuals and no fog, all the fighting games, the impressive RPG library, the fantastic CD audio.

The games that convinced me:

Tomb Raider I and II
Tobal No. 1
Final Fantasy VII
Soul Edge
Twisted Metal 2
Mega Man 8 and X4
Tekken 2 and 3
SF Alpha 2 and 3
Symphony of the Night
Metal Gear Solid
 
It's a damn shame they botched the sequel like that.

Was Pandemonium 2 a botched sequel? I owned the first one and rented the second, and I remember the second game really just being more of the wonderful 2.5D same. The only blah change, really, is altering the character designs to be More Extreme, but with polygons at 240p, who could even tell?
 
Back before it came out, I played a lot of ps1 at friends houses. The dancing textures, long load times, and jaggies everywhere really didn't impress me. I remember trying to play Jet Moto and feeling my eyes hurt looking at it. Same thing trying Crash or Tekken... it was like I couldn't focus on the graphics. It was outright unpleasant.

It was really mostly the games with prerendered backgrounds that I thought looked good. Resident Evil was crazy. FF7 was awesome. Eventually I played Silent Hill, and I guess the ugly mess that is PlayStation visuals worked in making that game feel scary as hell because I loved it. Those are the games I remember most when it comes to PS1.
 
There's so many that shaped my entire concept of what gaming was and then could be from the PS1 era.

So formative in so many ways. Not just for the audience, but for games that followed.
 

silva1991

Member
Crash Bandicoot

I had nothing but Sega and Nintendo console back then and then one day I saw my cousin play crash on his PS1 and asked my father for it.

and that's how Nintendo and Sega became pretty much irrelevant for me for a very very long time until 2014(because bayonetta 2 lol)
 

Vex_

Banned
Fighting force 1

EMPHASIS ON THE 1 as two was an abomination:

No coop
Action stealth gameplay?
Not a full on brawler?

The first was the closest to streets of rage on a newer console at the time. It was so fun taking different paths and seeing different stages. Picking up car engines and smashing baddies never got old.

I also liked jet moto. Nothing quite like it at the time. It was also ridiculously hard iirc. I recall the words "Nightmare" level? Hmmm... Was that nightmare difficulty or was that a level.....

Edit: ok, now I remember. Nightmare was the last level in jet moto. It took place in the sky over a city at night. It had some of the sickest jumps ever. The difficulty to play this on is " MASTER". I remember trying to beat this map and the ai was just brutal. Spent all summer as a kid trying to beat the whole campaign on all difficulties.

Starts @ 37:39 for those who want to see it: http://youtu.be/9aUit9ujgsY
 
Sure, the Playstation 1 was such an unique platform because suddenly so many small and medium sized companies could start making consoles games because of the cheap CD-format and Sony's business model.

Too bad that young people will get what a gamechanging feeling it was moving from 2D dominated consoles to stuff like Battle Arena Toshinden, Ridge Racer or Ace Combat.
 
Tekken 3. I had wanted one for a while, loved playing it at my friends house. Loved stuff like Gameday, Crash Bandicoot, Resident Evil and FFVII, but I was an N64 holdout. I thought the Nintendo 64 was going to destroy the PSone, and thanks to the EGM rumors section, I was even convinced that Tekken 3 would eventually come to the N64. When it as clear that was not going to happen I had to have a PSone and talked my brother into buying one.
 
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