Sony’s debut in the gaming industry was special, especially given how they had to overcome numerous setbacks to reach this goal. After being shunned by both Sega and Nintendo, the company decided to create a console on its own and became one of the biggest players in the video game industry.
This led tothe creation of the PlayStation, which is easily one of the most iconic consoles of all time. The focus on mature gaming experiences meant that a new demographic could get into this medium, with some stellar video game franchises shining on this console.
8Final Fantasy
The PS1 Final Fantasy Era Boasts Some Of The Most Legendary Games Ever Made
Final Fantasy 7’s release on the PlayStationmarked the souring of relations between SquareSoft and Nintendo. It also led to the development of the first AAA video game ever, with the marketing power behindFinal Fantasy 7being simply unheard of back in the day.
It paved the way forFinal Fantasyto reach immense heights on the PlayStation, with other games likeFinal Fantasy 8,Final Fantasy 9, andFinal Fantasy Tacticsmarking the best period of releases for this franchise on a video game console.
7Crash Bandicoot
The Platformers Marked Naughty Dog’s Rise To Fame
BeforeUnchartedandThe Last of Us, Naughty Dog was making a name for themselves as the developers oftheCrash Bandicootgames. These hard yet fun titles let players go through a bunch of creative levels where Crash stood against Dr. Neo Cortex and his diabolical plans.
Along with the four stellar titles on this console, fans were also treated to a kart racing spinoff that was surprisingly engaging. All of this combined to help Crash Bandicoot enjoy his glory days on the PS1 before fan interest eventually started waning.
6Spyro
This Lovable Purple Dragon’s Adventures Peaked On The PS1
Spyro is a lovable purple dragon who embarks on fun adventures with a ton of platforming and combat. This iconic video game character was one of the PlayStation’s mascots during the PS1 era, when Sony was still striking a balance when it came to pushing both charming and mature titles on their console.
With the dawn of the PS2, Spyro simply didn’t have the staying power to last for too long. His glory days were far behind him, with fans being more than happy with a remake of the original classics since that’s the most exposure Spyro will enjoy in the modern gaming landscape for quite some time.
5Castlevania
To This Day, No Castlevania Game Has Come Close To Symphony Of The Night
It speaks volumes when a franchise manages to peak on a console with a single game. This may lead players to think thatCastlevaniahas been down in the dumps since the release ofSymphony of the Night, but the reality is something else entirely.
The revolution thatSymphony of the Nightsparked, along withSuper Metroid,was incredible, leading to the rise of the metroidvania genre that is still going strong to this day. It’s a testament to how legendary this title was thatevery otherCastlevaniagame pales in comparison, even if some titles are excellent in their own right.
4Twisted Metal
This Vehicular Combat Game Was A Major Franchise On The PS1
It’s a shame thatTwisted Metalhas become a relic of the past. Vehicular combat can be a fun genre to mess around in, but it’s clear that Sony has no interest in letting this franchise recapture its glory days.
Fans who played the many amazingTwisted Metalgameson the PS1loved how engrossing the car combat was. The game also had a mature presentation that lent somce character to the violence, getting players invested in the stories of their chosen characters as they’re screwed over after winning the opportunity to make their wish come true.
3PaRappa The Rapper
The First Game Sparked A Brief Franchise With Fun Rhythm Games
To this day, there’s something aboutPaRappa the Rapper’s charms that fans love. The catchy music and surprisingly challenging gameplay will leave fans tearing their hair out as they strive to get a good score in every song.
This single game was iconic enough to turnPaRappa the Rapperinto a short-lived franchise.Um Jammer Lammywas a fun spin-off title that retained most of the gameplay, but fan interest faded whenPaRappa the Rapper 2ended up being pretty underwhelming on the PS2.
2Syphon Filter
This Action-Packed Third-Person Franchise Lost Its Steam After Leaving The PS1
It’s a shame that more people don’t talk about theSyphon Filterfranchise. This collection of stealth-action games had a good thing going on the PS1 and could’ve carried over its mature gameplay to a new generation.
Instead, a disappointing entry on the PS2 meant thatSyphon Filterfailed to capture the magic it had established in the previous console. It turned into a portable series that churned out some fun games before eventually fading into obscurity.
1Tomb Raider
There’s no denying that the Survivor trilogy was a return to form for Lara Croft. However, most people believe that this franchise peaked with the release of five games on the PS1, with the first four being hailed as some of the greatest action-adventure games of all time.
Lara was a sassy archaeologist whose personality shone in the games. Carrying out death-defying acrobatic feats and shooting down both regular & supernatural enemies was a blast in the PS1 days that fans can recapture with the remasters.
