Sony's PlayStation is 25 Years Old Today

[JohnBM01]

I joined the PlayStation party in 1998 or 1999 when I bought a PlayStation 1 from a pawn shop. First game? Gran Turismo. Second game? Gran Turismo 2. I was never fully entrenched in the Sony ecosystem, but I was very much a PlayStation person. Still am. Got a PS2 for Christmas in 2001 or so with Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec. Bought myself a PlayStation 3 with Gran Turismo 5. I then got a Play... no, wait... I DON'T have a PlayStation 4 at present! Heck, I even remember seeing a commercial or read some kind of article about the PlayStation 9 in 2045 or something! I still think it is amazing what all Sony has accomplished with the PlayStation over the years. I played PlayStation games ranging from awesome (like "Gran Turismo" and "Saints Row 2") to atrocious (like "Bubsy 3D" (or whatever that game is called) and "25 to Life"). In fact, I think if the PlayStation didn't exist, we probably wouldn't even have Gran Turismo, and we probably would not even have sites like GTPlanet talking about it. Even I thought the first PlayStation was great even though I was still loving my Nintendo 64 then.

Who knows what 25 more years will bring to Sony and the PlayStation? All I know is... the past 25 years have been pretty incredible. Happy (now belated) birthday, Sony PlayStation!

 

[VulcanSpirit]

The original PlayStation was where I properly started getting into video games. Got one as a Christmas present when I was 7, and through each successive console (except the Vita) got hooked on the likes of Crash, Spyro, Ratchet & Clank, Gran Turismo, Ridge Racer and Motorstorm to name a few. Can't say I have the biggest or most varied gaming library of any user here, but I've certainly had a lot of fond memories of the PlayStation and its successors. Goes without saying that my time with the GT franchise in particular was what eventually lead me here in the first place.

View attachment 871104

Makes the PS3's UK launch price seem reasonable by comparison:

Sony has said that one million of the consoles will be made available at launch in Europe, with around a quarter of the stock landing in the UK.

Each machine will cost £425 (in the UK) or 599 Euros.

Above quote is from a contemporary article on the console's European release date.

 

[GTV0819]

Speaking of this thread, who among here have the PS Classic, the cute and small PS1? 💡

 

[VXR]

I got a PS1 Value Pack for Christmas 1996, the one that featured the two controllers and a memory card. My first game was Porsche Challenge, which was quite a realistic change from the fixed 2D racers I was used to (shout out to Lotus Turbo Challenge and Road Rash).

Then when I got Gran Turismo in the Spring of 1998, that was the start of a very long relationship with GT and Playstation. Now I always own both PS and Xbox, so I don't have to miss out on key racing franchises.

 

[imported_rik19]

A look at ps price again , from 96-97 here, more than a ps4 now....also the ps2 price...

 

[TJ13]

So based on the players the top 40 games are

40. Driver (1999)
39. Valkyria Profile (2000)
38. Grandia (1997)
37. Tomba (1998)
36. Crash Bandicoot (1996)
35. Tomb Raider (1996)
34. Street Fighter Alpha 3 (1998)
33. Spyro 2 Ripto's Rage (1999)
32. Gran Turismo (1997)
31. Spyro, Year of the Dragon (2000)
30. Spyro the Dragon (1998)
29. Ape Escape (1999)
28. Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete (1999)
27. Legend of Legala (1999)
26. Crash Bandicoot 2 (1997)
25. Crash Team Racing (1999)
24. Parasite Eve (1998)
23. Twisted Metal 2 (1996)
22. Resident Evil 3 Nemesis (1999)
21. Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2 (2000)
20. Breath of Fire 3 (1998)
19. Resident Evil (1996)
18. Suikoden (1996)
17. Crash Bandicoot 3 (1998)
16. Gran Turismo 2 (1999)
15. Vagrant Story (2000)
14. Star Ocean; The second Story (1999)
13. Silent Hill (1999)
12. Legend of Dragoon (2000)
11. Tekken 3 (1998)
10. Suikoden 2 (1999)
9. Chrono Cross (2000)
8. Xenogears (1998)
7. Resident Evil 2 (1998)
6. Final Fantasy Tactics (1998)
5. Catlevania: Symphony of the Night (1997)
4. Final Fantasy 8 (1999)
3. Final Fantasy 9 (2000)
2. Metal Gear Solid (1998)

And the Number 1 game voted by gamers is.

1. Final Fantasy 7 (1997)

 

[Touring Mars]

I started FF7 again on my PS1 in honour of the anniversary and the upcoming remake...

It's so funny playing it again after 20 years... most of it is like playing it for the first time - thankfully my memory card is better than my brain.

Sadly, the PS1 that I've been playing on (not my original PS1, but another one a friend gave me) was struggling with the cut scenes and finally gave up when I put in Disc 2. A valiant effort, but I was disappointed that my trip down memory card lane was cut short... until I remembered about my trusty old PS2, which has stepped in to save the day

I have to say, even after all these years, FF7 is still a jaw-dropper. Even the graphics hold up, but it's really the depth of the game that keeps it fresh for me... collecting and developing materia will never get old. Although some of it is more 'kiddie' than I remember, it is pulled off with such humour and style that even the less amazing moments are still enjoyable.

Playing it again with a bit more knowledge (and, I must confess, a mobile phone with a complete strategy guide to hand too) is like studying and playing at the same time - far from some of the mindless button-mashing rubbish that passes for 'gaming' these days, this game sets a great example of what games should be.

 

[PocketZeven]

My most valuable memories with the original Playstation is International Superstar Soccer 98 and Metal Gear Solid.

International Superstar Soccer 98 was the first time a footballgame felt like the real game and made Fifa feel unrealistic.

Metal Gear Solid absolutely blew my mind. The intro felt like a movie and the story had depth. The psycho mantis section is still to this day one of the original, creative and innovative moments in Videogames of all time.

 

[patriotzero]

live streaming mgs 4

 

[kikie]

Does this mean that we are getting old?

 

[GTV0819]

Does this mean that we are getting old?

No. We are not young anymore.