15 Games that Defined the PlayStation Brand
Posted by David Savage at 12:15 PM Dec 18, 2009
 |
The PlayStation is officially 15-years-old. It's been a crazy journey through those 15 years and you guys who have been along for the ride probably have some memory that will stick out in your mind as you read this post.
We've come a long way since the original PlayStation was released and I'm ready to celebrate that today with a look back on the games that have helped define the PlayStation brand over the past 15 years.
Appropriately, I will list only 15 games. There are so many, if you feel a game not listed should replace a listed game, leave a comment telling me about it and we'll create a "Reader's Choice" post. For now though, enjoy my choices and enjoy your PlayStation memories.
Final Fantasy VII
 |
Because of this choice, Final Fantasy VII quickly became a memory intensive game, more than Nintendo's latest console cartridges could handle. This led Square to develop Final Fantasy VII for the PlayStation because of Sony's choice to use CD-ROMs for their games.
All the stars aligned perfectly for the PlayStation and Final Fantasy went on to become one of the PlayStation's greatest franchises with Final Fantasy VII being called one of the greatest games of all time.
Metal Gear Solid
 |
Much like Final Fantasy's move to the PlayStation, Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima, chose to develop for the console because of its technological abilities. In an interview with IGN in April 1998, Kojima's said his thoughts after experimenting with polygons for the PlayStation were "It's finally here, it's utter genius. I can create amazing, remarkable things with this!"
And he did. Metal Gear Solid is widely recognized as one the most significant games of all time because of its influence on the stealth-action genre. Not only that, but the game established a future bread-winning franchise for the PlayStation.
Gran Turismo
 |
The game featured everything a fan of driving games would enjoy. The realism of the driving and differences in feel from car to car was truly incredible. To progress in Gran Turismo's simulation career mode, you had to earn licenses which gave you the ability to enter more and more events to earn more money which could be used to buy more cars, tune already-owned cars, and enter higher-class tournaments.
To this day, 12 years after its debut, the Gran Turismo series is still going strong and known for its high quality design and realistic racing mechanics.
Resident Evil
 |
The gamble of this 3D survival-horror was the way the game played. Players were sent out to explore a mansion with limited resources and a fixed perspective that was determined by the area you entered. This made the game both frustrating and challenging, but drew fear in the player by making them feel as if they were trapped with no control.
The game turned out to be a massive success and became one of the PlayStation's most popular franchises, influencing future titles like Silent Hill.
Tekken
 |
Tekken's release on the PlayStation after its launch in arcades gave the console a game to help sell the system to fans of the arcade version, following in the footsteps of past fighters like Street Fighter II and Virtua Fighter.
The game went on to become the first PlayStation games to sell one million copies and established Tekken as one of the best fighting game franchises.
Comments
Why is there a picture of Uncharted 1 for Uncharted 2? Oh, and Crash Bandicoot commercials were the best that have ever graced my TV, I'd give R & C 2nd place.
Posted 12/18/2009 at 02:39:33 PM@Max Power
Fixed the image. Didn't realize at the time that is was Uncharted 1. Just an image we had in the database already. :)
Posted 12/18/2009 at 03:09:16 PMHmmm, Zelda?? Number One dangit.!
RT
Posted 12/18/2009 at 06:16:40 PMwww.anonymous-web.cz.tc
Should have called top 11 games and added Resistance 2 in there.
Posted 12/18/2009 at 06:23:53 PMMAJOR FAIL, the article is called "15 Games that Defined the PlayStation Brand"
Deepak Sharma said:
Should have called top 11 games and added Resistance 2 in there.
Posted 12/18/2009 at 06:28:01 PMHow could you even make this list and not include tomb raider...it's probably number 1
Posted 12/18/2009 at 06:33:00 PMShould be "Killzone 2, however, is an incredible FPS with flaws 'too' minute to mention"
Posted 12/18/2009 at 06:45:19 PMNot that I disagree with you but how about Prince of Persia???
Posted 12/18/2009 at 06:46:49 PMfinal fantasy 7
Posted 12/18/2009 at 06:57:26 PMmetal gear solid
tomb raider
crash bandicoot
syphon filter
ridge racer
spyro the dragon
tekken
Excellent article! Excellent games too. I personally can't wait for Gran Turismo 5. Good edit Broseph.
Posted 12/18/2009 at 07:09:25 PMffvii
Posted 12/18/2009 at 07:10:43 PMmetal gear solid
tekken 3
gran turismo
devil may cry
ico
paparappa the rapper/ um jammer lammy
crash bandicoot
resident evil 3
tomb raider 2
final fantasy tactics
front mission 3
tenchu
suikoden 2
What about Socom?
Posted 12/18/2009 at 07:12:02 PM15 Games that Defined the PlayStation Brand yet you include multi-platform games? Those don't define a platform. Platform exclusives define a platform.
Posted 12/18/2009 at 07:23:33 PMAny playstation list that doesn't include Xenogears is worthless.
Tomb Raider and Twisted Metal 2 should be on there as well.
In fact, I'll go ahead and make my own list (For PS1):
FFVII
Xenogears
Tomb Raider
Metal Gear Solid
Twisted Metal 2
Tekken
Ridge Racer
Resident Evil
Syphon Filter
Jumping Flash!
Warhawk
Ace Combat
Honorable Mention:
Posted 12/18/2009 at 07:28:46 PMT-Rex demo on the black demo cd/audio cd (You youngin's probably don't remember that)
Tony Hawk Anyone?
Posted 12/18/2009 at 07:56:35 PMHow about the Socom franchise?
Posted 12/18/2009 at 08:04:35 PMuhh...what about Tomb Raider? You know, the Play Station icon for most of the franchise?
Posted 12/18/2009 at 08:12:42 PMGreat list
Posted 12/18/2009 at 08:23:49 PMCastlevania: Symphony of the Night. Still my fav game of all time next to Metal Gear 1 (msx) and Mega Man 2.
Posted 12/18/2009 at 08:41:07 PMThe only i think it should be there is socom, now Xenogears and Twisted metal is crap so shut up
Posted 12/18/2009 at 08:48:03 PMWhat, no Katamari Damacy? Totally addictive and always fun to play.
Posted 12/18/2009 at 09:01:34 PMWhat about socom?
Posted 12/18/2009 at 09:04:22 PMI agree, where's socom?
Posted 12/18/2009 at 09:38:50 PMthis one is so full of fail it is sickening. What about Castlevania Symphony of the Night, what about Tomb Raider, what about Twisted Metal, what about Techu? seriously this list is an epic failure.
Posted 12/18/2009 at 10:08:54 PMWipEout.
Posted 12/18/2009 at 10:17:05 PMdoes no one remember twisted metal games?! those games are classic!
Posted 12/18/2009 at 10:34:32 PMlist fails completely
Where is Syphone filers?
Where is Tomb Raiders
Where is Resistance?
Resistance was a ps3 lunch title and help ps3 in its early life.
Posted 12/18/2009 at 10:43:30 PMfor me, my top ones are definitely: (in no particular order)
crash bandicoot
Posted 12/18/2009 at 11:06:28 PMTEKKEN!!
final fantasy (in general)
Where the hell is Wipeout? One of the most vital lauch titles of the PS1
Posted 12/19/2009 at 02:37:25 AMWhat about the Twisted Metal series??
Posted 12/19/2009 at 04:09:04 AMIve only seen one person mention it but tony hawk should have been in the list and the list should have only included PS1 games since thats what is 15 years old.
Posted 12/19/2009 at 04:20:50 AMI'd replace Final Fantasy VII with Final Fantasy X.
Replace Guitar Hero with Jak & Daxter.
Replace Devil May Cry with Wipeout.
Posted 12/19/2009 at 07:21:13 AMNo Xenogears? No Fallout? No Brigadine? Very disappoining
Posted 12/19/2009 at 09:31:37 AMwhat, you compare GT with mk? this is ridiculous! fun racer vs. race sim.....you could at least take world driver championsship to compare with....
Posted 12/19/2009 at 09:53:02 AMWhat is wrong with you people? Where is Kingdom Hearts, I and II? That was the REASON to get a PS2!
Posted 12/19/2009 at 10:20:03 AMThat list is good. Cause all titles were some heavy system sellers despite shadow of colossus. So if u speak about games that defined the Playstation Brand u must speak about games who sell a lot of consols on their own.
Posted 12/19/2009 at 11:15:04 AMWhat about SPYRO?!
Posted 12/19/2009 at 11:18:21 AMany list is opinion but i have to agree some games don't belong because they didn't have the impact other games had. twisted metal anyone? it was the defining game of the ps1 in my opinion. spyro the dragon was amazing. tomb raider obviously. tony hawk (particularly the orginal) took many productive hours out of gamers lifes. madden 95 (may be wrong about the year) was amazing, and i still have the silly quotes from madden stuck in my head to this day, "when you get those big old offensive linemen going against big old defensive linemen ....(madden fades off not making much sense)
resistance was the halo of the ps3 when it dropped...
Posted 12/19/2009 at 11:28:53 AMLike others have said, Where the hell is Wipeout? Best launch title maybe on any console. The way the Playstation was marketed and the game played in night clubs and beyond with what was one of the best soundtracks for any game at the time....
Posted 12/19/2009 at 03:03:58 PMMissing this is pretty much a WTF? moment.
HOW DARE U MAKE A LIST ABOUT GAMES FOR PLAYSTATION AND NOT PUT ON THE MOST REVOLUTIONARY 3RD PERSON SHOOTER EVER MAX PAYNE????!!!!!!
Posted 12/19/2009 at 08:41:44 PMWipeout, Tomb Raider, Ridge Racer and Socom are missing!
Posted 12/21/2009 at 02:30:36 AMthe games/series b4 the current playstation that stick out to me are
Posted 12/21/2009 at 02:37:57 AMXenogears
Xenosaga
FF series
Metal Gear series
Crash
Ape Escape
Tenchu 1-3
ps1 Tomb Raiders
GTA3
Guilty Gear series
To John woods, the idiot that said "Zelda" was a game that defined the Playstation brand - do you know ANYTHING about games? Zelda is a Nintendo brand. Aside from playing it on a hacked system with an emulator when have you EVER seen Zelda on a Playstation? Idiot....
Posted 12/21/2009 at 08:25:19 AMWhy Guitar Hero? Was it exclusive to Playstation for a while?
Posted 12/21/2009 at 08:27:02 AMSOCOM: US NAVY SEALS
Posted 12/21/2009 at 07:18:56 PMThis is a sad display by sooooo many people here. This list is VERY accurate in it's representation. These titles MADE Sony what they are now. Whether they're no longer exclusive doesn't matter, they were at the time. All of these were huge sellers, not niche style games that only a handful of people played. Get your "why wasn't my game on this list?" out of here, and make your own list if it's so damn important to you.
Good work to the article writer.
Posted 12/22/2009 at 12:44:31 AMTotally agree with Liam,
Posted 12/22/2009 at 01:13:01 PMWipeout must be on this list! This game put the console into nightclubs, pubs and university bars all around the UK in the late 90's. What with its hetic visuals and Prodigy's 'firestarter' it changed the perception of the PS from a bedroom habit to a cool sociable pastime.
You should probably proofread your articles before you post them. I haven't found a single article by you that isn't riddled with mistakes. It causes me to envision a 12 year old making this stuff up off the top of his head. Given the omission of some really important titles (like Tomb Raider), and the inclusion of titles like Killzone 2 and Uncharted 2, makes me think that you probably just picked games you like without doing any research at all. Those two games haven't even been on the market for a full year yet. Their social and market impact haven't been 'defined' yet, so how can they be 'definitive' of the Playstation brand?
Also, you idiots, the guy that said 'Zelda' is trolling you, and it worked, and it was funny. Good job.
Posted 12/22/2009 at 02:36:35 PMOMG DAVID SAVAGE YER A TOTAL NEWB
THE ONE GAME THAT DEFINED THE PLAYSTATION BRAND WAS OBVIOUSLY DUKE NUKEM: TIME TO KILL
UGH I HATE YOU SO MUCH FOR NOT INCLUDING THAT GAME
I think I'm going to go puke now.
..and probably cry.
P.S.
Posted 12/26/2009 at 01:11:18 PMTwisted Metal isn't cool anymore.
uhh...what about Tomb Raider? You know, the Play Station icon for most of the franchise?
Posted 01/06/2010 at 04:25:24 AMI played tekken tag in the arcade for over a year it took forever to come out on a console.
Posted 01/14/2010 at 09:12:37 PMGames!!! Really enjoyable for everyone to kill time. Fighting games might be more enjoyable among two or more players. Above all Computer Games are the best way to kill idle time.
Posted 01/21/2010 at 11:05:26 PMI also played tekken tag till my fingers bled. Great game thanks for the post.
Posted 01/31/2010 at 04:10:10 AMI have not played most of these games but this list Rocks. I am going to be trying this out..
Posted 02/04/2010 at 01:54:25 PMIncredible info on playstation and All the Games in the List... I will try them ALL
Posted 02/12/2010 at 09:45:59 PMVery surprised that Tiger Woods golf or Madden football didn't make the list. When those games first dropped, there was massive buzz around them.
- Matt
Posted 02/28/2010 at 10:07:22 PMI have not played most of these games but this list Rocks. I am going to be trying this out.
Hha, I wont be, whats the use. Save your old systems people.
Posted 03/08/2010 at 02:32:07 PMI am surprised that a Few of my favorites didnt make the list... Maybe next time.
Posted 03/08/2010 at 04:47:43 PM