The fifth generation of home video game consoles saw a new competitor come to the table to disrupt the eternal war between Sega and Nintendo: Sony’s PlayStation. The original PlayStation, now usually referred to as the PS1, was an absolute powerhouse of a console, described by the press at the time as a “technical marvel”.

Largely due to the use of the CD as a media format that allowed relatively large amounts of data compared to the cartridges used by the Nintendo 64. These factors combined to make the console a very attractive platform for developers, and boy did they deliver. Thousands of games have been released on the PS1, and while not all of them have been good, there are some real hits in the PlayStation library.

That’s why we’ve gone through the list and picked the 10 best PS1 games ever made.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is one of two games that ultimately inspired the entire metroidvania genre, the other being Super Metroid. The modern genre definitely takes more from Symphony of the Night, an absolutely fantastic remake of the Castlevania series in which you play as Dracula’s son Alucard. It has absolutely fantastic 2D pixel graphics, incredible non-linear progression that was definitely ahead of its time, and some of the best gameplay in the series.

Looney Tunes: Sheep Raider

If you grew up in PAL regions, you’ll know this game as Sheep, Dog ‘n’ Wolf, but whatever you call it, you’ll want to play it. Sheep Raider is a puzzle platformer where you play as Ralph Wolf, a classic Looney Tunes character, and must come up with inventive and ridiculous ways to steal sheep under the watchful eye of Sam Sheepdog. It’s easily one of the best PS1 games ever made, and as far as puzzle platformers go, it’s probably the best on the console.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2

If you somehow haven’t heard of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, this is your wake up call. The second game in the series of pro skating video games, THPS2 brings fantastic new stages, new tricks, a very good career mode and of course some of the best licensed tracks in any video game ever. You have to play this game.

Monkey Run

How can you even describe Ape Escape? It’s kind of a platformer, but also a puzzle game, depending on how you look at it. Either way, it’s a game where you chase monkeys through time and space to catch them and stop them from rewriting history. It’s as weird as it sounds, but it’s a lot of fun if you can get used to the unique two-stick control scheme.

Final Fantasy IX

Any of the PS1 Final Fantasy games would be a worthy addition to the list, but FF9 is truly fantastic. The main cast is simply amazing – Vivi especially – and the world is exciting, but the combat is where the game really shines. After playing a few different games with the ATB system, FF9 really nailed it. Its story may not be as compelling as FF7, but overall it offers a much more rounded experience.

Silent Hill

Silent Hill is one of the best horror games ever made, PS1 or otherwise. It’s creepy, it’s full of drama and poignant emotions, it’s a little goofy, but it’s all 100% fantastic. The graphics, the sound design, the incredible soundtrack, the monsters, and even the admittedly frustrating fights all come together to create an experience that’s nearly perfect for this era.

Tekken 3

Tekken may not be quite the juggernaut it used to be, but damn what an amazing era it was back on the PS1. The first two Tekken games were fantastic console conversions of the arcade game, but Tekken 3 really went above and beyond, including mostly new characters throughout its roster, a beat ’em up mode, a beach volleyball mode, and more. It also introduced Eddy Gordo, who absolutely nailed it in Tekken 3 and became a staple of the series in the years that followed.

Rapper PaRappa

Looking back at PaRappa the Rapper in 2024, it would be easy to think it was just another rhythm game, but you might be surprised to learn that it was actually the first true rhythm game ever made. Its release in 1996 came two years before the release of Dance Dance Revolution, and it’s hard to overstate the influence PaRappa had on the entire genre. And why not? The gameplay was sound, the graphics were fun and silly, and the songs were absolutely incredible. Rapping a song about haggling at a flea market with a Jamaican frog sounds very silly, but somehow it just works and was easy for anyone of any age to relate to.