Missing! PlayStation Classics
It has been almost a month since Sony announced that the PlayStation Classic will be on store shelves, or at least arriving at the homes of folks who preordered, on December 3. Only five of the 20 games that will be “pre-loaded” onto the system have been announced thus far, and with every passing day the absence of more information is starting to feel less like a marketing strategy and more like licensing deals and such are still going on.
In case you missed the original announcement, the five games already confirmed (and my thoughts on them) are:
Final Fantasy VII - The main reason that I locked in my preorder at the first opportunity. I played a lot of FFVII back in the day, and inexplicably stopped playing upon arriving at the entrance to what I believe was the final area of the game. It is time for me to right this wrong!
Jumping Flash - Easily my least favorite of the confirmed games. I get that a lot of folks feel like it is a historically significant game because of its first-person 3D platforming, but all I remember about its release is that I bought it, hated it, and traded it within a couple of days.
Ridge Racer Type 4 - I am excited to play this installment of Ridge Racer not because I have great memories of playing it when it first came out, but because I barely touched it back in the day. Lots of Ridge Racer, Rage Racer, and Ridge Racer 6 for sure, but I more or less skipped this one.
Tekken 3 - As a rule I do not play many fighting games, but the Tekken series has been an exception ever since I played the first on a friend’s PlayStation. Tekken 3 is still my favorite game in the series, because it includes the underrated Tekken Ball volleyball mode.
Wild Arms - I know very little about Wild Arms except that I am 99 percent certain I have never played it. What I know about the game’s themes definitely has me interested to check it out, but the odds of it grabbing my attention for more than a few hours seem slim. I would love to be proved wrong.
I have no clue what the other 15 games might be, but I definitely have some thoughts on which games I hope will (and will not) be confirmed in the coming weeks:
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - Honestly, I have never played much of this or any other Castlevania game. A lot of folks rate this as one of their favorite PlayStation games though, so I would welcome an opportunity to see what all the fuss is about.
Destruction Derby - When I bought my first PlayStation on credit I could only afford one game with it, and Destruction Derby was it. I doubt the racing modes would hold up today, but I am convinced that the titular last-man-standing mode would still be fun.
Front Mission 3 - I have great memories of customizing my squad of wanzers in this turn-based strategy game, and of comparing notes with my roommate who was also playing at the time. I only completed one of the two storylines, so I would love an excuse to play through the other.
Gran Turismo 2 - I recall being blown away by GT2 when it came out; I especially liked that you could add racing mods to some of the cars. I spent countless hours playing split-screen with a good friend at the time, but I honestly have no interest in revisiting this particular PlayStation classic.
Metal Gear Solid - An incredibly obvious choice for sure, but for good reason. It was almost 20 years ago that I first played through MGS over a weekend and, with the exception of Snake Eater, I have enjoyed every MGS game since. This is a must-have for the PlayStation Classic.
PaRappa the Rapper - I feel it is almost inevitable that this colorful rhythm game will find its way onto the PlayStation Classic, but I for one will be disappointed if it does. I enjoyed rapping along with Chop Chop Master Onion as much as anyone back in the day, but this game has not aged well.
Resident Evil - Like most everyone with a PlayStation at the time, I was hyped for Resident Evil for months before its release and enjoyed every minute once I got my hands on it. I do not play horror games nowadays though, and have zero interest in reprising the role of Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine.
Suikoden - I am pretty sure that Suikoden was the first JRPG I ever played, and it really left a lasting impression. I started replaying it on my Vita recently, but I have put that on pause in the hope that I will be able to play it on the PlayStation Classic instead. Suikoden II would be a great inclusion as well.
Tomb Raider - Lara Croft’s first adventure was mind-blowing at launch and even after all these years I can remember the specifics of several levels that I was especially impressed by. Tomb Raider is one of only a handful of games that I have ever completed multiple times; might be fun to do it once more.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 - It has been far too long since I played a great skateboarding game, and it is crazy to think that even after all these years THPS2 remains one of the best. If memory serves, analog stick controls were supported but not really needed, which will suit the PlayStation Classic just fine.
Twisted Metal - I am only including this because I will be amazed if it or one of its first three sequels are not on the list. I remember playing the first couple of Twisted Metal games and, despite being very much into the idea of vehicular combat, thinking that they were overrated. No thanks.
Vib-Ribbon - One of my favorite rhythm games, I would love an excuse to play Vib-Ribbon again. It would be a fun inclusion on the PlayStation Classic for sure, though if there is no way to generate levels based on your own music as you could with CDs on the PlayStation, its appeal would be limited.
How about you, reader who likely exists only in my mind? Share your thoughts below and we can be wrong together when the remaining 15 games are finally revealed.
