PSone Classics: Has Sony Kept Its E3 Promise?
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The PlayStation Network has been a huge opportunity for Sony to re-release the classic games that defined the PlayStation era. Unfortunately, for countless weeks Sony underwhelmed fans by ignoring the library of quality games that the PSone has to offer.
During E309, Sony stated that the number of PSone Classics available on the US PSN will increase to nearly 60 titles by the end of the year.
Is Sony on track in keeping its promise? Not only that, but are the games actually ‘classics’?
As of the September 10th PlayStation Store update, the number of PSone Classics has increased to 59 titles in the US. Since E309, Sony has released 23 classics to boost the collection to their estimated promise.
Without a doubt, Sony has listened to the fans and delivered more titles, so let’s briefly review which games have been released since June 2nd, 2009.
- Final Fantasy VII
- Medal of Honor
- Street Fighter Alpha 2
- Medal of Honor Underground
- Metal Gear Solid
- Mobile Light Force
- Spec Ops: Stealth Patrol
- XS Junior League Soccer
- Spec Ops: Ranger Elite
- Spec Ops: Covert Assault
- Wild ARMs 2
- Spec Ops: Airborne Assault
- Dead in the Water
- Ten Pin Alley
- Tomb Raider
- Bloody Roar
- Cool Boarders 2
- Tomb Raider 2
- Sim City 2000
- Cool Boarders 3
- Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
- Silent Hill
- Syphon Filter 2
Basketball player vs Qube. Who will win?
It should be noted that Sony released Resident Evil: Director’s Cut just a week before E309, and within that month of May, the rest of the PSone Spyro series was completed as well.
While there are some questionable titles released, like the Spec Ops series, Sony has done a great job at releasing actual classics onto the PlayStation Store. There is no denying that games like FFVII, Silent Hill, Tomb Raider, Metal Gear Solid, and Blood Omen really are classics, and are important in PlayStation and video gaming history.
It does not appear that Sony is finished adding classics just yet. Capcom has stated that Dino Crisis and Resident Evil 2 and 3 are coming to the PSN, so that adds at least three new great games for fans to enjoy.
The PSone Classics love doesn’t end there either. The ESRB website listed 13 new PSone Classics, and eight of them so far have been recently released, leaving only the following left:
- International Track & Field
- Oddworld: Abe’s Exodus
- Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee
- Pandemonium!
- Um Jammer Lammy
Titles that appear on the ESRB website don’t always release in a timely fashion, but it’s the only indicator that has proven itself to confirm upcoming titles without an official press release. Other titles listed include Final Fantasy Tactics, Street Fighter Alpha 3, and Fighting Force.
It’s obvious that fans of PSone Classics are getting what they deserve, and it can only get better from here if the ESRB is any indication. If Sony keeps this up, the US PlayStation Store might catch up to the hundreds of classics that the JPN Store has. One has to wonder though, why hasn’t the European PlayStation Store gotten the same love?
Here at PS3 Attitude, we will be doing a weekly Classics round-up – spoiler free for those newcomers that missed the games during their original release. We will be evaluating the PSone releases regularly to see whether or not they really are ‘classics’ that PSN users would want.
Yup, Square made a shmup called Einhänder and it was glorious!
What PSone Classics would you love to see on the PSN? How about Suikoden 2? Mega Man Legends? We will be keeping track of all the classic games suggested and will compare them to the titles actually released by Sony.
I’ll definitely be buying the Oddworld games. But yeah, we need Gex.
yeah i love abe!
is gran turismo on the store?
Well-spotted, TC!
I reckon this could come October 1st along with GT PSP.
Or with the release of GT5…
yes to Gex!
thecelebrator, the Gran Turismo games are not in any region PS Stores.