Best PlayStation games of all time: Top 15 PS1 games ranked

The best PS1 games of all time are bound to bring back some fond memories for anyone who grew up gaming in the 1990s. Here are the top PlayStation games of all time, ranked by how nostalgic they make us feel.

The PlayStation, or PS1, launched in 1994, rivaled the likes of Nintendo 64 and Sega Saturn, etching its legacy with iconic games that defined the era. It’s from a time when developers weren’t afraid to get creative, and hardware limitations were still enough to allow them to innovate.

So with such an extensive library of iconic characters, adventures, and stories, we thought we’d ask the question: What are the best PlayStation games of all time? We’ve compiled 15 of the most iconic titles we can think of, from action games to platformers.

15 – Tekken 3

Namco

Originally an arcade game, Tekken 3 was ported to the PS1 in 1998. The game introduced several new characters that would become series’ mainstays, including Jin Kazama, Eddy Gordo, and Julia Chang. It also introduced a few new features that came about as a result of the evolving hardware, such as taking advantage of 3D spaces to allow characters to sidestep during fights. The gameplay was also improved here over its predecessors, with animations and new moves helping the combat flow much more cleanly.

Even for just a casual fan of fighting games, you likely would have played Tekken 3 at some point in your youth. It was the game to settle scores. Its easy-to-learn approach made it an accessible title for anyone who wanted a good competitive game to play with their friends, and the fluidity of its combat system made it a behemoth of a game both on the PlayStation and in the arcades.

14 – Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Konami

Despite its poor sales, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night quickly became a popular PS1 game for side-scrolling fans. Although not the first game in the franchise, it was easily the most impactful on the future of the series as well as gaming as a whole. You can put this down to the level design, which heavily encouraged exploration, along with the role-playing elements and open structure of its world.

Its popularity, and comparative success with Nintendo’s Metroid series, led to the term “Metroidvania” being coined – a genre of video games which utilize a lot of the same elements of these series: a heavy focus on exploration, a non-linear world, and item-gated progression.

13 – Diablo

Although more synonymous with the PC gaming market, Diablo on PS1 was a much more competent port of the original and exceeded many critics’ expectations. While inferior to the PC version that came around a year earlier, the conversion from keyboard to controller was seen as an improvement by some players. In general, too, the multiplayer aspects of Diablo are what made it an iconic dungeon crawler.

Its influence extends as far as 2024, with the recent Diablo 4 setting records as the fastest-selling Blizzard game of all time.

12 – Ape Escape

Ape Escape’s 3D platforming combined with its innovative controls made it a popular game for PlayStation gamers. More specifically, the game was heavily centered around the analog sticks for movement and action: left thumbstick moved the main character around the screen and the right thumbstick was used for various actions.

It was this aspect of Ape Escape that critics enjoyed at the time, with one review calling them “beautifully executed”. Even today, the game remains a popular game with PlayStation enthusiasts, and thanks to its availability on modern systems, it’s still fully accessible in 2024.

11 – MediEvil

Made by a British team with very British qualities, the whimsical yet spooky MediEvil is a fan favorite for players to enjoy around Halloween time each year. While the game sported some awkward camera controls and clunky movement, its theme and narrative are fondly remembered by anyone who played the original back in the 1990s.

It later spawned a sequel, MediEvil 2, and two remakes on the PSP and PS4. The whimsical nature of this game led to it becoming a cult classic on the Sony PlayStation, earning it a place as one of the best PS1 games of all time. Just a shame that Sir Daniel Fortesque didn’t become a PS1 mascot the way his peers did.

10 – Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee

Aside from just being an all-around fantastic platformer, Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee is also a technical and creative marvel. The creative character designs, iconic sound effects and the layers of humor littered throughout the game make it an easy “game of the generation” contender for the 90s.

Add to that the precise movement, tough gameplay, and intelligent narrative and you get a memorable game for anyone who grew up wanting a more mature title compared to its contemporaries.

9 – Driver

While somewhat overshadowed by the 3D GTA games that would come only a few years later, Driver’s simple idea of making a crime game where the action is centered all around driving was unique and fun for the time.

It was directly inspired by the car chase movies of the 60s and 70s like Bullitt, The French Connection, and the (aptly named) The Driver. Anyone who played this will remember the infamous parking lot tutorial level, which was less of a tutorial for the game and more of a lesson in patience.

8 – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater

Most people remember Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (as well as its sequels) for its electrifying soundtrack, deep control system, and perfect form. It is the ideal game of its kind, with a physics engine that completely emulates the feeling of skateboarding.

A lot of sports games often feel like products of their times; they’re popular in the moment only to be replaced by something new and better a little bit later. And while Pro Skater very much continues to feel like a game of the ‘90s, there are very few skateboarding games that have come to replace it long after its time was up. Even today, most gamers will cite Pro Skater as their beloved childhood game.

7 – Spyro the Dragon

Spyro was a big mascot for the Sony PlayStation, popular through the three platformer games that were released during the PS1’s lifespan. It raised the bar for 3D platformers on the system, utilizing flight mechanics as an additional parameter of its platform aspects.

The collectibles to be found in each level gave the game a large amount of replayability, while its colorful animations and smart graphics made it a memorable experience for any kid growing up with a PlayStation. It almost feels like an animated movie brought to life in video game form.

6 – Silent Hill

Silent Hill’s horror of the psyche was something unparalleled at the time of its release in 1999, and even today it remains one of the most influential spooky gaming experiences you can get. The game featured monsters and environments influenced by the protagonist’s mental state, giving each enemy encounter a reason to exist within the narrative.

Additionally, its foggy atmosphere and creepy sound effects also add to this unsettling nature of the world, creating a feeling of total imprisonment within the town of Silent Hill.

5 – Crash Bandicoot

Probably one of the most iconic PS1 mascots, Crash Bandicoot’s energizing platforming made it a fun experience for those looking for a more challenging experience.

But it’s not just the game’s difficulty people remember it for, but also the colorful environments, clever level design, and funny characters helped establish Naughty Dog’s reputation amongst the video game community, who would later go on to develop the Uncharted and The Last of Us franchises.

4 – Tomb Raider

It would be remiss to discuss all the mascots of ‘90s gaming without a worthy mention of Ms Croft. As one of the best PS1 games, Tomb Raider follows the adventures of Lara Croft, an archaeologist seeking the fabled Scion of Atlantis. Set in various exotic locations across the world, the game features a mixture of platforming sequences, puzzle-solving, and combat encounters.

What made Tomb Raider particularly iconic was Lara becoming a gaming icon. Following the release of the original game and its many sequels, Lara subsequently was featured in commercials for a variety of different products and made several appearances in other media forms and sponsorship deals. Even today, she is one of the most popular gaming characters out there.

3 – Resident Evil

Resident Evil’s B-movie style, with its opening live-action cutscene and pulpy horror elements, made it a household name upon its original 1996 release. When coupled with its intense survival horror gameplay, the game quickly became a staple of the genre and went on to inspire countless others.

What was most impressive about Resident Evil though was its ability to work beyond its limitations, featuring 3D graphics rendered onto a 2D background to work through the hardware limits. The game has aged well as a result, and you think it’s a lot more recent than it actually is.

2 – Final Fantasy 7

Although the Final Fantasy franchise was already seven games deep by then (plus a few spin-offs), Final Fantasy 7 was Square’s first pilgrimage of the series into 3D. Similar to what Capcom did with Resident Evil, FF7 used pre-rendered backgrounds with the character sprites imposed onto them in real-time.

What resulted were beautiful scenes far beyond the capabilities of the hardware of the time. But what’s most important about Final Fantasy 7’s legacy is its mature anti-capitalist story, adopting a narrative that explored complex themes whilst still retaining an engaging RPG structure.

1 – Metal Gear Solid

With its emphasis on stealth without initiating combat, Metal Gear Solid was a pioneer of the early 3D games sphere. Kojima’s masterpiece would come to inspire countless stealth games that came after, where the focus on sneaking through enemy bases rather than fighting them head-on would bring a palpable sense of vulnerability.

When combined with its long cutscenes and elaborate narrative, it can also be seen as a key player in the evolution of games with cinematic storytelling. This makes it one of the best PS1 games of all time, with a seemingly unlimited number of people who cite it as one of their favorite titles to play on the system.

And that’s it for our best PS1 games list! If you like, we also have a ranked list of the best PlayStation 2 games of all time.