We’ve rated the original PlayStation blasts on PlayStation Plus

PlayStation Plus is the gift that keeps on giving, and while it’s incredibly full of modern games, it’s also a wonderful place to dive into retro gems. Of course, you’ll have to pay for the higher “Premium” tier of the PlayStation Plus subscription, but once you do, you’ll have access to plenty of games from the late ’90s and the original PlayStation.

Whether you’re diving into this treasure trove of games because you played them for the first time or you’re eager to look back at PlayStation’s early days, you need to know what’s worth playing.

Wild arms

With any OG PlayStation game, you have to pay some attention to the graphics, as many of the games haven’t aged as well as the 2D sprite work of previous generations. When it comes to that Wild armsThat’s not too big of a problem. This classic JRPG features the rugged 3D models of the 1990s, but retains a certain charm due to the larger-than-life characters. The game is still great too. It’s straightforward and delivers a gripping story with all the bells and whistles you’d want from a JRPG of the time.

Tekken 2

Okay, the graphics are a bit of a hindrance here. That cannot be denied Tekken 2 is one of the best fighting games of all time, but 3D fighters just don’t age very well. The core concepts, mechanics and feeling of competing against brilliant characters have stood the test of time, but if you want to play Tekken, it’s undoubtedly better to play a new version. But undoubtedly a great nostalgic hit.

Kurushi

Also known as Smart Cube, Kurushi is a very addicting puzzle game. It’s so simple and the visuals actually manage to make the title stand out. The premise of clearing dice by running around on a small platform ends up being very dour, bringing dopamine spikes and, if you’re a competitive player, endless replayability. With a few different modes bundled into the title, there’s enough here to keep you coming back for more.

Jumping lightning!

A giant robot rabbit, you say? 3D platform? Bright colors, interesting level design and lots of Japanese surrealism? These things alone should get you further Jumping lightning! As a teenager, I was fascinated by this game. I discovered it on a demo CD and played it practically every day. It has found the ideal balance of not being too difficult and giving the player plenty to do in the game. It also featured a verticality that was rare in platform games at the time – there was also an appeal to using rocket boots to reach high points.

Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee

As above KurushiPuzzle games just seem to age with more grace, and even though it’s a puzzle platformer, you can overlook the weird, muddy graphics because the mechanics are so engaging. Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee was the first Oddworld game from legendary creator Lorne Lanning and brought us a strange world full of unique creatures that needed to escape consumption. The fact that Abe led the Mudokins through the factory with simple orders worked so well then and still today.

Cool boarders

Snowboarding is great no matter how it’s presented, and while I may still love this game because I was able to rip it the first time, this is for anyone who gets into it Cool boarders will have a lot of fun. There’s nothing better than performing cool tricks and shredding through layers of snow. The tracks are great and offer a high level of challenge, the soundtrack slaps and variety of tricks make you feel like a winter sports legend.

Monkey escape

Take me back to the time when all I had to do was sit in front of the TV and play Monkey escape. What a crazy little game. One that has a huge cult following for good reason. Our Ewan perhaps describes it best: “A vibrant puzzle-platformer full of charming ideas and bizarre characters. Monkey escape We tasked players with hunting and capturing rogue monkeys across various levels.” Monkey escape is such a lighthearted game where everything is fun. It doesn’t take itself seriously or present itself as some kind of epic, but simply offers crazy gameplay that’s just as fun today as it was back then.

Twisted Metal World Tour

I have no idea why the Twisted Metal franchise is still on hold, especially after becoming a TV show. The sequel, Twisted Metal World Tour took vehicular combat to the next level beyond what kart games achieved. Completely destructible cities around the world were the perfect backdrop for a cast of over-the-top characters blasting each other to pieces. There’s nothing like driving through the streets of Paris as Sweet Tooth and bringing down the Eiffel Tower with rockets fired from an ice cream truck. It’s not exactly easy on the eyes these days, but when the action is this good it doesn’t matter.

worms

This might result in me being shot out of a cannon into the sun, but the Worms franchise has never surpassed the original game. Worms Armageddon comes very close, but the nonsense graphics coupled with some of the simplest actions just border it on the original worms. Everything has been reduced to the moments of action, whether throwing your comrades into the water or hitting them with a holy hand grenade. If you were a pro with the ninja rope, chances were high that you always won your games. Of course, it lacks the cartoon style of later versions, but that doesn’t stop this game from doing so.

Resident Evil: Director’s Cut

It’s amazing how well the original Resident Evil holds up despite numerous sequels and spin-offs. The creeping horror remains, mainly due to the fixed camera angles and the now outdated graphics, which hide details from the player and leave our imagination to fill in the gaps. Resident Evil: Director’s Cut was huge back in the day, taking the best survival horror game and expanding it. However, the appeal in 1997 was, and I still remember it clearly, that the game was bundled with an exclusive demo for the sequel. I remember happily paying £55 just to play this demo and, like today, it was an absolute joy to relive the first version.