PlayStation Classic
What is it?
Big nostalgia in a very small box. Following Nintendo’s lead, Sony has gone and blasted its legendary PlayStation console with a shrinkray gun just in time for Christmas. The miniaturised machine looks great and will be instantly desirable to 90s kids looking to relive some of those vintage gaming memories.
The PlayStation Classic comes preloaded with 20 games and bundled with two regular sized OG controllers. This means you and your pals can relive the rivalries of the past as you fight it out in Tekken 3, race down the slopes in Cool Boarders 2 or stealthily save the world in Metal Gear Solid.
How does it work?
With only two outputs at the back you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to get up and running. Power is via standard USB — the cable is included but a plug adaptor is not, although your phone’s will do the job fine — and that goes in one port, the included HDMI cable goes in the other. That’s it. Game on.
Is it any good?
Like Nintendo’s tiny NES and SNES offerings, the PlayStation Classic has massive visual appeal. If you ever spent serious time with your Station back in the day, this thing is gonna be hard to resist. I’m betting a lot of these end up on display shelves just because they look so cool. The console’s fairly fast and navigating its menu is a breeze. It’s not particularly fancy but it is functional. Cycling through the 20 included games is like stuffing yourself on South Park’s famed member berries. You’ll be filled with the warm fuzzy memories of games long past as you decide whether to settle in on the epic, game changing, RPG Final Fantasy VII, escape a meat processing plant in Abe’s Odyssey
or take on biker gang The Angels in the very first Grand Theft Auto.
These three games all stand up today and remain a lot of fun.
Any sticking points?
The PlayStation had a ridiculously huge game library so trying to represent the console with just 20 games is a bit of a fool’s errand. Unfortunately, a bit of a fool must have had final sign off here because there are terrible omissions and puzzling inclusions.
There’s no sports games at all, which is a massive fail and truly iconic PlayStation titles like WipeOut, Tomb Raider, Gran Turismo, Crash Bandicoot and PaRappa are all awol. A product like this really should have the best PlayStation had to offer and, sadly, this isn’t it. But the games are what they are and what they are is quickly disappointing. This isn’t a failure of the system. Early 3D games just aren’t particularly charming or fun to play these days. Something like Tekken 3 still rocks but one round of the blocky, brown mess that is Twisted Metal was more than enough for me.
Okay, how much?
Considering the original PlayStation was close to a grand when it was released the Classic’s $169.99 price tag looks very reasonable. Still, at that price it’s less of an impulse purchase or stocking-filler than it could have been. You also have to take into account that Sony won’t be offering up any new old games for the system either. The 20 it comes with are your lot.
So, what’s the verdict?
There’s no denying the warm fuzzy nostalgia that the PlayStation Classic fills you with, even if the gameplay of some of these games no longer lives up to those golden memories.
It’s the kind of thing that’s probably going to mainly live on your game room shelf, occasionally being hooked up when your mates are round talking trash about who’s really the king of Tekken.