PlayStation systems have been the home of some of the most impactful games in video game history. The PlayStation brand has formed a deep history of both games and sales that rivals even Nintendo’s in its near 30-year lifespan. That shows not only in PlayStation’s first-party offerings throughout these past few decades but also in the support it has received through third parties.
PlayStation players who need their fill of nostalgia can look no further than PlayStation Plus. The Premium tier of PlayStation Plus includes a healthy library of classic PlayStation games, both exclusive and multi-platform. PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP are all represented in PlayStation Plus’ Classics. It is worth noting that PS3 games work as they did in PlayStation Now, where they aren’t emulated but are streamed. It’s a small price to pay to enjoy the marvelous games from that generation.
Updated on January 29, 2023, by Michael Colwander: One of the best appeals of PlayStation Plus Premium is its collection of classic games from PS3 and earlier. Sony continues to add more PlayStation Plus Classics each month, whether they’re remastered versions or otherwise.
15 Hey, Need A Hint? Toy Story 2 Is A Good PS1 Game To Try
When PlayStation Plus first began adding classic PS1 and PSP games for PS5, one of the surprises from the first wave was PS1’s Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue. At least, it’s a surprise to those who’ve never played it. Toy Story 2 is one of the best video games based on a movie.
This 3D platformer immediately hooks Toy Story fans by placing Buzz in a near fully explorable version of Andy’s house. As Buzz, players will meet up with their favorite characters, fire off lasers, complete challenges, and fall with style. Toy Story 2 is a great game for fans of the Toy Story series and 3D platformers.
14 The Hot Shots Series Has A Ton A Fun Sports Games
Nintendo isn’t the only one that has fun games based on Golf and Tennis. In fact, Camelot, the developer for the Mario Golf and Mario Tennis, developed the original Hot Shots Golf (now known internationally by its original Japanese name Everybody’s Golf) before their first Mario Golf.
The Hot Shots Golf series features much of what makes the Mario Golf series special while providing more skill-intensive gameplay. PlayStation Plus not only has Hot Shots Golf and Hot Shots Golf 2, both with a trophy list, but it also has Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds, Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational, 2017’s Everybody’s Golf, and Hot Shots Tennis.
13 Relive The Early Days Of Kratos With The God Of War Collection
Kratos has recently left his firm mark on Norse mythology through God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök. For players who yearn to go back to Greece or want to know how Kratos’ Greek odyssey played out, PlayStation Plus is the place to be.
PlayStation Plus offers players the original God of War and God of War II, remastered for the PS3 in HD. The God of War Collection was the first of many remastered collections, kicking off a trend that continues to this day. On top of that, God of War Ascension, God of War III Remastered, and God of War (2018) are also available providing players with most of the God of War games.
12 Enslaved: Odyssey To The West Is A Forgotten Classic
Journey to the West is one of the most adapted pieces of literature in history. The famed Chinese novel has influenced works such as the Dragon Ball franchise and the upcoming Black Myth: Wukong. 2010’s Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is a different take on Journey to the West.
Developed by Ninja Theory, Enslaved is set in the distant post-apocalyptic future filled with machines, which may remind players of the more recent Horizon series. Enslaved features plenty of puzzles and platforming, along with a story that stars Andy Serkis as Monkey and Lindsey Shaw as Trip.
11 Super Stardust Portable Is Out Of This World
The original Super Stardust was a forgotten shoot-’em-up game released for Amiga in 1994 and later on CD32 and MS-DOS. Super Stardust’s developer Housemarque, known for their hit game Returnal, remade Super Stardust as Super Stardust HD in 2007. Super Stardust HD is notable for being one of the first games to receive trophies.
Super Stardust HD received a PSP version in Super Stardust Portable in 2008. Following in its PS3 sibling’s footsteps, Super Stardust Portable just receive its own trophy list, something that is optional for Classic ports. While Super Stardust Portable features only single-stick gameplay, thanks to its PSP origins, it sports PlayStation Plus features such as rewind, which is very useful for any “shmups” game.
10 The PS1 Syphon Filer Trilogy Has Found New Life On PlayStation Plus
Bend Studio is one of Sony’s oldest first-party studios, acquiring them in 2000. Sony knew they had something special in Bend, formally Eidetic, when they developed the first Syphon Filter in 1999. The Syphon Filter series stars Special Agent Gabe Logan in a thrilling stealth series that, sadly, has not received a new entry since 2007’s Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow for PSP.
Syphon Filter, Syphon Filter 2, and Syphon Filter 3 for the PS1 take full advantage of their second chance on PlayStation Plus by featuring PlayStation Plus’ pause and rewind features and including a full trophy list. It’s a testament to how beloved Syphon Filter remains at Bend Studio and increases the possibility of a much-needed revival.
9 Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike – Online Edition Made Its Third Strike Count
Street Fighter III was a controversial release due in part to a roster that included only two carry-overs from previous Street Fighters, Ryu and Ken. Much like SFIII’s descendent, Street Fighter V, Capcom didn’t give up on SFIII. This culminated in Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, a game many consider the best fighting game ever made.
PS3’s 3rd Strike – Online Edition is generally considered the best release of SFIII. Online Edition features a great netcode and loads of content. Among that content is a Trials mode that tasks players to perform extensive combos with different characters and even recreate “EVO Moment #37,” perhaps the most talked about esports moment to date.
8 Dark Chronicle Is A Timeless Classic
Dark Chronicle, or Dark Cloud 2 in North America, is a delightful action RPG that was released in Japan in 2002 and in other regions in 2003. 20 years later, Dark Chronicle is still an impressive game that’s a must-play for RPG enthusiasts.
Dark Chronicle includes a heavy dose of time traveling, prompting Max and Monica to bounce back and forth through time in order to stop Emperor Griffon. At the center of Dark Chronicle is its city-building mechanics. Max can pour resources into an upstart village in the past and see the results in the present. The original Dark Cloud and the de facto Dark Cloud 3, Rogue Galaxy, are both available on PlayStation Plus.
7 Puppeteer Should Not Be Forgotten
The transition period between console generations can be a rough one for certain games. While games like The Last of Us provided the PS3 with its universally acclaimed swan song, other exclusives got left behind. Puppeteer is one of those great games lost to time, but it doesn’t deserve to be forgotten.
Puppeteer, developed by Sony’s Japan Studio and released in September 2013, is a gorgeous 2.5D platformer. Its levels are structured like an ever-changing stage play, complete with narration and audience reactions. Puppeteer has great voice acting, charming presentation, entertaining boss fights, and inventive gameplay mechanics such as the Calibrus scissors that allow Kutaro to soar through the air by cutting paper in the environment.
6 LocoRoco Midnight Carnival Caps Off The Series
Sony’s first attempt at a portable system, the PSP, brought with it a slew of unique new series with the colorful platform series LocoRoco being one of them. The most recent LocoRoco game is 2009’s LocoRoco Midnight Carnival for PSP. The original LocoRoco and LocoRoco 2 have since been remastered and are also available on PlayStation Plus, along with the PS3’s LocoRoco Cocoreccho!.
Midnight Carnival continues the story from LocoRoco 2 as the player-controlled LocoRocos find themselves at the Midnight Carnival, a secret base of BuiBui. Midnight Carnival features the ability to pause and rewind gameplay as well as make save states.
5 Heavenly Sword Was One Of The PS3’s First New IPs
Developed by Ninja Theory, Heavenly Sword captured the attention of many players by showcasing what the PS3 was capable of. However, with the PS3’s slow start, Heavenly Sword wasn’t able to pick up enough steam to produce a sequel despite featuring the voice and motion capture work of Andy Serkis as the antagonistic King Bohan.
Heavenly Sword has only made sporadic appearances since. Nariko was a playable character in PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, and Sony produced a computer-animated film adaptation in 2014. Until Sony revives the Heavenly Sword series, PlayStation Plus is the most accessible way to play Nariko’s story.
4 Resident Evil: Director’s Cut Is The Definitive PS1 Version Of A Classic
The PS1 contained many of the trailblazers of modern video games. Few are more influential than Resident Evil. While other video games have created terrifying experiences, Resident Evil masterfully brought the horror genre to the video game mainstream.
Resident Evil: Director’s Cut is a rerelease of the original Resident Evil and features rearranged locations for items and enemies, creating a fresh experience for veterans of the original version. Director’s Cut also includes a beginner’s mode with increased ammo and easier-to-kill enemies. Director’s Cut is joined by numerous other Resident Evil games, including both Resident Evil Revelations games and Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles.
The future of The Elder Scrolls series on PlayStation is murky thanks to Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda Softworks and no confirmed PlayStation release for The Elder Scrolls VI. That doesn’t mean players can’t explore Tamriel.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is set after The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind during the Third Era. However, Oblivion’s story is unrelated to Morrowind‘s. Oblivion features many of the hallmarks of other Bethesda games of its era and is well worth exploring for fans of Skyrim who are eager for more TES. The Elder Scrolls Online and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition are also available on PlayStation Plus.
2 The Jak & Daxter Trilogy Perfectly Represents The PS2 Era
When the PS2 era gets brought up, some of the first games that come to mind are the Jax & Daxter trilogy. Jak & Daxter, along with Ratchet & Clank and Sly Cooper, provided a fun trio of 3D platformers that helped define both the PS2 and the PlayStation brand as a whole.
While Ratchet & Clank and Sly Cooper have since produced sequels in later generations, Jak & Daxter remains confined to this era. That doesn’t mean this trilogy is not worth playing. Jak & Daxter has the DNA of Naughty Dog’s original series Crash Bandicoot, and the original was monumental for its seamless world that could be explored without any loading screens.
1 Players Are Allowed To Have Fun In No Heroes Allowed!
PSP’s No Heroes Allowed! may not have a number next to its name, but it is actually a sequel. In fact, it’s the third entry of a series that began with the spectacularly titled What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord!? No Heroes Allowed! continues the real-time strategy gameplay where players, as a God of Destruction, must protect Badman’s evil lair from incoming heroes.
Players will have to dig pathways to bottleneck heroes into traps and enemies to maintain world domination. No Heroes Allowed! is a fun, tongue-in-cheek game for players in need of a laugh. As a bonus, No Heroes Allowed! just received an update that adds a full trophy list. It’s one of the first PlayStation Plus Classic additions to receive trophies after it’s been made available.
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