PlayStation Classic Review - IGN

This adorable miniature PlayStation looks the part, but lacks too many big names to be considered an essential greatest hits compilation of the era.

[Neonridr]

with all the negative news coming out of this lately I am questioning whether I should keep my preorder or not..

[Nyxus]

I guess it depends on wether you're interested in the games that come with it.

[Neonridr]

I am interested in a few for sure, which is why I still have the preorder up for the moment.

Sadly I am a sucker for these retro consoles, have an NES Classic an SNES Classic also got the Analogue Super NT to play my physical SNES games on and ordered the Genesis one that comes out next year. I am just really not liking the PAL idea here. Sometimes the music gets really messed up running in a slower Hz.

[darthv72]

I'll still get one because i think it's cute. Like the NES and SNES before it. Plus there is the possibility that it can be hacked to add other games. I am especially bummed that the NA version has no SHMUPS what so ever. Not even staples like Raystorm, G-Darius or R-Type Delta. Not even Einhander or one of the first ones on the PS1... Philosoma all things.

I have those games already but to have them in this cute little package would be ideal for me. I do believe there will be some DS controllers released at some point. Or perhaps you can use one of those PS to USB converters.

[lxeasy]

Not surprised by all the negative press the classic is getting. The controller doesn't even vibrate and most games on this console weren't even ps heavy hitters.

[SegaSaturn669]

Buy a ps3 or vita. Why would u ever buy this....?

[Neonridr]

lol, as I said above, I am a sucker for these retro consoles :P

I do have a Vita though, but that doesn't help me playing on the TV.

[lptmg]

A Vita would be better suited than this... it's a PS Classic that you can play while you take a dump

[Neonridr]

yeah, but I don't want to be restricted to playing on the handheld only. I guess I could look into a PSTV, but then I am just buying more accessories to accomplish the same thing.

[InTheZoneAC]

it's a ps1 with gen 1 ps1 games, not sure what's to be confused about.

[Neonridr]

It's a PS1 with a questionable list of titles filling up half of the list. It also runs at the PAL speed of 50Hz which will make playing on a 60Hz TV all that much more enjoyable.

The SNES Classic received no complaints.. probably because Nintendo put a little more care into their product.

I am confused why Sony decided to go the route they did and made the choices they did. That's all. You don't have to agree with me here.

[deafdani]

It doesn't even have Gran Turismo. That alone shows a big problem with this piece of hardware. It's like making a NES Classic without Super Mario Bros, or a SNES Classic without Super Mario World. It's insanity.

[InTheZoneAC]

I didn't disagree with anything...just said what's there to be confused about...

[Neonridr]

well that makes more sense then. Although I don't seem to remember saying I was confused, just that I was questioning my purchase after the latest reviews.

[Thatguy-310]

Cancelled it after they announce the games smh

[AnubisG]

I'm waiting to see if we will be able to add more games to this. The main issue with this system is the game selection. Not a single Crash Bandicoot or Tomb Raider?🤨

[Neonridr]

yeah, I mean that's always a possibility. But the lack of analog sticks means what we can add to it will be somewhat limited no?

[AnubisG]

Well, we can play most PS1 games without analogs. So it is limited somewhat but I would say you can play over 99% of PS1 games without sticks. However, it would have been a good idea to use analog controler. My main issue is the list of games. I keep asking Sony if we can add games later, they just ignore my question completely.

[InKnight7s]

You can find a Fat Ps3 with BC with is less than $80-100 and its far better deal, because of wireless dualshock + PS1 library + PS2 library + PS3 library.

[Weeblordbad]

Except for the part where you might be limited on space, don't want a device that's draining 200watts to play PS1 games and don't want to spend $200+ on the hardware? As I'm not finding any PS3's with FULL BC for anything even approaching $80-100.

https://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.h...

[Sirk7x]

Don't do it. Half the games are PAL versions of the game, running at 50Hz, meaning they are slower than the games you remember playing. The presentation on it, menu screens, etc, is absolute crap. Sony outsourced this, used an open source emulator (PCSX) anyone can download, didn't give a shit, and whoever made it didn't care either. Cancel your preorder unless you think you can scalp it, or want to hack it. I loved the PS1, but this is just about the worst way you could remember it. Also, saw your PSTV comment about not wanting more accessories. Getting one for your Vita would probably be cheaper than this retro console, and would still give you the option of playing on a TV anyways. Options are good.

[blackblades]

You should get a emulator and roms, this shit is just trying to get the money from nintendo classic success. Which fails big time without the top games.

[rainslacker]

If you're buying it for the games, then there are other ways to do it for the same price or cheaper.

If your buying it for the collectible, then it'll still be sufficient for that.

[SublimeStylee2]

I wouldn't bother, let's move forward instead. Unless you are an avid collector I just do not see the appeal.

[Amplitude]

its literally just emulating the games with literally the exact same code as pcsx. I dont know why anybody wants one other than the novelty tbh.
Any recent PC can emulate these games better (in 4k, with antialiasing) than the Classic and its not like youre supporting the developers by buying their games here... also its real expensive

Id be more stoked if they released a full-sized ps1 with a hard drive in it that you could save the games too. Heck, let it real the old discs, too. That would be cool.

[FlyGuyHung]

I cancelled mine 3 weeks ago. I see its available to preorder still on bestbuy.ca
So I'm confident I'll be able to get one when the inevitable boxing week sales go live if i still feel like it then.

[Muzikguy]

I’m not surprised by the reviews. I wanted one at first but the more I heard the less I cared and now don’t want one. Bad game choices, higher price, no joysticks......

Sony really missed a golden opportunity here

[BlaqMagiq1]

This score isn't shocking at all. I know Sony could've done much better with this. If they do a PS2 Classic they're gonna have to go all-out with it.

[lxeasy]

they could also just add backwards compatibility and this wouldn't be an issue.

[knifefight]

Yea, I love how Sony claims that no one plays older games but then releases a retro console under the guise of "giving fans what they want." XD

[BlaqMagiq1]

I mean I'm not against BC at all. In fact it's a feature I want in the PS5. But if they were gonna do this they coulda done a much better job with it.

[Dreamcatcher45]

Problem is that Sony don't own all of the ip's that made ps1 and ps2 successfull like Nintendo did.

[Neonridr]

How many first party titles did Sony even put on this thing to begin with?

[michellelynn0976]

Nintendo didn't own SF2, Castlevania IV, Contra 3, Final Fantasy, Secret of Mana, Super Ghouls and Ghosts or Mega Man X.

[Sirk7x]

Sony published Legend of Dragoon, that should have been on there too. The games they chose for the classic, the user interface and menu, the controller, and using PAL versions of the game just all scream lack of wanting to invest any money or effort into it. I really want to see a teardown of the chip they're using in the system.

[Sirk7x]

I can't see a PS2 classic happening anytime soon. Considering that they used an open-source emulator for the PS Classic, the price point to include storage, hardware that can actually run the games decently, and the games itself would be very expensive. Again, better off just buying the games on PS4 if they're available. That, AND, open source PS2 emulation isn't that great in the first place. It's very high level emulation (meaning the games are basically hacked into working and have many inconsistencies and problems compared to the original), and it's not cool to sell a product that isn't perfect.

[BlaqMagiq1]

Well I have PCSX2 for emulation so I don't need a PS2 classic if they ever do one. But in the case they ever do one they can't repeat what they did here. The fact they had even thought of putting the PAL versions of games on the PS Classic made it an automatic pass. That literally made zero sense to me.

[lptmg]

Bummer

[pcz]

cancelled my pre order. really disappointed. loved the idea of a playstation classic, love the look of it too, but I'm not paying near £100 for it.

it's simply not good enough, nor is it worth it.

[ChrisW]

I'm waiting until someone finds a way to add more games to it. And of course, support for a Dualshock PC controller.

[Geobros]

Snes is better for sure!!

[Sirk7x]

Nintendo definitely had a better presentation. That, and sprite artwork has aged a hell of alot better than early 3D games have lol. I can still play Chrono Trigger, Link to the Past or games like Secret of Mana and Terranigma and find myself enchanted by the artwork and animation. FF7 is hard to play these days xD
(Should have been FF9 anyways)
I mean, the SNES classic came with Link to the Past, FF6, Super Mario RPG, Earthbound AND Secret of Mana. Those are all some of the best RPGs ever made. What the hell is Sony offering lol.

[TheGamez100]

Smh sony smh.... Who knows why they decided the price and amount of games were a great idea....

[2pacalypsenow]

Only a few more days..

[Sgt_Slaughter]

Looks like all the previews were correct, this is half-a**ed unfortunately.

[timlot]

I really don't consider the first Playstation a classic system yet. It is only a little over twenty years old. The games are too similar to what you see today. Even though the quality is dated the games are still 3d polygon based games. NES and SNES games were of a different era entirely in comparison.

[2pacalypsenow]

It came out in 1994, its only 4 years newer than the Super Nes.

[Neonridr]

agreed, there isn't a magical line. I mean Sony can't go back any further now can they seeing as this was their first product.

[HeisenbergX]

I will buy the ps classic and i will add more games later.

[foster426]

Sony is getting cocky again. I've invested so much into the PS ecosystem and I'd hate to have to leave, but I won't hesitate to if they get cocky next gen. If they're dumb enough to get cocky again after the ps3, I definitely don't want to stay.

Get your shit together sony

[EazyC]

I would not say this, however, market dominance and a shambolic competition (just xbox really... Switch is a bit of a different market and pretty solid) historically leads to complacency. A big reason Sony has been so amazing this gen was because xbox was a contender last gen... Granted, they petered out a bit towards the end, but xbox as a platform is a husk of what it was.

[Skankinruby]

Lmao @ all these people over analyzing a novelty item.

[EazyC]

Er... Reviewing a product that costs $100 is more than warranted

[Sgt_Slaughter]

Lmao @ people downplaying legitimate problems because it's their brand.

[DarXyde]

Hopefully, this kind of reception will motivate Sony to do a stellar job with a PS2 classic. Anything less than amazing is seriously not doing the console's history any justice. It's a shame now because PSOne was a splendid console.

I assume some of the politics regarding the device's offerings relate to securing licensing rights, but I hope this is an issue that can mitigated through adding more titles later as more publishers are willing to allow games on the future classic consoles.

Part of me would not be surprised to see an updated PS Classic that does allow for software expansion. We can count on Sony for many things--among them, hardware revision.

[OpenGL]

It's pretty stupid that it includes only PAL versions of the games so they all run at 25 or 50Hz.

[Youngindy21]

What's the point of the PS classic when you can just buy a PS1 on ebay?

[Weeblordbad]

Size, disk drives do break, the games are not always cheap and there are TV's out there now that don't have an analogue/composite connectors anymore. I get what you're saying, but this product just isn't really for someone who seriously wants to go back and play a large swathe of the Playstations catalogue. It's a novelty item, a simple gift thing.

[Tross]

I'm not surprised. I'm still getting one though, largely for a few of the games on there. However, this system could have been so much better.

[TheEnigma313]

I would buy it for the novelty.

[isarai]

Not interested in it much in it's current state, really wondering if you can hack it and add more games though. If you can i'll be picking one up ASAP

[Knightofelemia]

The PS1 mini had potential and it fell face first into the ground hopefully Sony will do better if they ever do a PS2 mini. Only people who might grab this are collectors techheads who want to try and hack the machine and people who want to relive their childhood. Sony should have not rushed the machine and took more time selecting the titles and added the dualshock with rumble.

[ocelot07]

Crossing my fingers you can side load more games onto this like the NES and SNES Mini.

[XxINFERNUSxX]

Useless other than to buy it to display on your shelf, same with the Nintendo Minis. No point in these classics other than to display them, you can easily buy a Raspberry Pi with an awesome looking case and download every single rom for free. Or use any PC/Laptop and make it a retro gaming machine for all games for free. FREE being the keyword :D

[Abnor_Mal]

Feeding frenzy

[MazeRunner]

canceled the order. ill stick with my psone :)

[Maywell]

It is more about if you want to have collection or not. The game inside is depend on the person who buy it.

[NarooN]

It's a deserved score, honestly. Half the games on here are questionable at best and a joke at worst. Even then you got half the games as the PAL versions so they run at 50hz, which is 83% of their original intended speed which literally slows the games down. Frickin Tekken 3 looks like the guys are fighting in mud or something. The whole thing is just mediocrity at its finest.

[lnfiniteLoop]

I presume they used some PAL version because they couldnt find NTSC versions of the rom images to copy... also if they really wanted to the could aways port PCSX to run on PS4 (PCSX is capable of running oringinal PS1 game disks)...

cancelled my pre-order when they kept quiet about what games where gonna be on it apart from the few they announced at the start...