For over 30 years since 1994, PlayStation has delighted many fans with its hardware. From being able to play both DVDs and games on theirPS2to watching Netflix and checking out Returnal on their PS5, the Japanese console manufacturer has been a fixture in many living rooms and bedrooms around the world.
Here are the best PlayStation consoles throughout its history, ranked, based on their game lineups, what they have added to that console generation and how they moved the gaming industry forward.
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8PlayStation Classic
The worst PlayStation console that Sony has ever launched is thePlayStation Classic. It was a response to the NES Classic Mini and SNES Classic Mini from Nintendo, which let you play retro games on miniaturized versions of each console. You can plug them in and get playing without any downloads. PlayStation failed with this device. The game selection was disappointing (lacking Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, for example), the emulation was sub-par and the controller didn’t even have analog sticks, being based on its first incarnation. The base PlayStation Classic also ran some games at 50 frames-per-second because they used the European version instead of the North American counterparts.
7PlayStation Vita
The PlayStation Vita is a beloved portable console for a select few. It was expensive to use and lacked significant games to entice many to jump ship from their phones or Nintendo systems to PlayStation’s new portable system. Part of what killed the system is its own exclusive memory cards that hold the games you download as they were so expensive. According toVita Player, the 32GB memory cards cost a whopping $60, while an average SD card you can use for the Nintendo 3DS was so much cheaper, and you could store so much more on an SD card of that price bracket.
The Vita is certainly an awesome system, though. The original has a gorgeous OLED screen, the touch functionality worked well and games had PS3-like graphics. The cross-play functionality between the PS3 and Vita was also fantastic, letting you transfer progress from one system to the other. Unfortunately, the lack of support from third-party developers, the loss of first-party games mid-generation and the memory card issues drag down what could have been an immense success for Sony. Despite that, it’s stillone of the best handhelds ever made.
The PSP is PlayStation’s first portable system and it made an impact. It was one of the first systems that let us watch movies, play games and listen to music with one screen. In comparison to the Nintendo DS, the games look incredible on PSP with its PS2-like graphics. It also had impressive platforming titles like Daxter andRatchet & Clank: Size Mattersthat feel console quality in the palm of your hand. Third party titles such as Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep and Tekken 6 also delighted PlayStation fans around the world. It is also the first handheld console that let you download games straight to your device and let you play demos easily. UMDs were bulky for the device, however, and the lack of a second thumb stick restricted what games could be playable on the system. It was cool at the time to play UMD movies wherever you go, though.
The PS5 is graphically the most powerful and has plenty of awesome features with its DualSense controller. The library of first-party games from this console generation has been disappointing, though. Most of them can be played on the past generation’s hardware, the PS4, and while there are some standout PS5 exclusives like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Returnal, Astro Bot and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, they are few and far between. This is partially because of PlayStation’s dumb-headed move to switch to live-service titles for its first-party development. It’s also due to PlayStation lessening its focus on smaller titles that show greater creativity, especially afterclosing down Japan Studio.
Now most of these games have been cancelled, such as the rumored Twisted Metal game and a new Last of Us multiplayer experience. Third parties have also been hesitant to revolutionize the gaming landscape and have taken less risks due to spiraling budgets. Instead of gracing us with a daring new single-player project from Rocksteady like Batman: Arkham City, we received the less-than-stellar live service mess that isSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguefor example.
The PS5 generation, however, has shined every once in a while with fantastic experiences and glorious graphics that push the industry forward. It’s also receiving some previously exclusive Xbox experiences like Sea of Thieves and Forza Horizon 5. Of course, we’re still in the midst of this generation so it remains to be seen where it’ll shake out in the end.
The very beginning of the PlayStation story is the PS1, which had incredible exclusives over its span. It revolutionized gaming with the DualShock setup, which had vibration and a second analog stick on the right. It then showed how you could use that second analog stick perfectly with the wonderfully made Ape Escape. Crash Bandicoot gave Mario a run for his money as he brought attitude to the gaming industry, well-crafted levels and wild graphics that wowed many at the time. Final Fantasy VII jumped ship to the PlayStation as the CD could hold more storage than a cartridge and had full-motion video support. Gran Turismo was also a watershed moment as it impressed fans with its visuals and realistic interpretation of driving fast cars.
While the Nintendo 64 struggled to get third-party games on board (despite an excellent lineup), the PS1 went on to sell more than 102 million units worldwide. The PS1 changed the world and PlayStation has been thriving ever since (except maybe Vita).
Possibly the most underrated PlayStation console is the PS3. It’s the first console that let you download games from the PlayStation Store, letting so many revolutionary indies flood the market, including Journey, Telltale’s The Walking Dead and Retro City Rampage, and enjoyed by fans around the world. Additionally, PlayStation stepped up its first-party output with incredible franchises like Resistance, inFAMOUS and Uncharted taking off during this generation. The PS3 is when PlayStation was its most daring with interesting projects like LittleBigPlanet, Modnation Racers and Folklore being created during the this time. It’s a far cry to the lack of ambition PlayStation has nowadays with its first-party studios as it rarely strays away from the cinematic triple-A titles we see nowadays.
The transition from PS2 to PS3 was also enormous, adding more thorough online gameplay and gorgeous visuals, even for today’s standards. Third-party output was also strong with titles like Dishonored, Dead Space and BioShock taking shape during this console’s lifetime.
The PS4 is when PlayStation truly hits its peak in terms of consumer interest and output of titles. TheGod of War rebootstirred many fans with its new more emotionally-vulnerable portrayal of Kratos, many were excited by the revolutionary post-apocalyptic world Horizon: Zero Dawn offered and Marvel’s Spider-Man excited comic book lovers all over the world with its exciting combat and thrilling storyline.
Game after game after game was a success for PlayStation, and the Japanese game publisher/console manufacturer supported a lot of smaller projects with that revenue, such as Gravity Rush 2, Bound and Concrete Genie. Sony wasn’t afraid to take risks and it was a breath of fresh air. The PS4 also supported an awesome accessory: the PlayStation VR. While it wasn’t as technically proficient as Oculus, it still presented engaging titles likeTrover Saves the Universe, Astro Bot: Rescue Mission and Blood & Truth, which all impressed fans of the medium.
Hands-down, the best PlayStation console is the PS2. It took PlayStation to the next level after its first success. Its major positive is that it could play any of your DVDs, making it both an affordable gaming console and movie player. Second is its massive library of stellar games. Platforming fans were in heaven with the Ratchet & Clank series, the Jak games and the Sly trilogy that all thrived on the console. Additionally, Square Enix released some of its best RPGs on the system with Final Fantasy X, Kingdom Hearts II and Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King. It’s arguably the biggest generational leap from PS1 to PS2 as well, as it increased the scope that developers had with their games and graphical capabilities.
It was a time when many major IPs we play today were born, thanks to the success of the PS2: Devil May Cry, God of War, Kingdom Hearts, etc. Additionally the open world genre took shape, thanks to the PS2, with releases like Grand Theft Auto III. It’s also one of the smallest PlayStation home consoles, letting you fit it easily in your living room rather than the bulky systems of today. To this day, PS2 is still the best-selling PlayStation console of all-time.
