When Sony introduced the first PlayStation, the whole world of gaming changed, and it continued to evolve with the release of every new console. However, even though the newer models brought some significant improvements, there’s just something about those old classic that bring back some good memories and a dose of nostalgia. There are a lot of games that were released back then that we simply can’t get out of our heads; maybe it was because they were new and innovative at the time, or maybe it’s just because we feel we have an emotional connection to those oldies.
Here’s five of those classic PlayStation game that time will never forget.
Tekken 3
Tekken is one of the names that pops up into your head every time you mention the term “fighting”, and there’s a reason why – it is one of the most iconic fighting video games ever released. Even though Tekken 3 is the third game in the Tekken series, it is considered to be one of the best fighting games of all times. Sure, it doesn’t impress with its graphics (at least not by today’s standards), but back then it was quite a hit), and a game that impressed with its mechanics, its moves and the wide selection of available fighters.
Gran Turismo
The same way Tekken was the code name for fighting games, Gran Turismo was the code name for racing games. Right from the first version, Gran Turismo was a tremendous success, the first version of the game selling close to 11,000,000 copies. What makes the game so successful is the fact that it came with a large number of licensed cars (more than 100 in the first version, the total count rising to more than 1000 in Grand Turismo 6). Let’s not also forget that a very high level of attention was paid to the details and graphics which were way ahead of their time. Also, the game comes with two modes: arcade and simulation, so it managed to satisfy both the casual racers that just wanted to hit the pedal, as well as the players that wanted a realistic racing experience.
Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider is one of the most representative names for third-person adventure games. Right from the first version, the game was a major hit, with more than 7 million copies sold. Despite the choppy graphics of the first Tomb Raider game (keep in mind that the first game hit the market in 1996), the game proved to be a huge success; so successful, actually, that it lead to the production of two movies which turned out to be blockbusters. The association of the actress that plays the main character in the movie, Angelina Jolie, with Lara Croft, the main character of the game, is enough of a reason to get back to playing Tomb Raider over and over again.
Driver
Before Driver was released, people used to associate every game that had cars in it with a racing game. Driver took things a whole other way by shifting the action from racing to performing missions. Set in an open-world environment (one of the first adaptations of this game model), Driver puts you in the character of an undercover cop that plays the role of a professional driver, set to perform certain driving-based missions in and around town. Featuring realistic car damage (well, as realistic as it could get at that time), four big cities to play in (Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York City), and a lot of missions that are considerably harder than most of the missions you find in today’s games, Driver was, is, and always will be, one of the best car games ever.
Mortal Kombat
Tekken is not the only iconic fighting game – Mortal Kombat also takes a place on the podium. The games in the Mortal Kombat series feature a selection of fighters that each come with their own set of special skills and powers they can use in order to defeat their enemies in a bloody violence-filled combat. A distinctive feature of the Mortal Kombat games are fatalities – extremely gruesome ending moves that kill the loser of the fight in a very sadistic way.
This is the guest post by Jason Phillips and Fighting Games 365!