Flogging a new piece of hardware isn’t an easy task for any platform holder. Outside of the deal-breaking price point to bait those crucial early adopters, hardware manufacturers also have to ensure they have an eyeball-popping software line-up. After all, who’s going to fork out for a console when there’s hardly any triple-A treats to sink their teeth into? Indeed, many companies have learned the hard way what happens when you unleash a new piece of kit without any killer games; Nintendo’s lackluster support of 3DS at launch had such serious repercussions that they had to firmly slash the price of the system just a few months after its release to pick up the pace.
Conversely, Sony platform launches have generally done pretty well, dating all the way back to the release of the original PlayStation over 15 years ago. Sure, it hasn’t always been gold dust on day one, but for the most part the Japanese giant has had all the proverbial boxes ticked. With Sony having just launched its next-generation handheld, the PlayStation Vita, in Japan this month, PSU decided to take a reflective glance back at the company’s launch efforts and pluck the very best games that day one buyers had to enjoy.
Join us now as we take a butcher’s at PlayStation’s greatest ever launch games.
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RIDGE RACER (PlayStation, 1995)
Namco’s seminal racing series has remained a staple of Sony hardware launches since day one, kicking off with the launch of the inaugural Ridge Racer back in 1995 for PSOne. Sure, it’s pretty basic compared to today’s offerings, but back in the day this was the pinnacle of arcade racer – it even scooped up EGM’s prestigious Best Driving Game of 1995 awards. Aside from a sweet selection of motors and a killer aural component to soak up, Ridge Racer hooked players in with its stylish powersliding gimmick, a feature which has become bread-and-butter for latter instalments and other racers alike. This combined with its pick-up-and-play mechanics, lush visuals (for its time) and host of unlockable content ensured Sony’s grey box of tricks left tyre marks on the competition for the holiday season of 1995.
WIPEOUT (PlayStation, 1995) (note – launch game in Europe only)
As you’ve probably twigged by now, Sony’s PSOne launch line-up boasted some stellar racing games, with Psygnosis’ polished, futuristic effort WipEout proved yet another reason to pick up the console on day one. The game boasted an incredibly slick aesthetic, not just in terms of in-game visuals but also the game’s boxart and logo, which were designed specifically to attract avid clubbers and music lovers. Indeed, this extended into the marketing campaign for the game, which saw WipEout PlayStation units set up in clubs across the U.K. Of course, WipEout stood out for most other launch titles thanks to its futuristic take on the racing genre, allowing gamers to pilot an array of swanky turbo-charged hover ships. Evoking a distinct whiff of F-Zero about it, WipEout also injected combat into the proceedings, letting players lob projectiles at each other to gain the upper hand. Latter entries may have refined the experience, but back in its day WipEout was a stylishly addictive, adrenaline-fueled romp unlike any other. Oh, and did we mention that killer soundtrack?
TIMESPLITTERS (PlayStation 2, 2000)
I have fond memories of the original TimeSplitters, having played it to death with two of my mates at PS2’s launch. Set over the course of several decades, the single-player campaign offers a compelling, if slightly short-lived blast-romp as you battle against everything from gun-toting goons to shambling undead. The action is frantic, satisfying and tinged with humour, though where the game really shines is its multiplayer. I can’t honestly recall another splitscreen experience I’ve enjoyed more than TimeSplitter’s offering bar perhaps GoldenEye, and even then it’s a close call. Sure, this sort of thing is part and parcel of pretty much every shooter under the sun these days, but even by today’s standards TimeSplitter’s multiplayer is as gratifying as you’d expect from any triple-A effort. With heaps of deadly weapons to tuck into, numerous options to fiddle with plus a hilarious cast of over-the-top caricatures to lap up, this was easily the most enjoyable multiplayer game not just of the PS2’s launch, but the many months that followed to boot. Only TimeSplitters 2 topped it.
TEKKEN TAG TOURNAMENT (PlayStation 2, 2000)
Namco has had its fingers in many launch pies over the years, particularly when it comes to Sony hardware. It’s unsurprising, then, to find that we’ve plucked yet another of the Japanese giant’s offerings when scrutinizing the PS2’s day one line-up. This time around it’s in the shape of the venerable Tekken franchise, with Tekken Tag Tournament providing one of the best launch day punch-ups of recent memory. Even to this day the game stands up remarkably well, which is no doubt why Namco has plumped to release it in HD as part of the forthcoming Tekken Hybrid bundle this November on PS3. But forget that, ten years ago TTT was a meaty contender in a fairly crowded market, with its Tag partner system adding a whole new tactical dimension to an already polished paradigm. Boasting a massive cast line-up – virtually every brawler who appeared in the series up to that point appeared – plus ample extras such as the insanely addictive Tekken Bowl, heaps of game modes, tons of stages plus a superb score, it’s not hard to see why TTT is still one of the favourite entries in the series to this day.
SSX (PlayStation 2, 2000)
While the SSX franchise is to undergo a reboot with January’s eponymous PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 outing, the series’ roots can be traced back to the launch of Sony’s PS2. The original SSX hit stores alongside Sony’s hefty black box in October 2000, nabbing meaty reviews and going on to become one of the standout games of the PS2’s launch period. While Cool Boarders managed to satisfy snowboarding fantastic on PSOne, SSX took things to the next level, delivering an adrenaline-fuelled romp packed full of over-the-top tricks, insane jumps, memorable characters and lush mountain courses. Sadly SSX can be filed under ‘overlooked gem,’ as the game tanked at retail, though nonetheless scooped up a plethora of industry awards, including five gongs from the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences. Full of visual spectacle, SSX was at the time a fine showcase for the PS2’s added graphical prowess, and combined with its addictive multiplayer easily stands out as one of the most competent launch titles in the PlayStation catalogue.
RESISTANCE: FALL OF MAN (PlayStation 3, 2006)
Insomniac Games’ Chimeric blaster Resistance: Fall of Man may not have brought anything amazingly innovative to the FPS genre upon its release on November 2006, but what it did do, it did bloody well. A fine showcase for the PS3’s meaty innards during the early stages of its market life, Resistance takes place in an alternate 1950s Britain, where the globe is slowly yet inexorably being overtaken by an alien-like race known as the Chimera. The game features a variety of architectural eye-openers such as Manchester Cathedral, taking players through the post-apocalyptic streets of various U.K. cities including London and various cities in Northern England. In fact, it was the game’s depicting of a dilapidated Manchester Cathedral that eventually attracted much flak in the media, forcing Sony to issue a statement of apology to the Church of England. Resistance’s bread-and-butter combat is as satisfying as any of its contemporaries at the time, offering heated gun battles, a boatload of human and Chimeric weaponry, plus some epic boss battles to boot. So impressive is the series debut that for many, the sequel failed to deliver the same level of polish when it hit stores two years later.
WIPEOUT PURE (PlayStation Portable, 2005)
Flashy futuristic racer WipEout makes another entry in our list, this time as part of the PSP’s U.S. launch line-up. Standing head and shoulders above the majority of day one delights for Sony’s slab, WipEout Pure adheres to the same successful paradigm as its PSOne predecessors, offering vibrant visuals and a thrilling sensation of speed. However, developer Sony Studio Liverpool didn’t opt for a copy and paste approach, implementing some welcome additions such as new leagues and teams, as well as streamlining the gameplay in an effort to retain a similar feel to that of WipEout 2097 as opposed to the then-recent PS2 iterations. Track design has been tweaked as a result, and the pit lane recharging feature has been removed in favour of having players regenerate their ship’s energy by absorbing their equipped weapon. Of course, the game’s aural component is also stunning, evoking that classic WipEout feel while putting its own stamp on the proceedings too.
TWISTED METAL: HEAD-ON (PlayStation Portable, 2005)
Spilling from the creative mind of David Jaffe, Twisted Metal has long remained a staple of the PlayStation brand, attaining a cult status since its inception in the PSOne days that continues to prosper to this day. PSP outing Head-On crams all the trademark over-the-top vehicular combat antics of the console outings, offering an action-packed spectacle of crazy characters, satisfying weapons and tight controls. The game’s aesthetics are easy on the eyes, and at launch the game was noted as being among the prettiest PSP titles on the market – even six years later, you can still appreciate the game’s visual flare. Even though it’s a portable game, Head-On doesn’t cut any corners, offering an ample selection of vehicles, heaps of game modes (including a meaty multiplayer component) and pleasingly doesn’t muck with an established formula. Back in 2005, Twisted Metal: Head-On was easily one of the most engrossing multiplayer offerings for Sony’s slab among new adopters, and as an overall package still remains a PSP classic to this day.