PlayStation Classic

So here's a thing:

I've been seeing this around the Internet lately, quite a few people saying the system is sloppily made and has issues. Also, Sony is just using a libre emulator that's available for the Raspberry Pi; while the use of free software is good, and will make it easily hackable, it also points to laziness on Sony's part.

I wonder if it'll sell out like the NES and SNES Classic.

Possibly, but I doubt it will be anywhere near as fast. Nintendo has a much stronger and more distinctive brand than Sony, and since we stopped demarcating generations by bits in the CPU, the PlayStation brand has just been 'video game machine' rather than 'video game machine with Mario, Zelda, Pokémon, Metroid, Super Smash Bros, Star Fox, Fire Emblem, Kirby, etc'.

Anyone own a copy? Is it as bad as you say? What about for those who haven't played the games yet? Every review and comment section on Youtube critiques it and says it isn't worth buying.

Eurogamer goes into technical details

Long story short, the system outputs at 60Hz regardless of game, so the PAL games all have juddering and screen tearing. Even the NTSC games exhibit inconsistent framerates, and there is slowdown. The emulator, while and impressive piece of reverse engineering, is simply too inaccurate for a commercial product.

x4 The game selection is extremely poor compared to the NES and SNES classics, its missing a vast majority of the best PS 1 games on there.

Even some of Sony's awesome first party games are conspicuously missing.

Then there is .

Wasn't there also Neo Geo Mini? I think lot of companies seems to copy nintendo's retro thing huh (BTW, how was Neo Geo Mini? Besides console itself being ridiculously tiny when not plugged into tv)

Turns out, by plugging a compatible keyboard in and hitting ESC, you can access emulator settings that aren't supposed to be a thing on the PlayStation Classic. Stuff like multiple save files and the like.

I doubt most people care about the lineup. It has a lot of heavy hitters like Final Fantasy 7, Tekken 3, and the like.

The main problem seems to be the non-Dualshock controller and the PAL emulation, but even then I doubt the average Joe will care. They see a Playstation plug-and-play and want it. That's 10/1 why Sony was okay with putting out a mediocre product during the holidays: it'll sell on nostalgia and accessibility.

Plug-and-play has been around for years, but it's mostly been regulated to early 1980s arcade games and the Atari 2600. There's also been a few third party stuff releasing Genesis/MD titles, but the NES Classic is the first "big budget" plug-and-play retro console.

Edited by Pichu-kun on Dec 4th 2018 at 7:24:27 AM

The NES and SNES Minis had multiple save files...

Oof, between the lack of signature PS1 games (No Spyro, Crash, PaRappa the Rapper, MediEvil, Mega Man Legends, Breath of Fire 3 and/or 4, Tomb Raider or Silent Hill?) and this revelation, the PlayStation Classic is sounding more and more like a slapdash job...

On a related note, I wonder if Sony would justify the lack of those aforementioned games with a "Oh, those are already on the PlayStation Store or have (or will be getting) enhanced versions for PS4," only to be countered by the Internet with a blunt "BULLSHIT!"

Edited by TargetmasterJoe on Dec 4th 2018 at 1:33:35 PM

Its got FFVII but its missing VIII, IX, FF Tactics, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Chrono Cross, Crash, NFL Blitz 2000, Parasite Eve, RE 2, RE 3, Silent Hill, The Legend of Dragoon, Xenogears.

And thats just naming some of the biggest games on PS 1.

6 of the 20 on the classic didn't even get a 'Greatest Hits' release...

Edited by Memers on Dec 4th 2018 at 8:36:40 AM

So I take it there's no option to download games, especially Japanese titles?

It's no SNES Classic, but it has enough interesting titles to sell. I doubt the target audience would even remember Parasite Eve.

You left out Tomb Raider

SpawnWave did a teardown:

It's a decently powerful machine with good homebrew potential.

...Isn't the target audience in this case previous Playstation (One) players? I kinda doubt they're releasing something like this especially for newcomers to the family of systems, especially considering that those players can find many more classic PS One titles via the PS Store.

Like honestly, I feel like this system is pretty redundant. Nintendo has a habit of never having enough ways to legally play their older titles without resorting to actual emulation, so the NES and SNES Classics fulfilled some demand. But I feel like it's a lot easier to find and play old PS games without jumping through as many hoops, making the PS Classic feel like more of a novelty than Nintendo's products.

Edited by Customer on Dec 4th 2018 at 3:02:52 PM

Sony copies everything Nintendo does.

It's targeted at people who haven't played a PS1 in 15-20 years and want a quick, easy way to play the games. Having a few of the bigger titles might suck but I doubt not having Crash or Tomb Raider will make it a no-buy for many.

Nintendo has a lot of their NES and SNES games on VC, but I'm pretty sure the purpose behind these types of consoles is not having to both own a Wii/Wii U/3DS/Switch or PS 4 and buy each game individually. All you do is plug and play.

Anyway...

This reviewer's PS Classic broke after only a few hours.

Edited by Pichu-kun on Dec 4th 2018 at 1:19:56 AM

Eh, like the other Classics, I feel like they're aiming at Collectors mostly, trying to hop on the nostalgia bandwagon brought on by Nintendo's own Classic consoles. People who haven't touched a Play Station in years might look onto it, yeah, but in that case, the game selection wouldn't matter much (though I still question the low amount of Greatest Hits titles on the console).

Not saying you're wrong, by the way. It's not like I've been watching this thing's ads to gauge who they're aiming at, anyway. Only things I've heard about it so far have been the negative reports that's been coming through lately.

You can access the emulator settings by just plugging in a Keyboard and hitting escape.

It was probably going to happen sooner or later, but someone did a little poking around in the source code and found some games that were apparently supposed to be in the PlayStation Classic...

And they were gracious enough to share a complete list of these games along with what countries were getting which...

There were plans to have (just to name a few):

• Crash Bandicoot 1 and 2: Cortex Strikes Back
• MediEvil
• Mega Man Legends
• Klonoa: Door to Phantomile
• Parappa the Rapper
• Ridge Racer (as in the first one)
• Parasite Eve (more accurately, the US PS1 was going to have it)
• Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider II
• Street Fighter EX Plus and Street Fighter Alpha 3
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
• Medal of Honor
• Grand Theft Auto and Grand Theft Auto 2
• Silent Hill

Anyone else smell foul play?

(Weirdly enough, the European PlayStation Classic was going to have the PS1 games for Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone and Toy Story 2. Were those games considered particularly good?)

Edited by TargetmasterJoe on Dec 4th 2018 at 12:43:55 PM

Toy Story 2 is generally considered to be a classic. Can't really say for sure about Sorcerer's Stone other than it has So Bad, It's Good graphics.

I don't know if it'd actually be good, but I'd replay Philosopher's Stone. I was young once! From what I remember, it's not really a good game. It's not as godawful as movie adaptations can be, but ehhh. I think the PS2 Chamber of Secrets tends to be the game in the series that's most remembered with fondness, though if I speak strictly without nostalgia or recognition of the brand, just between you and me, it's not really a great game. I think some of the spin-offs and maybe the non-PS1 Philosopher's get some recognition.

After that the series' games went in very different directions, especially Goblet onwards. I miss the GB/GBA RPG adaptations! Bring 'em back for the next Fantastic Beasts.

Edited by Lavaeolus on Dec 4th 2018 at 6:05:54 PM

Well I find that list shocking that FFVIII, FFIX, Legend of Dragoon, or Chrono Cross wernt even considered for the classic.

Edited by Memers on Dec 4th 2018 at 11:41:44 AM

Is there any legal reason behind not having Parappa the Rapper on there? It's a Sony IP, right?

I don't think licensed games should be on these Classic consoles, so Toy Story 2 and Harry Potter seem like unusual choices.

I'm wary of buying a PS Classic because it feels like a few months down the line Sony will announce a "new and improved" version, making this an Obvious Beta if I've ever seen one.