Sony's debut into the console space, the PlayStation, came out in 1994 in Japan and made its way to North America the following year. The machine was a resounding success, aided by heavy third-party support, a competitive price, and an aggressive marketing campaign.
While the proceeding platforms all improved upon the PlayStation in every conceivable way, people cannot help but feel nostalgic for the past. The internet, being what is, exercises this longing for retro systems through memes, the 10 best of which are listed below. Fortunately, most of the best PlayStation One games are playable through other means on more modern consoles.
10 Three Plus One Does Equal Four, After All
If only ushering in the next generation was this easy. Not only will this not amount to a PS4, but it is also redundant. The PS3 can also run PS1 games. It would have been more advantageous to put a PS2 on top of Sony's third numbered console, since only early models were able to play games from the PS2. All logic aside, it is a pretty funny joke.
9 The Struggle Is Real
The PS1 startup screen is supposed to be a satisfying sound meant to ease one into a play session. However, as the system ages or one buys a game with a couple of scratches on the disc, the opening music and graphic is the most stressful part of playing. Sometimes the game would not boot up, and one would cry tears of frustration instead of the joyous weeping in the above photo.
8 Shots Fired
This headline really makes the PlayStation Classic feel like an inferior product. The SNES Classic runs games from an older generation, yet through modding it runs a PS1 game better than the PlayStation Classic. In addition to the Sony product's small library, PAL versions, which run at a lower frame rate and price, this is just another reason why most would rather hook up their old PS1 instead of buying this mini version.
7 Still One Of The Greatest Games Of All Time
There is nothing like playing a game on the lowest possible settings. While it's the ideal way to play, it provides a certain charm. Many probably feel the same about actual remakes of classic PlayStation games. The original Resident Evil 2 still has value despite the excellent remake. Similarly, Final Fantasy VII from 1997 is different enough from the remake to justify playing through it today.
6 The Best Of The Best
There's really no joke here, just an appreciation of Sony's journey in the gaming space. Just because the PS4 is the culmination of everything that came before, one should not forget its predecessors.
Owning a PlayStation One and a CRT TV provides an experience an HD console cannot replicate. Legend of Legaia, for example, is unplayable on every other console. Even the PS2 and PS3's backward compatibility has audio syncing issues.
5 The Best Piece Of Music Ever Written
The things composers did with the PS1's sound chip are simply astounding. Final Fantasy VII is a standout soundtrack utilizing the console's audio. However, one should not have to look any further than the startup for the console. Take any '90s kid, play this short musical piece in front of them, and they are liable to reach for the closest controller.
4 Good Times
Back in the day, no piece of technology was ever truly broken; one simply had to find a way to make it work. A seemingly malfunctioning PS1 just had to be placed upside down in order for a game to work properly. This was the most common fix to an aging PlayStation, but different problems required different solutions. Sometimes people have to get creative to make their PS4 work, but usually it is nothing as drastic as putting the console on its head.
3 It's Not Copying, It's "Taking Inspiration"
Companies have to jump on a good thing when they see it. By all accounts, however, the PS1 Classic is inferior to Nintendo's efforts in the mini console space.
Fortunately, it is quite easy to mod the product and put more PlayStation games on it with a USB stick. One wishes the initial product was better, but at least the original PlayStation will always exist as one of the greatest consoles of all time.
2 Which "One" Is Better
Sony released certain versions of the PS1 that came with a five-inch screen so one could play games without a TV. One needed to power it with another jack or in a car, but it was still a convenient idea. The meme implies Microsoft's Xbox One is inferior because the PS1 does not require an online connection and the Xbox One needs a TV to play. To be fair to Microsoft, Xbox One removed the mandatory always online feature before release.
1 Older Is Still Valuable
The DualShock 4 is considered one of the finest gaming controllers ever made. However, the first controller still feels fine in one's hands as they play a classic like Metal Gear Solid or Final Fantasy VII. In reality, a partner should not have to worry if they were built with the quality of a PlayStation game pad. Additionally, sometimes being a little older and having more experience is a plus.