A wealth of PS1 classics are now finally available to buy for the PS5 in standalone format, having previously only been available through PS Plus Premium.
Some of the available PS1 games feature the almighty Tekken 2a genre-defining 3D fighter and one of the best fighting games of its time, and Ridge Racer 2, the latter of which paved the way for the future of the platform’s best racing games. Spotted in one Reset era threadthere is also Ridge Racer Type 4 And Mr Drillerwhich are sure to strike nostalgic chords if you were gaming in the 90s.
These titles are the first of the PS1 back catalog to be newly made available as a standalone on the PS5, with a fixed price of $9.99 / AU$14.95 (about £7.85). Previously, these games were only available as part of the PS Plus Premium subscription, the most expensive of the three tiers available, priced at $17.99 / £13.49 / AU$21.95 per month. This level gives access to online play, the PlayStation Plus game catalog and the classic titles, of which there are about a dozen available.
Now, just like the old days when you bought PS1 games on newer Sony hardware, once you put the money down they are permanently tied to your account. It’s been that way since the days of the PS3 and PSP in the mid-2000s, so hopefully this is just the beginning of the Japanese manufacturer continuing to roll out its older releases to new audiences.
As useful as the PS Plus game catalog and Xbox Game Pass are, these subscription services do not guarantee that games will always be immediately available. This is because games come and go on a monthly basis, and sometimes with a little warning, meaning you can access an older game for a month and then come back to play over time to find that the title has left the platform. However, with this new approach from Sony, you can get access to your desired game on a more permanent basis in exchange for an upfront payment – as long as the console’s servers remain up and running, of course.
For more recent release recommendations, check out our list of the best ps5 games all of which fit perfectly with the best ps5 controllersand you can make room for as many games as you need with the best SSDs for PS5.