PSX game recommendations?

[radjago]

I just bought a PSX. I've never owned a Sony product in my life, but I decided I couldn't pass up the games available on it forever.

Things I'm generally looking for:
Games that are not available on any other platform, including PC
Multiplatform games that are the best version available
Games that can be found cheaply (<$20) and are relatively easy to find
Action/Adventure/Arcade/Platform games
Racing/Driving/Vehicular Combat games
Puzzle/Simulation/Music/Strategy games
SHMUPs/Shooters of all sorts
Good classic compilations
Good Star Wars games
Things I'm generally not looking for:
Games that haven't aged well/Crappy games
Games similar to a better one that could be played on a current-gen system
Rare/HTF games
Anime/Import games
Fighting Games
30+ hour sprawling RPGs
Survival Horror games
Unexceptional Sports/Wrestling games
That's about it. If you think I have to play a game that fits on my "Things I'm not looking for" list, convince me otherwise. So far I'm interested in the Wipeout and Twisted Metal series. Any other suggestions?

[Chacrana]

Metal Gear Solid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Both are unbelivably good. I consider Castlevania: SOTN one of the best games of all time. Don't even think twice -- you want these.

[radjago]

Metal Gear Solid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Both are unbelivably good. I consider Castlevania: SOTN one of the best games of all time. Don't even think twice -- you want these.
I played MGS on PC. I had a copy of Castlevania: SotN that I sold to a CAG before I had a PSX. I'm beginning to regret that decision.

Thanks for the picks.

I've heard Wipeout XL is the best of that series. Which Twisted Metal is best?

[Chacrana]

I played MGS on PC. I had a copy of Castlevania: SotN that I sold to a CAG before I had a PSX. I'm beginning to regret that decision.

Thanks for the picks.

I've heard Wipeout XL is the best of that series. Which Twisted Metal is best?

While I'm not a fan of the series, I do know that a lot of people consider 2 to be the best Twisted Metal on the PS1. Twisted Metal 3, 4, and Small Brawl were really bad though.

[radjago]

While I'm not a fan of the series, I do know that a lot of people consider 2 to be the best Twisted Metal on the PS1. Twisted Metal 3, 4, and Small Brawl were really bad though.
Great, thanks again. I'm mostly interested in them because David Jaffe was the lead designer on them.

[Chacrana]

Great, thanks again. I'm mostly interested in them because David Jaffe was the lead designer on them.

He did work on the games, but it's worth noting that they definitely didn't exhibit the same attention to detail that something like God of War did. I really didn't find any of Jaffe's pre-GoW stuff to be very good.

[Kapwanil]

You want some SHMUPs for the PS1? There are fantastic ones and there are moderately-easy-to-find ones that are pretty good.

If you hit various EBs/GSs now you should still be able to find some copies of these titles fairly easily:

In the Hunt (Submarine SHMUP)
Mobile Light Force (AKA Gunbird, only with all of the story taken out)
Gekioh: Shooting King (Has a Raiden-esque Feel, Quite Worth it)
Strikers 1945 (Actually Strikers 1945 II, but don't worry about it)
Shooter Space Shot (Fairly Decent Horizontal SHMUP w/ a Plot)
Sanvein (SHMUP-esque game, highly recommended)
Sol Divide (Below-Average but worth a try if you find it for $2)


And if you really want to look for them, here are a few others that range from uncommon to rare, depending upon where you live:

Raiden Project (Highly Rare but worth every penny)
Philosoma (Uncommon to Rare, interesting 1st gen SHMUP w/ plot)
Viewpoint (Uncommon, really hard, 3/4 perspective SHMUP)
Thunderforce V (Highly Rare, worth every penny)
Darius Gaiden (Uncommon, a worthwhile entry in the series)


And if you hit EB, you may as well pick up Wipeout and Wipeout 3 as well, mostly since they all go for around $1 to $2.

[radjago]

You want some SHMUPs for the PS1?

I loved the Arcade version of Strikers 1945. Is the port very good?

Raiden Project sounds very tempting, as does Thunderforce V.

Is Darius Gaiden the same as G Darius? I had the PC version of Darius Gaiden, but I'm not sure what happened to it.

[ValkyrieVF-1S]

Don't forget einhander!

Also, if you are into mecha type games, you might want to try Omega Boost.

[TimPV3]

I love Megaman Legends 1 and 2, and The Misadventures of Tron Bonne is really fun too.

[DigitalSpace]

-R.C. De Go! - I imagine that a 32-bit update to R.C. Pro-Am would would look something like this. Fun racer from Taito that just about everybody missed out on.
-Rage Racer - my personal favorite among the PSX Ridge Racer games.
-Sled Storm - A really fun snowmobile racing game. Much better than its sequel on the PS2.
-Destruction Derby - Still remains one of the best games in its genre to this day.
-Crash Team Racing - My personal favorite of the Mario Kart clones.
-Buster Bros. Collection - Excellent compilation that includes Buster Bros, Super Buster Bros, and Buster Buddies.

-Cleopatra's Fortune - port of a Taito puzzle game. Cheap too!
-Sheep - Quirky game where you have to guide sheep to safety. Kinda reminds me of Lemmings.
-The Next Tetris - Interesting Tetris update that's worth a look. A little scarcer than the other games here, but not too tough to find.

If you like Pinball simulations at all, Patriotic Pinball, Pro Pinball: Big Race USA and Pro Pinball: Fantastic Journey are pretty good, and can easily be found on the cheap.

[Zing]

Raiden Project is definitely a must-have.

Intelligent Qube is a requirement as well.

[schuerm26]

PaRappa The Rapper is a good music game.

[Chacrana]

actually, I forgot to mention R4: Ridge Racer Type 4. It's easily the best racing game from that generation and in a lot of ways, it's still one of the most entertaining racers now. I'm definitely glad that I decided to hang onto it.

[SMMM]

PaRappa The Rapper is a good music game.

No, it is the BEST music game.

[kittycatgirl2k]

Crash Bandicoot 1-3
Spyro the Dragon 1-3 ( I think the second one was the best)
Threads of Fate (platforming RPG - fairly short)
Raystorm (pretty good shooter)
Silhouette Mirage (funky platformer game)
Harvest Moon (farming sim...yeh its actually fun)
Strider 2 (arcadey action)
Dino Crisis 2 (shooting dinos...survival horror kinda style. I liked it)

Those are some of my favs anyway... and of course you have to have Castlevania: SOTN. Thats just a classic and never seems to age unlike alot of other games that kinda suck now...

[Apossum]

Puzzle Fighter 2!

[Broccoli Storm]

A fun arcade game that was ported into a collection is Super Buster Bros. It's a fun, arcade-style game that always keeps me coming back for more and is pretty difficult (if you refuse to use continues like me).

[radjago]

Raiden Project is definitely a must-have.

Intelligent Qube is a requirement as well.PaRappa The Rapper is a good music game.
While these games are good, they are quite expensive and/or hard to find at a decent price. If you have a copy you can sell me for cheap, let me know :D

[Rozz]

I played MGS on PC. I had a copy of Castlevania: SotN that I sold to a CAG before I had a PSX. I'm beginning to regret that decision.

Thanks for the picks.

I've heard Wipeout XL is the best of that series. Which Twisted Metal is best?

Out of all the PSX Twisted Metals number three is the best. Dont bother with the fourth entry or Small Brawl - they're pure trash. The classic ones are nothing compared to the third release, either.

Sim Theme Park is great fun, and Bomberman Party Edition, Grid Runner, and Super Puzzle Fighter II make great party games. Also, theres Strider 2, Spin Jam, Parappa the Rapper, and my favorite, Harvest Moon: Back to Nature.

[pinoy530]

While these games are good, they are quite expensive and/or hard to find at a decent price. If you have a copy you can sell me for cheap, let me know :D

Parappa isn't hard to find. It's also in your <20 requirement. I did a quick search on ebay, and the completed ones usually ended up in the teens. If you like parappa, there is also the pseudo sequel, umjammer lammy. Which is basically a rock version of parappa. You might find it a an eb or gs for 2.99.

Good luck with Raiden Project though, in addition to having a short print, it was also one of the first psx games.