The Best Undiscovered Playstation (PS1 / PSX) Games
Usually, when you get a new-to-you console, you can usually find or remember the major games to check out. But what happens when you need something different to play? This is where the “Hidden Gems” come in. (Digg This)
Read More About My Criteria For Hidden Gems
See All The Hidden Gems Articles
Platformers
Obvious Choices:
Ape Escape, Crash Bandicoot, Rayman, Spyro the Dragon, etc
Featured Game: Tomba! & Tomba! 2
From Gamespot’s Review “Tomba is like a blast from the past, with a twist. On the surface, it looks just like the side-scrolling platform games of the 16-bit era. You’ll find the requisite jumps, attacks, tricks of timing, and monsters. But Tomba adds to this tried-and-true formula. There are numerous “events” Tomba must complete in order to advance through the game….Not all events are so straightforward; some tasks are downright cryptic, and you can have several events to clear at any one time, so playing Tomba requires some concentration.
Tomba sports fresh, very cheerful graphics, decent sound and music appropriate for a platform game, and smooth controls. There’s a lot of moves to master, but signposts along the way teach you how to use your controller as you progress through the game. Some areas of the game allow you to explore the foreground and the background of the level as separate areas, but don’t let that fool you: Tomba is at heart a 2D game.”
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More Great Games
Silhouette Mirage
Looney Tunes: Sheep Raider
Klonoa: Door to Phantomile
Umihara Kawase Syun
Tail Concerto
Jumping Flash 2
Bugs Bunny & Taz: Time Busters
Bugs Bunny: Lost in Time
Heart of Darkness
Pandemonium
Action/Adventure
Obvious Choices:
Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, etc
Featured Game: Trap Gunner
From IGN’s Review: “Pure and simple, Trap Gunner is a refreshing break from an otherwise rapidly stagnating pool of me-too action games on PlayStation. Presenting a well-balanced mix of action and what can best be described as puzzle elements, it’s simply one of a kind.
It’s visual and level design are spot-on, sound’s great too, and the concept is one of the best I’ve yet encountered in an action game. It takes a decent amount of time to master the process of effectively laying and detecting traps – all while running and attacking – but one you do, it’s a one-way trip to addiction city.
If anything, I’d liken Trap Gunner to some of the earliest (and most unique) steps taken in console game development. It offers a style of play seldom seen these days — yet it’s not entirely original. Spy vs. Spy did it first, but Trap Gunner makes it better in more ways than one. ”
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More Great Games
MDK
Ball Breakers
Frogger 2: Swampy’s Revenge
G-Police: Weapons of Justice
Wild 9
Speed Power Gunbike
Ghost In The Shell
Elemental Gearbolt
Future Cop: LAPD
Skullmonkeys
Hercs Adventure
Galerians
Tiny Tank: Up Your Arsenal
Little Big Adventure/ Relentless
Little Big Adventure 2/Relentless 2
Magic Carpet
Rogue Trip
Echo Night
Exhumed/Poweslave
Boombots
Run-N-Gun/Hack-N-Slash/Beatemup
Obvious Choices:
Metal Slug X, Megaman, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Featured Game: Gunners Heaven/Rapid Reload
From KidFenris.com Review : “Gunners isn’t without some creative alterations, though. Instead of using a Gunstar [Heroes]-like array of mix-and-match firearms, Axel and Ruka each have four personalized weapons: a basic vulcan cannon, a homing laser, a spread gun, and a flamethrower. Each type of shot has a standard form and an enhanced variant, upgraded by “P” crystals from destroyed enemies. Said crystals fill a numerical gauge that’s always counting down, requiring a constant supply of defeated foes. It’s a clever twist on the usual power-up system, and the game never leaves you without an effective weapon as long as you keep moving forward. For some additional destructive flair, Axel and Ruka can grab a rarely seen “Boost” icon that briefly jacks any weapon up to ridiculously powerful levels. There’s also a grappling tool that’s mostly useless, but fun to screw around with.
Gunners Heaven may be competently crafted and fun in its looser moments, yet it’s unremarkable, relevant only to devoted Gunstar fans desperate for a similar title. Tha’s where I come in. I loved Gunstar Heroes, and in a world where it has few imitators, even a trite rip-off is a welcome sight. Gunners Heaven has little originality or importance, but stands as a halfway enjoyable action piece and a tribute to a classic that should perhaps be plagiarized more often.”
Shop for Gunner’s Heaven on eBay
More Great Games
Panzer Bandit
Silent Bomber
Strider 2
Wolf Fang
Geikido
2D Fighting
Obvious Choices:
Street Fighter Alpha, Marvel vs Capcom, Guilty Gear
Featured Game: Gundam Battle Assault
From IGN Review: “The realization of the mech designs is lovely, and there are plenty of impressive special attacks to pull off. You can fly around the screen with the R1+R2 thruster maneuver, thanks to the tall Versus-style arenas, avoid combinations with KOF-inspired sidestep moves, and ammunition limitations throw a bit of a kink into some of the weapon-based special attacks. The story mode features multiple mid-game and end bosses, some of which stretch two and three times taller than the standard Mobile Suits, forcing the camera to pull back as far as it can go through the entire battle. Altogether, Battle Assault plays rather like a slowed-down X-Men vs. Street Fighter (these are giant robots, after all), complete with insanely cheap final opponents. Who’s worse: Magneto or the Hydra Gundam? The world may never know.”
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More Great Games
Samurai Deeper Kyo
Darkstalkers 3
Cyberbots
Asuka 120 Final Burning Festival
Pocket Fighter/Super Game Fighter
3D Fighting
Obvious Choices:
Tekken 3, Soul Blade, Dead or Alive
Featured Game: Tobal No. 1
From IGN’s Review: “Control is nothing less than perfect, with an incredibly intuitive motion configuration. Pressing up and down on the directional button moves you in and out of the screen, respectively. This allows for much more freedom of movement than the traditional Toshinden diving-dodge move, which, although 3D, rarely allows for behind-the-back attacks. Tobal has also introduced an interesting grapple move, which allows you to grab your opponent and, depending on your button execution, throw them in a myriad of ways.”
Shop for Tobal No. 1 on eBay
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More Great Games
Bloody Roar 2: The New Breed
Rival Schools: United by Fate
Poy Poy
Bushido Blade
Bushido Blade 2
Rakugaki Showtime
Ehrgeiz
Rising Zan: The Samurai Gunman
Star Gladiator
Dynasty Warriors
Psychic Force
Destrega
Pop’N Tanks
3D Rail Shooters
Obvious Choices: Tempest X/Tempest 2000
Featured Game: IS: Internal Section
From Moby Games Description: “Internal Section is a “tube shooter” in the tradition of Tempest and S.T.U.N Runner. The game uses a flat shaded, untextured polygons to keep a high frame rate in the PlayStation’s high resolution mode. Players have access to twelve different weapons, each named after a sign of the Chinese Zodiac. The in-game soundtrack is techno, and much like SCEI’s Vib Ribbon, IS can dynamically change the environments based off of music CDs in certain modes. The game is very similar in terms of gameplay and style to Rez, and actually was released nearly 3 years earlier.”
Shop for IS: Internal Section on eBay
More Great Games
Omega Boost
Nanotek Warrior
N20 – Nitrous Oxide
Gamera 2000
2D Shmups
Obvious Choices:
Einhander, Thunder Force V, G-Darius, Raiden, R-Type Delta, Gradius Gaiden
Featured Game: Harmful Park
Hardcore Gaming 101’s Review : “As with Parodius, Harmful Park is really defined by all of the details, whether they be strange enemies, inventive bullet patterns, or just plain wacky situations. One bad guy has a Jiffy Pop embedded in his chest, which he then explodes, unleashing a torrent of popcorn. Another set of enemies drink down gasoline and then breath of fire. Yet another is a gumball machine which sends gumballs bouncing erratically around the screen. Paratroopers fall from the sky, into a vat of chocolate, which then splashes up to try to kill you. Many of the artillery encampments are merely coin operated rides. The bats carry baseball bats. Certain enemies leave behind notes that say “aho” (jerk). And then there’s the giant robotic ape riding the cow train.
Harmful Park is full of these inventive elements, which really goes to show that each and every part of this game was crafted with loving care and attention. It also lends to replayability, as you begin to pick out more strange things as you return to each stage. While there isn’t much in the way of fancy special effects, all of the graphics are bright, colorful, and some of the best 2D you’ll find on the Playstation. The soundtrack is pleasant and whimsical, even though only a few songs are really memorable. Your character’s death scream is pretty amusing though, especially as you see their tiny, aggravated expression as their cycle explodes and they’re tossed off-screen.”
Shop for Harmful Park on eBay
More Great Games
Cotton Original/Cotton 100%
Night Raid
Philosoma
Ray Crisis Series Termination
Vacuum Kids / Kyuinn
DonPachi
DoDonPachi
Strikers 1945
Strikers 1945 II
Zanac X Zanac
RayStorm
Kaitei Daisensou/In The Hunt
Sonic Wings Special
Soukyugurentai (Terra Driver)
Twinbee Yahoo Deluxe Pack
70’s Robot Anime Geppy X
Viewpoint
RPG
Obvious Choices
There are many — Check Out The Best of Playstation RPGs
Featured Game: Brave Fencer Musashi
From IGN’s Review “A combination of action and adventure elements that will no doubt conjure comparisons (like this one) to classics such as Zelda, it’s the story of Allucaneet kingdom’s fight against an evil intruder. Its ultimate weapon: a pint-sized facsimile of the legendary samurai Musashi. Japan’s greatest warrior may have been a gruff grown up, but in this game he’s a wise-cracking kid. Go figure.
Musashi’s lengthy quest involves running, jumping, and slashing his way through six chapters, from one side of the land to the other. Not only does the little guy have to get his hands of five legendary scrolls before the bad guys do, but he’s also got to (surprise-surprise) rescue a princess. Don’t let the simple description fool you though; there’s a lot more than simple swordplay involved.”
Shop for Brave Fencer Musashi on eBay
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More Great Games
Star Ocean: The Second Story
Thousand Arms
Guardian’s Crusade
Harvest Moon: Back to Nature
Persona
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu
Vandal Hearts
Vandal Hearts 2
Alundra
Alundra 2
Arc the Lad Collection
Azure Dreams
Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure
Threads of Fate
SaGa Frontier
SaGa Frontier 2
Legend of Dragoon
Kartia: The Word of Fate/Legend of Kartia
Samurai Shodown RPG
Vanguard Bandits
Saiyuki: Journey West
Darkstone
Strategy/Simulation
Obvious Choices:
Final Fantasy Tactics, X-COM: UFO Defense, Civilization II
Featured Game: Team Buddies
From IGN’s Review: “A hella addictive action/strategy combination that starts out peppy, then moves on to become downright anarchistic…. Team Buddies is a thinking man’s shooter. No, no wait.. it’s a great party game. Er, ahem, that is to say the title’s also a Sesame Street-esque action/strategy extravaganza, ya know? Eek.. uh…hmmm, that won’t do. Oh screw it, buy the damn thing and you’ll be too entertained to care about what we’re trying to get at.”
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More Great Games
Carnage Heart
Nectaris: Military Madness
Tactics Ogre
Sim Theme Park
Kagero: Deception II
Unholy War
Return Fire
Ore no Ryouri
Puzzle/Maze
Obvious Choices:
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo, The Next Tetris, Bust-A-Move
Featured Game: Devil Dice
From GameSetWatch’s Review: “As with the best puzzle games, Devil Dice’s gameplay is simple in premise, but full of nuance. You control a little devil who runs around a playfield where dice spawn underfoot. In an attempt to stop the onslaught of dice, you can move them around by either pushing them or rolling them into other dice of the same top face number. Once you push together a set amount of dice determined by top face (two connected dice with a top face of two, six with a top face of six, etc.), the dice glow and start to sink back into the ground. It’s at this point that you have the opportunity to eliminate more dice by rolling or pushing dice of the same top face into the sinking set. This is where the game’s combo system comes into play, with further matches rewarded with more points. ”
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More Great Games
Intelligent Qube
Builder’s Block
Ms. Pac-Man Maze Madness
Mr. Driller
Roll Away
No One Can Stop Mr. Domino
Ballistic
Sheep
Racing/Flying
Obvious Choices:
Gran Turismo 2, Driver, Ridge Racer, Ace Combat , Wipeout, Need For Speed, Colin McRae Rally
Featured Game: Speed Punks
From 
Gamespot’s Review : “One area definitely worthy of praise is the game’s physics. The vehicles move, bounce, and steer in a very lively way. You really have to pay attention to just how far you push the analog stick because if you get careless you’ll end up smashing into a wall and losing precious time. That’s not to say the game is hard to play – it’s just not as forgiving as some of the other kart racers such as Walt Disney World’s Magical Racing Quest. In Speed Punks, you still have to follow the standard formula of racing around tracks, collecting power-ups, and lining up for speed boosters, but at least it’s a little more of a challenge since the physics really make it a bit more of an involved controller process to power slide, land a big jump, and line up for items.
In the end, Speed Punks is a quality go-kart racing game that offers more than enough variety to warrant yet another kart-racing game purchase. The game’s modes of play (tournament, challenge, time attack, and multiplayer) offer a great deal of options that carry the game a lot further than most of the other games in the genre. If you’re a fan of Crash Team Racing and have been looking for another fun four-player racer, or if have wondered if any of these kart games are any fun, Speed Punks won’t lead you astray.”
Shop for Speed Punks on eBay
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More Great Games
Raytracers
Rollcage Stage 2
Micro Machines V3
Looney Tunes Racing
Warhawk
Sled Storm
Motor Toon Grand Prix
Other
Featured Game: R/C Stunt Copter
From IGN’s Review: “Taking into consideration the fact that Shiny was after was the true tactile “feel” of flying a radio-controlled helicopter, I would have to say that I think Shiny got it right. Especially since I have had one or two occasions to “attempt” flying one of those expensive little toys, compliments of long time friend Victor Santillo (the neighborhood rich kid). Having the insight and forethought to realize that the Dual Shock-with its two analog sticks-closely emulates a real R/C controller, Shiny was able (after years of development) to derive at a physics model that very closely simulates the true physics found in R/C Copter flying.
Thus far, very few games have taken advantage of “both” the Dual Shock’s analog joysticks. One of the first I can recall, without thinking to deeply here, was NCAA GameBreaker. It used both analog sticks to allow the running game a free roaming camera angle, to better see the side of the field that was generally “blind” while running. But, heretofore, I cannot recall any other PlayStation game that uses the device in quite this way. [ed note: OK, Fabian didn't play Ape Escape, so forgive him] ]Now one might wonder if this game is difficult. And since the game has been delayed due to control issues, and the fact that Shiny has gotten the true physics of R/C helicopter flying down pat, I would have to honestly say…yes! It’s difficult. Well, at least for a while.”
Shop for RC Stunt Copter on eBay
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More Great Games
Slap Happy Rhythm Busters
Vib Ribbon
RC de GO!
Pro Pinball
Pong: The Next Level
Incredible Crisis
Buster Bros Collection
Thrasher: Skate and Destroy
amazing article. it’s amazing how many great RPGs came out for the PS1… but it’s too bad how they all aged rather poorly. I remember playing BOF3 to death for a couple of weeks. Also I don’t think I ever want to play FF8 for the rest of my life.
You know, I’ve got some shopping to do, I feel like going to FYE and get out what they have PSOne games (they got alot) most of them cost like a dollor each.
I never knew about that Gunners Heaven game, looks awsome!
And you should include Darius Gaiden on the shmups section. Can’t help you with anything else since I never had a PSX and know few stuff about the plataform.
BTW have you checked the comments on the Mega Drive hidden gems list? I’ve suggested and corrected a few things but you haven’t updated your list yet.
I’ve checked and Gunners Heaven has also released on Europe under the name of Rapid Reload. Just to let you know.
I’ve been doing something similar at http://del.icio.us/mj0lnirgames although it’s not as complete (by far)
I encourage you to try it, the tagging system is very useful and it even has RSS.
Racketboy … I love your website VERY much. Don’t ever stop!
Stuff like this is horrible though, I am already suffering from a severe case of being a Saturn Collector … I dont need the temptation of the PSX as well!
If you’re going to name Final Fantasy Tactics as an ‘obvious chioce’for the strategy/sim genre, you should at least mention the awesome Front Mission 3. I personaly think it blows FF Tactics completely away in several catagories.
you didnt put skullmonkeys on any of the lists!?…or the first digimon world…..for shame
Skullmonkeys is on the list.
Digimon isn’t exactly hidden.
Legend of Legaia deserves a spot.
i agree with that front mission 3 comment. well, i do like fft aswell, but it’s just somehow so much more relaxing to play fm3.
Hey u’ve forgot Valkyrie Profile,Legend of legaia and Koudelka on the rpgs!
Hi, check this out : http://stahn.blogspot.com/
Yes! I remember playing Guardian’s Crusade ONCE, then I forgot what it was called! Now I can find it again!
Excellent, excellent list.
where is XENOGEARS?!?!?!
best playstation rpg, and yes i said the BEST!
ps- speed punks rules!
Xenogears is far from “undiscovered”…
Surprised Tron Bonne or Vanark didn’t feature on this list.
sweet love the list
very good!!!!!! i love these psx games….
Help!!! Please help me find a old playstation game, it’s japanese game where player must put traps to defeat enemies. Game field was separated in squares.
hey great site.
could anyone out there recommend
any 2 player hidden gems for psx?
hey great site.
could anyone out there recommend
any 2 player hidden gems for psx?
……excluding fighting games.
this site makes me sad…
reminds me of all the cherished games I lost… (long story short, complications with storage eventually lead to the lost of all my oldies)
a great list (although, personally I would’ve went for Klonoa than Tomba)
reminds me what a juggernaut psx was for rpg (from the intro of wild arms to the *spoiler blah spoiler* ending of chrono cross it was all a blast)
i would like to mention nightmare creatures (never liked the game… but it still had its merits [it was a difficult/challenging game in the sense of the gameplay being flawed)
and tecmo’s deception series (never played it…as of yet…but seems to be intriguing)
Hey, fantastic site you guys have going here. In this list I felt the need to comment as I didnt see mention made of Megaman Legends 1 or 2. These are quite easily 2 of the best games (esp. pt. 2) that were avaliable on the PSX. Perhaps you have not played them? They didnt get nearly as much attention as they should have. If you have the chance pick them up and try them. They are a huge change from side-scrolling megaman titles but then again so was battle network and it had a good run. You wont be dissapointed.
what about Guardians Crusade?
Thanks for this site!!! Hidden gems are just what I was looking for. I have some of these games now listed on this site such as brave fencer musashi, and they are awesome! thanks again.
Team buddies was F**king amazing!
I’m glad to see that I own a few of those mentioned. Too bad so few of them were released in PAL regions.
> this site makes me sad…
> reminds me of all the cherished games I lost… (long story short,
> complications with storage eventually lead to the lost of all my
> oldies)
Get an emulator. That’s what they were created for.
I enjoyed playing Jumpman on a Commodore 64.
I used to like to play Metal Slug at the arcade.
I loved Vanguard.
and you can play them all with an emulator. I recommend PSX.
having difficulty setting one up? Write me at fuzzywzhe@yahoo.com
i think one of most underrated game on psx was libero grande. best arcade footabll ever.
Thanks for the recommendation — I’ll have to look into that one!
kudos on the writeups. I didn’t see power shovel which is a great quirky game. Rakugaki showtime deserves a feature. Great reviews. Thanks’
First of, great articles!
Hey, maybe since this is a hidden gems article
change Psychic Force to Psychic Force 2
change mr driller to mr driller g
change ridge racer to ridge racer Turbo 60FPS version
And put Side By Side Special with racing games as well, a true hidden gem. I would kill a kitten for a wireless negcon to play that game on my ps3! There is even a rarer Side by Side Special 2000, very rare!
Interesting suggestions! I’ll have to look into those!
hey who got play digimon world3 can let me some hints how to cross the mobius desert
Crash Team Racing.
‘Nuff said.
here the games that undiscovered he didnt mentioned the popular ones
i loved to play bombarman world on ps1!!! and gt1 ^^ i created a car ( GTO purple ) ^^
i play most these games on my PSP after converting them from PSX to PSP ,,,its real fun i just came here to look what games i might missed before
thx for the list hands up
You forgot to mention Parasite Eve. That was a really good game. Oh and don’t forget SILENT HILL. It’s a classic!
OMG TRAP GUNNER! no way! i loved that game omg. xD.. that ha to be one of the most adictive games i have ever played. omg i feel like crying after i seen trap gunner. and of corse everyone loved tomba from all the demos. There was although another game that invovled ship underwater shooting eachother i cant remember the name. its very rare. it involved goign though levels collecting power ups in a royal rumble type of fight except you were in sumarines/boats/cars and more.
hello everybody.i loves to play digimon world 1.it is very fun and that make me crazy of it
i know how to pass the mobius desert.you need to walk straight three times and walk left three times and walk straight again one times.but i allready forget how to walkthrought.i think it is correct.
i mean mobius desert in digimon world 3
This a hidden gems list, surely
But for an obvious choice, why wasn’t the twisted metal series mentioned ?
Racketboy and others:
Have a look at the Japanese platformer Adventures of Little Ralf. I think you’ll be pleasantly suprised.
OMG!! u didn’t mention battle arena toshindin or however u spell it…thats a great fighting game me and my brother would kick the crap out of each other all day in that game XD
That’s true. Xenogears was a hit during the 1990′s (1998 to be exact).
How can a stupid game such as Crash Bandicoot and Tomba be better?
Xenogears has a very detailed story, which makes it hard to understand that makes it long-lasting.
yo dude u forgot about Jersey Devil
3d/platform.adventure
i got in on my psp , click this link to see it
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YBE8Mm8zWBE
Way Cool, I just got a PS3 and this Will Help me get some Great ps1 games. This is My First Sony System because I was such a Sega nut for So long. (Still am) I remember Spider It looked Fun I hope it is as fun as I remeber. Thanks Again Racket Boy!
[QUOTE] Spin The Demon :”Way Cool, I just got a PS3 and this Will Help me get some Great ps1 games. This is My First Sony System because I was such a Sega nut for So long. (Still am) I remember Spider It looked Fun I hope it is as fun as I remeber. Thanks Again Racket Boy!”
PS3 can be a little ropey for playing PS1 games. Even if you have the correct model that plays them, the sound, disc scanning and general controls are flawed when running through the system on many games. Some games don’t even run. You’re better off just buying a PS1 to play a lot of the oldies.
Glad you enjoyed it — and thanks for the PS3 comments.
That’s a real shame. I SO much want backwards compatibility to be a perfect reality, but nobody seems to make it want to happen.
At least I can play my Gamecube games well on my Wii
Wooo Brave Fencer Musashi was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And about Medievil?
Those were good times for gaming;and as today they are still amazing,unlike most of today´s games.
forgot to mention harvest moon, don’t know why, but that game was insanely fascinating
oh nevermind, i screwed it up a lil
great site!
Oh my gosh, G Darius…I have been on a constant search for that title for some time. I still have all my old Psx Undergrounds and just have fun popping them in time and time again. Thanks a ton Racket Boy, time to go buy like 9 different games from this list.
i can’t believe you didn’t mention Jet Moto in the racing category.
This site makes me sick… They never follow the titles or purposes of the articles… most of these games are well established and popular. “Hey Lets make an article about rarest games but put in FF7″, one of the most common most popular f***ing games ever sold.
The one greatest undiscovered game is Diablo for PSX.
I know I rant on about it too much, but It pisses me off that such a godly f***in game doesn’t ever get listed as it should be anywhere, I’ve been googling to find lists with Diablo in it but none… It makes me sick.
Wa? Which ones are popular?
And Diablo undiscovered? The same as the extremely popular PC game, Diablo?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diablo_(video_game)
Thats funny, I don’t think FF7 was even mentioned until Jeremy brought it up.
And Diablo for PSX was “ok”…it was all about Diablo 2 on PC
He forgot KulaWorld, or RollAway. Amazing strategy game.
This is a great article, but why is Crash Team Racing never mentioned (as either obvious or undiscovered)? That was one of the best games of my childhood.
ooooooo T-T
bfst list evaaaaa!
I cant wait to try out these games out using my PSP! the only bad thing is no R2 L2, they’re assigned to other buttons, of ur choice if u choose but its still annoying. : (
oh, and the armoured core series hasnt been mentioned. ( stupid non-existant R/L2 buttons)
Whoa, typing on my PSP causes bad grammar.
I second kulaworld,an excellent game. Also hogs of war is relatively unknown and is a great little strategy game,and lifeforce tenka is another pretty obscure one,but definitely a gem! Keep up the good work racketboy! This site rules.
We can’t forget Muppet Monster Adventures for PS1
I suggest downloading the roms if you have a legal emulator.
OMFG!!! Man, i love you!!
So many really good games that I had forgotten the name or that I still do not know (the Japanese games), by the way, you suggest me some site that has Japanese games translated to English?
Thank you for reminding me the games like RayStorm, very good!
Great list. Getting teambuddies right away. PLEASE HELP!!!!
There was a game I played at my cousins in the early 90′s I cant remember but I really think it was on SNES. Ok, it was a side scroller however there were no planes! Two guys were flying (R type style but possibly with jet packs cant remember) and the gun upgrades were amazing!!!!!! thats all I can remember please help!!!
P.S. (Like Gunstar Heroes only the two guys are in mid air lol, just a little more help)
I’m just going through some of these again and noticed you’re missing Puyo Puyo. It’s a fantastic, quirky game that I regret getting rid of once upon a time. Trying to find it for a decent price now is horrible.
yeahh good games
GREAT SITE… I used to addicted to Brave Fencer Musashi, I finished it more than 10 times… perfectly! XD
n love other RPG games (I was RPG nut)…
btw.. wan to recommend.. tail concerto.. very cute, yet challenging 3-D game… its like klonoa in 3-D platform XD
U ROX!
I’m not sure why I said Puyo Puyo. I meant Poy Poy.
you should check out MDK its a great game played it when it came out haven’t seen it since. its awsome.
oohh those days. Tomba’s riddles made me crazy when i was a kid. ohhh the evil swines.
great article
Hey, great list, love psx. one thing, theres SPIDER game(not spider man), great game, check it out, ist sort of dedly creatures on wii,but only controlling a spider.
I see there is a section for 3D Rail Shooters, but what about GunCon rail shooters? The GunCon 1 was one of the coolest pieces of industrial art design I’ve ever held in my hand.
And while all PSX GunCon games other than Time Crisis could probably be considered “hidden gems”, there’s one I haven’t seen matched on any system before or since: Elemental Gearbolt. It is the Mona Lisa of GunCon games.
Does anyone know the name of this thrid person game where you played as this girl who set traps for people in a spooky house or something? Possibly assasin or mercenary kinda thing?
girl who sets traps sounds like Deception 3, different and fun
So that’s where bombastic comes from.
I like your article, but I have a couple of more to suggest:
Puzzle Star Sweep- It seems that nobody know about this game, but it is a very addictive puzzle game. It was marketed as a “budget” title and has some English translation problems to show for it, but when it comes down to gameplay, it is fantastic. It has elements to it that other puzzle games don’t have, such as bosses inside the puzzle area.
Qix Neo-I have been playing this game off and on for about two years. Like Puzzle Star Sweep, this game was marketed as a “budget title.” It is like Qix on steroids.
This is a great article i really like it..
HOSHIGAMI!!! you forgot this! best simulation/rpg game! hard and yet cool.. much like fft but a lot harder more challenging..
just try it..
Front Mission 3,
Not super rare, but obvious.
Hogs Of War, again, not super rare, but awesome game.
Road Rash. The PSX version wasnt the best but cant seem to find it anywhere atm. Might not be looking hard enough tho…
Both Rollcage games… Hard to get in mint cond.
Loaded, rarer than Reloaded i believe… And much better!
Didnt see Fighter Maker… Was a shockingly awful game but you dont see many copies around.
Btw… Great list, Racketboy! Keep up the good work!
Damn… That took some typing… On here with my Mobile. Lol.
Whoops… I forgot to put Amazing with Front Mission 3!! What am i thinking??? D’oh!
blood lines was amazing
Does anyone recall a game in which you controlled a ball on a floating platform high above the earth and you could roll over the edges without falling off?
Kula World that’s it!
dude, thanks for posting this, i’m always looking for more good games, you’ve posted some gems here man!! love the rpg’s
Thanks a lot man!!! Your list is truly original and top-notch. I hope I can find those gems…
Thanks dude, been trying to find the name of Team Buddies for ages, loved that game couldnt think what it was called!
awesome list. I like how you got monster rancher, threads of fate, and tomba. But where is mega man legends!? That game came out of nowhere, and delivered an awesome story and some fun ass gameplay
Dude.
Project overkill. Hello? Bueller?
And Loaded or Re-loaded. Those were such fun guilty pleasures.
Thanks for mentioning IQ. I’m downloading it for my android phone as we speak…..but, it shoulda been in the #1 spot for puzzlers. That game is like crack.
One of my all time favorites, which was not mentioned, is Tenchu – Stealth Assasins. If you havent tried it, do yourself a favor and get it.. dont let the somewhat poor grafix fool you, the gameplay is the SHAAEEEIIT!!
And by the way, there are now 4 or 5 games in the series, but whatever you do STAY THE F*CK away from number 2 – it sucks ass.
i have a copy of Ehrgeiz (no case) and a copy of resident evil directers cut for ps1 for sale, $25 + shipping. if iterested email me at the_wretched@live.com.
hey i saw you mentioned poy poy and tobal 1. both incredible games, but both have awesome sequels especially tobal 2. tobal 2 is by far the best fighting game for ps1 my opinion… never released in america, but tobal 2 has a translated iso. check it out.
I’m sorry, but ADVENTURES OF LITTLE RALPH is better than any game you mentioned in this article, and is BY FAR the best game on the psx.
True, Adventure of Little Ralph is very good
Ok.. WTF is Medievil and Metal Gear Solid, and Parasite Eve!?!?
You even missed Crash Bandicoot Racing, it was the Mario Kart of the playstation.
This is the list of Hidden Gems — not the best-known games…
WOW MOST OF YOU DIDN’T EVEN READ THE ARTICLE.
He mentioned CTR in the piece about Speed Punks. Seriously people! This article is about UNknown games. FF7 and anything with Megaman in the title is NOT UNKNOWN.
MGS is mentioned in the Action/Adventure section under OBVIOUS Picks. Because THAT’S WHAT IT IS.
Also, I agree with Jersey Devil needing to be on here. And Power Shovel, that was awesome.
Also, you should look into a game called LSD: Dream Emulator. It’s one of the weirdest games you will ever encounter.
i like turtles
great article, thanks! only game i would suggest is ‘starsweep’ in the puzzle category
reallly need help findin a game…… any way really good article but could u help me find a japanese stratagey where u summmon monsters to help u deffeat the enamy….. im writin on psp so srry forr bad spellin
Good list overall, with excellent mentions such as Intelligent Qube, Wild 9, Magic Carpet, Tail Concerto, Heart of Darkness, Detana Twinbee Yahoo Deluxe Pack and Mister Driller.
But lack of games such as Tear Ring Saga (Strategy RPG), Policenauts, Broken Sword, and D (Adventure), Tokimeki Memorial 2 and Mitsumete Knight (Other), Taisen Puzzle Dama and Taisen Tokkae Dama (Puzzle), Parodius games (2D Shoot-em-up), TOCA 2 Touring Cars (Racing), and Colony Wars (Flying) is making me cry.
Yeah this is a great article. A lot of work was put into this. thanks.
Great list. I recommend King’s Field and Tecmo’s Deception. Glad to see little-known titles like RayTracers and Pandemonium on the list.
thanks for this great list!! very informative..
I think adventure games deserve a place here as well. Actually, I only recently discovered that, for instance, Discworld 1 and 2 made it to PSOne. And that’s also great news for people who can’t run its pc versions on more recent systems – just get an emulator and voila!
Hogs of war, Syndicate Wars and Z. Surprised they weren’t on here…. Great little gems with hours of fun.
I’m so glad I have a PSP to play al these classics, Tomba was my favourite, rapid reload tobal number 1, Brave Fencer musashi, all great. dont think brave fencer mushashi was that underrated though
way the pas1 games not coming?2010
i need help on looking for a game. i think it was japanese and it was about a boy trying to rescue his sister from a leader. the boy walks across a map and he sometimes gets captured by soldiers and he has to fight some evil things. if he wins he gets stuff like money and flints. he also fights a 3 headed spider. the aim of the game is to rescue his sister and restore order and rebuild the country. i know it begins with S. any ideas???
zshaf – it sounds very similar to ico on ps2
where is vrally-2 ? in the place of cars racing
Old games were the best ones. The new games have gone too far away, ok, the good graphics and animations and etc. But nothing is going to be the same thing. In almost all the updated games like Tekken or Mortal Kombat (that once were on top while Ps1 time) on Ps2 or Ps3 everything changed and lost the essence that they had once and that essence is what made them be what they were back then.
Does anyone remember Thrill Kill? That game was amazing but… That is a sad story. But wow is just too good!!
@AK – I agree…games these days are all graphics/no story but since I love first person shooters, I love my 360. However it may be visually stunning, but RPG’s will never be the same as snes/ps1. And while I’m on the subject of RPG’s – LUNAR : Silver Star Story Complete should have been on the list. and the remade version of Chrono Trigger(even if it isn’t undiscovered)
[PS the new Mortal Kombat seems to be taking it back to its roots with a new twist, cuz i hated the last 3 mk games]
Very helpful and informative list. I just got a full-BC PS3 (60GB) so I’m trying to find all the best for the PS1 and PS2. So far I’m loving the three-generation compatibility, not to mention the PS2′s arcade comps and Sonic’s UGC.
One question – have you considered doing a list of the best 2d games on the PS1 — RPGs, platformers, arcade/puzzle and all? I saw your article on ‘modern 2d’ games on the PS2 and it was quite good, but it seems there are probably many more left to be discovered on the PS1. Thanks!
On a side note, when the heck is Hudson bringing those TG16 games to PSN (US)? They said it was this month… :-/
I still play the play station one game. I cant get past duke nukem land of the babes level 13. cant get down to release houston and find the two secrets.
We are planning on doing a 2D games guide — just a lot of others to get out of the way first
can someone help me to recall the game i played long ago.. i think it is a war game like brigandine but not as that having polygon etc.. it is 3D i think .. have castles invading something like that.. and i remember the opening is a boy that has two swords?.. someone?..
And i think .. there is a character that has a big two handed sword.. long white hair.. Please help me..
For racing genre, my favorite one ever on PSone was Grand Tour Racing ’98. It’s the only game I’ve kept from psone throughout the years. I can still enjoy it every time I go back and play.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_%26_Driver_Presents:_Grand_Tour_Racing_'98
Musashi is undiscovered? one of the the best action-Rpg of the Psone, made by Square, very good critics, i remember when this games launchs, not undiscovered at all
For all italian users… http://psxoldpub.blogspot.com… a PS1 fan blog
my blog!! 
One I recently discovered was Apocalypse (starring Bruce Willis). Maybe it’s really well known, but I’d overlooked it because I figured it was shit. Turns out it’s actually a lot of fun!
tae ninyo pangit kaayo inyo mga dula
Alright. I’m not an elitist, and I don’t claim to know everything when it comes to video games, but I really don’t understand how Rhapsody and Legends of Dragoon are not listed in the initial list, or even mentioned in the comments. I r disappoint.
man i played Brave fencer musashi as a demo on some disc i got from pizza hut. and i recently have got back into it. its a great game
Great list!
But you have to put in Bishi Bashi Special! I strongly reccomend to everyone to play this game, it is the best party game I have played in my life.
Agree with Roland!
I think Bishi Bashi is the most underrated and undiscovered PSX game! Its hella fun, IMO best party game till date couldn’t find ANY OTHER game that rivaled Bishi Bashi special in its genre!
Rhapsody is also an undiscovered gem of RPG (thanks to Matilda for mentioning), not like any other RPG, Rhapsody has a “laid back” style where it encourages you to savor every scene through its beautiful melodies, definitely one of a kind. Couldn’t get the theme song out of my head till this day. (Sarah Thomas (as Cornet): Let’s Go On) =)
Other undiscovered great games:
Getter Robo (robotic strategy game)
Critical Depth (a great submarine game, Twisted Metal spin-off)
Dude, great article, but all the image links are broken!.
Try “Evil Zone”–an overly simplistic 3D fighting game with very cool Anime-inspired characters and animation.
Also, Pepsi Man. LOL
What about Blasto or Jersey Devil?
Galerians could be remembered too.
Castlevania – Symphony of the night
this one is awesome game too!!!!
blasto definitely deserves a mention!
also, did anybody play monkey hero (rpg, similar to top-down zelda), dragon valor or street racer? they may not be super-original but they were great to play, and can be found for a few dollars online now
Please, I remember playing a side scrolling game for PS1 like beat’em up with animals with clothes but don’t remember the name, maybe someone remembers?
the reason I don’t remember the name is because the cover and the game itself was in japanese, so it’s possible it was only released in japan. It’s a sidescrolling game, where you can choose 3 characters: All animals, but they walk in two legs, like cartoons.
one is a circus monkey(with a red outfit) and uses a stick as a weapon
other is a bird (a parrot, i think) and uses a long cutting weapon I don’t know the name
And the other is a pink pig which uses a Trident
Each one had a special move, I only remember the pig’s one, which blasts a short flame from his mouth
The first stage is a jungle with shallow water on the ground, and you beat the enemies, like a beat’em up game, when they die they drop lots of coins…
I remember there was other stage in a kinda castle
You can choose a different character for each stage
if someone knows the name of it, please help me out
If you want a great Tank video game get Steel Reign. Sadly, I gave my old ps console and the game to a friend.
You Should Put Crash Bndicoot 3 : Warped too!!!
Cool, her younger brother still owns the console and the game. Haha!
For 2D shmups you really should add X2: No Relief. Its better than most and hardly anybody’s heard of it.
Suikoden and suikoden 2? Alundra and alundra 2?
Auto Destruct
I didn’t see it mentioned or brought up in the comments. I also only know one friend that had it and that’s how I came across it. I recall fondly from back in the day as a kid I loved it. The free roaming map coupled with some pretty engaging vehicular mayhem had me hooked. But what really floored me when I found out about it was the inclusion of a blood code you could input it completely changed the mood of the game. If you guys never played it give it a shot little things made it stand out to me it also included a lot of firsts for its time. PLUS gotta say it dragging people in your under carriage on that game never got old! Good times……….good times and this game would be on my list of unknown, underrated games for sure.
@Rogue
I’m entirely working off guesswork and deduction here, but the game you described sounded like an adaptation of Journey to the West, the Chinese classical novel (with protagonists including Monkey and Pigsy). Digging a little deeper, there was a Journey to the West action game on PSX called Fuuun Gokuu Ninden, on the cover of which are a monkey, pig, bird and girl. Fingers crossed, I think we might have our game.
Good luck!
OH MY OH MY OH MY FUZZING GOD DARN IT SHOOT MOTHERFUDGE! I Just can’t believe U found IT! xD I own you any help you need! Just Ask!
billion zillion thanks to you! Vague Rant!
Playing Wild 9 with my friend’s old grey Playstation. Hasn’t DRE or YLOD on us yet!
My Favorite RPG is Star Ocean The Second Story.
You can get the remake for the PSP, but I’m all for the original PS!
Parasite Eve I and Valkyrie Profile are 2 true RPG gems on PSX. Just like Suikoden I and II (were there other RPG that made you get 108 characters…?). All of these games have multiple endings.
Legend of Legaia; that one was special with his combo combat system.
Koudelka is a boring attempt to fill up discs with Resident Evil-esque pseudo-RPG traits. Overall it’s a 6/10 game. Nothing special or relevant other than a censored sex scene at the end.
A 3-CD 3D Action-Adventure Squaresoft game called Soukaigi, released in Japan only, is also one of a kind, with gigantic stages and end-of-each-disc bosses to be fought across entire cities and with a bunch of different characters to select from. I’ve never seen anything like that on PSX.
Also, both Vandal Hearts are more of the Strategy genre rather than RPGs.
I would definitely include Bomberman fantasy Racing.
I think Lup*Salad & Zoku Gussun Oyoyo should be considered for unique puzzle games, & Remote Control Dandy because it’s highly impressive for the PS1 & it’s the precursor to Robot Alchemic Drive.
Sly Cooper was pretty cool. I love this sight. Telling my gamer friends all about it. Great format and details. Ps1 was a solid system.
This list should have The Misadventures of Tron Bonne ( Megaman Legends may not be unkown anymore, but this spin-off definately still is)
Can anyone remember an old ps1 rpg which im pretty sure was japanese made where you can choose your characters at the start but each caracter you have saved takes up 3 memory blocks on the memory card. you run around with your party following you and i think you start off in forest area and theres bear enemys in the starting area i think and a little bit into the game you can go into a cave where theres this owl like boss and everytime i went there it tells me im too weak to be at this point. i used to hire this game out like 10 years ago and ive been trying to remember the name for months. please help somebody….
“Help!!! Please help me find a old playstation game, it’s japanese game where player must put traps to defeat enemies. Game field was separated in squares.”
Kagero??? Maybe…
I’m surprised Vampire Hunter D isn’t mentioned on here at all. It’s a survival horror/action game in the same vein as Resident Evil and Onimusha. The graphics are pretty ugly, but the puzzles and fights are great. It has some weird moments since it’s based on a Japanese book series, but I found it pretty humorous.
Little Big Adventure 2 was never released on PSX, it’s a PC-exclusive.
CMON!
Under platformers, you should have “Gex Series,” listed as an alternative…
Gex 3 was the Super Mario 64 of the PS1.
Amazing list, though I agree with 1337B337 the Gex series was pretty damn good ( especially Enter the Gecko ).
Good to see Gekido getting a mention I just picked this up recently and its a great Beat em Up that offers quite a bit of diversity with its movelist and combos, though it can be pretty tricky to learn at the start with its unexpected button layout.
But also, why no love for the Street Fighter EX series? Sure its no Tekken, but it’s a solid fighter series with an awesome soundtrack ( And one of my favourite characters in SF, Skullomania ), I know Street Fighter fans look at this in dismay but it certainly isn’t amongst the likes of Battle Arena Toshiden and Kensei: Sacred Fist… those were horrid to play.
This game is not in the list, but I’m pretty much you’ll agree it should Racket; Vanark Astro Trooper. It’s similar to Starwing and is an excellent rail shooter with great graphics and gameplay. I never understood why it wasn’t a big hit since people loved Starwing and such.
And keep up the great work Racketboy. I use this site a lot to find great hidden games and read up on a bunch of stuff for my study game design and development. Last year I made a one-button game with two of my friends, and it later became one of the PAX10 showcase games of 2012. It’s called Catch-22 and it’s a relaxing and frustrating one-button game in which you play against yourself… no joke
Also, One Piece Mansion is a frantic strategy game
AAAND last but not least (I’ll shut up after this), one of THE best RTS games on the PSX I ever played; Warzone 2100. A fantastic mix between RTS and FPS where you can dynamically take control of an AI tank from your army and control it.
Ok one final request for the list (already mentioned once before): The n1 weirdest PS1 game EVER made: LSD (Lovely Dream Simulator)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kld4F0PbeCE