10 Best PS1 Games of All Time of 2026

Final Fantasy VII is our answer to the best PS1 game ever. Square Enix's current store page sums up the setup: in Midgar, a city run by the mega-conglomerate Shinra Inc., the rebel group AVALANCHE blows up a Mako reactor, and Cloud, a former member of Shinra's elite SOLDIER force, is caught up in a fight to stop the company draining the planet's energy. That story, told over a long adventure, is why the game still anchors PS1 collections. A used disc lists at $54.99 at DKOldies before sales, more than the cheapest picks but less than Resident Evil 2. Emulator and PC players have a legal route too: Square Enix sells the game on Steam with 36 achievements, cloud saves and an optional Character Booster. The cost is time, since the game is long, and complete black label copies cost more than the disc alone. For one PS1 game to own, start here.

Metal Gear Solid is the best PS1 game for players who want a story told like a film. Konami describes the 1998 release as the first 3D title in the METAL GEAR series, mixing 3D stealth action about war and nuclear weapons with live action footage and cinematic cut scenes. Stealth is the core idea, and it still feels distinct from most action games today. On the collector side, a used disc lists at $62.99 at DKOldies before sales, which is why it trails Final Fantasy VII on value. Emulator and PC players have a clean legal alternative: the Master Collection version, out since October 24, 2023, includes Metal Gear Solid with VR Missions and Special Missions, the first two Metal Gear games and digital screenplay and master books. Konami's content notes list frequent violence or gore and some nudity or sexual content, so it is a game for adults and older teens.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is the pick for players who like to explore. Konami's App Store listing calls it a direct port of the classic console action RPG, in which Alucard jumps, dashes and slashes through Dracula's vast castle, meeting new enemies and characters as more of the map opens up. That mix of exploration and action is why it sits near the top of most PS1 conversations. For this list it is also the cheapest legal option: the iPhone and iPad port costs $2.99 on the US App Store, supports game controllers, adds a continue feature and offers six languages. Collectors have a harder time, because DKOldies, the store we used for the other disc prices, had no PS1 listing we could price, so check other retro stores and compare condition before you buy. If you want a PS1 classic on a phone or tablet tonight, this is the easiest one to get.

Crash Bandicoot: Warped is the best low-cost PS1 platformer and an easy game to hand to a younger player. Activision now sells it as part of the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, which remasters the three games that started the series, Crash Bandicoot, Cortex Strikes Back and Warped, and adds a new level called Future Tense set in Warped's futuristic world, plus the once unreleased Stormy Ascent level. For collectors, a used PS1 disc lists at $19.99 at DKOldies before sales, tied with Gran Turismo 2 for the lowest price here. It is a straightforward platformer, which is why it scores high on ease of setup. It has less depth than the RPGs above it, and the remaster on PC, released June 29, 2018, swaps the original look for new graphics. If you want something fun for a family evening, this is the cheapest strong pick.

Gran Turismo 2 is the best racing game on the PS1 and one of its best values. Sony's own Gran Turismo site lists over 500 authentic vehicles, from European supercars to old American muscle cars, plus over 20 tracks with over 40 track combinations, new off road rally and drag racing modes and over 60 license tests. The Simulation mode is the heart of it: you earn money, buy and sell cars and upgrade parts, while an Arcade mode covers quick races and 2-player racing. A used disc lists at $19.99 at DKOldies before sales, tied for the cheapest disc here, which lifts its value score. The main gap is access, because Sony's page lists only the original PlayStation release, so there is no current legal re-release for PC or emulator players. License tests also take patience. For a collector who wants a deep game for under $20, it is hard to beat.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 is the PS1 game for quick sessions. Activision's remaster page describes what made the series stick: Tony Hawk and the original pro roster, an era-defining soundtrack, trick combos with the series' handling, Create-A-Park and Create-A-Skater tools and head-to-head local 2-player modes. The PS1 disc gives you the original version, and a used copy lists at $29.99 at DKOldies before sales, cheap for a game you can replay for years. Emulator and PC players can buy Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 instead, which rebuilds both games in HD and has been on Steam since October 3, 2023. The trade-off is depth: there is no story to speak of, and it costs ten dollars more than Crash or Gran Turismo 2. For friends sharing one console, it is the most social pick here.

Final Fantasy Tactics is the best strategy game on the PS1 and the hardest to learn here. Square Enix's page for The Ivalice Chronicles sets out the story: after the Fifty Years' War, two dukes fight to rule for a child king, and Ramza of House Beoulve and his commoner friend Delita are pulled into the War of the Lions. Battles are turn-based on 3D maps, where terrain and turn order decide fights, and over 20 jobs with hundreds of abilities let you build your own party. A used PS1 disc lists at $56.99 at DKOldies before sales. Emulator and PC players have a strong legal choice: The Ivalice Chronicles, released September 30, 2025, includes a classic version that pairs the original 1997 graphics and gameplay with the War of the Lions translation, plus an enhanced version with an easier Squire difficulty. The original's learning curve is real, so it ranks below easier games despite its depth.

Spyro the Dragon is the gentlest game on this list and a good first 3D game for children. Activision now sells it inside the Spyro Reignited Trilogy, which remasters Spyro the Dragon, Ripto's Rage and Year of the Dragon in HD, keeping what Activision calls the same smoldering attitude. Activision's page puts the focus on exploring large worlds, and we score it high on ease of setup for younger players. The used PS1 disc lists at $39.99 at DKOldies before sales, twice the price of Crash: Warped, which keeps its value score lower. PC players can buy the Reignited Trilogy on Steam, where it has been since September 3, 2019, and get all three games for one purchase. Experienced players may find it easy, but for a relaxed weekend game for a family, it fits well.

Final Fantasy IX is the RPG to play after Final Fantasy VII. Square Enix's page says it has sold over five million copies since its 2000 release, and describes a story that starts when Zidane and the Tantalus Theater Troupe kidnap Princess Garnet, only to find she wanted to escape the castle anyway. Characters learn abilities by equipping items and keep them once mastered, a Trance gauge fills as you take hits, and Synthesis combines items into better gear, with minigames such as Tetra Master on the side. A used PS1 disc lists at $56.99 at DKOldies before sales. PC players can buy the Steam release, which adds achievements, autosave, high-definition movies and seven boosters, including high speed and no encounter modes, useful for players short on time. It overlaps with Final Fantasy VII and costs about the same, which is why it sits lower here.

Resident Evil 2 is the best horror game on the PS1, and the priciest disc on this list. The GOG page, run with Capcom, quotes the game's 1998 feature list: two separate adventures, one as Leon Kennedy, a rookie cop on his first day, and one as Claire Redfield, searching for her missing brother. That two-campaign design gives it more replay than most games of its era. The catch for collectors is price: a used PS1 disc lists at $89.99 at DKOldies before sales, the highest regular price here, which drags its value score down and puts it last despite strong scores elsewhere. PC and emulator players have a cheaper legal option in the GOG release, which runs on Windows 10 and 11, includes the original US and Japanese versions and adds Extreme Battle Mode. GOG lists a PEGI 18 rating for violence, and the 1998 design will feel dated to players raised on modern horror games.