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This thread was born out of this other thread, which went from being about vaporware to the N64, and tangentially the Playstation. I put this post together quickly using information from various websites, including Wikipedia. Not that I think that you guys would do anything else, but please speak up if something is incorrect or should be added.
Please post your memories, experiences, etc with the great Sony Playstation!
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The Sony Playstation was a 32-bit console released in the United States on September 9, 1995 for $299. As it was part of the first generation of consoles to come without a pack-in game, a demo disc was included instead. The console game bundled with one controller and a set of A/V cables. On top of playing Playstation game discs, the system also the ability to play audio CDs. As many who grew up playing Atari, Nintendo, and Super Nintendo/Genesis were now in their 20s and beyond, the Playstation, which marketed itself towards an older audience, was wildly successful, selling in excess of 100 million units.
Launch
At launch, the following games were available here in the US:
Air Combat - A flight combat game originally released into the arcades in 1992 and ported to the Playstation for launch. The game was the genesis of the "Ace Combat" series which spawned 2 sequels on the Playstation, plus many more across other platforms. A solid game that would have been a recommended purchase on launch day.
Battle Arena Toshinden - Possibly the most talked-about game in the run-up to the launch of the system, BAT was one of the earliest polygonal 3D fighting games. The game was very well received by critics and gamers alike, and sold very well early in the Playstation's life, but has not aged well. Like Ace Combat, this game also spawned a number of sequels.
Kileak: The DNA Imperative - A Doom-like "corridor" shooter which has mostly been forgotten by the sands of time.
NBA Jam Tournament Edition - An arcade-style 2-on-2 basketball game that was extremely popular in the arcades. At launch NBA Jam was the only game that supported the Multi-Tap accessory (see below).
Ridge Racer - An arcade-style racing game that was first released into the arcades in 1993, Ridge Racer spawned a franchise that became a staple on the Playstation.
Street Fighter: The Movie - Based on the 1994 live-action movie starring Jean-Clause Van Damme, SF:™ uses the Super Street Fighter II Turbo engine and overlays digitized graphics to make the game look more movie-like. The game was generally poorly-reviewed and is considered a low-point in the franchise.
Total Eclipse: Turbo - A third-person perspective rail shooter, TE:T was ported over from the 3DO.
The Raiden Project - Depending on who you ask, this was or wasn't available on launch day. The Raiden Project was the only home-console release of Raiden II, and also included the original Raiden.
Power Serve Tennis - A forgotten 3D tennis game.
Noteworthy Accessories
Playstation Controller - The original controller launched with the system. A then industry-high 10 input buttons, plus a d-pad.
Memory Card - Unlike cartridge-based media, there is no way to store game save data on a CD. Instead of going with internal save memory (as the Sega Saturn did), Sony chose to utilize inexpensive memory cards. This allowed players to buy as many as needed as game libraries grew, and allowed for easy transport of game save data over to a friend's house.
Link Cable - With this cable two systems could be linked together for 2-player play (which of course necessitated 2 televisions. Compatible games included the Armored Core series, the Bushido Blade series, Ridge Racer Type 4, Wipeout, and many more.
Mouse - A two-button mouse that could be used with a number of games for which such a sontrol scheme would be preferable. Compatible titles included A-Train, Command & Conquer, Myst, Sim City 2000, Tempest 2000, and the X-Com series.
Multi-Tap - This peripheral had 4 controller ports and 4 memory card ports, and plugged into a single port on the Playstation console, allowing for multiplayer play beyond the 2-player mode possible with a stock Playstation.
Analog Joystick - A large, dual-stick flightstick released in 1996, and was functionally made obsolete by the dual analog controller. Compatible with games such as Ace Combat 2 & 3, the Descent series, Mechwarrior 2, and Wing Commander 4, among many others.
Dual Analog Controller - Released in 1997, the dual analog controller was the direct predecessor to the dual shock. The controller was larger than both the original controller and the dual shock, and included two thumb-sized joysticks which could be used in analog or digital mode. The primary difference between the two controllers is the lack of a "rumble" feature. Also unlike the dual shock, the sticks on the dual analog controller are concave instead of convex, and are not rubberized. This controller is much less common and is therefore somewhat sought-after, especially by those with large hands.
Dual Shock Controller - The final revision of the Playstation controller, the basic design of this controller (with obvious upgrades) is still the stock input device used on modern Playstation consoles.
Namco Arcade Stick - An 8-button arcade stick released by Namco, this controller has a Japanese arcade-feel, using Hori components. Fairly sought-after, this is considered by most to have been the highest-quality arcade stick released for the Playstation.
Namco GunCon - The de-facto "official" light gun controller for the Playstation. Compatible with games including the Time Crisis series, the Point Blank series, Elemental Gearbolt, and Gunfighter: The Legend of Jesse James.
Namco NeGcon - One of the most unique controllers released for the Playstation, the NegCon had a pivot point in the middle of the controller, so that the player could twist it in either direction. The name (pronounced "neh-jee-con") comes from Japanese "nejiru" which means "to twist". This controller was used in racing games and the twisting action was used as a steering mechanic. The controller also featured 2 analog buttons so that the player could vary the use of brakes and acceleration. This game is most famously compatible with the Wipeout series (for which it is best suited), but is also compatible with the Ridge Racer series and the Gran Turismo series.
ASCII Grip - A one-handed controller best-suited for playing RPGs and other games where timing is not an issue.
Noteworthy Publications
Official U.S. Playstation Magazine - Published from 1997-2007. Each month's issue came bundled with a demo disc.
PSM: 100% Independent Playstation Magazine - The only magazine published in the United States that was both independent and 100% dedicated to the playstation. Early issues often came bundled with stickers for both memory cards and the playstation disc drive lid. When Official U.S. Playstation magazine folded in 2007, PSM became "Playstation: The Official Magazine" until it was cancelled in 2012.
Next Generation - Published from 1995 until 2002, and later shortened to "Next Gen". Arguably aimed at a more mature audience.
Diehard Gamefan - Published from 1992-2000. Later shortened to "GameFan". Known for it's extensive use of screenshots, it is a little-known fact that co-founder Tim Lindquist invented a means of capturing RGB screens of games so that it was no longer necessary to point a camera at a TV screen. This of course meant that for a time, screenshots in GameFan were of much higher quality than it's competitors.
Noteworthy Games & Franchises
Ace Combat (series)
Breath of Fire III & IV
Bushido Blade (series)
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Colony Wars (series)
Cool Boarders (series)
Crash Bandicoot (series)
Dragon Warrior VII
Einhander
Fear Effect (series)
Final Fantasy (series)
Gran Turismo (series)
Harvest Moon: Back to Nature
Hot Shots Golf (series)
Intelligent Qube
Medal of Honor (series)
Mega Man (series)
Metal Gear Solid
Parappa the Rapper
Resident Evil (series)
Ridge Racer (series)
Silent Hill
Soul Blade
Street Fighter Alpha (series)
Syphon Filter (series)
Tekken (series)
Tenchu (series)
Tomb Raider (series)
Tony Hawk Pro Skater (series)
Wipeout (series)
Please post your memories, experiences, etc with the great Sony Playstation!
----------
The Sony Playstation was a 32-bit console released in the United States on September 9, 1995 for $299. As it was part of the first generation of consoles to come without a pack-in game, a demo disc was included instead. The console game bundled with one controller and a set of A/V cables. On top of playing Playstation game discs, the system also the ability to play audio CDs. As many who grew up playing Atari, Nintendo, and Super Nintendo/Genesis were now in their 20s and beyond, the Playstation, which marketed itself towards an older audience, was wildly successful, selling in excess of 100 million units.
Launch
At launch, the following games were available here in the US:
Air Combat - A flight combat game originally released into the arcades in 1992 and ported to the Playstation for launch. The game was the genesis of the "Ace Combat" series which spawned 2 sequels on the Playstation, plus many more across other platforms. A solid game that would have been a recommended purchase on launch day.
Battle Arena Toshinden - Possibly the most talked-about game in the run-up to the launch of the system, BAT was one of the earliest polygonal 3D fighting games. The game was very well received by critics and gamers alike, and sold very well early in the Playstation's life, but has not aged well. Like Ace Combat, this game also spawned a number of sequels.
Kileak: The DNA Imperative - A Doom-like "corridor" shooter which has mostly been forgotten by the sands of time.
NBA Jam Tournament Edition - An arcade-style 2-on-2 basketball game that was extremely popular in the arcades. At launch NBA Jam was the only game that supported the Multi-Tap accessory (see below).
Ridge Racer - An arcade-style racing game that was first released into the arcades in 1993, Ridge Racer spawned a franchise that became a staple on the Playstation.
Street Fighter: The Movie - Based on the 1994 live-action movie starring Jean-Clause Van Damme, SF:™ uses the Super Street Fighter II Turbo engine and overlays digitized graphics to make the game look more movie-like. The game was generally poorly-reviewed and is considered a low-point in the franchise.
Total Eclipse: Turbo - A third-person perspective rail shooter, TE:T was ported over from the 3DO.
The Raiden Project - Depending on who you ask, this was or wasn't available on launch day. The Raiden Project was the only home-console release of Raiden II, and also included the original Raiden.
Power Serve Tennis - A forgotten 3D tennis game.
Noteworthy Accessories
Playstation Controller - The original controller launched with the system. A then industry-high 10 input buttons, plus a d-pad.
Memory Card - Unlike cartridge-based media, there is no way to store game save data on a CD. Instead of going with internal save memory (as the Sega Saturn did), Sony chose to utilize inexpensive memory cards. This allowed players to buy as many as needed as game libraries grew, and allowed for easy transport of game save data over to a friend's house.
Link Cable - With this cable two systems could be linked together for 2-player play (which of course necessitated 2 televisions. Compatible games included the Armored Core series, the Bushido Blade series, Ridge Racer Type 4, Wipeout, and many more.
Mouse - A two-button mouse that could be used with a number of games for which such a sontrol scheme would be preferable. Compatible titles included A-Train, Command & Conquer, Myst, Sim City 2000, Tempest 2000, and the X-Com series.
Multi-Tap - This peripheral had 4 controller ports and 4 memory card ports, and plugged into a single port on the Playstation console, allowing for multiplayer play beyond the 2-player mode possible with a stock Playstation.
Analog Joystick - A large, dual-stick flightstick released in 1996, and was functionally made obsolete by the dual analog controller. Compatible with games such as Ace Combat 2 & 3, the Descent series, Mechwarrior 2, and Wing Commander 4, among many others.
Dual Analog Controller - Released in 1997, the dual analog controller was the direct predecessor to the dual shock. The controller was larger than both the original controller and the dual shock, and included two thumb-sized joysticks which could be used in analog or digital mode. The primary difference between the two controllers is the lack of a "rumble" feature. Also unlike the dual shock, the sticks on the dual analog controller are concave instead of convex, and are not rubberized. This controller is much less common and is therefore somewhat sought-after, especially by those with large hands.
Dual Shock Controller - The final revision of the Playstation controller, the basic design of this controller (with obvious upgrades) is still the stock input device used on modern Playstation consoles.
Namco Arcade Stick - An 8-button arcade stick released by Namco, this controller has a Japanese arcade-feel, using Hori components. Fairly sought-after, this is considered by most to have been the highest-quality arcade stick released for the Playstation.
Namco GunCon - The de-facto "official" light gun controller for the Playstation. Compatible with games including the Time Crisis series, the Point Blank series, Elemental Gearbolt, and Gunfighter: The Legend of Jesse James.
Namco NeGcon - One of the most unique controllers released for the Playstation, the NegCon had a pivot point in the middle of the controller, so that the player could twist it in either direction. The name (pronounced "neh-jee-con") comes from Japanese "nejiru" which means "to twist". This controller was used in racing games and the twisting action was used as a steering mechanic. The controller also featured 2 analog buttons so that the player could vary the use of brakes and acceleration. This game is most famously compatible with the Wipeout series (for which it is best suited), but is also compatible with the Ridge Racer series and the Gran Turismo series.
ASCII Grip - A one-handed controller best-suited for playing RPGs and other games where timing is not an issue.
Noteworthy Publications
Official U.S. Playstation Magazine - Published from 1997-2007. Each month's issue came bundled with a demo disc.
PSM: 100% Independent Playstation Magazine - The only magazine published in the United States that was both independent and 100% dedicated to the playstation. Early issues often came bundled with stickers for both memory cards and the playstation disc drive lid. When Official U.S. Playstation magazine folded in 2007, PSM became "Playstation: The Official Magazine" until it was cancelled in 2012.
Next Generation - Published from 1995 until 2002, and later shortened to "Next Gen". Arguably aimed at a more mature audience.
Diehard Gamefan - Published from 1992-2000. Later shortened to "GameFan". Known for it's extensive use of screenshots, it is a little-known fact that co-founder Tim Lindquist invented a means of capturing RGB screens of games so that it was no longer necessary to point a camera at a TV screen. This of course meant that for a time, screenshots in GameFan were of much higher quality than it's competitors.
Noteworthy Games & Franchises
Ace Combat (series)
Breath of Fire III & IV
Bushido Blade (series)
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
Colony Wars (series)
Cool Boarders (series)
Crash Bandicoot (series)
Dragon Warrior VII
Einhander
Fear Effect (series)
Final Fantasy (series)
Gran Turismo (series)
Harvest Moon: Back to Nature
Hot Shots Golf (series)
Intelligent Qube
Medal of Honor (series)
Mega Man (series)
Metal Gear Solid
Parappa the Rapper
Resident Evil (series)
Ridge Racer (series)
Silent Hill
Soul Blade
Street Fighter Alpha (series)
Syphon Filter (series)
Tekken (series)
Tenchu (series)
Tomb Raider (series)
Tony Hawk Pro Skater (series)
Wipeout (series)
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