On Jul 01, 2025, Sony’sPlayStation Plusand PlayStation Now will be fusing to create a brand-new subscription service named after the former. This system will be split into three tiers:Essential, Extra, and Premium. The first option will be the equivalent of the current PS Plus service; Extra provides access to PS4 and PS5 games; finally, Premium adds PS1, PS2, PS3, and PSP titles to the mix.
The final tier is especially enticing as it will mark the first time games from nearly every Sony console will be playable on the same system (the PS Vita has, unfortunately, yet to receive an invitation). So far,Sony has announced some launch games for the service, including nine PS1 titles. However, that is just a drop in the bucket of the service’s potential. What are some otherPS1 games that deserve to be on PS Plus Premium?
Genre
Turn-Based JRPG
The PS1 was a JRPG machine, somethingPS Plus Premiumdoes not currently highlight. The genre has plenty of games that would instantly improve the service, butWild Armsis both synonymous with Sony’s console and also somewhat underappreciated. Inspired by Westerns, Media.Vision’s game blends top-down exploration with a 3D turn-based battle system, both of which are naturally dated but still enjoyable.
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This JRPG boasts a fantastic world, charming visuals, and a decent story revolving around a likable trio of characters. The only reasonWild Armsshould not be added to PS Plus Premium is if its PS2remake,Wild Arms Alter Code: F, makes the cut in its stead.
Vehicular Combat
The lastTwisted Metalgame came out in 2012 – that is criminal. Admittedly, the franchise was overexposed on the PS1, producing four games in the same number of years. As bad as some entries of the series were,Twisted Metalat its peak was phenomenal, and the second entry captured the pinnacle of the license’s classic era.
Destruction is the name of the game here, andTwisted Metal 2embraces the carnage without a shred of hesitation. The gameplay has aged reasonably well permitting someone goes in with realistic expectations, and the plot is the right type of nonsense.
That said, if only one entry in the franchise can be included on PS Plus, it should be 2001’sTwisted Metal: Black.
Survival Horror
Like PS Now before it, PS Plus should not only highlight the best PlayStation games but also preserve projects that might otherwise be forgotten.Nightmare Creaturesis an ambitious game that almost comes across as a precursor tosomething likeBloodborne; obviously, the PS1 title has more rough edges than FromSoftware’s release, but it is still impressive.
Set in a nightmarish Gothic world and featuring a combat system that blends melee and ranged weaponry,Nightmare Creaturescombines brilliant visuals with gameplay that is more complex than initially seems to be the case.
Platformer/Metroidvania
Nowadays, Sony does not publish too many first-party platformer games, but that was not the case during the PS1’s heyday. Everybody knowsCrash BandicootandSpyro the Dragon, so those have been left out of this discussion, however, the same cannot be said forTomba.
Although mostly controlling like a fairly typical side-scrolling platformer,Tombais a Metroidvania that provides players with access to the eponymous hero’s island. Compared to other platformers,Tombais far less restrictive as it focuses heavily on exploration.
Light Gun Shooter
Light gun shooters are not much of a thing nowadays, even if occasionally something likeThe House of the Deadremake might be released. A staple of arcades during the ’90s, Namco’sTime Crisisalso made a home on Sony’s first two PlayStation consoles, with the PS1 receiving a port of the first arcade game along with a spin-off calledProject Titan.
RELATED:The Best PS1 Third-Person Shooters, Ranked By How Well They Hold Up
The originalTime Crisisis a classic that helped perfect thelight gun shooter formula, or at least set the groundwork for its sequels to push the genre to the next level.
3D Platformer
Pac-Manis timeless; conversely,Pac-Man Worldis very much a product of its time. In the late ’90s,3D platformerswere on the range, many of which found their way to the PS1. The majority of them are best left in someone’s memories, but there are a couple of titles that are still fun to play all these years later.
Pac-Man Worldis a fairly typical example of the genre, albeit one that handles the basics well and does a fairly decent job of implementing elements from the classicPac-Manexperience.
Racing Sim
Sony seems reluctant to includeGran Turismoas part of its subscription services. Currently, PS Plus Premium looks set to continue this bizarre trend of ignoring one of the most beloved PlayStation properties. Perhaps there are some licensing issues that are stopping the series' older games from being included in these types of services; whatever the reason might be, hopefully, a solution is on the horizon.
All the earlyGran Turismogames rank among the greatest racing sims of all time. Sure, they are dated in quite a few ways, but they are still lightyears above almost any other racers available on the PS1 or PS2.
Despite coming out really late in the original PlayStation’s lifespan,The Legend of Dragoonmanaged to cement itself as a cult classic, one that fans have been clamoring for Sony to revisit. As a sequel appears unlikely, a nice alternative would be to add thisPS1 game to PS Plus Premium, making the JRPG readily available to a modern audience.
The Legend of Dragon’s turn-based combat system introduces a few touches that allow it to stand out from the likes ofFinal Fantasy 7. Whilethe story is longbut nothing too special, the game’s characters are great, both in and out of battle.
