Summary
Multiplayer content is a given these days. A whole generation of gamers almost exclusively puts their gaming hours into large multiplayer experiences likeFortnite,Call of Duty,andOverwatch 2.
Things weren’t always this way, though. Multiplayer was still an emerging trend in home console gaming back in the 1990s, and a solid library of offerings in that department played a large part in establishing PlayStation as a household name. So divide the screen with cardboard, grab a Multitap Adapter, and reminisce about some of the best games to share with friends on the PlayStation 1.
10Crash Bash
No Party Like a Crash Bandicoot Party
WhenCrash Bandicootfirst burst onto the scene, he was not shy about borrowing spin-off ideas — in this case, from theMario Partyseries.Mascots were big businessin the earlier console generations and every mascot needed an ever-expanding line of titles and merchandise.
And so toCrash Bash. The underlying quality was perhaps suspect; fans are probably best not returning to the game with rose-tinted glasses. However,Crash Bashdelivered hours of fun and laughter for the younger audience it was targeting. With sales that comfortably outstripped a number of far more critically successful PS1 titles,Crash Bashsecured its place in history.
Syphon Filterwas a landmark title for the PS1. It was heavily influenced by two other classics,GoldenEye 007andMetal Gear Solid,but the sum of those parts added up to something special. The sequel,Syphon Filter 2,added the multiplayer component, which again took notes from its predecessor and blended them brilliantly.
It was released very late in the PS1’s life-cycle, meaning it was quickly become by next-gen hardware. It may not have been the bestFPS experience on the PlayStation, but the added mobility combined with the 20 maps and 28 total characters put it a step above its competition as a multiplayer experience.
The series that put Team 17 on the map (now famous for the likes ofBlasphemousandOvercooked) owes a lot to the unlikely combatants.Wormswas a surprise hit, with the series selling well over 75 million copies to date.Worms Armageddonis one of the most significant releases in that catalog.
Worms Armageddonwas essentially an updated version ofWorms 2,most significantly updating the interface and menu screen to make the game more console-friendly. With a few new weapons and 13 new maps,Worms Armageddonbecame the definitive edition of the turn-based war game and is still maintained by a dedicated community 25 years later.
TheTwisted Metalseries has experienced a resurgence since the release of a TV series starring MCU mainstay Anthony Mackie. But the game series has a long-established cult following dating back to the initial chaos of those first two PlayStation entries.
Like all good sequels,Twisted Metal 2was a bigger, louder, and all-around more polished version of its predecessor. Vehicular combat was a popular subgenre in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but even with the benefit of next-gen hardware, no game was able to match the bloodlust and satisfaction ofTwisted Metal 2.
6FIFA 99
It’s In The Game
Like most annual sports games, theFIFAseries can be divisive among gamers, but it’s hard to talk about multiplayer experiences without the iconic sports series that’s infuriated fans worldwide since 1993. There were 12 FIFA games released on the console, continuing all the way up toFIFA 2005, although most entries pastFIFA 99were pared-down next-gen entries.
Of the games made for this console generation,FIFA 99stands top of the pile. Even though it did away with the popular indoor mode, the leap forward in graphics and gameplay from the previous entry are some of the most pronounced in the series. With new features like facial animations and height differentials, simulated football had never felt this real.
A Fun-Filled Mascot Kart Racer
CTR: Crash Team Racing
It’s a multi-player kart racing game starring your favorite bandicoot, CRASH and a host of his friends… and foes! The stakes are high and the competition is fierce. Ready… set… GO!!!!!• More than 12 playable characters in all. Select from your favorite characters - Crash, Coco, Cortex, Tiny, Dingodile, N. Gin, Pura, Polar and other secret racers!• Plug in the Multi Tap and up to four players can race to the ugly finish.• 25 trick-filled tracks… it all boils down to pure racing skills.• 5 challenging race modes: Adventure, Vs., Time Trial, Arcade and Battle Modes• Reduce your fellow drivers to roadkill - launch bombs, lob missiles, lay downTNT Crates and NITRO. All’s fair in love and war!• Tons of wild Power-Ups with Wumpa Fruit superchargers• Amazing Kart control - Power Slide, hop, burn out, pull wheelies, spin and sideswipe other racers!
Crash Bandicoot is back with another tried and tested mascot spin-off: a kart racing game. Every single mascot (andFinal Fantasy,for some reason) has tried to get a slice of that juicy Mario Kart pie. And why not? It’s one of the most lucrative video game franchises of all time, consistently ranking among Nintendo’s best-selling games on any given console.
Whilst most pretenders have been consigned to the annals of history,Crash Team Racingforged a legacy of its own. With a considerably higher skill ceiling than its contemporaries and a specific focus on drifting, the bragging rights were high. MasteringCrash Team Racingis no simple feat, although it is fair to say the single-player offerings basically cheat. The multiplayer experience remains a fan favourite, earning a remaster in 2019.
Nowhere to HIDE
Another annual sports game, but this one’s a little different. With the Attitude Era in full swing,WWFwas at the height of its popularity.WWF Smackdown! 2: Know Your Rolecapitalized perfectly on the mood and the growing market of home console gaming.
This gamekicked off a golden era of wrestling titlesbefore they were plagued by lackluster DLC passes and prevalent glitches. The streamlined, arcade-like approach to a wrestling title ensures that it remains a heavyweight of the genre to this day.
It’s hard to summarize thecultural impact thatTony Hawk’s Pro Skaterhad as serieshad to those who weren’t there. At the time of their release, the first few entries became some of the most critically successful games in gaming history.
The simple game loop of trying to string together bigger and better tricks to outscore friends proved incredibly addictive. They were simple to pick up and near impossible to master. It was as satisfying a concept then as it is now.
The series may have faded in significance in recent years, but few games did more to establish the PlayStation brand thanGran Turismo. A critical darling,Gran Turismowas the PS1’s best-received first-party title, setting a new standard for racing simulators.
The series became known for its hyper-focus on detail with accurate depictions of tracks and car characteristics. The graphics and physics engine were groundbreaking. It was an almost compulsory purchase for PS1 owners, making it the best-selling game on the console.
It’s hard to believe anything could perform better thanGran Turismo,but one game did. In fact, according to Metacritic,Tekken 3is the 23rd-best game ever made, an impressive feat for something released in 1998.Street Fighterpioneered the success of the fighting genre in the arcade, and it was one that quickly translated over to home consoles.
TheTekkenseries may not havehad the same historical successasStreet FighterorMortal Kombat, but inTekken 3, Namco arguably created the pinnacle of the genre. The roster is perfectly balanced, the tweaks to blocks and dodges made them more of a skill move, and the emphasis on the 3rd axis created a new depth of field for the combat.
