Thanks to Metacritic, reviews from various video game news outlets were logged to display the opinions of critics during a game’s initial release. Here are the five best and five worst PlayStation 1 games, according to Metacritic.
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10 BEST: Metal Gear Solid (Metacritic Score: 94)
Metal Gear Solid introduced Solid Snake and all his stealthy goodness to the majority of gamers. Although there were previous Metal Gear games released on other platforms, Metal Gear Solid was the one that changed everything. The action-adventure game was released on the PlayStation 1 in 1998 and established a legendary franchise exclusive on the PlayStation platform.
Critics applaud Metal Gear Solid for its tactical, stealthy gameplay which helped popularize the stealth genre for future titles. The game is also acclaimed for its lengthy cutscenes and storyline; treating gamers as an audience to a film.
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9 WORST: Mortal Kombat: Special Forces (Metacritic Score: 28)
Mortal Kombat: Special Forces is not a typical Mortal Kombat fighting game. The developers at Midway had the ambitious idea of spinning off into a third-person action-adventure game. But that goal was never made into reality thanks in part to Special Forces.
Special Forces is considered the worst game in the Mortal Kombat franchise. Critics were not amused with the changes, as the game lacked the traditional combat prominent in previous entries. Special Forces only featured Jax as the only playable character and aside from Kano, none of Mortal Kombat’s popular characters make an appearance.
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8 BEST: Final Fantasy IX (Metacritic Score: 94)
Final Fantasy IX is the ninth installment of the Final Fantasy franchise. The RPG released on the PlayStation 1 in 2000. While VII is the most iconic, many fans consider Final Fantasy IX to be the best entry in the franchise. Final Fantasy IX was the final Final Fantasy released on the PlayStation 1 and developers wanted to finish with a bang. They did not disappoint.
Final Fantasy IX returned to a medieval setting, similar to earlier installments. Fans and critics admire Final Fantasy IX for its beautiful pre-rendered backgrounds, fantasy gameplay, and remarkable character development.
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7 WORST: Animorphs: Shattered Reality (Metacritic Score: 27)
Remember those book covers that showed kids turning into animals? Well, there is a video game based on the book series by K. A. Applegate. Animorphs: Shattered Reality released on the PlayStation 1 in 2000 and was panned by critics.
Similar to the novels, the protagonist of the game morphs into an animal but only in times of combat. The majority of the game revolves around maneuvering the character through various jump obstacles. Animorphs: Shattered Reality was the final game developed by the developer, SingleTrac. A harsh result for a subpar game.
6 BEST: Gran Turismo (Metacritic Score: 96)
PlayStation owners who dreamt of luxurious cars and better driving skills were gifted with Gran Turismo in 1998. The game took five years to develop but the final product became the highest-rated racing game of all time and the best-selling PlayStation 1 game.
Gran Turismo is praised for its advanced racing simulation, with beautiful environments and its ability to feel the most realistic racing game at the time. Gran Turismo was one of the first adopters of the DualShock controller, which further advanced gameplay due to the analog sticks and rumble functions.
5 WORST: HBO Boxing (Metacritic Score: 26)
There have been many great boxing video games released on the PlayStation consoles throughout the years. HBO Boxing is not one of them. The game released on the PlayStation 1 is 2000 and received plenty of criticism.
Looking back, HBO Boxing had several features that shaped classic boxing games. The face buttons used to differentiate the type of punches, the modifications of strikes using the triggers, and the voiceover of boxing commentators were revelations for future boxing video games. But the sloppy gameplay and unresponsiveness make HBO Boxing difficult to play. Ultimately, EA Sport’s Knockout Kings and Fight Night series eclipsed the boxing genre and HBO Boxing faded into obscurity.
4 BEST: Tekken 3 (Metacritic Score: 96)
Fighting games on the PlayStation were never the same since the release of Tekken 3 in 1998. The game is universally praised and became the fourth best-selling PlayStation 1 game. Many consider Tekken 3 as the best entry in the Tekken franchise.
The mechanics of sidestepping rather than jumping to avoid ground strikes were revolutionary. Tekken 3 is also notable for the introduction of several staple characters such as Jin Kazama, Ling Xiaoyu, Hwoarang, and Eddy Gordo. Minigames like Tekken Force and Tekken Ball ensured gamers spent countless hours on Tekken 3.
3 WORST: KISS Pinball (Metacritic Score: 26)
If you somehow are a fan of the rock band KISS and the game of pinball then KISS Pinball should have been right up your alley. The first KISS pinball machines were made in 1979 and were popular in arcades and bars. A few decades later, someone had the questionable idea of creating a digital version and KISS Pinball was released on the PlayStation 1 in 2000.
Critics were not pleased with the game. Many reviewers acknowledged that the game was pointless and featured very little of KISS. Thankfully, those who needed their pinball fix could boot up their Windows desktops and play 3D Pinball – Space Cadet.
2 BEST: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 (Metacritic Score: 98)
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 surpassed all expectations. The sequel was released on the PlayStation 1 in 2000 and received rave reviews by fans and critics. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 is one of the highest-rated games of any console and considered the best sports video game of all time.
Skateboarding was never the same since the release of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2. The game catapulted Tony Hawk and his fellow professional skateboarders into popular culture. Sometimes less is more and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 proved that by providing gamers with the freedom to cruise around environments filled with handrails and ramps, coupled with an amazing soundtrack.
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1 WORST: Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle 22 (Metacritic Score: 25)
The television show Dragon Ball Z is an essential watch for anime fans. Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle 22 however, should be completely forgotten for all gamers. The Japan version released on the PlayStation 1 in 1995, with the North American version releasing eight years later in 2003. The North American version was not English dubbed and the pre-fight cutscenes were removed.
The North American version was poorly received due to the outdated graphics and gameplay compared to the other fighting games released in 2003. The only positive is the game has 22 classic Dragon Ball Z characters.
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