Full Specifications
General
Brand | Sony |
Model | PlayStation Classic |
Release date | December 2018 |
Console Family | Sony PlayStation |
Console Type | Home Console |
Hard Disk | 16GB |
RAM | 1GB |
Processor | Quad-Core ARM Cortex A35 CPU @1.5GHz |
Graphics | Power VR GE8300 |
Ethernet | No |
Weight | 170g |
HDMI | Yes |
USB | Yes |
Wi-Fi | No |
Dan –
Poor execution but stellar potentia
On its own the Playstation classic is marginal at best with the biggest issue being half the games are EU versions that have to be slowed down to play back properly in former NTSC regions. Pal versions aside the machine emulates well however no display options such as interlaced or pixel perfect options which are available on the NES and SNES classic make for a lousy image. The decision to not include the dual analog stick version of the remote is less of an issue for me as the original PS1 did not come with them either however it would have been a cool addition albeit more cost.
Where the Playstation shines is it ability to be modded which allows it to not only run customer added PS1 titles but the modding process grants access to hidden menus which allow the user to turn on display interlacing resulting in a much truer and less jagged picture. The modding process allows the ability to install 3rd party emulators which allows the unit to be used to play NES, SNES, Atari and SEGA games as well.
By itself un-modded the Playstation Classic is worth the current $40-50 price tag for some retro gaming but it becomes an absolute bargain when modded to correct some its deficiencies and the ability to expand on its capabilities. On a techie note the Playstation Classic is more worthwhile and more powerful than a Raspberry Pi when it comes to using it for retro game emulation and the modding community has just begun to scratch the surface of what this thing is capable of.
Le’o –
3,0 sur 5 étoiles I Love It…But I Didn’t Buy it Expecting Perfection
It’s stylish now a days to be cynical, snarky and edgy. Everyone acts like this collectible is the worst thing since the Black Plague…but there’s fun to be had here.
The design of the little device is absolutely adorable, as are the controllers and the welcome addition of them being USB (so I might use them for other devices).
A lot of people nitpick the “ugly” interface, but honestly it does what it needs to do, and is modeled after the UI of the original PlayStation CD Player/Memory Management system.
The selection of games isn’t great, but honestly it had the games I wanted most. Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, Ridge Racer 4, Jumping Flash, Resident Evil, and Wild Arms were some of my favorites…granted I would have loved to have more Sony, Square and Konami classics, but sadly licensing for these games and the red book music tracks cost more money than the hardware does. So I can forgive that. No one will be completely happy with the selection here, sadly.
The games themselves certainly don’t have the polish of the emulation on the SNES and NES Classic mini consoles, but they are serviceable and very playable. To be fair, these games show their age, which is what I always felt was the point of these classic consoles. I don’t detect any discernible differences between them and their original disc versions.
I could sit here and try to defend it to you, but if you are looking for perfection, you aren’t going to find it here. If you want a cute, collectible with some fun games to play, here it is. The edge lords and cynics out there call it trash. I call it a flawed, but fun blast to the past
Gaynor –
Not amazing, but fine for what it is.
My youngest brother loves videogames, but he has trouble with most of them due to having down syndrome. Anything too complex becomes frustrating for him since he can’t really pick up the story and sometimes even the basic functionality of a game will be more than he can grasp. Fighting games, however, are much easier. It’s very easy for him to learn the basics of a fighting game, and with the difficulty set a little lower, he can usually button mash his way to victory. I’ve introduced him to a number of fighting games over time, since he enjoys them so much, and one has CONSTANTLY remained his absolute favorite . . . . Tekken 3. Any chance he got he would ask me to let him play it, and many times I did oblige him.
Of course, over time I got married and moved out, taking my consoles with me. Every now and then he’d get a chance to come visit and I’d always start up the PS3 and let him play Tekken 3 for a bit while he was over. Over time, opportunities for him to play during visits dwindled due to a variety of reasons, though he woudl still ask to play it every time he visited and, of course, every now and then I’d make sure to let him.
All that to say, I only bought the PSOne Classic to give to him for his birthday so he could play Tekken 3 any time he wants to his little heart’s content. It may not be the greatest port of the game, but it runs fine as far as I can see and my little brother absolutely loves it.
Haylee –
I love this, but I had to do one thing. I had to hack this and add like 5000 games. Great item.
Dean –
Good for what it is
It works like it should and allows me to play PS1 games. I never had a PS1 growing up just a PS2 (I know they are backwards compatible) so while the price may be a tad high and the game selection less than what the gamer community wants it’s still a fun option to have.
Beau –
Memories
Good little console for the sale price I paid for it. Comes with a decent set of controllers and HDMI cable. The only pain is supplying your own usb power but if you have a power bank or powerboard/hub you’re all set.
Chevalier –
It’s really only worth it if you get it cheap and want every game
Let me start by talking about the goofiness of this product’s pricing. The MSRP might be $100, but it really isn’t worth that, and retailers know that. Even buying it at Gamestop gives you a $25 in-store credit, which is why it’s no surprise that I first saw this online for $75. I only bought it after other reviewer’s jokes about another price drop came true, and I snagged it for $60. I don’t know if the price is going to drop again, or if it will be going back up. I also recently acquired a SNES Classic, so that is what I will be comparing this to.
Something I was disappointed with that I didn’t see anyone else mention is the controllers. They work just fine, but they don’t seem to have any rumble capability, despite some of the included games (such as Rainbow Six) having vibration options. This was a bit of a bummer, but nothing huge I guess.
A problem other people seem to have is the lack of included charger. A cable is actually included, contrary to what I understood, but no wall adapter is. The console comes with 2 controllers that use USB (2.0 from what I can tell) connectors, an HDMI cable, and a charging cord. The SNES Classic came with all of the same and an AC wall adapter, but has proprietary controller connectors. The console itself is lightweight, but doesn’t seem super fragile. My only real complaint is the metallic noisy springiness of the buttons, compared to the SNES Classic’s solid and silent build. The SNES Classic came in simple packaging, just a box and some slots, but the PS1 Classic comes in a labyrinth of boxes. Probably unimportant, but it just seemed so unnecessary.
The most common complaint that I have seen is that the games run poorly and are the PAL versions. As far as the PAL versioning goes, I am not extremely familiar with the original versions of the games included, so I can’t say too much. The performance of the games was a mixed pot for me. I did notice what seemed to be a fair amount of slowdown on some of the more graphics heavy 3D games, such as Metal Gear Solid and Tekken 3. I compared MGS to the original PS1 disc running on my PS3 and Tekken footage on YouTube. Simpler games like Puzzle Fighter II and, to my surprise, Rainbow Six. Thankfully, Final Fantasy VII also seems to run well.
The selection of games is rather hit or miss, but they did manage to arrange some decent variety. If you like classic fighters (Tekken 3, Battle Arena Toshinden) or RPGs (FFVII, Wild Arms, Persona), you have a nice collection for not too awful of a price. I’m surprised that more classics like Crash Bandicoot or PaRappa the Rapper weren’t included, but I did see the latter included in some sort of expansion pack at a Gamestop. I know many of these were re-released as digital download remakes for consoles like the PSVita. If you only care about a few of the games, I would suggest just buying them as modern downloads.
(If you don’t care about RPGs, you can skip this section)
In cases like Persona, future releases of the game fixed problems the PS1 version had like money problems, but I don’t believe this fixed version is included. I can’t fault them for that, as the SNES Classic missed a similar opportunity to fix mistakes of Final Fantasy VI’s overseas muck-ups. I was pleased to see Wild Arms included, as I’ve heard good things about it, but finding a cheap copy has been a barrier to me in the past.
Maybe Sony is dropping the price to sell out of these before they release a newer, better model, who knows. If you really want a majority of these games in one and you can get it for cheap, it’s not the worst way to spend your money.
Terri –
Cool little emulator once you modify the ROM
First of all, if you are buying this and have no intention of uploading a different ROM and (easily) hacking it, then this thing sucks and is NOT worth the cost for the pitiful selection of games that barely run well.
But, if you know how to search PlayStation Classic Bleemsync and follow simple enough instructions than this can be made into a very cool and very tiny retro game player!
I picked this up for about $30 back when the price was still way down, with the intention of modifying it and it has worked perfectly for that specific use. It runs NES, SNES, Genesis Atari, and other PS1 games excellently. N64 games mostly do not work, but a few do and are an added bonus. For all you millennials and gen-xer’s who grew up with those older consoles will love the nostalgia that this little thing can bring back to you and your friends/siblings. And the retro style is a major bonus over just building a Raspberry Pi which can quickly become more expensive after factoring in case cost.
So, to reiterate, stock this thing is lame and the game selection is pitiful (2 stars do not buy). Modified this thing is awesome (4 stars). Would be 5 if more N64 games ran well on it.
Ritvik –
Love it
Bought it for ridge racer, brings back memories
Ferreira –
Works well enough and the price is really cheap. The build quality is nice and it is easy to mod. It is probably a little underpowered but it’s not too bad. I think people forget how primitive the 3d graphics were on the original PS1. It’s unfair to compare this thing to the SNES and NES classics.
Mitch –
Nostalgia in a small charming package
Given the age of this product, I was relived to find it at a reasonable price on Amazon (thanks KVM Trading).
The selection of games pre-installed could have been better and it’s a shame that Sony couldn’t have added more games. I’m positive various reasons are the cause for the middling selection: that’s not to say however that there aren’t good games here!
Hearing the PS1 start-up sound is great nostalgia! For those that aren’t aware this package includes two controllers and is based on the first pre-Dual Shock controllers for the PS1. The cable length is short. There’s two workarounds: purchase a MF USB extension or use a 8Bit-Do USB Wireless Receiver (this is what I’ve done and now playing PS Classic using a Dual Shock 4 controller). The PS Classic also does not include an AC adapter, so be sure to use a USB Mico B cable you have in the house or purchase one.
Thanks to folks on the Internet, it’s possible to soft mod the system and add your own games to it (which circumvents the pre-installed games to a point).
Overall I’m chuft with this system. The games on offer deliver a small vertical slice of what the PS1 offered back in the day. It’s a great package for people my age (in their 30’s) to reminiscence about simpler times and for younger folks to experience some of the games available in the 90’s/early 2000’s.