History
Sony’s PlayStation 2 might well be the last single console to truly dominate the industry. More commonly known as the PS2, this console sold over 150 million units, easily making it the best-selling console of all time. More importantly, it enjoyed the lion’s share of the market. Some reports show its market share reaching as high as 70 percent in 2005.1 Shortly after its launch, it crushed its first serious competitor—the Sega Dreamcast. By the time Microsoft and Nintendo finally rolled out their Xbox and GameCube, respectively, the PS2 had built up such an enormous lead that neither console stood a chance of catching up. Indeed, the PS2 was such a successful machine that even Sony’s own PS3 had a difficult time competing with it. As late as 2009, the PS2 was outselling both the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation Portable!2
The PS2 boasted some of the best hardware ever designed for a console, a huge games library with plenty of major hits, and a competitive price. However, it owes much of its success to impeccable timing.
Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening.
Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening (2005, Capcom)
Perhaps no word better epitomizes Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening’s gameplay better than “challenging.” The game pulled no punches, even in the opening segments. Once you’d mastered the game’s sophisticated combat system, however, you’d be treated to some of the most stylish sword- and gun-fighting ever to grace a console. It also featured some of the best in-game graphics and cutscenes of any PS2 game. Like a good anime, there’s a spicy quirkiness here that, while occasionally bizarre, is always intriguing and memorable. The game was set before the previous two games, with a younger (and cockier) Dante who has just opened his first demon-hunting agency. To defeat his many foes, Dante has four combat styles and dozens of creative combos to work with—and there’s even some puzzles thrown in to challenge your mind as well as your reflexes. In 2012, Capcom released Devil May Cry HD Collection for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, which re-mastered the first three games in high definition.
When Sony’s second generation of its PlayStation arrived in North America in October of 2000, Sega was the sick man of the videogame industry. Its failed Saturn console had damaged the company’s finances, as well as its reputation. To avert total disaster, Sega hurriedly rushed its next generation console, the Dreamcast, into production (see Chapter 3.4) in November of 1998; ten months later, shipments made their way to American retailers. The Dreamcast was superior in almost every conceivable way to the Saturn, and it also had the advantage of being the first new generation console on the market by a long shot. However, poor sales led to Sega’s withdrawal from the console industry in 2001, just 18 months after the Dreamcast went on the market.
Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Xbox and Nintendo’s GameCube were still in the planning stages, and wouldn’t make their American debuts until November of 2001. This gave Sony’s PS2 more than a year to build up its user base without serious competition. Even when these competing consoles finally arrived, they offered no obvious advantage to the well-established PS2, either in terms of technology or game libraries. While the Xbox was able to carve out a nice slice of the American pie, worldwide, the PS2 was barely fazed. Clearly, having such a huge head start to build up its games library and user base had made the PS2 virtually unstoppable.
A less obvious explanation for the PS2’s broad appeal was that it was both a great game console and a decent DVD player—and cost just a little more than a dedicated device. At a time when DVDs were finally beginning to replace VHS tapes as the medium of choice for home movies, the PS2 was an exceptional value for gamers and movie lovers alike. The GameCube, of course, was incapable of playing DVDs or audio CDs, and the Xbox required an optional add-on to duplicate the DVD functionality. It’s easy to overlook this seemingly mundane feature, but for many PS2 owners, their console played just as many movies as it did games.
Finally, we have to consider the prestige attached to the PlayStation brand. As we saw in Chapter 3.2, the first PlayStation had been a major breakthrough, introducing hordes of gamers raised on 2D platformers to the amazing world of full 3D gaming. For countless thousands of gamers all over the world, the brand represented the bleeding-edge of videogame technology. When Sony announced its plans to develop the PS2 on March 1, 1999, the gaming world took notice, generating endless speculation on online forums and even the evening news circuits. Dazzling demonstrations of planned games such as Gran Turismo 2000 (released as Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec in 2001) and Tekken Tag Tournament at industry events fanned the flames, and Sony fueled speculation about its mysterious “Emotion Engine” technology that would allegedly not only harness the number-crunching power of a supercomputer, but even simulate human emotion. By the time the device was ready, the hype had grown to such proportions that one breathless anchor on CNBC struggled to find words to express it: “The PS2 is the biggest thing to come along since… TV was invented!”
The original “Fat” version of the PlayStation 2. Fun fact: the raised multicolor PlayStation badge on the front of the console can be rotated to match the alignment of the console.
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (2005, Level-5)
The Dragon Quest series has long been a favorite among fans of Japanese role-playing games. With this title, the developers pulled out all the stops, creating one of the most massive adventures ever. Of particular note were the character and monster designs, created by the celebrated Akira Toriyama of Chrono Trigger fame. The 3D cel-shading technique allowed for attractive visuals, but also convincing emotional expressions and body language. In the words of reviewer Jeremy Dunham of IGN, it gave “the feeling that you’re playing an anime.” The combat was also fun and interesting, even after hundreds of hours of gameplay, thanks to a well-developed enemy AI. While not especially original from a storytelling point of view, Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King made up for it by its sheer size, anime-like graphics, and tireless attention to detail.
Sony’s vice-president, Mike Morimoto, was more reserved: “The PS2 will be more important than the Betamax,” he vowed to reporters from TIME magazine.
There’s no question that the PS2 was a marvel of modern technology. Ken Kutaragi, the “Father of the PlayStation” and head of Sony’s game subsidiary, had partnered with Toshiba to develop the “Emotion Engine CPU.” This radical technology consisted of eight different components, each assigned to a specific role. The entire architecture was designed and optimized for 3D gaming. The original PlayStation could generate 360,000 polygons per second. The Emotion Engine could generate 66 million. Such a leap forward was necessary for Kutaragi to achieve his grand vision for the system: “Today’s videogame graphics look like computer graphics. Our goal is to achieve a film-like graphics quality that won’t make viewers conscious of or annoyed by the fact that they are indeed looking at computer graphics.”3 While the PS2 didn’t quite reach this standard, gamers and critics alike were still amazed by the detail seen in games such as Metal Gear Solid 2, which featured convincing raindrops, breaking glass, and bullets whose spent casings fell to the floor.
Still, not everyone was thrilled about the PS2. As we’ve seen throughout this book, a key part of any console’s survival hinges on support from third-party developers. Ultimately, gamers buy a console to play great new games, not marvel at its technical specifications. As we’ll see in Chapter 3.6, Microsoft was able to lure many prominent PC developers to its ranks by making the transition from Windows to Xbox programming as painless as possible. The radical design of the PS2, while arguably more effective, had a much steeper learning curve. Capcom’s Shinji Mikami, creator of the hit Resident Evil series, was so frustrated by the PS2’s development tools that he considered making his franchise exclusive to the Xbox. His colleague Keiji Inafune had another complaint: the machine was so powerful that developers would go bankrupt before they could build up enough assets to take advantage of it.4 Even Kutaragi was willing to admit that PS2 development was no easy task, estimating that it would take even experienced developers a full two years to really grasp the system.
The daunting challenge faced by PS2 developers is evident in its first titles. Enough developers were onboard to provide nearly 30 games for the PS2’s launch lineup. Most of the games were mediocre and forgettable at best, and critics weren’t impressed. A common lament was that these games would have looked almost as good on the old PlayStation. Many games also suffered from the lack of anti-aliasing, which made the edges of graphics appear jagged, which was shocking to those expecting a console that could exceed the graphical fidelity of Sega’s Dreamcast.
Fortunately, a few of the launch titles did a better job showing off the PS2’s eventual potential as developers harnessed the system’s capabilities. Among these solid launch titles were Electronic Arts’ Madden NFL 2001, the latest entry in the immensely popular sports franchise, and SSX, a snowboarding stunts game; as well as Namco’s Tekken Tag Tournament, an impressive-looking fighting game. Perhaps the most unusual launch title, however, was Sony’s own FantaVision, a colorful action puzzler somewhat comparable to the old Missile Command arcade game, although with fireworks rather than missiles. More than any other game, FantaVision showed Sony was serious about advancing gaming as an art. They’d do something similar in 2009 with the publication of Flower for the PS3.
SSX is widely considered the best game in the launch lineup, but the artfully executed FantaVision, DVD insert shown here, also impressed critics.
God of War.
God of War (2005, SCE Studios Santa Monica)
There are few games as brutal, savage, visceral, and—let’s face it, totally badass, as God of War. Set in a land based on ancient Greek myths, this game puts players in the role of Kratos, a demigod whose only chance for salvation lies in murdering Ares, god of war. To achieve that, players will have to guide him through a 3D world loaded with platforming action, puzzles, and plenty of opportunities to put Kratos’ blades to good use. Critics marveled at the superb special effects, lavishly detailed environments, and epic fighting combos. Indeed, many critics consider it the best game ever made for the PS2. In 2009, a re-mastered God of War Collection, featuring the first two games in high definition, was released for the PS3. No matter which version you play, you’ll surely arouse some ancient god’s wrath if you don’t check it out!
The fact that the PS2 was backward-compatible with the original PlayStation was, at this stage, a vital point in its favor. Many PlayStation games were enhanced when played on a PS2, loading up to 25 percent faster and rendering smoother looking polygons.
The PS2’s future brightened considerably when Rockstar, the creator of the popular Grand Theft Auto series of open-world action-adventure games, announced that its third entry in the series would debut exclusively on the PS2 on October 22, 2001. This revolutionary title updated the previous installments with a new 3D game engine, and players and critics alike raved about the unprecedented level of detail and freedom offered by the interface. Rockstar followed up with Grand Theft Auto: Vice City in 2002, a 1980s-inspired take on the genre, and in 2004 with Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, set in a semi-fictional version of 1992 California and Nevada. While all of these games were hits, San Andreas was a juggernaut, becoming the best-selling of all PS2 titles with well over 17 million copies sold.
Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto franchise, Grand Theft Auto III shown here, played a pivotal role in the PS2’s rise to dominance. The controversial games weren’t suitable for children—a fact that didn’t bother Sony one bit.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, DVD insert shown here, was a breakthrough title for the PS2 and remains a favorite among fans of stealth games.
Following a month behind Grand Theft Auto III and just in time for the vital 2001 holiday season, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was another undisputed masterpiece. Directed and produced by Hideo Kojima, this stealth-focused action-adventure game was far more than just an audiovisual facelift of its predecessor. Now enemies had advanced artificial intelligence, able to work in squadrons to coordinate deadly flanking and blocking maneuvers. The player’s character also has new abilities, most notably the ability to use cover, and non-violent players can actually complete the entire game without killing a single enemy. Furthermore, the plot and complexity of the narrative has led some critics to classify it as a postmodern work of art. In any case, this title certainly lent credence to Kutaragi’s claim that the PS2 was just as capable of artistic and emotional expression as the gritty realism demanded by most action titles.
In 2002, Sony released two PS2 Network Adapters, one for dial-up and another for broadband internet connections. They also cut the price of the system by $100, making it as cheap as a GameCube and much cheaper than an Xbox. Though the PS2’s network functionality would never equal the Xbox’s, games such as Zipper Interactive’s SOCOM: US Navy SEALs were quite popular. Rather than offer a unified service like Xbox Live, Sony left it up to individual publishers to run their own third-party servers. Digital Illusions’ Battlefield 2: Modern Combat was another popular online game; as of this writing, the PS2 servers are still in operation. Guerilla Games’ Killzone was another solid choice for online gamers, but its servers were finally shutdown along with SOCOM’s in 2012.
The PS2 remained in production for a full 12 years, an impressive feat for any console. By the end, its library boasted over 10,000 games. Sadly, its successor, the PS3, released in November of 2006, has not shared its spectacular success; the PS4’s final story has yet to be written. In any case, it’s hard to imagine any other console enjoying a window of opportunity like the one presented to the PS2. Unlike the Game-Cube, it could easily serve as a DVD player, and, unlike the Xbox, it was custom-built for 3D gaming, with no Windows or PC vestiges to worry about. In short, the PS2 was the right machine, at the right time, for the right price. It may not have been the biggest thing since TV, but it sure beat out the Betamax.
Sony’s PS2 Network Adapter, shown here attached to a third-party hard drive, was inserted into the expansion bay. Both the Network Adapter and hard drive were required to play Final Fantasy XI.
Technical Specifications
The PS2’s most remarkable feature was its Emotion Engine CPU, co-designed with Toshiba. Optimized for 3D processing, it handled all the geometry, world and behavior simulation (including AI and physics), and housekeeping functions. It ran at 294.912 MHz, with 32 MB of main memory and 4 MB for video. Most games ran at standard 640 × 480 resolution, although some games supported 480p, 720p, and even 1080i. The original “fat” version weighed 4.9 pounds and was 11.9 inches wide, 3.1 inches tall, and 7.2 inches deep. The PS2’s disc drive could support both CD-ROM and DVD-ROM discs, running up to 24x and 4x, respectively.
The console had two controller ports, two USB ports, one proprietary AV output, an SPDIF output for sound, and an expansion bay. There were also two slots for memory cards. It also included an IEEE 1394 port for connecting PS2s together for multiplayer. The USB ports could be used to attach standard PC accessories such as mice and keyboards. The expansion bay was for adding a network adapter and hard drive.
Ico (2001, Team Ico)
Ico was one of the first critical triumphs for the PlayStation, and arguably an important step forward for videogames as an expressive medium. Everyone gushed about the artwork, effects, and convincing character animation. But what really makes the game special is the story and emotional attachment players have for its characters, Ico and Yorda. Ico is a boy with an odd birth defect—horns—and to ward off evil, his people seal him into a sarcophagus inside an old castle. Of course, Ico manages to escape, and quickly runs into a mysterious princess named Yorda. The two must work together to escape, and much of the gameplay is focused on Ico helping the less-athletic Yorda follow him up, down, and around the castle’s many platforms, obstacles, and puzzles—all the while protecting the princess from the evil shadowy beings that lurk the grounds. The developers created new languages for the game, which, with the exception of Yorda’s speech, are rendered in subtitles for the player’s benefit. Ico’s inability to talk to Yorda was a good justification for one of the game’s key mechanics—holding hands, which helped players bond with the princess and heightened the desire to keep her safe from the shadows. Few who have played Ico can speak about it without a certain wistfulness—it’s emotional stuff. If you’re delighted by Ico, check out Shadow of the Colossus, another superb game that is far more than the sum of its parts. You can also check out both games in the high definition re-mastered package The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection, released for the PS3 in 2011.
The “DualShock 2” controller was, at first glance, just the old DualShock with a new color scheme. However, it was a considerable improvement. Almost all of its buttons, including the directional pad, were pressure sensitive, enabling more refined control. While some reviewers chided Sony for not introducing something more radical, most commended them for making only minor adjustments to an already excellent device. It was also backward compatible with the original Play-Station. All in all, the DualShock 2 was a wonderful controller that is still widely regarded as the best of its class.
The DualShock 2 closely resembled the original, but had more refined controls. Image courtesy of Evan-Amos, Vanamo Media.
The Accessories and Later Models
Considering the vastness of the PS2’s user base, it’s hardly surprising that a great many accessories were built to support it. Perhaps the most significant of these is the PlayStation Network Adapter, which allowed owners to play with their friends online using a dial-up or broadband internet connection. While only supported by some games, this add-on was crucial in reducing the PS2’s vulnerability to the Xbox. Another multiplayer option was the Multitap, which allowed owners to plug in up to four controllers for simultaneous use; adding a second Multitap allowed up to eight people to join in.
Another highly anticipated accessory was the Hard Disk Drive (PS2 HDD). Sony released a version in Japan in 2001, but delayed until 2004 to offer it in the United States. It had a 40 GB capacity and, if supported by the game in question, would reduce loading times, store saved games, and backup memory cards. Unauthorized products allowed users to copy entire games to their drives or other hard drives. A few games used the drive in conjunction with the network adapter to provide additional content, such as extra maps for the SOCOM games titles. The network adapter and HDD were required for the MMORPG, Final Fantasy XI. One version of the game included the HDD with the game pre-installed on disc.
The memory cards contained 8 MB of Flash Memory, and were all but a necessity, since without one you couldn’t save games or transfer your data to another system. Third parties offered their own memory cards of varying capacity.
Katamari Damacy.
Katamari Damacy (2004, Namco)
The developers of this title had four driving goals: novelty, simplicity, enjoyment, and humor. After playing Katamari Damacy for a few minutes, you’ll see they nailed each one. The core of the gameplay is guiding a magical sticky ball (the “katamari”) around some truly creative levels. Any item that the ball rolls over becomes stuck to it, eventually culminating in a giant, unwieldy ball that becomes a star. The game’s bizarre, surreal aesthetics are enough to make you think the game was designed on another planet. Critics rightfully praised its uniqueness and enjoyable gameplay, and it received several awards for its innovative game design.
Another key PS2 accessory was the DVD remote control. As stated above, the PS2 could play DVD movies straight out of the box, but, naturally, a wireless remote made things more convenient. The DVD remote control, available from both Sony and various third parties, requires a controller port for the infrared dongle (some featured a pass-through), and space on a memory card for software enhancements.
Perhaps the most innovative of all PS2 accessories was the EyeToy USB Camera. Its marketing promised that the device would allow players to use their body movement to control games, map their face onto game characters, and record video messages onto memory cards. Its collection of casual mini-games seemed to anticipate the flood of casual party games that would help make the Nintendo Wii so successful. The camera was designed by Richard Marks, who envisioned it as a way to build a more intuitive, “natural” interface with implications for mixed reality games. Like the Wii, the EyeToy had broad appeal that extended far beyond traditional gamers. The 12 cutesy games that were bundled with the device let players dance, box, spin plates, wash windows, and much more. One reviewer claimed that if “you get this for your girlfriend, she’ll be hogging the PS2 forever.”5
The EyeToy anticipated many later devices as well as the casual/party games movement that would drive sales of Nintendo’s Wii and Microsoft’s Kinect for Xbox 360.
In 2004, Sony released the “Slim” version of the PS2. Obviously, it was smaller than its predecessor—far smaller—but it also had the added utility of a built-in Ethernet port. However, one major limitation is that it lacks the expansion bay necessary for the hard drive.
The PlayStation 2 “Slim,” shown with its included DualShock 2 controller. Image courtesy of Evan-Amos, Vanamo Media.
Kingdom Hearts (2002, Square)
What videogame character is more popular than Mario? The producers of this game weren’t sure there were any, including their own highly successful Final Fantasy cast. So, they turned outside the world of videogames to recruit Mickey Mouse and his friends from Walt Disney. The result was a role-playing game like no other, in which Donald Duck and Goofy join a young boy named Sora in his search for Mickey Mouse and his friends Riku and Kairi. Of course, the party must battle plenty of enemies—dark creatures called Heartless, to complete their epic quest. The game was an instant hit, selling millions of copies and launching a new franchise, and even a manga series. The fun gameplay would have been enough to recommend it anyway, but the novelty of seeing your favorite Disney characters alongside those of Final Fantasy’s is well worth the price of admission. In 2013, Square Enix released Kingdom Heart HD 1.5 Remix for the PS3, which includes Kingdom Hearts Final Mix and Re:Chain of Memories in high definition and with trophy support.
The Sony PlayStation 2 Community Then and Now
It’s no exaggeration to say that many PS2 owners truly loved their console. This was particularly true of fans of Japanese games, an area where the PS2 was a clear winner. However, there was no shortage of first-person shooters, sports, or action-adventure titles, both of domestic and overseas origin. There truly was something for everyone. That said, while close, it didn’t quite nail the casual audience as effectively as the Wii.
As the major system of its era, the PS2 also enjoyed regular, in-depth coverage in major gaming magazines, as well its own Official US PlayStation Magazine, which included a sampler disc with demos and videos. Given the PS2’s lack of built-in networking, these sampler discs were vital in marketing new games.
In 2002, Sony released Linux for PlayStation 2 (PS2 Linux). It included the operating system, keyboard, mouse, VGA adapter, and the network adapter. With this tool, users could turn their PS2 into a full-fledged computer. Naturally, this package was exciting for amateur game developers, hackers, and modders, who met on the official site and Internet Relay Chat (IRC) to discuss their projects. Most support and communities around this initiative, however, have since died off.
The original kit for Linux for PlayStation 2. A hacker’s dream.
Maximo: Ghosts to Glory (2002, Capcom)
While 3D hack and slash action games are common on the PS2, 3D action games as easy and intuitive to control as their 2D forefathers are rare indeed. In many ways, this game is an homage to the fun yet grueling challenge of the old Ghosts ’n Goblins arcade game from 1985, but remade in full 3D with a third-person perspective. You control the titular character, a warrior who must whack and thwack his way through five different areas in search of a princess. Don’t let the campy, cartoonish graphics fool you—this is no cakewalk, but instead a game demanding skill and precision. If you want a modern action game that captures that good old arcade feel, Maximo: Ghosts to Glory is hard to beat.
The PS2 homebrew scene is still quite active, supported by sites such as http://psx-scene.com. So far, the community has focused on applications, especially modding tools, hacks, graphical demos, and emulators, rather than original games. This situation might change soon, however, as the last few commercial publishers have stopped supporting the PS2, possibly leading to broader support for more independent and hobbyist development.
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal.
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (2004, Insomniac Games)
This game was the third in the franchise, and by most accounts the best—and that’s saying something, considering how well the earlier games were received. While the new action-adventure game made plenty of refinements, the biggest was a new online multiplayer game option. The story has the titular characters in pursuit of Dr. Nefarious, whose mission in life is to destroy all of it. Fortunately, the good guys have an abundance of weapons, gadgets, ships, and dune buggies to aid their cause. While the audiovisuals and memorable characters are definite bullet points, it’s really the insanely compelling gameplay that sells this one. Critics went beyond mere praise in their reviews, instead simply ordering readers to immediately go out and purchase the game. It sold millions of copies and is found on most of the “best of” lists of PS2 games. If you like this game, also try Jak 3, another slick and well-honed action adventure that was released around the same time. In 2012, Sony released Ratchet & Clank Collection for the PS3, which includes the first three games in the series re-mastered in high definition.
Collecting Sony PlayStation 2 Systems
Now is the ideal time to begin collecting for the PS2. Systems in excellent condition can be found for little effort or money. Furthermore, PS2 games are still readily found in bargain bins and used games section in many shops. The system hasn’t aged enough to assume “collector” status, so expect to find amazing deals on complete systems accompanied by dozens of games on online auction and related sites. As always, some games are particularly rare and desirable: Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance II, Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001, and Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes, as just three examples, all fit into that category.
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus.
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus (2002, Sucker Punch Productions)
If you’re into stealth games but don’t like the gritty realism of the Metal Gear Solid series, this game might be just the thing. Featuring a cast of anthropomorphic animals, this stealthy action game was acclaimed for its tight, precise controls and addictive gameplay. Avoiding enemies, dodging spotlights, and spotting tripwires are all fun, but the developers also threw in some delightful mini-games, including kart-racing and rhythm. The splendid cel-shaded art and superb voice work add to the charm of this cartoon come to life. In 2010, Sony released The Sly Collection for the PS3, which remastered all three of the PS2 Sly Cooper games in high-definition, and even added 3D support for Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves, for those players with 3D-capable televisions.
The biggest choice to make is whether to get one of the older “fat” models or the “slim.” If space is an issue, go for the slim, but keep in mind you won’t be able to use an official hard drive with it. That’s not a deal breaker for most people, but if you want to benefit from its faster loading times in select games, you’ll need the “fat” model instead.
Another factor to consider when purchasing a used PS2 is whether it’s been “modded” or “chipped.” Such a system has the questionable advantage of being able to run homebrew and pirated software without any extra hassle. Otherwise, you’ll need a modded PS2 memory card, such as “Free McBoot,” or a boot disc.
Sony released several different colors of its PS2 over the years, including limited editions Super Red, Metallic Silver, Light Yellow, Snow White, and Star Blue. Expect to spend at least twice as much acquiring these systems, even though the differences are purely cosmetic.
Emulating the Sony PlayStation 2
By far the easiest way to play PS2 games today is to buy a used console. For the broadest flexibility, consider picking up an early model PlayStation 3 (CECHBxx or CECHAxx), which plays original PlayStation as well as PS2 games in hardware.
SSX Tricky.
SSX Tricky (2001, Electronic Arts Canada)
The PS2’s mediocre launch lineup lent some credence to developers’ complaints about how difficult it was to program for. Programmers needed time to figure out its hardware and build a new bag of tricks. No title better exemplifies this than SSX Tricky, a follow up to the earlier, already excellent, SSX, and the game it really aspired to be. Whether or not you care for the actual sport, SSX Tricky will lure you in with its fun tracks, awesome tricks, and characters based on and voiced by celebrities like Billy Zane and Lucy Liu. The acclaimed soundtrack boasts cuts from 15 artists, including Mixmaster Mike and Run DMC. The innovative controls made it easy to perform tricks including death- (and physics-) defying maneuvers like Triple Back Flip Superman and the 1080 Morgan Grinder. The DVD also featured over an hour of special features. Receiving near-perfect scores by every major critic, SSX Tricky is definitely not a game your PS2 collection should be without.
Emulating a PS2 on a modern PC can be frustrating, especially if you don’t have a powerful system. That said, emulation is surprisingly robust for such a recently deprecated system. The standout emulator is PCSX2, which runs many games at near 100 percent accuracy. This program is available for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux, and is highly customizable and configurable. Of course, not every game will work well or at all with the emulator, but most major games are covered.6
There are two other notable emulators available: PS2emu and NeutrinoSX2. As of this writing, there’s little reason to prefer these to PCSX2.
PCSX2 is the most capable PS2 emulator.
In any case, you’ll need a PS2 bios file to run these emulators. To get around the obvious legal issues involved with hosting these files themselves, most emulator sites will not include these files in their download package. You’ll either need to work out the technical means necessary to extract one from an actual PS2, or simply download one elsewhere. Keep in mind, though, that BIOS files vary by region and version, so select the one that is compatible with the software you intend to run with it.
1 See Vladimir Cole, “PS2 51%, Xbox 34%, GameCube 15%, says Gartner,” Joystiq, November 13, 2005. Note that Cole disagrees with Gartner’s numbers.
2 See Michael Humphries, “PS2 is outselling PS3 and PSP,” http://Geek.com, July 31, 2009.
3 See Douglas C. Perry, “Early PlayStation 2 Rumblings,” IGN, October 2, 1998.
4 See Dave McCarthy, “The History of PlayStation 2,” Games Industry.biz, November 22, 2006.
5 See Douglass C. Perry, “EyeToy: Play,” IGN, November 4, 2003.
6 A complete list of games playable in the PCSX2 emulator is available at http://wiki.pcsx2.net.