With PlayStation Plus, you’re incredibly blessed for choice if you’re new to PlayStation or simply want to try a new game. You can start playing games that have helped define PlayStation over the past 30 years. There are simply too many titles to list them all in this small section, but here is a huge selection that you can play today on PlayStation Plus. More than 30 games in 30 years? Make sure your controllers are charged.
PlayStation
Jumping Flash | Sony Computer Entertainment | Exact & Ultra | 1995
When Robbit, a cute-looking robotic rabbit, jumped into our screens, it helped pave the way for the future of gaming, which doesn’t happen very frequently. The Guinness World Record for the “first platform video game in true 3D” is held by Jumping Flash, which is all first-person, which makes it even more amazing. A true game-changer.
Twisted Metal | Sony Computer Entertainment | SingleTrac & Sony Interactive Studios | 1995
When Twisted Metal arrived on the scene, it reinvented the entire genre by fusing vehicle warfare with aggressive high impact driving, which was not very popular in games at the time. Twisted Metal set the standard for many others to follow with its deathmatch-style gameplay and the debut of Sweet Tooth, the popular demonic ice cream truck driver.
Tekken 2 | Namco | Namco | 1996
While the original Tekken did contribute to the development of the then-new genre of 3D fighting games, its follow-up made the series a serious contender. Its tight gameplay and hard-hitting cast have made it a genre mainstay. A number of individuals are flung from, off, or into something from a tremendous height in the franchise, which also holds the record for the longest running story in video games without reboots, retcons, or revisions.
Resident Evil Director’s Cut | Capcom | Capcom | 1997
Although horror has always been in video games, dating back to 3D Monster Maze in 1981, Resident Evil created the foundation for horror and all of its subgenres. Specifically, Capcom’s masterpiece combined American horror film schlock with cutting-edge pre-rendered scenery, inventive riddles, and truly amazing—and now iconic—jump scares. We enjoy survival horror precisely because it has never been the same. In 1996, the original enthralled and frightened players. A year later, the Director’s Cut was released with various changes to the gameplay.
Ridge Racer Type 4 | Namco | Namco | 1999
By the time Type 4 entered the track, Ridge Racer, a racing game titan, had already solidified its quickly gained reputation. With one of the best entries in the entire series, this one confirmed what everyone already knew or suspected. Type 4 was Ridge Racer’s pinnacle, evolving from its coin-op beginnings to a now masterfully combined engine of arcade driving and realism.
Ape Escape | Sony Computer Entertainment | Japan Studio | 1999
When this colorful and quirky platformer was first released, not many people understood what to make of it, but as gamers got their hands on it, everything became incredibly clear. Like the lively monkeys in the series, Ape Escape won over the hearts of everybody who played it with its inventive control mechanism, whimsical graphics, and sheer cuteness. It introduced the capabilities of the DualShock analog controller.
PlayStation 2
Fantavision | Sony Computer Entertainment | Japan Studio | 2000
How many puzzle games with a real-time firework theme have you played? There probably weren’t many, if any, when Fantavision originally came into being. Japan Studio’s game was a memorable and amazing display of particle effects on the PS2, and it remains captivatingly original even after all these years.
TimeSplitters | Eidos Interactive | Free Radical Design | 2000
By the time TimeSplitters came out, first-person shooters were experiencing a resurgence of sorts, thanks in part to the team behind it. With their experience and skill, Free Radical Design was able to expertly hone the split-screen multiplayer features and punchy gameplay style that they had already made popular, sparking a new fan favorite franchise.
Dark Cloud | Sony Computer Entertainment | Level-5 | 2001
When I initially saw the gorgeous Dark Cloud, I had a lot of questions. Was it an RPG? A builder of cities? A game that involves action? The solution? Indeed. Dark Cloud was ahead of its time, creatively fusing genres with randomly generated dungeon crawling, and a fantastic example of what the PlayStation 2 could offer our rapidly changing medium.
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy | Sony Computer Entertainment | Naughty Dog | 2001
It’s easy to underestimate how much adventure Jak and Daxter were doing behind the scenes of their boisterous, vibrant, and colorful sci-fi fantasy platform. It was difficult to create a large, open 3D world with riddles, unique people, and collectibles without loading screens. In addition to succeeding, Naughty Dog built a devoted fan base and a successful series.
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus | Sony Computer Entertainment | Sucker Punch Productions | 2002
In the early 2000s, the genre of stealth games had gained enormous popularity, but few were departing from the military espionage formula that had contributed to its success. With its imaginative “toon shaded” graphics and sleek gameplay, Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus showed that it was possible to be incredibly cunning and fashionable without being solemn.
PlayStation 3
Resistance: Fall of Man | Sony Computer Entertainment | Insomniac Games | 2006
With its alternate World War II history, intergalactic invaders, and captivating story, Insomniac’s beloved first-person shooter has a lot to offer. In addition to being a successful debut film, Resistance: Fall of Man served as the basis for several excellent follow-ups.
God of War III | Sony Computer Entertainment | Santa Monica Studio | 2010
*Note: GoW III Remastered released in 2015 on PS4
Kratos’s quest for revenge reached its violent third-part climax as he was tearing it up with the Greek Pantheon before he became a father. Everything was larger here, including the people, the set pieces, and the violence. The latter literally, considering the game’s opening scene, in which Kratos battles an entire army while riding the giant Gaia. You may play the 2015 PS4 Remastered version on PlayStation Plus.