7 PS1 franchises that deserve another shot

We’ve seen a flurry of nostalgia-fueled remasters announced, but those are fleeting enjoyments. It’s much easier to be excited about those games than to actually go back and play the old mechanics once again.

Here are the top seven PS1 franchises I’d love to see get another shot on the PS4.

Tenchu

1998 was the year of the stealth game as we not only got the legendary Metal Gear Solid, but Tenchu: Stealth Assassins as well. Tenchu took place in Feudal Japan, had two unique playable characters, and utilized intersting items like the grappling hook as you darted over rooftops.

Prowling above your enemies before dropping down and administering a gory deathblow was the highlight and something I’d love to see explored on the PS4.

Side note

Back when I was a teenaged idiot who cared about console dominance, this game almost convinced my N64-having best friend to switch to the grey wonder. I was gutted when he came to school the next day with an EGM magazine previewing upcoming 64-bit games, including the awesome Star Wars: Rogue Squadron. What a dummy I was. Instead of us both having Tenchu, I was able to experience Rogue Squadron, Perfect Dark, AKI wrestling games, and Majora’s Mask.

Parappa the Rapper

Yes I know the remaster is coming but that won’t last long. I’d love a batch of new songs to discover alongside some new mechanics. A local multiplayer mode with a friend rap battling or controlling the beat would be a nice addition.

Wipeout XL

When Sony announced Wipeout at their last big event the crowd erupted, but soon cooled down when they realized it was just another remaster. These are old games that won’t hold gamer’s attention for too long.

A new futuristic racer with gorgeous sci-fi visuals, mind-bending track mechanics, and extreme speed is exactly what the PS4 needs and a new Wipeout is the perfect franchise to deliver it

Crash Team Racing

It doesn’t have to feature Crash, or even recognizable characters, it just needs to nail multiplayer cart racing. Nintendo has done very well with Mario Kart on every platform while Sony has yet to come up with a viable alternative. Mod Nation Racers’ deep customization sounded incredible but lacked the community support to make it work.
A goofy racer you can play splitscreen or online with friends is something I’ve wanted for years on a playstation console.

Poy Poy

Speaking of Nintendo multiplayer powerhouses, Poy Poy could be Sony’s answer to Smash Bros.

Poy Poy was a lighthearted, 4-player arena combat game, where the players threw objects at each other. Different gloves provided different attributes and gameplay changes.

It was simple, fun, and I can’t believe they didn’t do more with this franchise.

Colony Wars

I love space shooters.

Colony Wars was less complicated than TIE Fighter but provided beautiful visuals, a dynamic story, and challenging space combat that felt great.

The capital ships always felt too small, and the way you harmlessly bounced off of them didn’t help with immersion. A modern version could easily handle the massive scale I’d want to see in a space sim.

This genre is seeing a bit of a resurgence lately, and a new Colony Wars could fit right in.

Ape Escape

As a PS1 fanboy, I was secretly jealous of Mario 64’s slick controls and genius level design. I desperately wanted a Playstation developer to rip it off, and Spyro was not cutting it.

Ape Escape scratched my itch for inventive platforming. I loved exploring levels for secret apes and unlocking the wacky gadgets.

A new version with Ratchet and Clank-esque visuals would be a fantastic thing indeed.