Retro News
Soapbox This Is Why Physical Games Are Still Important to Me
Material guy
I’ve got a confession to make: most of my PS5 and PS4 library is digital these days. I understand why the industry is increasingly transitioning away from physical media, and I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t address that right from the off. However, I still purchase plenty of cartridges and discs, and I believe boxed games still...
News Iconic NES Platformer A Boy and His Blob Scoffs Magical Beans on PS5, PS4 This Month
Bean there, done that
After the obvious outings, like Super Mario Bros 3 and Kirby’s Adventure, the one NES game this author remembers most vividly is A Boy and His Blob. Famously designed by Pitfall programmer David Crane, the release sees you employing magical beans to transform the eponymous blob into all sorts of useful utilities, suc
Random This YouTube Account Has Gone Viral for Unsealing Old PlayStation Games
Unwrapped
OpenGame, a new YouTube account which is blowing up at the moment, owes a lot of its success to the TheRelaxingEnd. The formula is very similar: a pair of gloved hands unseals old games with a fancy knife, but the account’s focus on entire franchises appears to be pleasing Google’s algorithm. Take, for example, this video on every...
Review Ridge Racer Type 4 (PS1) - The Pinnacle of PS1 Ridge Racer Games
I want to be R4-ever young
Republished on Saturday, 18th March, 2023: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of March 2023's PS Plus line up. The original text follows. Push Square has pondered the infancy of 3D console graphics during the 32-bit era, and reflected that the ageing process was not always...
News PS Plus Premium Subs Treated to a Trio of Retro Treats Next Week
Emulated action
There’s no doubt about it: PS Plus has improved dramatically across all three tiers this year. Sony revealed the full lineup of games for PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Premium subscribers earlier, with members of the latter getting treated to a trio of tasty retro releases –
Review The Legend of Dragoon (PS1) - A Flawed But Charismatic Classic
The legend lives on
For many, the PS1 was defined by the global recognition of Japanese role-playing games. Final Fantasy VII obviously led the charge in this regard, but it was flanked by now legendary properties like Breath of Fire, Wild Arms, and Suikoden. It's easy to see the impact that the JRPG boom had on the gaming landscape of the late 90s...
News Dude! Bill & Ted's Excellent Retro Collection Is Out on PS5, PS4 Now
Not bogus
We’re getting a lot of retro compilations on PS5 and PS4 right now, but Bill & Ted’s Excellent Retro Collection may be one of the weirder ones. Featuring LJN’s critically maligned Bill & Ted's Excellent Video Game Adventure – originally released in 1991 on the NES – and its Game Boy counterpart, the home console version...
Mini Review Ridge Racer 2 (PSP) - A Greatest Hits Album for Arcade Racing Royalty
Now that's what I call drifting
The original release of PSP's Ridge Racer 2 could be criticised for being almost exactly the same game as its predecessor, only with a few more tracks and modes. However, that doesn't really matter today, especially now it's one of the rare Ridge Racer titles playable on modern consoles. With its one blemish now moot,...
Soapbox More Publishers, Including PlayStation, Should Celebrate Their Catalogues Like Atari 50
Rose tinted glasses
I’ve always enjoyed retro games, but I don’t think I ever considered myself a Retro Gamer™ until this year. At just 34-years-old, I’m certainly not old – but I am getting older, and I’m beginning to appreciate how this shapes my perspective. For example, I was around for the entirety of the PS1 era – I even attended...
Mini Review Pinball Heroes (PSP) - First-Party PlayStation Time Capsule in Pinball Form
Ball saver
Pinball Heroes feels like a strange snapshot of time, and we mean that in the best possible way. Originally released for the PSP in 2009 as eight digitally downloadable tables, it launched just prior to PlayStation rediscovering its mojo. The context is key here: the PS3 was getting its butt stomped by the Xbox 360, and PS Studios was...
News Obscure PS1 Deep Sea Diving Game B.L.U.E. Legend of Water Now Patched to Play in English
Befriend a dolphin in archaeology adventure
Fans of underwater adventures like Aquanaut’s Holiday and Endless Ocean may be interested in learning more about Hudson Soft’s obscure PS1 deep sea diving game B.L.U.E. Legend of Water, which has now received a full English fan translation patch courtesy of Hilltop. The game, originally released in...
News These Could Be All the Atari Anniversary Collection Games on PS5, PS4
There's a lot
One of the neat things about owning a PS5 or PS4 these days is that you can legitimately build a fairly large compilation of great retro games, as publishers have been pretty proactive porting old favourites in recent years. One upcoming collection that’s on our radar is Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, which will include more...
Random Can Sony Topple SEGA and Nintendo? Classic BBC Report Investigates
It'll never catch on
If you’re not subscribed to BBC Archives on YouTube, we recommend you do so. The broadcaster is unearthing oodles of classic news reports, many of which pertain to home computing. It’s really fascinating seeing common contemporary technologies, like email and the Internet, presented as ground-breaking in these old television...
News Time Extension! Meet Our New Website for Reflective, Retro-Ish Gaming
A site this good takes AGES
We’re all about the next big thing here at Push Square. Whether it’s exciting sequels like God of War Ragnarok, promising new hardware platforms like PSVR2, or even entirely new services like PS Stars – there’s so much to look forward to, it’s rare we ever get the time to look back. That’s where
Review Syphon Filter (PS1) - Espionage and Intrigue Abounds in This Scruffy Cinematic Shooter
Gabe over
Game developers were still figuring out 3D controls when Syphon Filter released in 1999. Bend Studio, then known as Eidetic, were bruised by the critical reception to 1996’s PS1 platformer Bubsy 3D – and wanted to create something truly groundbreaking. Ultimately, both Metal Gear Solid and GoldenEye 007 deployed during the super-spy...
News Play Sony's Long-Lost PS1 Point-and-Click Survival Aconcagua in English at Last
Descenders
Aconcagua, a forgotten PS1 point-and-click game developed and published by Sony, launched in 2000 in Japan. The politically charged title saw you controlling a journalist in a fictional reimagining of Argentina’s Mendoza province, and tasked you with helping a group of survivors descend a mountain after a terrorist attack...
Review Ape Escape (PS1) - Monkeying Around in 3D Platforming Pioneer Is Still a Blast
You're good
Video games went through a super exciting period in the late 90s. The introduction of a third dimension, championed by the PS1, presented a broad new challenge for designers. How can you comfortably control a character in 3D? It's widely recognised that Super Mario 64 pretty much nailed it first try, but there are other games from that...
Review Hot Shots Tennis (PS2) - Bare Bones and Bettered By Its PSP Successor
You cannot be serious
Having taken control of the Hot Shot Golf franchise from Camelot in 1999, developer Clap Hanz proceeded to create five different instalments in the series – six, in fact, if you include the Japan exclusive Hot Shots Golf Online, which was used as a means to help flog the PS2’s Network Adapter domestically. Thus, in 2006,...
Review Hot Shots Golf (PS1) - Utterly Iconic Arcade Golf
Our cup of tee
Japanese studio Clap Hanz may be the developer best associated with the Hot Shots Golf series, which is also known as Everybody’s Golf in Europe. However, it was Camelot Software Planning that teed off the original entry on PS1 back in 1997. That team – having helmed the Shining Force series for SEGA throughout early 90s under the...
Review Wild Arms (PS1) - Distinctly 90s JRPG Still Sparks the Spirit of Adventure
A man and his rat walk into a ruin
Wild Arms is a classic Japanese RPG — a PS1 release from when the console was at the height of its popularity. Unfortunately, at least here in the West, Wild Arms was overshadowed by a little game called Final Fantasy VII, and the property — which would go on to spawn four somewhat divisive sequels and a couple...
Review Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee (PS1) - Dark, Bizarre, and Packed with Personality
Slimy, yet satisfying
Republished on Sunday, 25th June, 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee's inclusion in All PS Plus Games. The original text follows. Originally published on Tuesday, 6th November, 2018: True to its name, Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee is one of the oddest games ever created, with...
Review Resident Evil: Director's Cut (PS1) - Iconic Survival Horror
Jill sandwich, please, petrified with mixed herbs
Republished on Thursday, 23rd June, 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following Resident Evil: Director's Cut's inclusion in All PS Plus Games. The original text follows. Originally published on Sunday, 25th November, 2018: Spencer Mansion, set deep in Raccoon Forest, looming...
Mini Review Tekken 2 (PS1) - Broken and Awkward, But Still a Classic Fighter
Tekken it to the next level
The original Tekken was Namco's first attempt at a 3D fighting game, and boy did it show. There was undeniable potential at the 1995 title's core, but the game as a whole was incredibly raw, both on a visual and mechanical level. It wasn't until Tekken 2 that the now record-breaking franchise would find its footing. The...
Review Jumping Flash! (PS1) - Unique 90s Platforming from a First-Person Perspective
Buy it, don't Robbit
Republished on Wednesday, 22nd June, 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following Jumping Flash!'s inclusion in All PS Plus Games. The original text follows. Originally published on Sunday, 4th November, 2018: The 16-bit console wars were merciless. During the early concept stage of the PlayStation...
Review Intelligent Qube (PS1) - An Iconic PS1 Puzzler
Blockstar
Republished on Wednesday, 22nd June, 2022: We're bringing this review back from the archives following Intelligent Qube's inclusion in All PS Plus Games. The original text follows. Originally published on Monday, 3rd December, 2018: You run around on a floating platform in the middle of a void, swallowing cubes into the ground one-by-one...
Random The 25-Year-Old PS1 Demo Disc Cheat You Never Knew About
Total WipEout
Picture the scene: it’s January 1996 – an eye-rolling 25-years ago – and you’re gawking at the non-interactive WipEout demo included with the first copy of The Official PlayStation Magazine. The so-called “rolling demo” technically wasn’t playable – but what if we told you there actually was a way to commandeer those...
Review Mafia II - Stunning Period Setting Undone Only by Restrictive Open World
Godfatherly love
Republished on Tuesday, 19th May, 2020: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of Mafia II: Definitive Edition. The original text follows. Protagonist Vito Scaletta is a typical mobster: he's a criminal, a low-life, and a murderer -- but you can't help but fall in love with him. Despite being...
Random Royal Mail Celebrates British Video Games with Awesome Retro Stamp Collection
Pixelated postage
If you're a lover of both retro video games and postage stamps, then we have some good news for you. The UK's Royal Mail has just announced a new collection of stamps featuring various titles from the 80s and 90s developed right here in Blighty, and it's honestly pretty cool. This special run of stamps includes games such as...
News PSone's Iconic Startup Sound Was Designed to Detect if the Console Could Read Your Disc
The more you know
PSone’s iconic startup sound is arguably one of the most recognisable audio sequences in all of games, but did you know it was designed specifically to detect issues with the console’s CD drive? “The function of this sound is to tell the user that the hardware is running like it is supposed to, and that the disc has...
"It was the dog’s bollocks"
The original 32-bit PlayStation was a game-changer, but Sony's follow up was even more successful, eventually selling over 155 million units worldwide. Powered by "The Emotion Engine" CPU – developed and manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment and Toshiba – the PS2 is officially the most successful video games...
Review Crash Team Racing - Naughty Dog Created the Best Kart Racer on PSone
Bandicoot power slide
Start your engines, and fasten your seatbelts for another Naughty Dog creation. In this case it's CTR: Crash Team Racing from 1999, which also happens to be the greatest kart racing game on the PSone. Released in the same year as Speed Freaks, and colourful mascot racers like Bomberman Fantasy Race on PSone, Crash Team Racing...
Guide Where to Buy the PlayStation Classic Mini Console
There's still plenty of them around
Sony announced the PlayStation Classic earlier in the year, a pint-sized PSone console with a bunch of games pre-loaded. The mini machine is available right now, and you can get it from various retailers across the web. But where can you buy the PlayStation Classic? Here's a quick guide on the mini machine and how...
Review Rayman - An 'Armless PSone Platforming Treat
Ray-manifestation of UbiArt
Even twenty years ago, any love felt towards PSone Rayman's luscious art style could quickly turn into hate due to its spikily relentless difficulty barrier, but a cathartic sense of satisfaction could also be found by perseverant gamers who endured to conquer all eighteen of its levels. As a December 1995 EU launch...
Review Battle Arena Toshinden - Significant But Not Special
Not quite a load of old Tosh-inden
"Play History. Make History." The marketing tagline for the 2018 release of the PlayStation Classic highlights an added attribute of the miniature console in the sense that all 20 games included may not actually be classic PSone games, yet even the less worthy inclusions provide gamers with a snapshot of playing...
Review Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six - Not a PS Classic, But Interesting Nonetheless
Back to basics
Believe it or not, but there was a time when the Tom Clancy game franchise that haemorrhaged titles in the 2000s was actually less popular than the legendary novelist himself. Even by the late 90s, only a handful of games based on his books had come out – most of them Hunt for the Red October submarine sims. That all changed in...
Review Metal Gear Solid - An All-Time Classic
Liquid gold
You’ve just infiltrated a highly secure enemy base using only your cunning and the scant equipment that you happened to find on your way. After rendezvousing with your hostage, you’re showered with a stirring speech on the importance of global nuclear disarmament, as well as the horrific impact of an increasingly militarised world...
Review Spyro the Dragon - The Classic Collectathon That Put Insomniac on the Map
Don't Gnorc it
While Insomniac Games has become one of PlayStation's most recognised developers, it cut its teeth with the little known PSone first-person shooter Disruptor, which launched in 1996. It was a DOOM clone among many others that populated the gaming landscape at the time, but there were aspects to it that made it stand out among the...
News PlayStation Classic Games Lineup Will Differ Between Japanese and Western Versions
Apart from the five announced
So far, we only know about a quarter of the titles that are set to feature on Sony's PlayStation Classic mini console, but depending on where you buy it, the rest of the lineup could be quite different. The five currently announced will feature on the machine in Japan and the West, but the other titles will vary by...
Guide The Best PSone Games We Want on a PlayStation Classic Mini
The king's classics
Update, 19th September 2018, 8am BST: This article has been republished following Sony's announcement of the PlayStation Classic. There’s no doubting that the PSone is one of the greatest video game consoles of all time. The plethora of brand new IP, quality RPGs, and game-changing releases that landed on Sony’s debut...
Feature Spider-Man 2 - Does It Still Hold Up Today?
"I lost my balloon!"
Insomniac's imminent superhero blockbuster, Spider-Man, has looked increasingly promising since its announcement all the way back at E3 2016. We've yet to try the game out for ourselves, but based on what...
Review Final Fantasy IX (PSone)
I want to be your canary
Republished on Tuesday 19th September 2017: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the game's remastered release on PlayStation 4. The original text follows. As far as Final Fantasy games go, Final Fantasy IX is one of the most cohesive, charming entries in Square Enix's beloved series. It marked the...
Review Tokyo Jungle (PlayStation 3)
Primal rage
Republished on Wednesday, 28th June 2017: We're bringing this review back from the archives following the announcement of July 2017's PlayStation Plus lineup. The original text follows. In an industry which is seemingly obsessed with burly soldiers packing massive machine guns and other associated heavy ordinance, it’s...
Review Star Ocean: Till the End of Time (PS4 / PS2)
The last hope?
You know you’re playing an older game when you’re forced to use the shoulder buttons to turn the camera. There’s no option to change it to the right analogue stick, either, presumably because that would have meant extra work. It’s a sure-fire sign that Star Ocean: Till the End of Time is just an emulated upscale of the...
Review Journey (PlayStation 3)
The road less travelled
Update (14th March, 2017): To celebrate the five year anniversary of Journey's release, we're bringing our original review back from the archives for one day only. A seminal moment in PlayStation history. Enjoy! Originally published (1st March, 2017): Journey is a seminal release; the kind of title that comes once in a...
News We Got Up Close and Personal with the Nintendo PlayStation
Alternate universe
On display at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo this weekend was a real treasure: the Nintendo PlayStation. The disc-based edition of the Super Nintendo system was produced by Sony in collaboration with the House of Mario, but never saw the light of day after the two Japanese giants had a difference of opinion. A prototype unit did,...
Video We Unboxed a Brand New PocketStation
Because why not?
With our attempts at creating meaningful YouTube content either drawing indifference or ire, we figured that we'd do something really dumb today – like, unbox a brand new Sony PocketStation dumb. Your humble host snagged this on eBay a few years ago, and it's been sitting in its packet ever since. Why? Because… Well, that...
Feature The Making of Cancelled PS2 Sci-Fi Shooter EXO
The story of Sheffield's most ambitious undertaking
Scheduled 60 years in the future where a ruthless corporation and its cyber terrorists hold a city to ransom, EXO pushed the creativity and technological innovation of a Sheffield company to the limit and promised to be a blockbusting, game-changer for the PlayStation 2. Creative supremo Glyn...
News Watch Five Seconds of Every PSone Game Released in the US
Are you sitting comfortably?
How's this for a trip down memory lane? To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of PlayStation – a celebration that we must stress seems to be lasting a decade – Game Rave TV has compiled five seconds of footage from every PSone game released at US retail. It's a gigantic hunk of a video weighing in at over two hours, so...
Long time coming
The Summon Night series has a bit of a niche following in the strategy role-playing game genre. To the surprise of many, it was announced that a localized version of Summon Night 5 would not only get to launch on the PlayStation Network, but would also nab a physical release here in the West. So, is it worth dusting off the ol'...
Feature A Brief History of Virtual Reality
Alex Boz tours the '90s VR graveyard
With the Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR well and truly on the way to our living rooms, virtual reality (VR) is the biggest news in gaming right now. But let's rewind the clock some two and a half decades, back when Sony was working on the Nintendo Play Station and the inventor of the Oculus Rift, Palmer Luckey,...