Classic PlayStation 1 Video Games That Should Be Ported into Mobile!

We cannot deny the impact of mobile platforms like Android and iOS as they are capable of reaching wider audiences. It is not really surprising why many game developers are targeting these platforms to exclusively release their games. Giant game-developing companies, on the other hand, are porting their console or PC games to mobile platforms to reach out bigger audience. Once ported, the games will be optimized for mobile by changing the typical controls to touch-screen or tap-based buttons. This process is very common for developers who want their games to be accessed on multiple platforms. However, for games that were released before the Smartphones, most companies are re-releasing them by porting them to mobile platforms.

Some classic games are being reimagined into an entirely new game much like what they did with games like Tomb Raider, Diablo, and Mortal Kombat. Some developers also decided to port their games as classic as they are by keeping all its classic elements which are now referred to as “retrogaming.” This allows the new generation of gamers to experience those classic games that we used to enjoy. For Playstation 1 alone, there are more than 7000 game titles that were released during its 11-year span and there is definitely a great potential for some of its titles to be ported into mobile and to be introduced to new audiences.

Some of the titles that were already ported to mobile include Castlevania, Doom, Chrono Trigger, and Grand Theft Auto III to name a few. Listed below are some of the PlayStation 1 titles that definitely deserve to be ported on mobile.

Dino Crisis

Jurassic Park is probably the first “pop culture” thing that will come to our mind when it comes to prehistoric dinosaurs. There are a great number of Jurassic Park video games that were released as part of the film promotion. In fact, a new Jurassic Park game was recently teased by Saber Interactive which will take place after the events of the original 1993 film. However, when it comes to dinosaur survival games, there is one PlayStation 1 title that certainly deserves a reintroduction. Developed and published by Capcom, Dino Crisis was released in 1999 for PlayStation 1.

It is a horror survival game that follows the story of Regina who was sent to investigate a secluded island research facility, only to find out that the island is overrun by dinosaurs. Now, Regina must find her way to solve the mystery behind the facility and escape the island as well. The game was a massive hit, selling over 2.4 million copies. Due to its success, the game was eventually ported to Dreamcast and Windows the following year after its release. Capcom released a mobile-exclusive Dino Crisis game in 2003 but it was not as equally successful as its predecessor. There are rumors that Dino Crisis will make its return soon and some are even petitioning for its revival but there is no confirmed statement from Capcom yet. This classic game definitely deserves a mobile port version.

Tomba

Some of you might still remember this funny pick-haired caveman. Tomba is probably one of those forgotten PlayStation 1 games that surely deserves reintroduction to the new generation of gamers. Developed by Whoopie Camp and released in 1997 by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation, Tomba is a colorful platformer game with RPG elements. It follows the story of Tomba and his journey to retrieve his grandfather’s golden bracelet from the hands of evil Koma Pigs. The game introduces a “non-linear events system where players can take several side quests to earn various rewards.

Despite the simplicity, Tomba managed to maintain a cult following which resulted in a sequel in 1999. Unfortunately, Woophie Camp disbanded after the release of the sequel and since then, there have been no attempts to revive the franchise. Limited Run Games studio, however, is said to be releasing an enhanced version of Tomba, 26 years after its release. They will be utilizing Carbon Engine to bring this classic game to modern hardware. It was not yet confirmed if a mobile version is included but this is surely a great opportunity to reintroduce Tomba to the new generation of gamers.

Resident Evil 2

Resident Evil 2 is such a game-changer. Developed and released by Capcom in 1998 following the events of its predecessor, Resident Evil 2 has become a massive hit. While it captures all the elements from the first Resident Evil game, it introduced a unique branching part system where playable characters have unique storylines, partners, and obstacles. It follows the story of rookie officer Leon Kennedy and college student Claire Redfield as they try to survive the zombie outbreak that took place in Raccoon City.

Resident Evil 2 was considered the most commercially successful Resident Evil game. It is also one of the most critically acclaimed games from the franchise. To introduce the game to the new generation of gamers, a remake was made in 2019 for new gaming consoles like PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows. Interestingly, despite the success of the franchise, there have been only a few attempts to bring the Resident Evil game into mobile. It would be an interesting approach to see this classic horror survival game optimized for mobile devices.

Spyro the Dragon

Those who are avid gamers of PlayStation 1 should be familiar with this flying purple dragon named Spyro! It is an open-ended 3D platform game that takes you to several dragon worlds. It follows the story of the young Spyro the Dragon and his mission to rescue his fellow dragons that were turned into statues by the evil Gnasty Gnorc. You will navigate from one world to another, collect and destroy various items, and defeat giant bosses. It was a commercially successful game that eventually turned into a franchise with numerous sequels and a reboot trilogy.

It was so popular that it became one of the mascots of PlayStation alongside Crash Bandicoot. Despite the massive hit, Insomniac never made an attempt to bring Spyro the Dragon into mobile except for the one published by Vivendi Games in 2005. With the technology we have today, Spyro the Dragon can definitely work well with mobile platforms.

Syphon Filter

It is unfortunate that Syphon Filter never gets a Metal Gear Solid treatment. Developed by Eidetic Studio (now known as Bend Studio), Syphon Filter was released in 1999 for PlayStation 1. It is a third-person shooting game that follows the story of agent Gabriel Logan and his partner Lian Xiang as they investigate a series of biological outbreaks and anomalies triggered by international terrorist groups. Similar to Metal Gear Solid, the game focuses on stealth and puzzle solving.

After the critical and commercial success of the first Syphon Filter game, it evolved into a franchise that expanded to five more installments. The sixth installment (Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow) was last released in 2007 and there has been no news on when the studio will release a new game. It would be refreshing to see this classic game played on mobile devices! They could certainly do a remake with better graphics and gameplay or develop a new Syphon Filter game that is exclusively optimized for mobile devices.

Silent Hill

Much like the Resident Evil franchise, Silent Hill also received decent success upon its release. Developed by Team Silent and published by Konami in 1999, Silent Hill instantly became a huge hit due to its unique take on horror survival. Known for its eariness and dark atmosphere, Silent Hill follows the story of Harry Mason and his mission to find his missing adopted daughter in a mysterious town called Silent Hill. Little did he know, that the town is overrun by different monsters, and he will soon discover the mystery behind his daughter’s real identity. Interestingly, Silent Hill has five possible game endings depending on actions taken by the player.

The success of Silent Hill gave birth to an equally successful franchise. It expanded to six more major installments and several spin-off video games. It was even adapted into two feature films. While the studio merely focused on releasing the Silent Hill games onto consoles, there are notable few attempts to bring this eerie video game into mobile. For instance, Konami published Silent Hill: Orphan series from 2007 to 2010 exclusively for mobile devices. The mobile spin-offs, however, failed to capture the gameplay brought by its predecessors. It would be interesting to see the original Silent Hill game on the small screen, delivering the same horror and challenge.

Twisted Metal

Vehicular combat games are almost non-existent today. However, during the 90s and early 2000s, there are several game titles that fall into this genre. One of which is Twisted Metal which was recently adapted into a TV series. Twisted Metal is a unique game in many aspects. It is a combat game set in an open field in which you control a vehicle armed with weapons. The game is inspired by a demolition derby sport but emphasizes the use of ballistic projectiles, machine guns, and many other types of weapons and explosives. Your goal is to take control of a vehicle and engage in an open-field battle with opposing drivers.

Each driver has its own storyline and each has the intention to win the Twisted Metal tournament that will grant their wishes. The video game series was expanded to 6 more sequels and 2 spin-offs from 1995 to 2012. All of the installments were exclusively released for PlayStation consoles. Although feasible, there are no attempts made to bring the classic vehicular combat game into mobile. It could be a great way to revive this “dead” genre back to the mainstream. They could also take advantage of the hit TV series to bring the game back to its former glory.

MediEvil

MediEvil is yet another seemingly forgotten PlayStation 1 game. Developed by SCE Studio Cambridge and published by Sony Computer Entertainment in 1998, MediEvil follows the story of Sir Daniel Fortesque, a skeleton man of Gallowmere Kingdom who goes on a journey to save the kingdom from the invasion led by Zarok. As he travels across Gallowmere, he will encounter enemies along the way. In the entire course of the game, the player must navigate the 3D levels, solve numerous puzzles, and eliminate enemies to progress.

The game is also known for its humor content and Halloween themed visuals. The success of the first MediEvil game was followed by a sequel the next year.  It was also remade twice in 2009 and in 2019 respectively. However, there are no attempts yet to bring the game to mobile devices. Unfortunately, the mother studio was shut down in 2017 but let us all hope that a new game-developing company will pick it up and reintroduce this fun character to the newer generation of gamers.

Tenchu: Stealth Assassins

Another popular title in the PlayStation 1 lineup is Tenchu! It was developed by Acquire (War of the Samurai and Octopath Traveler), and the first Tenchu game (Tenchu: Stealth Assassins) was released in 1998. Being a stealth game, your mission is to navigate or infiltrate the area without being detected by the enemies. The game follows the story of Rikimaru and Ayame of the Azuma Ninja Clan as they go on a series of epic missions given by their employer Lord Gohda. The objectives will vary as you progress but all of them require you to stay undetected.

The game was a massive hit both in Japan and overseas. It soon became a series, expanding to eight more titles from the years 2000 to 2008. Unfortunately, there are no plans yet to make a new sequel or to remake the series for the new generation of gamers. There were no attempts to port the game into the mobile platform. Nevertheless, Tenchu: Stealth Assassins is one of the classic PlayStation 1 games that we would love to see on our small screens.

Ace Combat

Another classic PlayStation 1 title is the Ace Combat series. It is an arcade-style combat flight simulation game that allows you to operate an aircraft in a semi-realistic fashion. Formerly entitled “Air Combat”, the game was first released in 1995 by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The mechanics of the game are simple yet require you to apply the best of your skills to master the game completely. The highlight of the game is the player’s ability to operate or to pilot a range of aircraft which were based on various prototypes that were never adopted or built in real life.

Once engaged in combat, it takes you to a semi-realistic first-person flight simulation presented in a first-person perspective. Here, you will be asked to take down enemies using your weapons or projectiles. The success of Air Combat led it to become a successful franchise. It expanded to 18 more Ace Combat games from the years 1997 to 2019. With so many versions released by the franchise, none of them were exclusively released for mobile devices. It would be interesting to see this action-packed flight simulation game being played on our mobile device.