The Sony PlayStation had an absolutely tremendous library. Hidden gems kind of come with the territory. Big hits like Crash Bandicoot and Final Fantasy dominated the sales charts, but there are many smaller titles that have been lost in time. That’s why I decided to write about the best PS1 hidden gems today. Nearly every third party developer went all in on the original PlayStation. It was cheap and easy to create games for which made it a development paradise of sorts. Of course most titles for the platform can easily be classified as shovelware because of this. Any small company could slap together a low budget title. I’ve decided to weed through the shovelware and huge releases to compile what is in my opinion a list of the best PS1 hidden gems. Without further adieu let’s get started. First I’m going to go over some guidelines for this list.
- Here on this list I’m not including any import titles. I’ve already made a list of the best PS1 import games so if you’re looking for something from across the sea you’ll more easily find it there. This write up covers only North American releases.
- I’m trying to cover the best PS1 import games that are still obscure. Sure, there are many that didn’t get any attention at release but now have large followings. I wanted to focus on those that few have still heard about.
- I also tried to avoid including licensed games. Often these were heavily advertised or were based on popular entertainment properties. A few slipped through the cracks but that’s because despite having well known characters they’re still virtually unknown.
With all of that out of the way let’s get started. These are the top 15 best PS1 hidden gems in alphabetical order!
Galerians
We’re kicking things off with a survival horror game. Galerians is virtually unknown and completely overshadowed by the likes of Resident Evil and Silent Hill. It uses the traditional third person viewpoint with pre-rendered backgrounds. This means there’s a lot of perspective switching and tank controls but anyone familiar with the genre is used to this by now. There’s also an emphasis on collecting items and solving puzzles. The most unique element of the game is the fact that you use psychic powers to battle foes. Of course resource management is still a big part of gameplay, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. The story takes itself too seriously, and has the usual cheesy voice acting. If you’re looking for something like Resident Evil you can’t go wrong. Galerians is definitely one of the best PS1 hidden gems.
Granstream Saga
My first exposure to Granstream Saga was through a demo disc. I didn’t realize at the time but it’s a spiritual successor to the Soul Blazer trilogy which are among my favorite games of all time. The Granstream Saga was one of the first fully 3D RPGs at the time. The game is played from an overhead perspective as you travel through towns and dungeons wherein lay foes that are just waiting to be slain. Combat shifts perspectives by zooming in to show off the graphical engine. You can raise your shield, attack with the currently equipped weapon, and dodge. This is all in real-time, and to be honest the Granstream Saga feels sort of like a pseudo fighting game in these sequences. I love the battle system and that’s why I consider this one of the best PS1 hidden gems. This is a good choice if you like RPGs.
Guardian’s Crusade
I didn’t realize at first while playing this one that it’s actually a pseudo follow up to the Guardian War which came out for the Panasonic 3DO. That wasn’t a very good game, but thankfully, Guardian’s Crusade is one of the best PS1 hidden gems. It isn’t particularly innovative, but has more than enough of it’s own charms to make it enjoyable. The battle system is very basic with attacks, spells, etc. Your party consists only of the main character, but later you get the assistance of a monster named Baby. There are a few interesting aspects of this game worth noting. For starters you can see enemies outside of battle. Fans of classic RPGs will no doubt rejoice at this fact. Another really cool element is that transitions from town to field areas are seamless. Guardian’s Crusade is a neat little forgotten game that’s worth playing today.
Heart of Darkness
First of all this is one of the most beautiful games on the platform. Defined as a ‘cinematic platform adventure’ almost everything is pre-rendered here. There’s an amazing hand drawn quality to the graphics that you just didn’t see often. As far as gameplay goes it’s similar to titles such as Out of this World. This means that the controls are clunky, but it’s on purpose so as to require you to really think and plan. Every area feels sort of like a puzzle. You aren’t given many clues as to what you can interact with and how. You have to experiment, but it’s also very unforgiving. Heart of Darkness is very unusual in the console’s library because it harkens to such a more simple time. It’s easily one of the best PS1 hidden gems that almost no one has played. Seriously, give it a shot and you’ll be impressed.
Hogs of War
It’s easy to see why most gamers skipped out on this release. I mean, it’s a war type strategy game about pigs. Little did anyone know this is actually one of the best PS1 hidden gems. This is sort of like a 3D version of Worms, but better actually. You command a squad of swine soldiers and take turns moving them and attacking. There are a variety of different weapons and tools that have different effects. The graphics are actually really good by PS1 standards with wide open areas for the battlefields. Combat is a lot of fun though there is a learning curve, but for the most part I was able to get up and running within minutes when I first played. The concept is weird, and perhaps the developers shouldn’t have gone with the hog theme, but it’s a great and addictive title.
Legend of Legaia
Final Fantasy VII brought with it a sea of RPGs trying to cash in on its hype. Legend of Legaia was one of the smaller contenders, but it’s still one of the best PS1 hidden gems. This one gets bonus points for being fully 3D instead of relying on pre-rendered backgrounds. It’s a typical ‘save the world’ type story with anime characters, but the plot is decent enough to keep gamers interested until the end. Where Legend of Legaia really stands out however is with it’s battle system. It uses traditional turn based mechanics, but for attacks you link together special moves to create powerful combos. It is sort of similar to Xenogears, but less convoluted and ultimately a lot more functional. Legend of Legaia hasn’t been ported anywhere else so if you’re looking for a forgotten exclusive this is an excellent choice.
Looney Tunes Sheep Raider
Here’s a licensed game that really went under the radar. It’s a shame because it’s definitely one of the best PS1 hidden gems and could have made it big were it not for the license. I mean look at that boxart. It just looks like a cheap shovelware game to me. Either way you play as Sam Wolf (not Wiley Coyote) who is tasked with stealing sheep from Sam the sheepdog’s herd. This weighs heavily into the stealth genre because you have to avoid the antagonist’s line of sight while approaching and snagging yourself some mutton. As you progress further it’s less difficult to actually catch the woolly fellows, but moreso in actually escaping with them. The gameplay feels very unique for it’s time and Sheep Raider is a lot of fun to play. The 3D graphics are also very pleasant.
Muppet Monster Adventure
This is the biggest licensed game on my list, but it’s easily one of the best PS1 hidden gems so I couldn’t exactly leave it out. Muppet Monster Adventure, as you may have guessed, is based off of Jim Henson’s the Muppets. It came out in a time when Sony was desperate for anything on the same level of Super Mario 64 on their own console, and surprisingly this one comes closest. It has huge wide open levels and a lot to do in each of them. I really love how fluidly the character moves in this title. It’s much more playable than something similar like Jersey Devil. Muppet Monster Adventure also scores extra points for it’s kid friendly horror theme. This game is a lot of fun and few have even heard of it. I imagine it was widely passed over for being a licensed release.
Rally Cross
As far as rally racing games go Sega Rally was one of the more popular hits during the 32-bit era. Sega really can’t be beat in most cases when it comes to their arcade releases, and the port to the Saturn console was excellent. It’s actually the only rally racer that comes to mind from that era. Thankfully I recently discovered Rally Cross for the Sony PlayStation, and it was actually even a first party title. In some ways it’s even better than Sega’s own title. The graphics are really good for the platform and the framerate holds very steady despite the large amount of mayhem on screen. What really sets this one apart for me is the tracks. They’re very interesting and quite diverse for a rally racer. You’ll find yourself competing against others in the snow, jungle, on mountainsides, and more.
Silent Bomber
Now this is more like it! The PS1 had an abundance of action games but none are pulled off quite as well as Silent Bomber. In this 3D title you play as a character whose only method of attack is by using and detonating bombs. You can set them on the ground near enemies, or even throw them at your foes. There’s even a mechanic that allows you to stack them for a more powerful strike. Where the game excels is in character movement. The protagonist is a freakin acrobat compared to in most action titles. He can run around, dash and jump. Movement is downright fluid and you’ll never complain about cheap deaths from the controls. I really like the mechanics surrounding the bombs themselves. In some boss encounters you have to eliminate projectiles by placing bombs, luring the tracking shots near them, and detonating.
Speed Punks
Do the words ‘best kart racer on the PS1’ mean anything to you? While many would give this title to Crash Team Racing I assume that’s only because they haven’t yet played Speed Punks. It’s not hard to see why this one didn’t sell; the art style is weird and cover art makes it look like shovelware. This game has some of the best graphics on the platform with crisp visuals and really colorful environments chock full of detail. The item mechanics are some of the best in the genre. You collect lightning bolt icons to fill your boost meter, and can stack offensive tools if you collect more than one. Additionally, you’re even given a brief window to use the item you have after you’ve collected another. Speed Punks is definitely one of the best PS1 hidden gems and puts other kart racers on the platform to shame.
Tail Concerto
Tail Concerto is now one of the most expensive games for the original PlayStation. I guess I’m not the only one that considers it to be one of the best PS1 hidden gems. In it you play as an anthropomorphic anime style dog policeman. Yeah, strange I know. Most of the adventure is spent onboard a steampunk style mech fighting enemies and completing platforming challenges. It’s a very simplistic game but thankfully is not a collect-a-thon like so many of it’s contemporaries. The level design is seriously on point, and the style and graphics are unlike in any other video game. It’s sort of a steam punk furry mix which sounds strange but works rather well. When released Tail Concerto didn’t get any recognition and was obviously written off as a kids game. I’m here today to tell you it’s absolutely worth playing.
The Unholy War
This one is a little difficult to classify if I’m being honest. It’s part strategy game, and the other half is an arena fighter/shooter. The game takes place across a multitude of battlefields where you move characters like chess pieces, and take turns with your inputs. When you encounter an enemy unit you’re whisked away to a separate battlefield where combat takes place entirely in real-time. You and your opponent have a life bar that depletes as you take damage, and an energy gauge. Every attack requires energy, and this recharges on it’s own. Battles are fast and frantic and there are a variety of different characters to choose from. Some are stuck on the ground and others can fly. The Unholy War is best played in multiplayer, and I dare anyone to try playing with a friend and arguing that this isn’t one of the best PS1 hidden gems.
T.R.A.G. Tactical Rescue Assault Group
I always wondered why more games of this era didn’t copy the Resident Evil formula. Then I found TRAG. Surprisingly it ditches the survival horror roots and instead focuses on the action. This means it uses pre-rendered backgrounds with 3D character models. Basic gameplay has you exploring various environments collecting items, solving puzzles, and of course fighting against foes. TRAG is more focused on melee combat than Resident Evil, and by that I mean it’s not completely useless in this title. You play as four different characters, each with their own abilities, and switch between them when needed. They do not have universal inventories which can be a little annoying but you’ll find clues playing as one that the other needs which is neat. It’s a bit strange, but definitely one of the best PS1 hidden gems.
Trap Gunner: Countdown to Oblivion
Trap Gunner is one of the more unique PS1 hidden gems on this list. It’s a one-on-one action game where you battle a foe in methodically designed stages. You move around in real-time and can fire a projectile shot, use melee attacks, and set traps. The latter of these is the primary gameplay element introduced here. I’ll get to that in a bit. At the start of each match you select a character, and they each have different movement speeds, weapons, and traps. You can face the enemy head on, but what you’ll actually want to do is set traps for them to fall into. It’s a unique system somewhat similar to Spy Vs Spy but much more fleshed out. The real highlight, and what makes this one of the best PS1 hidden gems, is that multiplayer mode. If you want something different then Trap Gunner has got your number.
