During the 32/64-bit era the N64 pretty much ruled the roost when it came to multiplayer games. It was not only more powerful hardware and had four controller slots out of the box. While the PS1 dominated the market most gamers looking for a co-op or versus experience turned to the N64. That’s why multiplayer games for the platform have been widely overlooked. Despite having just two controller ports this console got the lion’s share of game releases. With how popular multiplayer gaming was it’s only inevitable that the system would have some amazing multiplayer games. Today we’re taking a look at them. This is our list of the top 20 best PS1 multiplayer games of all time! Let’s get started.
Just a note before we begin. Yes, we’ve called this list the best multiplayer games on the PS1. With that said it’s not simply the best games that feature multiplayer modes. Instead we’re ranking these on how fun and well integrated co-op/versus modes are within the main game. If you’re looking for a fun title to play with friends it’s only natural you’ll want one that’s entertaining when competing/cooperating.
#20. – Hogs of War
Okay so hear me out. This is a turn based tactical game wherein you decimate enemy troops. The twist? You’re pigs. They are too. Everyone is pigs here. I admit that’s kind of a turn-off, as is the name. That’s probably why this is one of the big PS1 hidden gems. Hogs of War has super fun combat, and you guessed it, an excellent multiplayer mode. Normally it can be kind of boring to take turns with a friend, but here the gameplay is well worth it. The only hard part is in talking a buddy into playing a swine based military strategy title. If you can manage this then you’re in for a really fun time.
#19. – Guilty Gear
Little known fact. The Guilty Gear franchise actually started on the PS1. It wasn’t until later generations that it became a modest hit. It’s a shame because the fun gameplay was in place from the start. It was released as a 2D fighter in a time when 3D polygonal graphics had all but taken over. The action is fast, fluid, and very well animated. It’s even more fun when you’re competing against a friend. I absolutely love the combo system in this game, and the best way to show it off is by decimating a friend. What makes the multiplayer even better is the unique tension gauge which grows as you both take and deal damage. This helps balance Guilty Gear a bit more for newer gamers because, if you plan it right, you can snatch victory from the clutches of defeat with a well placed chaos attack.
#18. – Crash Bash
It’s no secret that Sony and their partners piggybacked off of a lot of successful ideas in their early days in the console industry. After all Crash Bandicoot was kind of their answer for Mario. When Nintendo basically popularized the ‘party game’ genre developer Naughty Dog was there to copy the blueprint. Hence, Crash Bash. The premise is almost identical. That’s not a bad thing by any means though. The main difference is that there’s no game board in this one. Instead you can freely choose which mini-games you want to play. Some will probable prefer it this way, but I kind of liked the overarching board game motif of other party games to be honest. The mini-games however are a lot of fun. Just be warned because Crash Bash will destroy friendships.
#17. – Bomberman: Party Edition
It’s Bomberman. Of course it’s going to make any reputable list of the best PS1 multiplayer games, and this is a classic style effort. The game uses the tried and true classic Bomberman formula, and it’s all the better for it. This came out at a time when the franchise was having a real identity crisis. It had the growing pains most other series did with the transition to 3D, and in the worst way possible. That’s why Bomberman: Party Edition was so great. With a multitap you could even connect up to five players together. Sure, it falls short of the ten that Saturn Bomberman offered but on the PS1 this was the best you could get. The multiplayer mode here is a ton of fun regardless.
#16. – Twisted Metal 2
Vehicular combat games really took off in the 3D era, and Twisted Metal led the charge. Looking back the first game was kind of a mess, but the sequel is really good. Twisted Metal 2 has you driving around 3D environments as a myriad of different vehicles (they all have that 90s ‘tude) shooting and blowing each other up. Twisted Metal 2 is super interesting because you can play co-op in the main game. That means working together with a friend to take out foes in a set arena. What makes this so fun is the level variety. These stages are huge, and multi-tiered. The characters you can choose from are also interesting (though hilariously cheesy). Twisted Metal 2 is definitely one of the best PS1 multiplayer games.
#15. – Tekken 2
I was never a big fan of the original Tekken release. It’s sequels however are infinitely better. Tekken 2 caught my attention in the arcades, and the home console release maintained it. The fighting engine has been refined and finally caught up with where the genre was at in this time. This was a landmark 3D fighting game in its day. Tekken 2 sticks more to actual real world martial arts instead of allowing foes to throw fireballs or ignite flames. This also means you have to be up close and personal for all of your attacks. This makes for a very interesting combo system. Throws have a huge emphasis here and are a real treat to watch. Multiplayer is even more fun than the main game. Tekken 2 is an absolute blast when playing with a friend.
#14. – Crash Team Racing
Remember how I said that Sony and their various partners copied a lot of ideas from Nintendo? Well here’s their take on Mario Kart. Crash Team Racing falls short of its source of inspiration, but it served the role of giving gamers a good alternative well enough. There are plenty of interesting weapons to use, and at the same time the courses are fairly good in design. There’s also an adventure mode which is something we still haven’t seen in Nintendo’s franchise. Despite some minor issues Crash Team Racing is easily one of the best kart racing games of all time. It’s different from Mario Kart, and not as fun, but if you’re looking for a fun competitive arcade battle style racer you can’t do much better.
#13. – Poy Poy
Here’s yet another one of those PS1 hidden gems. Poy Poy was ignored by the masses, but it has some of the best multiplayer action on the console! Think Power Stone, but with more of an emphasis on throwing items. As a matter of fact that’s the entire premise of Poy Poy. You have to pick up and toss items at your enemies. That’s pretty much it. Thing is the action is incredibly frantic. Although the stages are super simple in design the non-stop carnage leads to a lot of fun. What’s more is that Poy Poy supports up to four players at once. Honestly this is one of the few PS1 multiplayers for which the Nintendo 64 has no answer. Poy Poy is simply incredible.
#12. – Tekken 3
And here we have the best game in the Tekken series. Tekken 3 is the point in which the franchise wherein it became something really special. Tekken 3 ups the ante with a more technical combo system, better animations, and significantly improved graphics. The multiplayer is also a real hoot. Why else would it be on this list if that wasn’t the case? For me the single player here exists simply to practice combos and counters so that you can then use them to destroy your friends. The multiplayer is a pretty basic, but because Tekken 3 is so fun and well designed it’s a blast to compete in.
#11. – Bloody Roar II
Okay so this one is more of a guilty pleasure than anything. I’m willing to admit that Bloody Roar II isn’t the most complex fighting game. It’s geared more toward button mashing than most of the other big ones, and takes significantly less effort to learn. With that said it’s an absolute blast in multiplayer. The game’s main gimmick is that your fighters can transform into beasts. Few things in gaming are as rewarding as making the switch and completely reversing the odds while against a human player. It is this over-the-top feature that pushes Bloody Roar II so high up on this list. Even if your friends aren’t particularly attuned to fighters this one is still a good pick.
#10. – Super Puzzle Fighter II: Turbo
Capcom isn’t particularly well known for their puzzle titles. This one turned heads when it was first released. Especially among their fans. Super Puzzle Fighter II: Turbo is a 2D puzzle title which uses the same basic principles of Tetris. You have multicolored falling blocks that you have to arrange in specific ways in order to eliminate them. What sets this one apart is that it uses characters from Capcom’s fighting franchises. These are chibi avatars at the top of the screen. When you eliminate gems the two characters attack each other. It sounds like a weird concept but it works surprisingly well. Unleashing brutal combos on a human player is an absolute blast. Super Puzzle Fighter II: Turbo is one of those games that can absolutely destroy friendships. Especially if you play as Dan.
#9. – Rival Schools: United By Fate
I realize there are a lot of fighting games on this list. That’s only because the PS1 was on absolute fire when it comes to these, and the genre lends itself so well to multiplayer gaming. Rival Schools kind of came out of nowhere when it was released. I suppose Capcom decided they needed yet another fighting game franchise. What’s unique about it is that this one is set to the backdrop of a high school. It also uses very stylized anime graphics and checks off tons of the classic tropes. Rival Schools is so fun because of how over-the-top it is. The action is absolutely crazy and relentless. One of my favorite aspects of the game is the tag battles. Unfortunately you have can only switch between characters from the same school team. It’s still a really cool feature that makes fights really dynamic.
#8. – Rakugaki Showtime
This one is a real PS1 hidden gem! Rakugaki Showtime was released in Japan only, and in limited quantities. The game has you playing as a series of different paper cut outs with characters sketched on them. It’s a 3D arena based fighter with a focus on throwing items at your enemies. It’s fun, hectic, and very well designed. That’s kind of par for the course when it comes to Treasure’s games. What makes this one such a good multiplayer game is the fact that this one supports up to four players at once. You just need a multitap and three friends. Rakugaki Showtime is heavily stylized and an absolute blast to compete in with your buddies. It’s a shame that this one was left in Japan because with games like Super Smash Bros taking off it could have found a market.
#7. – Gran Turismo 2
Gran Turismo 2 is hands down the best racing game on the PS1. I don’t see how anyone can argue against that. Regardless it didn’t get top spot on this list simply because the multiplayer is a little lacking compared to other efforts. Gran Turismo 2 has both a simulation and arcade mode. Unfortunately you can only compete with a friend in the latter. The split screen race is remarkably fun due to the excellent course design and realistic physics. What’s also neat is the fact that two players can trade vehicles with one another by plugging in both of their memory cards. This is a really cool idea that kind of reminds me of pokemon, but with vehicles. This feature is one of the most interesting in any racing game in my opinion.
#6. – Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors
Capcom’s horror themed 2D fighting game may have been forgotten by most, but it’s still one of the best multiplayer PS1 games. Darkstalkers has you playing as a miriad of different scary movie lore based characters. This includes mummies, vampires, werewolves, etc. Despite the horror motif the game is wondserfully colorful, and features some of the best 2D animations on the entire platform. What I really like is how over-the-top everything is. Due to the crazy nature of the game some characters can expand their bodies and attack great distances. Darkstalkers is even more fun when you’re playing with a friend. It has just the right solid foundation which allows newcomers to jump right in, but is complex enough that veterans can really master it.
#5. – Tales of Destiny
A multiplayer RPG you say? Yes, I do say. Tales of Destiny was the second game in the franchise as a follow up to the Super Famicom Tales of Phantasia. This one plays a little strangely. It’s more action based with enemy encounters occur on a 2D side-view arena. You have to run up on foes and get into the correct range to attack them. You can also unleash several different special moves using the shoulder buttons. The multiplayer is a little strange, but works extremely well. Basically once you’ve found a specific item in the main quest you can equip it on to another character and they’re automatically controlled by a second player. It’s surprisingly fun to plan strategies with a like-minded RPG player, and despite the option not being available from the start I really liked the multiplayer integration.
#4. – Street Fighter Alpha 3
Of course this game had to make the list. Alpha 3 is easily the best game in the franchise of this era, and while the Saturn version is superior you can’t really go wrong with the PS1 release. The graphics have been improved, gameplay refined, and there are tons of different options. Most important of these changes are to the roster. It’s absolutely huge now, and includes several brand new characters as well as series classics that had been previously omitted. Multiplayer of course makes its return, but there’s something really special about it in this case. Both players can select different ‘isms’ at the start which determine what kind of super combo they have. This change can really make a difference especially in multiplayer where the two combatants might choose different playstyles. Street Fighter Alpha 3 is an absolutely incredible multiplayer title on the platform.
#3. – Tobal 2
Some will undoubtedly scoff at this game’s inclusion, and the fact that I ranked it higher than both Street Fighter Alpha 3 and Tekken 3. I know it’s not technically better than either of those two titles, but I still much prefer Tobal 2. The game uses the distinct Akira Toriyama artwork but in total 3D. Squaresoft used a very distinct graphical engine to allow this one to run at a constant sixty frames per second without a single hitch. Basically they sacrifice textures. This means all the visuals are flat shaded. I actually really like this style. Gameplay is super technical with loads up subtle special moves and lots of different attack frames. The multiplayer mode is made even more interesting because there are over one hundred playable characters! While they’re not all very unique it’s still quite an impressive feat.
#2. – Speed Punks
And here we have the best kart racer on the platform. Speed Punks might have an off-putting name, a bad cover, and ugly character designs but it’s incredible. These are probably the reasons it’s one of the big PS1 hidden gems. The game plays like a pretty typical kart racer. What sets this one apart from the others is the unique boost mechanic. Basically you have to collect tokens around the course and can save these up. If you fill the boost meter you’ll get a super boost. Of course there are also plenty of offensive power-ups on the stage as well. What’s amazing about Speed Freaks is that it’s one of the few PS1 games that supports up to four players. The gameplay engine even holds steady and the game is very playable when maxing out multiplayer.
#1. – Need For Speed III: Hot Pursuit
Our number one pick probably seems a little bit out of left field. This is especially true considering I’m not a big fan of the franchise. Hot Pursuit however has the most compelling multiplayer options on the console in my opinion. You can compete in the basic races one-on-one. These are fairly fun thanks to the decent physics and good track designs. My favorite way to play with a buddy however is the hot pursuit mode. Here you and another player race laps around a course while being chased by police officers. On paper this sounds a little lame but in practice it’s amazing. The enemy AI is fairly decent and will try to pit manuever your vehicle constantly. In addition they’ll set up road blocks and even spike strips. The game is an absolute blast.
