Best Multiplayer Games on the PS1

Key Takeaways

• Multiplayer games on PlayStation 1 laid the foundation for today’s popular multiplayer experiences.
• Titles like Crash Bash, Syphon Filter 2, and Worms Armageddon were standout multiplayer games.
• Some games, like FIFA 99 and Gran Turismo, marked significant advancements in console gaming.

Multiplayer content is a given these days. A whole generation of gamers almost exclusively puts their gaming hours into large multiplayer experiences like Fortnite, Call of Duty, and Overwatch 2.

Things weren’t always this way, though. Multiplayer was still an emerging trend in home console gaming back in the 1990s, and a solid library of offerings in that department played a large part in establishing PlayStation as a household name. So divide the screen with cardboard, grab a Multitap Adapter, and reminisce about some of the best games to share with friends on the PlayStation 1.

10 Crash Bash

No Party Like a Crash Bandicoot Party

• Developers: Naughty Dog, Eurocom, Cerny Games
• Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 1
• Release Date: November 6, 2000

When Crash Bandicoot first burst onto the scene, he was not shy about borrowing spin-off ideas — in this case, from the Mario Party series. Mascots were big business in the earlier console generations and every mascot needed an ever-expanding line of titles and merchandise.

And so to Crash Bash. The underlying quality was perhaps suspect; fans are probably best not returning to the game with rose-tinted glasses. However, Crash Bash delivered hours of fun and laughter for the younger audience it was targeting. With sales that comfortably outstripped a number of far more critically successful PS1 titles, Crash Bash secured its place in history.

9 Syphon Filter 2

Best Of Both Worlds

Syphon Filter was a landmark title for the PS1. It was heavily influenced by two other classics, GoldenEye 007 and Metal Gear Solid, but the sum of those parts added up to something special. The sequel, Syphon Filter 2, added the multiplayer component, which again took notes from its predecessor and blended them brilliantly.

It was released very late in the PS1’s life-cycle, meaning it was quickly become by next-gen hardware. It may not have been the best FPS experience on the PlayStation, but the added mobility combined with the 20 maps and 28 total characters put it a step above its competition as a multiplayer experience.

8 Worms Armageddon

Incoming!!

The series that put Team 17 on the map (now famous for the likes of Blasphemous and Overcooked) owes a lot to the unlikely combatants. Worms was a surprise hit, with the series selling well over 75 million copies to date. Worms Armageddon is one of the most significant releases in that catalog.

Worms Armageddon was essentially an updated version of Worms 2, most significantly updating the interface and menu screen to make the game more console-friendly. With a few new weapons and 13 new maps, Worms Armageddon became the definitive edition of the turn-based war game and is still maintained by a dedicated community 25 years later.

Total Car-nage

The Twisted Metal series has experienced a resurgence since the release of a TV series starring MCU mainstay Anthony Mackie. But the game series has a long-established cult following dating back to the initial chaos of those first two PlayStation entries.

Like all good sequels, Twisted Metal 2 was a bigger, louder, and all-around more polished version of its predecessor. Vehicular combat was a popular subgenre in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but even with the benefit of next-gen hardware, no game was able to match the bloodlust and satisfaction of Twisted Metal 2.

6 FIFA 99

It’s In The Game

• Developer: EA Vancouver
• Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Nintendo 64, PlayStation 1
• Release Date: November 18, 1998

Like most annual sports games, the FIFA series can be divisive among gamers, but it’s hard to talk about multiplayer experiences without the iconic sports series that’s infuriated fans worldwide since 1993. There were 12 FIFA games released on the console, continuing all the way up to FIFA 2005, although most entries past FIFA 99 were pared-down next-gen entries.

Of the games made for this console generation, FIFA 99 stands top of the pile. Even though it did away with the popular indoor mode, the leap forward in graphics and gameplay from the previous entry are some of the most pronounced in the series. With new features like facial animations and height differentials, simulated football had never felt this real.

5 Crash Team Racing

A Fun-Filled Mascot Kart Racer

Crash Bandicoot is back with another tried and tested mascot spin-off: a kart racing game. Every single mascot (and Final Fantasy, for some reason) has tried to get a slice of that juicy Mario Kart pie. And why not? It’s one of the most lucrative video game franchises of all time, consistently ranking among Nintendo’s best-selling games on any given console.

Whilst most pretenders have been consigned to the annals of history, Crash Team Racing forged a legacy of its own. With a considerably higher skill ceiling than its contemporaries and a specific focus on drifting, the bragging rights were high. Mastering Crash Team Racing is no simple feat, although it is fair to say the single-player offerings basically cheat. The multiplayer experience remains a fan favourite, earning a remaster in 2019.

4 WWF Smackdown! 2: Know Your Role

And That’s The Bottom Line

Another annual sports game, but this one’s a little different. With the Attitude Era in full swing, WWF was at the height of its popularity. WWF Smackdown! 2: Know Your Role capitalized perfectly on the mood and the growing market of home console gaming.

This game kicked off a golden era of wrestling titles before they were plagued by lackluster DLC passes and prevalent glitches. The streamlined, arcade-like approach to a wrestling title ensures that it remains a heavyweight of the genre to this day.

3 Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater

An Emotional Ollie

It’s hard to summarize the cultural impact that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater had as series had to those who weren’t there. At the time of their release, the first few entries became some of the most critically successful games in gaming history.

The simple game loop of trying to string together bigger and better tricks to outscore friends proved incredibly addictive. They were simple to pick up and near impossible to master. It was as satisfying a concept then as it is now.

2 Gran Turismo

The Definitive Racing Sim

The series may have faded in significance in recent years, but few games did more to establish the PlayStation brand than Gran Turismo. A critical darling, Gran Turismo was the PS1’s best-received first-party title, setting a new standard for racing simulators.

The series became known for its hyper-focus on detail with accurate depictions of tracks and car characteristics. The graphics and physics engine were groundbreaking. It was an almost compulsory purchase for PS1 owners, making it the best-selling game on the console.

1 Tekken 3

King Of The Ring

It’s hard to believe anything could perform better than Gran Turismo, but one game did. In fact, according to Metacritic, Tekken 3 is the 23rd-best game ever made, an impressive feat for something released in 1998. Street Fighter pioneered the success of the fighting genre in the arcade, and it was one that quickly translated over to home consoles.

The Tekken series may not have had the same historical success as Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat, but in Tekken 3, Namco arguably created the pinnacle of the genre. The roster is perfectly balanced, the tweaks to blocks and dodges made them more of a skill move, and the emphasis on the 3rd axis created a new depth of field for the combat.