Best Launch Titles On PlayStation Consoles

Launch titles can be extremely important in defining if a new video game console will succeed during its early years. Curiously enough, the PlayStation brand has had a notorious mixed bag of launch titles throughout its history, especially when compared to its competition.

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Nevertheless, Sony has still managed to release a fair share of incredible video games that justified the purchase of all their revolutionary devices, from the original PS1, to the controversial PS3, and all the way to the recent PS5. Whether they were made by Sony itself or by other companies, these eight PlayStation launch titles deserve some recognition.

8

Rayman (Playstation 1)

A Challenging Platformer With Detailed Sprites

Released

September 1, 1995

ESRB

e

The original PlayStation came out on December 3, 1994, and, among its many launch titles, Ubisoft released a port of Rayman, its brand-new 2D platformer that they had published on other consoles (like the Atari Jaguar) a few months prior. This basically means that Rayman has always been an important platforming mascot for the PlayStation brand, even before Crash Bandicoot or Spyro the Dragon.

At a time when gaming was slowly pivoting to 3D graphics, the original Rayman proved that 2D gaming built with beautiful, detailed and colorful sprites could still look and feel great on newer devices. Of course, the platforming gameplay was also innovative and entertaining, although it was also infamous for being excruciatingly hard, to the point that not many gamers were able to reach its conclusion.

7

Ridge Racer (Playstation 1)

One Of The Most Iconic Racing Franchises Got Its Start On The PS1

Ridge Racer

Systems

Released

November 30, 1993

ESRB

E for Everyone

Bandai Namco’s Ridge Racer has been synonymous with the PlayStation brand for countless years, so it is no surprise that the original Ridge Racer was one of the PS1’s many launch titles. Of course, this was a pre-existing arcade game that Bandai Namco ported over to Sony’s 32-bit console, but it was still a critical and commercial success among its user base.

One of the PlayStation’s biggest selling points was its ability to seamlessly play 3D arcade games, and Ridge Racer was a perfect example of this practice. With its stunning 3D graphics, catchy soundtrack and smooth gameplay, this excellent title was just the start of one of gaming’s most prestigious racing IPs.

6

Tekken Tag Tournament (Playstation 2)

An Innovative Fighting Game From One Of The Genre’s Most Important Franchises

Despite the fact that it eventually became one of the most beloved and successful video game consoles of all time, most of the PlayStation 2’s launch titles left a lot to be desired. Nevertheless, there were some major highlights, with one of them being Tekken Tag Tournament, a brand-new entry in a fighting game franchise that had already made a huge impact on the PS1’s catalog.

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Even though it was a port of a 1999 arcade game, Tekken Tag Tournament not only delighted players with high-quality models of its iconic fighters, but it also innovated with a new “tag team” mechanic that allowed them to choose two characters per fight. And if all that wasn’t enough, it also featured the excellent bowling mini-game called Tekken Bowl, which was perfect for PS2 users who weren’t really into competitive fighting games.

5

TimeSplitters (PlayStation 2)

An Inventive FPS, From The People Who Made GoldenEye 007

Systems

Released

October 23, 2000

ESRB

T For Teen // Blood, Language, Violence

TimeSplitters truly felt like lightning in a bottle: After several developers who worked on innovative console first-person shooters – like GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark – left Rare, they founded a new studio called Free Radical Design and created a new IP that felt like the proper evolution of those titles.

The final result was TimeSplitters, which came out on October 26, 2000, the same day the PlayStation 2 launched oinNorth America. This excellent FPS quickly became one of the console’s most beloved launch titles, mainly due to its satisfying gameplay, colorful characters, creative time-travelling levels and addictive multiplayer modes. It went on to receive two equally great sequels on the very same console.

4

Resistance: Fall Of Man (Playstation 3)

A Dark FPS That Helped The PS3 During Its Polarizing First Year

Systems

Released

November 17, 2006

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language

There’s no denying that the PlayStation 3 was Sony’s most controversial video game console. While it eventually found its footing, its early years wwerefilled to the brim with criticisms about its price, its specs and its lackluster collection of exclusives. But, to no one’s surprise, Insomniac Games made one launch title that really helped elevate the console’s reputation during these dark times, and it was called Resistance: Fall Of Man.

Fresh off its success with the Ratchet & Clank series on PS2, the studio developed a surprisingly dark and serious first-person shooter about a ruthless invasion by an insect-like alien race known as the Chimera. Resistance’s cinematic narrative, incredible graphics and excellent multiplayer mode perfectly displayed what the PS3 was truly capable of, not to mention that it spawned what eventually became one of the console’s most popular FPS franchises.

3

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Playstation 4)

Ubisoft’s Popular Pirate Game Did What Sony Was Not Capable Of

Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag

Action-Adventure

Open-World

Released

October 29, 2013

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence

Similarly to the PlayStation 2 before it, the PlayStation 4 may be highly regarded as one of Sony’s best video game consoles nowadays, but it was notorious for its lackluster launch titles. Sony’s biggest gamble was Killzone: Shadow Fall, a FPS that was received negatively by both fans and critics alike. So if PS4 users wanted something good to play on the launch date, they had to rely on third-party releases.

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Ubisoft came to Sony’s rescue once again, when it released a next-gen port of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag alongside the PS4. Of course, this critically acclaimed open-world game was already available on PS3 and Xbox 360, but the next-gen ports worked much better, and it allowed gamers to experience the best version of this historical pirate adventure.

2

Demon’s Souls (Playstation 5)

The Long-Awaited Remake Of The Game That Kickstarted The “Soulslike” Genre

Systems

Released

November 12, 2020

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence

Before it made the Dark Souls IP, From Software developed Demon’s Souls, a PS3 exclusive that set the foundation of what would become the Soulslike genre. While the studio went to pursue other ventures in the following years, the rights to the Demon’s Souls IP remained at Sony, who did absolutely nothing with it for many years, despite constant fan outcry for a remaster or a remake.

Their wish was finally granted, however, when the PlayStation 5 launched on November12, 2020, alongside a Demon’s Souls remake. While this new title was made by Bluepoint Games, it still kept the deep combat system and challenging bosses from the original game. Needless to say, it also featured a fresh new coat of paint, thanks to the incredible graphics that were possible on the PS5. The Demon’s Souls remake was a critical and commercial success that definitely encouraged many gamers to buy Sony’s newest console on day one.

1

Astro’s Playroom (Playstation 5)

A Whimsical Platformer That Came Free With Every PlayStation 5

Systems

Released

November 12, 2020

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence

For many years, Nintendo released innovative games that came free with their consoles, like Wii Sports for the Wii or Nintendo Land for the Wii U. Many fans believed that Sony should borrow this strategy and make built-in games that could display the power and features of their new consoles. Fortunately, this finally happened in 2020 when they released Astro’s Playroom, which came pre-installed on every PlayStation 5.

The talented people at Team ASOBI made this excellent 3D platformer that makes use of the DualSense controller’s many unique features in fascinating and inventive ways, not to mention that it also includes countless cameos by classic gaming characters that are important to the PlayStation brand. While Astro’s Playroom can be completed in an afternoon, the fact that a game so ambitious and so expertly made came free with the PS5 was nothing short of amazing, and its critical reception led to the creation of its sequel, Astro Bot, which received the Game of the Year award in 2024.

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