For years, Sony’s been releasing all sorts of consoles and handhelds worldwide. Each one does something special. From the beginnings with the PlayStation, all the way up through the PS5, there are plenty of reasons why each one could be consider “the best” by the players who loved them. Not to mention what the handhelds are capable of as well. So this week, let’s talk about them and which ones we love the most.
These days, consoles are a mishmash of a gaming machine, a YouTube machine, and a Blu-Ray player. You know, back in my day, consoles were just consoles. And that’s why I think the PS2 was the perfect one. (Yes, I’m aware that the PS2 doubled as a DVD player but did anyone use it as that?) Honestly, I just like the PS2 because in my opinion, it had the best range and offering of games. No one does horror like how PS2 games did horror, and all of the best RPGs came out on it. Also, I really liked the little animation with the cubes whenever you started up a game. That little bit of whimsy was so early-2000s and we need to bring back that kind of aesthetic. — Stephanie
It might be nostalgia talking, but for me, nothing has really topped the PS1 for me. From the moment that bass-y startup sound blasted out of my TV for the first time, I knew it was something special. I could talk about all the usual classics, but we already know how great Final Fantasy VII is. Instead, I want to acknowledge how much the PS1 represents the Wild West that was late 90s gaming. No one knew what they were doing with CD-ROM tech or 3D graphics yet so it was an exciting and experimental time. As a result, its library is astoundingly weird in all the best ways. Sony certainly aren’t releasing at least four animal-based music games for the PS5, and that’s why the PS1 is still the better system. — Leigh
While I really enjoyed all the PS1 and PS2 games I played over the years and the PS5 is the best Genshin Impact machine Sony ever made, the PS3 is my favorite system. Honestly, it’s because of it being region-free. I always loved importing games, and this provided an opportunity to access so many games from Japan. I don’t even want to think about how many hours I spent playing The Idolmaster: One for All. Plus, it’s the home of the original Valkyria Chronicles and Tokyo Jungle. — Jenni
I was relatively late to jump on the Sony console train, with my first one being the PSP. While I feel like I skipped a lot of Sony hardware history, I think that the first Sony portable was a great way soaking up a condensed version of that history. I was able to catch up and play a lot of PS1 classics on it, and I loved discovering new releases (back then,) like the original Crisis Core FFVII, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, and starting my journey on the Monster Hunter series. — Daniel
While Sony’s home systems have received the most acclaim, I’m a fan of the underdog handheld. The one with a devoted following, mostly in Japan, that wasn’t given the chance it deserved. You know the one, yeah?
That’s right! The PocketStation.
In all seriousness, the Vita is such a cool little handheld, often despite itself. The crisp PSP pixels on that screen are great! The PS1 classics are fun on the go! And it became quite the home of great ports. It undeniably lacked exclusives that took advantage of the platform, but there’s enough in the library to enjoy.
Also, in all seriousness, I do like the PocketStation. — Graham
