Any '90s kid knows the sound of a PlayStation turning on. Heck, we could probably recognise the sound of the disc opening tray while in a crowded room filled with people. It's one of the greatest and most influential consoles of all time and has some of the most innovative games that have ever been created.
My PS1 currently sits in my attic gaming room underneath my CRT, ready to play Tomb Raider or Gran Turismo 2 at a moment's notice. There were around 4,000 games released for the PS1 during its lifetime, some proving to be the most seminal titles in existing series started on previous consoles, and some starting off the careers of devs and their beloved characters, creating the series we still play today in the process.
How does someone begin to vote for the best PS1 game of all time, however? Easy - we put it to you guys, the Retro Dodo readers, giving you 16 of the best-selling and highly rated games for the system in a tournament where the gamers picked the winner.
Resident Evil 2 suffered an early defeat to Metal Gear Solid, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 faltered under Spyro's fiery breath, and Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee couldn't keep up with Lara Croft's antics in Tomb Raider II. In the end, it came down to Final Fantasy VII vs Tekken 3, and after 25,000 votes, the best PS1 game was crowned.
Final Fantasy VII is, undoubtedly, one of the best games ever made. I know we've had the remake in recent years with much better graphics, but the PS1 original will always have a special place in my heart. Cloud Strife's adventure has resonated with fans the world over; it sold a whopping 10.2 million copies, becoming the second-best-selling game for the PlayStation. Though if you ask PS1 fans, they'll tell you that figures don't matter, and that FF7 is the best game in existence.
Nintendo fans will say it's Ocarina of Time, though that's the tale of another tournament...
So, there you have it - Final Fantasy VII is the best PS1 game of all time. If you have a spare hour this evening and still have your PlayStation, then I think it's only right you give it a play to celebrate this momentous occasion. After all, it's not every day a game gets the Retro Dodo Ultimate Championship award!
