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Looks cool, is backwards compatible, can play GTA: Vice City, and it’s not hard to find a used PAL one in good condition for a good price. There seem to be a lot of good PS1/2 games out there you can find used for pretty sweet prices. Please, give me some drawbacks and why this might not be the best idea, and whether those are cancelled out by any positives!

A downside?


I can't think of any - the PS2 has a fantastic game library and whilst some have been remastered/updated there's still a huge chunk of games that are old and never will likely get any attention.

Just make sure you find yourself a TV to go with it that's a suitable size - you don't want a TV the side of your wall to play on otherwise it will look all ugly pixelated. Heck if you can find a proper old CRT TV!

 Overread wrote:
A downside?


I can't think of any

Depending on location game price can be a significant factor in retro gaming these days. The number of cheap older games is getting smaller and even janky games can be unreasonably priced.

If looking at backwards compatibility one may want to check out this list of PS1 games that have issues on the PS2.

The ps2 is great, I still have mine. But a lot of the great games have been updated now and can be played on PS4/5, with a lot of the games that haven’t been are expensive(some hitting those crazy numbers.)

If I had a local shop that had ps1/2 games I would probably play mine a lot more still.

Some of the final fantasy games still up on the official website also last I checked.

I dont know if its an investment, but aint nothing wrong with it if you can stand playing those old titles. I found a PS2 for free in our "recycling room", had it in our livingroom for a couple years, I dont think I played with it more than once or twice.. Many of those games havent aged all that well IMHO

I would get a backwards compatible PlayStation 3 unless you want a dirt-cheap console. The PS3 could play PS2 games, PS3 games, and blu-ray DVDs.

Considering how revolting trying to collect retro games has turned into, unless you have a source for cheap games, then probably not.

That being said, the PS2 is probably at the cheapest it will ever be at the moment, with the PS3 on its way there. I managed to get a clearout of old games (about 35-40) and it worked out at about 75p per game.

It helps that it was one of the best selling machines ever (perhaps the best? It is certainly up there) so loads of consoles and games about. And it's at that spot at the moment where it is not regarded as 'true retro' like the 16bit machines and PS1 now, so it's probably the perfect time to buy if you want to collect.

Was the PS2 the last of the 'offline' models? The PS3 I have was more about being online, and downloading games and patches.

If so, PS2 is perfect for retro binges, without the obsolescence having connected-updates brought with it.

 Skinnereal wrote:
Was the PS2 the last of the 'offline' models?

That is correct. It has an optional network adapter but it wasn't for system updates, patches, day one dlc, or anything like that. The exception would be Final Fantasy XI on the PS2 which did have patches and updates but you also had to install a HDD along with the network adapter to even be able to play that game. Things like RE: Outbreak and Star Wars Battlefront were just connect and play.

Of course this is just NA. I wouldn't be surprised if Japan did a lot more with internet functionality but I'm not familiar with that side of the PS2s history, but your observation is still generally correct that it wasn't assumed you would be online all the time with the system.