There’s a lot to complain about Sony’s PS5, but buying PlayStation Classics isn’t one of them. Choosing several classic games from the PS1, PS2, and PSP for a relatively low price is great for fans who don’t subscribe to PS Plus.
While fans who subscribe to higher tiers of PS Plus can get all of these classics for a monthly price, some players don’t want to be overwhelmed with games to play. Being able to buy Jak and Daxter without any issue is great for those who want to minimize their nostalgic experiences.
Nintendo doesn’t offer that option, opting instead to make fans subscribe to NSO, which provides a library filled with classic titles to play. It does give fans a Netflix-style library to play through, but we wish there were an option to buy Soulcalibur 2 separately.
click to enlargeAnd that’s why buying PlayStation Classics is better than subscribing to NSO.
Having options to buy these retro games without needing an online service is good. Some gamers don’t want to play Splatoon 3 or Marvel Rivals, so they feel like an online subscription isn’t required. Letting them buy the classic games they want to play separately is a good thing, as it lessens their backlog and helps them focus on playing their readily available software.
Some would argue that an NSO subscription is more valuable than buying PlayStation Classics, and they aren’t wrong for thinking that. On paper, paying $20 a year for a ton of NES, SNES, and Game Boy games seems like a good deal. More dedicated gamers will also be able to focus on specific titles without being overwhelmed by the numerous options available. They also get online play for this low price, so it’s technically a bargain.
But what about gamers who don’t want to play online games and do want to play some of these older titles? Well, they get nothing. It’s a real shame because some fans want to play Golden Sun or Paper Mario, but they have to pay $50 a year just to gain access to them.
Before the Switch, Nintendo’s Virtual Console on Wii, Wii U, and 3DS was similar to buying PlayStation Classics. Gamers could buy these retro games for a low price and enjoy playing them on their console. This wasn’t perfect, as Virtual Console games purchased for the Wii wouldn’t transfer to Wii U or 3DS, but fans were just happy to have the option to play these older titles.
Seeing Sony put this much care into their PlayStation Classics is good. You could argue it makes them too nostalgic, resulting in more re-releases for The Last of Us, but that’s an entirely different subject. In the end, options are essential, and we like that Sony has plenty of them for retro gamers.
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