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[IbizaPocholo]

While Sega and Nintendo both were still leading the way, they unexpectedly had to step down as the new console on the block could take it’s place at the number 1 spot. Since Sony released their new console, they took the gaming world by storm and today I thought it would be fun to look back on everything we could ever want to know about this amazing system. From secret features to japanese exclusives, here are 50 facts about the Playstation.

• The PlayStation was released in Japan in December 1994, in North America and Europe in September 1995, and in Australia in November 1995.
• The first-ever game released for the PlayStation was a train simulation game called "AIV Evolution Global," which also goes by the title "A-Train."
• The PlayStation logo consists of the letters P and S and are actually rendered 3D models.
• The vice president of SCEA implemented a strict policy of no 2D games and no RPGs on the system.
• A secret feature of the PS1 is the ability to restore deleted saves by pressing all four shoulder buttons.
• The PlayStation originally started as a collaboration with Nintendo to create a CD-based add-on for the Super Nintendo, but after the deal failed, Sony went on to create the system that would end up overshadowing Nintendo's success.
• To save your progress in any game, you had to buy a memory card which retailed for $25 and held one megabyte of data, which was enough to have about 15 game saves.
• The rarest variant of the PS1 is dubbed the net yadosei, which sold for about $750 and included various programs and tools to develop games.
• The copy protection used for PS1 games was simple but effective when the laser begins to read the disc; there's a special wobble pattern of code that can only be done using authorized disk burners as well as being read by the console itself.
• One of the rarest PS1 games in the world is a children's game called "Cindy's Fashion World," and it easily sells for over $1,000 in sealed condition.
• The PS1 was capable of playing music CDs and had a sort of VR headset that was developed by Sony called the Glastron.

50 Facts About the Sony PlayStation​

The Sony PlayStation was released in 1994 in Japan and quickly took the gaming world by storm. It eventually went on to become one of the most popular and successful gaming consoles of all time. In this article, we will look back on 50 fascinating facts about the PlayStation, from its secret features to its rarest games and peripherals.

The Release Date and First Game​

• The Sony PlayStation was released on December 3rd, 1994 in Japan, September 1995 in North America, September 29th, 1995 in Europe, and November 15th, 1995 in Australia.
• The first game ever released for the PlayStation was a train simulation game called AIV Evolution Global, which also goes by the title A-Train.

The PlayStation Logo​

• The PlayStation logo consists of the letters P and S and are actually rendered 3D models that are on the screen.
• Here are the unused designs for the PlayStation logo that Sony released before the PS1 officially launched.

Gaming Policies​

• Bernie Stoller, who was the vice president of SCEA, implemented a strict policy of no 2D games and no RPGs on the system.
• He ended up leaving Sony to work with Sega, and that opened the door to a little game called Final Fantasy VII, which became the second highest selling game on the system.

Secret Features​

• A secret feature of the PS1 that a lot of people never knew is the ability to restore deleted saves. If you happen to accidentally delete a save, you can simply press all four shoulder buttons to restore it.
• The PS1 was also capable of playing music CDs.

The Controller​

• The first iteration of the controller had virtually the same layout but lacked the analog sticks.
• After the analog sticks were added, there was a third version called dual shot, which added vibration and was also compatible with the PS2.

Number of Games​

• As of writing this, there are a confirmed 4105 games released for the system.
• While a lot of games had multiple discs, Riven, the sequel to Myst, has the most at five discs.

Development​

• Ken Kutaragi is credited as the father of the PlayStation. He had previously worked on the Super Nintendo sound chip in secret while employed by Sony and was nearly fired but ultimately was able to convince Sony's then CEO to take an interest in the video game market.
• The PlayStation was originally a collaboration with Nintendo to create a CD-based add-on for the Super Nintendo, but after the deal failed, Sony went on to create the system that would end up overshadowing Nintendo's success.

Variants and Memory Cards​

• Throughout its lifespan, the PS1 went through several revisions and changes, which is why many PS1s have different ports and motherboards.
• There were also some debugging units for developers that usually came in either blue or green colors.
• The rarest variant of the PS1 is dubbed the net Yaroze, which sold for about 750 dollars and included various programs and tools to develop games, essentially a dev kit for hobbyists. It comes in matte black and includes two black controllers.
• In order to save your progress in any game, you had to buy a memory card, which at the time retailed for 25 and held a whopping one megabyte of data, enough to have about 15 game saves.

Copy Protection and Cases​

• The copy protection used for PS1 games was simple but effective. When the laser begins to read the disc, there's a special wobble pattern of code that can only be done using authorized disk burners, as well as being read by the console itself. This was also how it was ensured that only licensed games could be played on the console. Additionally, game developers also used copy protection measures such as adding hidden sectors or intentionally creating errors on the disc to prevent piracy. These measures made it difficult for unauthorized duplication of games, but they were not foolproof and various methods of circumventing them were developed over time. Nonetheless, copy protection and anti-piracy measures continue to be important for the video game industry to protect their intellectual property and revenue streams.

 

[ReBurn]

The rarest variant of the PS1 is dubbed the net yadosei, which sold for about $750 and included various programs and tools to develop games.

Do they mean Net Yaroze? I really wanted one but I was never able to get one.

 

[Neff]

Beautiful console, Sony's finest hour.

 

[mrmustard]

The PlayStation logo consists of the letters P and S and are actually rendered 3D models that are on the screen.

 

[Three]

• The first-ever game released for the PlayStation was a train simulation game called "AIV Evolution Global," which also goes by the title "A-Train."

Sony Pictures reused the name in The Boys?

 

[killatopak]

The copy protection used for PS1 games was simple but effective when the laser begins to read the disc; there's a special wobble pattern of code that can only be done using authorized disk burners as well as being read by the console itsel

Doubt.

 

[Kilau]

no RPGs on the system

Glad they stuck to this.

 

[RayBoy]

 

[Northeastmonk]

Doubt.

Burning games wasn’t difficult from what I gathered. You just had to trick it with the swap trick. That swap trick was talked about in AOL chat rooms at the time. I was 12-13 years old hearing all about it. When I got to high school (PS2 was out at this time) people were burning games for it. I remember a local mom and pop store sold a knock off brand equivalent to the GameShark that came with a spring. I spent a lot of money on games, but it was hard to not hear about this type of stuff.

 

[Rocco Schiavone]

Nothing beats the classic Playstation Logo.

Especially everything that came after.

 

[ReBurn]

Nothing beats the classic Playstation Logo.

Especially everything that came after.

That second image is not made for dark mode

 

[PharaoTutAnchAmun]

Doubt.

Theyr was an easy way to play coupied games on the PS1.
You started the PS put a boot cd in closed the lid, then you open the lid, toke the boot cd out, then the copy cd in and put a small spring between the lid and the PS and you could run coupied games in an instant.
Without and problems. I bought coupied games for a few dollar, I had about 150 of them....does where the days......

 

[Drizzlehell]

This takes me back. Those were more innocent times when you were just psyched to play a bunch of awesome games and reading about them in local gaming magazines that were known for their crude sense of humor and lighthearted approach to the hobby.

 

[Maddoxswe]

A secret feature of the PS1 is the ability to restore deleted saves by pressing all four shoulder buttons.

What? Is this common knowledge??

 

[a multicultural team of v]

Doubt.

As previously mentioned, there were ways to play burnt games, but as far as I know there is no self-boot way to play copied games (no way to "copy" that wobble). Only recently was an exploit found that allows you to boot copied games using a memory card loaded with a special bootloader that is executed by simply going to the memory card screen - but again that isn't exploiting the copy protection so much as simply removing the check. I really think the actual wobble has not been copied or cracked.

edit: it is interesting that a game could completely ruin the swap trick method of copy protection simply by randomly performing the wobble check while playing the game, during a loading screen or something. My guess is either that check was part of the system boot up and couldn't be accessed after that, or they didn't necessarily actually want to prevent it.

 

[German Hops]

The BEST station.

 

[IbizaPocholo]

PlayStation has had a history of bizarre and experimental products they've released over the years. The Podcast Beyond crew takes a trip down memory lane and explores some of the more memorable, yet still surprisingly obscure PlayStation tech.

• The PlayStation 1 at launch in Japan had a mouse which included a mouse pad for playing mostly point-and-click games.
• The Pocket Station was a popular PDA and memory card with mini-games in Japan that Sony decided not to release in North America and Europe due to the rise and fall of the Dreamcast and the VMU. There was even an integration with Final Fantasy 8 that couldn't be accessed by the US versions.
• Sony made a dedicated Pocket Station Vita app that was only released in Japan.
• The PlayStation 1 LCD screen was a small device that came after the PS1 with a rounded edge, allowing users to play games on a small screen.

• The speakers discussed PlayStation's history of bizarre and experimental products.
• One of the products they discussed is the PlayStation 2 memory card adapter, which allows users to transfer saved data from one memory card to another. The speakers shared personal anecdotes about their experiences with the adapter and how it caused a fallout between them and their siblings.
• They also talked about the PlayStation 3D gaming monitor, which has a feature called "SimulView" that allows two players to see their own screens through glasses. The speakers expressed admiration for the monitor's gimmick and aesthetic, but noted that its refresh rate can be problematic when used as a PC monitor.
• One speaker shared that they owned two PlayStation 3D gaming monitors, which they used as PC monitors as well. However, they eventually bought an actual monitor due to the refresh rate issue. They continued to use the monitor as a spare screen, including placing it on their bedside table to watch Netflix when they were sick

• The PlayStation screen allowed players to play PS1 games on a portable device, with a miniature computer and screen attached to the controller.
• The addition of a screen to a controller accessory seemed odd, as it made it noticeably more complex than usual.
• The accessory was priced at $15, which was considered a bargain.