You Can Legally Play Tons of PS1 And PS2 Games, But There’s A Catch

There are tons of classic PlayStation games still not available to purchase on modern consoles, but there is a way that you can still play them today, hopefully without buying an older machine or via PC emulation.

For some reason, the PS3’s version of the PlayStation Store in Europe and the US is quite different. Sure, they both pretty much had the same layout, but there are some significant differences, in particular, the retro classic games that you can purchase from PS1 and PS2.

For example, the first three games of the Fatal Frame series on the PlayStation 2 are all available to purchase on the PS3’s US digital store. So too was the elusive Parasite Eve before being removed. This Final Fantasy meets Resident Evil RPG was never released in Europe. However, its sequel is still available on the US store.

You Can Still Purchase Classic Games on PS3

Dino Crisis 2 and the original Silent Hill are also there. I could go on. Yet, none of these games were available to buy digitally on Europe's PS3 store, for whatever reason. Thankfully, accessing these games is simple and they can be played in the UK or anywhere else, but there are some caveats.

Firstly, you’d need to own a PS3, PSP or PS Vita and create a US account. All my US purchases were made on my PS3. While I wasn’t able to use my debit card on the US account, it’s easy to purchase US credit from various online retailers. Once the code is redeemed, visit the US store and purchase whatever classic PlayStation games are still available.

Fatal Frame III: The Tormented, Koei Tecmo

Granted, the PS3 store is pretty slow, and some games have been removed over time, but there’s a good chance that you’ll find at least one PS1 or PS2 classic that’s not available in Europe. Such as the aforementioned Fatal Frame games and OG Silent Hill. All of which I own and play on my PS3. These classic games also look extra crisp in HD.

Sure, getting hold of a PS3, PSP or PS Vita isn't as straightforward as it once was, but if you’re a retro fan, either will be nice systems to own once more. From what I can tell, the PS3 tends to be the cheapest option and to be fair, it’s the most versatile console with the amount of games it can play, not to mention it’s a Blu-ray player.

There Is a Major PlayStation Plus Bonus!

Another series of games that I had purchased on the US PS Store is the original Resident Evil trilogy. When all these games were eventually included in PlayStation Plus, they also became available to purchase on the modern store.

However, if you purchased a PS3, PSP or the PS Vita, your purchase is recognised today, and you won't need to buy it again for PS5 or PS4, even without a PS Plus subscription. It’s one of the reasons why I hope that OG Silent Hill is announced on the service sooner rather than later.

I know, it's a bit of a pain to acquire a retro console, not to mention being a tad costly, but if you still own a PlayStation 3, fire it up, connect it to the internet, and see what gems the US store is keeping away from you. Then, with a bit of luck, those games might get announced for PS Plus one day soon and you can secure them on modern hardware for free.

READ MORE: PlayStation Plus Free Game Line-Up Is Missing These PS1 Classics