Everything you need to know about the PlayStation Classic

Nostalgia comes in small packages

It seems Sony has decided to get on the nostalgia bandwagon and create a mini version of the original PlayStation, often called the PSX. Called the PlayStation Classic, this miniature console brings old-school PlayStation games to the modern era. Here's everything you need to know!

Nostalgia Machine

PlayStation Classic

$40 at Amazon

A miniaturized version of the original PlayStation, the PlayStation classic take us on a nostalgic ride down memory lane. Complete with twenty PlayStation games and two controllers, the PlayStation Classic makes an excellent addition to the Classic console market.

All the big details

What does it look like?

It looks almost exactly like the original PlayStation from 1994 but reduced in size by forty-five percent. Apart from the size, the major differences are found on the back. Instead of the analog ports from before, the Classic has HDMI and Micro-USB ports. Even the memory card slots are visible on the Classic although they are just for show and they don't actually do anything.

Down to the lack of thumbsticks and the long thin socket, the controllers are perfect replicas of the originals. It would be nice if they were made wireless, but I suppose they need to keep the nostalgia accurate.

How do all the buttons work?

Each of the buttons on the console works almost exactly like the original.

• The power button turns it on as you would expect.
• The reset button suspends the current game and we assume takes back to the game menu for you to launch new games.
• The open tray button actually opens the virtual tray to allow you to swap discs on games like Final Fantasy VII that used to have multiple physical discs. This is a really nice touch from Sony as it makes all the buttons usable in some fashion.

What's in the box?

The PlayStation Classic comes with the console, of course, an HDMI cable, USB-A to Micro-USB cable for power, and two controllers. I like this trend in the Classic consoles of supplying two controllers, and long may it continue.

The only thing missing from the box is an A/C Adapter, but Sony has said that a standard one amp, a five-volt adapter will work fine.

What about saves?

The PlayStation Classic comes with "a virtual memory card" to save your games on, Player one and two have their own memory card for easy organization. There are also clever things you can do with the virtual memory card when modding the PlayStation Classic.

What games does it have?

There are twenty games preloaded on the PlayStation Classic, and though some popular titles are listed among the 20 games, to the disappointment of a lot of fans a few notable games like Tomb Raider and Tony Hawk Pro Skater are nowhere to be seen.

• Battle Arena Toshinden
• Cool Boarders 2
• Destruction Derby
• Final Fantasy VII
• Grand Theft Auto
• Intelligent Qube
• Jumping Flash
• Metal Gear Solid
• Mr Driller
• Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
• Rayman
• Resident Evil Director's Cut
• Revelations: Persona
• Ridge Racer Type 4
• Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
• Syphon Filter
• Tekken 3
• Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six
• Twisted Metal
• Wild Arms

All the games play at their native 4:9 aspect ratio.

Where can I get it?

The PlayStation Classic was released in all regions on December 3, 2018, and is available to buy for $40 at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Gamestop. With typical PlayStation flair, the PlayStation Classic was released exactly twenty-five years after the original.

Nostalgia Machine

PlayStation Classic

$40 at Amazon

A miniaturized version of the original PlayStation, the PlayStation classic take us on a nostalgic ride down memory lane. Complete with twenty PlayStation games and two controllers, the PlayStation Classic makes an excellent addition to the Classic console market.

News archive

February 7, 2019 — A new modding page

We now have a comprehensive hacking and modding page for the PlayStation Classic. We aim to update it as often as possible with all the new ways you can update your console and make it the machine we hoped it would be.

November 29, 2018

If you are looking for a little something extra to get you hyped up about the release of the PlayStation Classic, Sony has been thinking about you. On November 21, they released a brand new trailer which features a multitude of classic games from the early days of PlayStation. This trailer is most decidedly a frenetic affair full of blasting beats that you can check out right here!

October 15, 2018

While the English announcement did not provide a lot of details regarding the PlayStation Classic, its Japanese announcement did. Over on PlayStation Japan's website, the company revealed in the fine print near the bottom of the page that peripheral devices, including original memory cards, will not be compatible with the PlayStation Classic.

On top of that, the specs also reveal that the PlayStation Classic only supports video outputs of 720p or 480p. If you were hoping for 1080p, you'll be disappointed.

October 5, 2018 — The controllers are USB!

After looking at the images in much finer detail, I have noticed that the controllers, while having the same long, thin plug as the original PlayStation, may actually be a standard USB instead. When looking at the console from head on you can see the undeniable shape of a USB.

This opens up a lot of possibilities, both for the console and for the controllers. Does this mean we could use a standard PS4 controller plugged into the USB of the console? Or could we use the controllers that come with the Classic on our PC's? Hopefully, Sony can give us an answer soon.