PSX/PS1/PS games that either required analogue sticks, or are fairly unplayable without them

[thetwaz]

Inspired by two things:

One - I'm thinking of getting a clamshell that I might use to emulate PS1 games, but probably a smaller one that doesn't have analogue sticks, so in some cases the actual question I'm looking to answer is what games should I exclude?

Two - this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/PlaystationClassic/comments/isdz0q/what_ps1_games_require_analog_sticks/ and to see if anything is missing

There are plenty of lists of games that support the Dual Shock, or the Dual Analogue, but I'm interested if there are games that are literally unplayable, or not very good to play without them (Ape Escape is the one that comes up at the top of the list usually!) I think Quake 2 might be another one?

 

[TruxtonTatsujin]

I don't have an exact list, but I would say like 99% of PS1 games are playable without the analog sticks. A lot don't even support them at all.

 

[CG4R12I4N]

A lot of mecha/plane games post '97 usually require them.
Macross Plus
Ace Combat 2 & Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere
Armored Core: Project Phantasma & Armored Core: Masters of the Arena
Gran Turismo 1 & 2
Medal of Honor series
Alien: Resurrection
Quake 2
CT Special Forces

 

[qw90700]

PS1 gamepad with analog sticks was not relatively common for they are relatively a new thing therefore games didn't push people to buy gamepads that have analogs, however Ape Escape is a great exception that solely designed to be played with analog as additional controls that is really required to play the game (so I heard).

I checked the Reddit thread and some people are right, as far I heard you can't play Tiger Woods PGA Tour and RC Stunt Copter without analogs. But Alien Resurrection is not unplayable without analogs. For some other games IDK how they are.

Those who have no idea how PS1 FPS games were without analog they can't imagine how it can be lol. Simply put you either just turned camera to aim around so the game was playable by rotating character by horizantaly for never had to aim vertically which also used to walk around too or there was "aiming mode" by pressing a button and then when d-pad normally moves your character via in aiming mode your character aims via d-pad which is how Alien Resurrection and Medal of Honor games on PS1 was.

However especially FPS games despite they may be playable with d-pad but they are bad to play thus. The aiming methods they used without analog will be too bad for modern gamers which is why they would say "Alien Resurrection would be unplayable" and whatnot. Also some racing games like Gran Turismo games and Racing Lagoon already have a hard gameplay but analog makes things really easier.

 

[Lokgamer]

Basically every game in 3D.

 

[GundamJehutyKai]

Ape escape and Alien resurrection are the 2 standouts which pretty much require dual analogue sticks. The rest essentially can be played without them but for late PS1 games you often lose something (sometimes considerably)

 

[CG4R12I4N]

You can't even play Ace Combat without analog sticks, much like Ape Escape lmao
Just try it, the movement and camera features are literally tied to L3 & R3 sticks.

 

[thetwaz]

A lot of mecha/plane games post '97 usually require them.
Macross Plus
Ace Combat 2 & Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere
Armored Core: Project Phantasma & Armored Core: Masters of the Arena
Gran Turismo 1 & 2
Medal of Honor series
Alien: Resurrection
Quake 2
CT Special Forces

I think it looks like maybe 1997 is a good cutoff point if I do put some PS1 games on something like an RG35xxSP

I would say though I definitely played GT with and without a dual analogue back in the day - it definitely plays better with but it is playable without (you have to use the time honoured method of micropresses, same as you do with Sega Rally Championship on the Saturn).

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PS1 gamepad with analog sticks was not relatively common for they are relatively a new thing therefore games didn't push people to buy gamepads that have analogs, however Ape Escape is a great exception that solely designed to be played with analog as additional controls that is really required to play the game (so I heard).

I checked the Reddit thread and some people are right, as far I heard you can't play Tiger Woods PGA Tour and RC Stunt Copter without analogs. But Alien Resurrection is not unplayable without analogs. For some other games IDK how they are.

Those who have no idea how PS1 FPS games were without analog they can't imagine how it can be lol. Simply put you either just turned camera to aim around so the game was playable by rotating character by horizantaly for never had to aim vertically which also used to walk around too or there was "aiming mode" by pressing a button and then when d-pad normally moves your character via in aiming mode your character aims via d-pad which is how Alien Resurrection and Medal of Honor games on PS1 was.

However especially FPS games despite they may be playable with d-pad but they are bad to play thus. The aiming methods they used without analog will be too bad for modern gamers which is why they would say "Alien Resurrection would be unplayable" and whatnot. Also some racing games like Gran Turismo games and Racing Lagoon already have a hard gameplay but analog makes things really easier.

Depends where you were, in the late 90s UK quite a few people had them - particularly to play racing games if I recall. Very few people I knew ever really played FPSs on the PS1 though - Goldeneye was the first console FPS I remember being taken seriously. Like you said the only one I remember playing at the time (Alien Trilogy) had no vertical aiming mechanism.

 

[diapered]

Armored Core: Project Phantasma & Armored Core: Masters of the Arena

I don't think those required or used analog sticks, hence why both those games have true analog patches/hacks. I haven't played those games, but even AC2 on ps2 did not use the analog sticks for whatever reason (that I do know). Hence, why even that one has a true analog patch.

That said though, even though they don't require them, I do think they are unplayable without those hacks: using the shoulder buttons for horizontal panning movement is so clunky, at least for me...

 

[Bakuma1997]

As mentioned by Gundam, Ape Escape was intentionally intended to showcase the analog sticks, also theorically you could play FPSs post-Medal of Honor without sticks, believe me, you don't want to do so