10 PS1 Hidden Gems You Need to Play in 2026

The original PlayStation sold over 102 million units worldwide, making it one of the most influential consoles ever created. That incredible success brought with it a library so massive that even diehard fans had no realistic way to experience everything it offered. More than 5,000 games released across every genre imaginable, and plenty of genres that barely exist today.

With a library that huge, it was inevitable that some genuinely great games slipped through the cracks. Some were overshadowed by blockbusters like Crash Bandicoot or Final Fantasy VII. Others simply got buried under the constant flow of new releases arriving month after month. It is wild to think that a game could be excellent and still barely get noticed, but that happened constantly throughout the PS1 era.

This list highlights ten PS1 hidden gems that deserved far more attention. These are games that showed real creativity, personality, and ambition during a time when 3D game design was still being figured out. The best part is that every single one still holds up today. You can boot these up right now and have a fantastic time.

Jump to a game:
1. Klonoa: Door to Phantomile • 2. Alundra • 3. Einhänder • 4. Colony Wars • 5. Brave Fencer Musashi • 6. Tomba! • 7. Silhouette Mirage • 8. Tobal No. 1 • 9. Future Cop: LAPD • 10. Omega Boost
Final Thoughts

1. Klonoa: Door to Phantomile

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A dreamlike 2.5D platformer packed with heart and imagination
Critical reception: widely praised

Klonoa: Door to Phantomile is one of those games that reminds you why you fell in love with gaming in the first place. It blends beautiful dreamlike visuals with clever level ideas in ways that still impress. Set in Phantomile, a surreal world built from dreams, you explore floating ruins, winding forests, and whimsical villages connected by a soft storybook atmosphere.

The Wind Bullet mechanic lets Klonoa grab enemies, throw them at obstacles, and use them for double jumps. The game constantly introduces new twists on this simple idea through stages that curve, wrap, and bend around the environment. Just when you think you have the mechanic figured out, the next level surprises you.

What truly elevates Klonoa is its emotional depth. The story starts cute and lighthearted, but it evolves into something surprisingly powerful. The ending is famous for being far more emotional than players expect, helped by expressive animation and a beautiful soundtrack. Many outlets have called it one of the best 2.5D platformers ever made, and it still deserves that praise.

2. Alundra

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A dark Zelda-style adventure with emotional depth and gorgeous 2D art
Critical reception: strong reviews, often ranked highly in retrospectives

Alundra is one of the most thoughtfully designed action-adventure games on the PS1, yet it remains strangely overlooked. You play as a dreamwalker who enters the nightmares of villagers to uncover a tragic curse spreading through the town of Inoa. These dream segments serve as surreal dungeons filled with symbolism and genuinely challenging puzzles.

The overworld uses hand-crafted 2D art that has aged extremely well. Every cave, home, and cliffside feels purposefully designed. Inoa itself evolves as the story progresses, with new dialogue and emotional developments that reflect the events taking place. It gives the entire world a grounded, living feel.

The puzzles are some of the most sophisticated on the system. They demand logic and precision, making them genuinely rewarding to solve. Combat is responsive, with a variety of tools and weapons that expand your capabilities over time.

What sets Alundra apart is its willingness to explore mature themes. It deals with loss, mortality, and destiny with a level of seriousness rarely seen in its era. Characters die, story arcs carry weight, and the writing is surprisingly grounded. It remains an essential experience for players who want an atmospheric adventure with depth.

3. Einhänder

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A sleek sci-fi shoot em up from Square
Critical reception: high praise for visuals and gameplay

Einhänder is one of the most technically impressive shooters on the PS1, and yes, it is from Square. The same studio known for Final Fantasy delivered a fast, aggressive shoot em up that still looks stylish today. You pilot a futuristic fighter in a war between Earth and the Moon, moving through neon cities, mechanical factories, and massive war machines that fill the screen.

The Gunpod system is the star here. You can steal enemy weapons mid-battle and attach them to your ship in different positions. This gives combat a flexible, tactical feel, letting you adapt to enemy patterns and boss phases on the fly.

Levels stay fresh from start to finish. One moment you are weaving through industrial machinery, and the next you are flying over a city engulfed in combat. Boss fights are cinematic, with shifting attack patterns and screen-filling designs.

The electronic soundtrack perfectly matches the pace, boosting both tension and style. Einhänder remains one of the most polished and memorable shooters of its generation. 

4. Colony Wars

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A branching story-rich space combat epic
Critical reception: excellent, often cited as one of PS1's top space sims

Colony Wars is an ambitious space combat simulator that allows the story to change based on your mission performance. This was 1997, and the game featured multiple story routes with completely different outcomes. You play as a pilot in the League of Free Worlds, fighting against an oppressive Earth Empire. Success and failure both lead to new missions rather than simple game overs.

The flight mechanics are smooth and intuitive. Each ship handles differently, and the variety of mission objectives keeps the campaign engaging. Escort missions, base assaults, defense roles, and large-scale battles make you feel like part of something bigger.

High quality voice acting and cinematic cutscenes help create a believable universe. Asteroid fields, space stations, and massive fleets all contribute to the sense of scale and immersion.

Colony Wars gives players agency, challenge, and a real feeling of participating in an epic conflict. It is a must-play for fans of sci-fi and space action.

5. Brave Fencer Musashi

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A quirky action-packed adventure with personality
Critical reception: favorable and often considered underrated

Brave Fencer Musashi is an action-adventure filled with humor, charm, and memorable moments. You play as Musashi, a small but talented swordsman summoned to defend the Allucaneet Kingdom. You can tell immediately that the game has a playful tone. The kingdom is called Allucaneet and the villainous empire is named Thirstquencher.

The game blends combat, platforming, puzzles, and RPG systems into a lively experience. A real-time day-night cycle affects everything. Shops close, characters sleep, and certain events only occur at specific times. NPCs follow daily schedules that make the world feel alive.

Combat is fast and satisfying. Musashi wields two swords and can absorb enemy abilities, allowing for creative strategies. The boss battles are full of personality and clever set pieces.

Brave Fencer Musashi is colorful, energetic, and full of charm. It is one of Square's most overlooked PS1 titles and a fantastic adventure for anyone who enjoys action games with personality.

6. Tomba!

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A bizarre platformer RPG hybrid full of surprises

Critical reception: strong reviews from major magazines

Tomba! stands out because of its pure creativity and unconventional ideas. You play as a wild boy trying to defeat the Evil Pigs who cursed the land. The world is filled with bright colors, quirky characters, and loads of secrets.

The game mixes side-scrolling platforming with RPG-style progression. Instead of simple stages, you complete dozens of events that act as quests. These events range from simple tasks to major objectives that unlock new areas and change the world around you.

Exploration is always rewarding. Hidden items, branching paths, and secret challenges encourage you to experiment. The platforming is responsive, with Tomba learning new abilities and moves as you progress.

Tomba! remains one of the most imaginative and distinctive games from the PS1 era. It is charming, strange, and constantly surprising.

7. Silhouette Mirage

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A dual-attribute action game with clever combat
Critical reception: mixed but highly respected by genre fans

Silhouette Mirage features one of the most inventive combat systems on the PS1. You play as Shyna, a messenger with two opposing energies: Silhouette and Mirage. Facing one direction activates one attribute, and facing the other activates the opposite. Enemies also have these attributes, and the direction you face determines how much damage you do.

This creates strategic encounters. You might need to reposition yourself, weaken specific enemies, absorb energy, or use special techniques to deal with different enemy groups. Every battle encourages careful thinking.

The sprite animation is expressive and colorful, and the tone is playful despite the combat depth. Boss fights are memorable and often require both strategy and reflexes.

The North American version was made harder than the original Japanese release, so it is tougher than expected. If you enjoy challenging action games with unique mechanics, Silhouette Mirage is a great fit.

8. Tobal No. 1

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An experimental 3D fighter with RPG flavor
Critical reception: solid reviews and praised for originality

Tobal No. 1 is an experimental fighting game that includes both standard matches and a full Quest Mode. In Quest Mode, you explore dungeons, fight monsters, gather items, and unlock new characters.

The fighting system is smooth and responsive. The game runs at 60 frames per second, giving it crisp movement and fluid animation. The untextured polygon aesthetic gives the visuals a clean look that has aged decently well.

Character designs by Akira Toriyama give the roster a distinctive style. The combination of traditional fighting mechanics and dungeon crawling creates a unique experience that still feels unusual today.

Tobal No. 1 rewards experimentation and stands as an interesting piece of PS1 history worth revisiting.

9. Future Cop: LAPD

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A mech shooter with a surprising strategic twist
User reception: cult favorite with strong fan following

Future Cop: LAPD is a fun and fast mech action game set in a futuristic Los Angeles. You control the X1 Alpha, a transforming police vehicle that shifts between walker and hovercraft modes. Each form has different abilities, giving combat a dynamic feel.

The Crime War campaign is filled with action as you fight rogue machines, gangs, and large mechanical bosses. The environments include flooded streets, industrial complexes, and abandoned districts.

The standout feature is Precinct Assault. It is essentially an early version of a lane-pushing strategy mode. You capture bases, deploy units, control lanes, and work to destroy your opponent's headquarters. For a game from 1998, it was very forward thinking.

With both cooperative and versus modes, Future Cop is a unique and entertaining hidden gem.

10. Omega Boost

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A fast rail shooter from the creators of Gran Turismo
Critical reception: mixed but visually impressive

Omega Boost is a stylish rail shooter that blends mecha design with fast-paced action. It was developed by Polyphony Digital, the same team behind Gran Turismo. You pilot the Omega Boost unit through futuristic stages filled with enemies and mechanical threats.

The lock-on shooting system is satisfying. You chain multiple targets and unleash rapid volleys of energy shots. The speed and camera movement create a strong sense of momentum, and the presentation is slick.

Mecha designs by Shoji Kawamori give the game a strong anime-inspired look. The soundtrack and effects complement the action well.

Omega Boost is short but memorable. It is a great choice for fans of mecha and sci-fi shooters who want something fast and stylish.

Final Thoughts

The PS1 library is enormous, creative, and full of surprises. These ten hidden gems show how inventive developers were during that era. Years before digital distribution made experimentation common, studios were already taking risks and crafting distinctive experiences. Some of these games worked perfectly and others had rough edges, but all of them tried something different.

Whether you are returning to the PlayStation after many years or exploring it for the first time, these games offer adventures that still feel fresh and enjoyable today. They are not just nostalgic curiosities. They are genuinely good games that deserve to be played. Add them to your retro playlist and discover some of the PS1's most overlooked classics.