PS2 Questions (1 Viewer)

[CalvinC]

I am getting ready to buy a PS2 system as my son's are wanting one for Christmas. I have several questions in regard to this system,(please excuse my ignorance on the gaming hardware).
Do you have to buy additional accessories in order to play DVD's?
Is there more than one model out there? The reason I ask is one EB seller kept quoting this is model number such and such.
Do the old playstation games actually play on the system as advertised? This is one reason the boys want a PS2.
Is there any additional accessories needed to purchase separately in order to get the system up and running for games?
Any other advice on this you can give will be deeply appreciated! Thanks for any help!

 

[ChrisV]

Is there any additional accessories needed to purchase separately in order to get the system up and running for games?

You'll want to get a memory card so you can save your games, and maybe a second controller for two player action.

There's a good hardware FAQ at the top of the forum. You should probably give it a read.

 

[Prentice Cotham]

Is there more than one model out there? The reason I ask is one EB seller kept quoting this is model number such and such.

There aren't any different models, just generations. The ones on the shelves now are fine. The first generation of PS2s seem to have problems reading blue discs these days. You'll be fine.

 

[JasonKrol]

regarding this "problem reading blue disks"...can you emphasize. I have a first gen PS2 (im assuming, i got it on launch day). I havent had any problems as of late, but I was unaware of this issue.

thanks!

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I also have a first-gen PS2, but the only problem that I have is it taking a little while longer to read discs (all types) but give it a few seconds and it works fine.

 

[Andre F]

Do the old playstation games actually play on the system as advertised?

I think there is like 10 PS1 games that don't work on the system. Really old stuff anyway....

 

[Morgan Jolley]

EVERY PSX game will play on the PS2, but only a few won't play with the additional stuff. Final Fantasy 8, for example, will play fine, but if you turn on the smooth textures or faster loading times, you will have problems.

At least I think that's what the only problems are.

 

[BrianB]

EVERY PSX game will play on the PS2

Nope, there's a very small list of incompatible games. Basically games that didn't fully stay within the guidelines. I believe it's on Sony's website somewhere.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I found this.

 

[BrianB]

Yup, that's the list I'm talking about. There's a similiar list of Japanese games (of course, it's a different bunch of games) floating around.

 

[Dave E H]

ahh. Haven't checked that list in a while. Good thing - I was thinking about getting FF Anthology one of these days (loks like Chronicles will still play well.)

 

[DaveGTP]

I have FF Anthology (and Chronicles), and it plays fine on PS2. The only problem that it is supposed to have is an occasional wacky problem in FF5, the save game screen gets corrupted... solved by exiting and getting back into the screen, I believe. I haven't finished FF6 yet, so I haven't seen the FF5 issue come up. FF6 has no problems (beyond the occasional annoying mid-battle lag that Square didn't bother to clean up)

-Dave

 

[Morgan Jolley]

The problems in FFAnthology are onlyin FF5, and it's the save screen thing as you said. The list is of games that don't operate normally on the PS2, which means a small problem like the one you mentioned for FF5.