PS2 questions...

[dafivehole]

Is there a specific model that is better than the others? In regards to dependability, A/V, etc.

 

Are these all backward compatible with the PS1 games?

 

Thanks,

Roger

[Metal Jesus]

I owned the original fatty that would allow you to attach a Hard drive and now I have the PS2 Slim with the flip top. I use the Slim all the time for PS1 games and it works great! Plus that flip top will never break down like the original motorized door.

[cimerians]

I have to go with what Metal Jesus says although I still keep a fatty around for cheats.

 

As far as PS1 games go I don't have problems but a wiki and google search crops up a few. Mainly these:

 

 

Arcade Party Pak,

Atari Arcade Greatest Hits,

Fighter Maker,

Final Fantasy Anthology,

International Track and Field,

Judge Dredd,

Monkey Hero,

Mortal Kombat Trilogy,

Tomba.

[Reaperman]

I've got a soft spot for the HD and sticking all my games on it--fat ps2 all the way for me. There are a lot of different models of those, but I don't recall hearing of one being better than the rest.

 

I've seen a lot of broken slims around (and have one). Given when they came out, I'm surprised they ever saw enough use to die. For this factor, I'm against the slims--but if you do get one, IIRC, the last model of them had a built-in power supply which would be a huge bonus. The rest had a rather bulky brick on the power cable which kind of says that they weren't taking the 'slim' thing as seriously as they needed to.

Edited January 15, 2014 by Reaperman

[xenomorpher]

I've had a fat model since I think 2001 and had no troubles. It even survived getting knocked down from a height of about 3 feet while playing a game. Even the game disc wasn't badly scratched.

[boxpressed]

I started with the slim and went fat when I loaded everything on the HD. I've found the fat to be more reliable than the slim, which often has sensor problems. the 5XXXX series of fat is supposed to have a quieter fan.

[Rex Dart]

I've had a fat PS2 since just after the GC launched. Bought it in 2002 maybe? It's one of the last models to include the firewire port, a V7 board I believe. SCPH-18000 or something.

Works great, and I also love being able to run games off a hard drive using a memory card exploit (even though it has a modchip). That exploited memory card is great, even allows me to use the PS2 to move PS1 and PS2 gamesaves around between memory card, USB flash drive, and the internal HDD.

[Algus]

The laser can misalign in the fat PS2 but it is a very easy fix. I've had mine since I got it new in 2001. I had to realign the laser once in 2006 or so and it's worked great ever since.

[Rex Dart]

The laser can misalign in the fat PS2 but it is a very easy fix. I've had mine since I got it new in 2001. I had to realign the laser once in 2006 or so and it's worked great ever since.

 

I used to do that as a repair for people, along with spindle repairs when they stop reading PS1 / blue discs, but mine's never needed it. I didn't use my PS2 as much as my other systems so I guess it's in relatively good shape.

[Algus]

Oh man, blue discs! I've only got one or two titles on blue disc. I can't remember now why they used that surfacing at first but I'm glad they retired it...nothing but trouble.

[Rex Dart]

Oh man, blue discs! I've only got one or two titles on blue disc. I can't remember now why they used that surfacing at first but I'm glad they retired it...nothing but trouble.

 

"Blue" discs are just CD-ROMs. The rest were DVD-ROM. It was nothing more than a capacity consideration.

 

I may be wrong, but my experience showed that the "blue" discs failed because the drive would spin CD-ROMs faster than it would DVD-ROM, and the spindle's grip on the disc would fail over the years. Symptoms? PS2 would make funny noises while trying to read CD-ROMs. Cure? Let a few dabs of superglue dry on the drive's spindle... they provide enough traction for the drive to grip them at high speeds again.

[BydoEmpire]

As far as PS1 games go I don't have problems but a wiki and google search crops up a few. Mainly these:

 

Arcade Party Pak,

Atari Arcade Greatest Hits,

Final Fantasy Anthology,

Mortal Kombat Trilogy,

FWIW, I own and have played all four of these on my original PS2 (bought maybe 6 months after launch). Can't speak for different models.

[+save2600]

I have and use both models and haven't run into any probs yet. If I was to only have one model though, it would be the fat version. Looks nicer and feels like it would last longer. Especially like being able to run my games off the HD.

[Mord]

 

I have to go with what Metal Jesus says although I still keep a fatty around for cheats.

 

As far as PS1 games go I don't have problems but a wiki and google search crops up a few. Mainly these:

 

 

Arcade Party Pak,

Atari Arcade Greatest Hits,

Fighter Maker,

Final Fantasy Anthology,

International Track and Field,

Judge Dredd,

Monkey Hero,

Mortal Kombat Trilogy,

Tomba.

 

 

A couple of differences with playing PS1 games on the PS2 also include (From my own experience)

 

Mega Man X4: With at least one of the bosses, can't remember which, if you hit it with it's weakness it instantly pseudo-dies. That is, it goes to 0 health, and stops moving, but it won't blow up or let the level end. You'll have to reset the game.

 

Symphony of the Night: This isn't critical, but all the random drops from monsters will be changed and in most cases won't make much sense. They will be consistantly changed however. I don't know how to find the ring that gives a massive stat boost when playing on the PS2 for instance (Should be the gold giant skeleton things in the Arena) but killing ghosts in the upsidedown library can drop the strongest sword in the game.

[+Gemintronic]

On that theme I gotta note that one of the later bosses in Xenogears hardlocks the PS2. My friend had to fight the boss on a real PS1 then come back to the PS2.

[cimerians]

FWIW, I own and have played all four of these on my original PS2 (bought maybe 6 months after launch).

 

 

A couple of differences with playing PS1 games on the PS2 also include (From my own experience)

 

 

 

 

Nice to know..I should try out said games that I have and see what happens on my fat PS2.

 

I could have sworn another game that was buggy was X-Men Mutant Academy but I may be wrong. LIFE (boardgame) also seems to sputter with voices and animations. Family still likes playing that PS1 game.

[+save2600]

Just remembered one minor problem playing a PS1 game on either of my PS2's: X-Files, the point and click adventure game... Your cursor is a jumbled up mess. No other adverse glitches as far as I can tell though.

[Rhomaios]

My fat PS2 was borrowed by my brother's friend and never returned, but I've had a slim since 2006 that's given my no troubles at all.

[DaytonaUSA]

I personally love, and still have a phat model. It was the online pack edition (still have the box), and it runs like a champ. No sticky drive bay or anything. Reliable, cool, and quiet. I'd recommend that model if you can find it (they're pricey).

 

I would personally go AGAINST the slim model. Now, I get it. It's small. Freakishly small. It's impressive... for about an hour. Then the cheapness settles in. I'm sorry, but it seriously feels like econo edition. The DVD lid instead of the tray feels cheap, and call me crazy, but the phat's size and sturdiness makes me feel like I'm getting more luxury for my money. The slim is so small and so many features have been stripped, that it feels like a hollow shell compared to the original. Not to mention if you want to have it vertical, you can't stand it vertically without a stand, and even then despite it small size, it takes up MORE room than a phat! How? Because the dvd lid needs to open, which needs more room than the phat is wide......sooooo, you're not even saving space, which at that point defeats the purpose of going with an econo model as that's the ONLY thing a slim offers you.

 

It's all down to personal preference, really. Although I've had two slims with bad CD/DVD drives, while that's never happened to me with a phat model. Could be luck, for sure. I'd look into that. Could have been the slim drives. Either way, go with which one you gravitate to. But that's my two cents, take it or leave it .

Edited January 17, 2014 by DaytonaUSA

[Greg2600]

I have the slim. Takes up a lot less space. I have it Free McBooted and play games off my PC's HDD now as well as off disc.

[bikerspade]

I prefer the SCPH-50001. It was the last series to support an internal hard drive, which is great to use with a FreeMCBoot memory card and Open PS2 Loader. Mine from 2004 still works fine without issues.

[Games Retrospect]

I've always wanted the last model that doesn't have a power brick. I have no idea if they are reliable or not, but that is the slimmest and smallest PS2, so it sounds really convenient to have. If anyone here has experience with one of those, I'd like to know what you think.