Difference between revisions of "PlayStation 2"

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[[Image:PlayStation 2.png|thumb|right|260px|[[File:PlayStation 2 logo.svg|180px]]]]The '''PlayStation 2''' ('''PS2''') (Japanese: プレイステーション2; Romaji: Pureisuteshon) is [[Sony]]'s second [[video game console]], after the PlayStation. Its development was announced in April 1999, and it was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000. It was released in the United States on 26 October 2000.
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{{ConsoleBob
 +
| logo=PlayStation 2 logo.svg
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| consoleimage=PlayStation 2.png
 +
| name=
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| maker=[[Sony Computer Entertainment]]
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| releases={{releasesPS2
 +
| ps2_date_us=2000-10-26{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20040422081255/http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdatausa_e.html}}
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| ps2_date_eu=2000-11-24{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20040422074254/http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdataeu_e.html}}
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| ps2_date_jp=2000-03-04{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20040422074823/http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdatajpn_e.html}}
 +
| ps2_rrp_jp=39,800{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20040422074823/http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdatajpn_e.html}}
 +
| ps2_date_au=2000-11-30
 +
| ps2_date_tw=2002-01{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20040422074027/http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdataasia_e.html}}
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| ps2_date_kr=2002-02-22{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20040422074027/http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdataasia_e.html}}
 +
}}
 +
}}
 +
The '''PlayStation 2''' (プレイステーション2), abbreviated to '''PS2''' is [[Sony]]'s second video game console and successor to the [[PlayStation]]. It was released in early 2000 as part of the sixth generation of video game consoles, and was the major competitor to the [[Sega Dreamcast]], as well as the [[Xbox]] and [[Nintendo GameCube]] which followed.
  
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The PS2 can read and play both [[compact disc]]s and [[DVD]]s, making it backwards compatible with older PS1 games and allowing for playback of DVD Video and the more technically advanced PS2 games. The ability to play DVD movies allowed consumers to more easily justify the PS2's relatively high price tag (as of October 2000, the MSRP was $300) as it removed the necessity of purchasing an external DVD player.
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With over 155 million units and thirteen years of software support, the PlayStation 2 stands as one of the most successful video game consoles of all time. It was followed by the [[PlayStation 3]] in 2006.
  
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When it was released, the PS2 had many advanced features that were not present in other contemporary video game consoles, including its DVD capabilities and USB and IEEE 1394 expansion ports. It was not until late 2001 that the Microsoft [[Xbox]] became the second console with DVD support (this is assuming the Nuon is not considered a console), although playing DVD-Video titles on Xbox requires the purchase of an additional module (containing decoder software and a remote control). The Xbox was also released with USB support, however its proprietary connectors required hardware hacking to allow standard consumer devices to connect to it.
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See ''[[Sega Dreamcast/Hardware comparison|Sega Dreamcast hardware comparison]]'' for a technical comparison between the Dreamcast, PS2, GameCube and Xbox hardware.
  
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Support for original PlayStation games was also an important selling point for the PS2, letting owners of an older system upgrade to the PlayStation 2 and keep their old software, and giving new users access to older games until software was developed for the new system. As an added bonus, the PS2 had the ability to enhance PlayStation games by speeding up disc read time and/or adding texture smoothing to improve graphics. Unfortunately, these enhancements were either ignored by most games, or introduced compatiblity problems.
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==Overview==
 +
For most of its history, the PlayStation 2 dominated the video game landscape, being the most powerful console in the world at the time of its release, near-complete backwards compatibility with older PlayStation 1 games, the ability to play DVD movies (thus turning it into an inexpensive DVD player), and a dual-stick analogue controller with rumble features straight out of the box. Sony gathered strong third-party support from Japanese publishers, and succeeded in part due to the failings of its rivals - the GameCube's inability to attract older users, the Xbox's inability to break into Japan and the Dreamcast's inability to compete from a technical or marketing perspective. Brand awareness also played its part - the original PlayStation was a huge success, and customers were familiar with the name (the GameCube building the awkward history of the [[Nintendo 64]], and the Xbox being completely new).
  
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Software for all PlayStation consoles contains one of three region codes, for Japan, the Americas, or Europe. Discs also deviate slightly from the CD-ROM and DVD-ROM standards in ways that make it difficult for consumers to duplicate discs or create his or her own software for the system. However, Sony released a version of the Linux operating system for the PS2 in a package that also includes a keyboard, mouse, ethernet adapter and hard disk drive. Currently, Sony's online store states that the Linux kit is no longer for sale in North America. However as of November 2004, the European version was still available. (The kit boots by installing a proprietary interface, the RTE (run time environment) which is on a region-coded DVD - so the European and USA kits are not compatible)
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Though the PlayStation 2 was more capable than the Dreamcast upon launch, it was soon displaced by its rivals from a technical perspective. Despite this, third party relations kept the system afloat for far longer than expected. Perhaps most notably is its Japanese record, in which PlayStation 2s continuously outsold the [[Xbox 360]] despite being on the decline.
  
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In Europe and Australasia, the PlayStation 2 also comes with a free Yabasic interpreter. This allows simple programs to be created for the PlayStation 2 by the end-user. This was done to circumvent a tax by defining the console as a "computer" if it contained certain software.
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The PlayStation 2 is most remembered among [[Sega]] fans for being the catalyst which forced Sega out of the home video game console market. Although the Dreamcast had over a year's head start over the PlayStation 2, it was haunted from day one by news of the PlayStation's successor, and was perceived to be the weaker console when the PlayStation 2 launched. Despite many critics proclaiming that the Dreamcast's library in 2000 far exceeded that of the PlayStation 2's, its sales were being outpaced by the PlayStation 2. As Sega's financial position deteriorated, and threats came from [[Microsoft]] and [[Nintendo]], Sega announced its exit from the console hardware market entirely in January 2001, in order to focus instead on third-party software and the arcade market.
  
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The PlayStation 2 has undergone many revisions, some only of internal construction and others with substantial external changes. These are coloquially known amongst PlayStation 2 hardware hackers as V0,V1,V2, etc up to V12 (as of 11/25/2004). V0-V2 are Japanese models and were never sold in Europe. These included a PCMCIA slot instead of the Expansion Bay (DEV9) port of newer models. V3 has a substantially different internal structure from the subsequent revisions, featuring several interconnected Printed circuit boards. Beginning with V4 everything was unified into one board, except the power supply. V5 introduces minor internal changes and the only difference between V6 (sometimes called V5.1) and V5 is the orientation of the Power/Reset switch board connector, which was reversed to prevent the use of no-solder modchips. V7 and V8 are also similar, and V9 (model number SCPH-50000/SCPH-50001) added the Infrared port for the optional DVD Remote Control, removed the widely unused IEEE 1394 port, added DVD-RW capability, and a quieter fan. V10 and V11 have minor changes.
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==Sega Support==
 +
Though Sega were keen to back the Xbox and GameCube upon release, the company's plans for the PlayStation 2 were subdued during the early years, receiving only a handful of Dreamcast conversions (including ''[[F355 Challenge]]'', ''[[Rez]]'', ''[[Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future]]'' and ''[[Space Channel 5]]''). Starting with the likes of ''[[Gungrave]]'' in late 2002, PlayStation 2 exclusives from Sega began to pick up, but never to the same level as the console's rivals. By the middle of the decade Sega prioritized multi-platform releases, the PlayStation 2 receiving its fair share of titles, and the longer lifespan of the console led to the PlayStation 2 receiving the most Sega-published games overall.
  
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In September 2004 Sony unveiled the third major hardware revision (V12, model number SCPH-70000). Available in November 2004, it is smaller and thinner than the old version and includes a built-in ethernet port. In some markets it also integrates a modem. Due to its thinner profile, it unfortunately does not support the internal HDD. This poses a problem for games such as ''Final Fantasy XI'', which requires the use of this peripheral. Sony's plans regarding the internal HDD are now debateable, considering how they have now prevented new consoles from supporting this. The redesigned system's release is timed to coincide with the much anticipated ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'', and to bring Sony out of its current PS2 sales slump.
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Games like ''[[Virtua Fighter 4]]'' and reboots such as the [[Altered Beast (2005)|2005 release of ''Altered Beast'']] and the [[Shinobi (2002)|2002 release of ''Shinobi'']] were made exclusive to the platform, and Sega found itself producing several "budget" releases for the console, such as the 33-volume [[Sega Ages 2500]] series. It also partnered with western publishers to release the likes of ''[[Destroy All Humans!]]'' and ''[[Killzone]]'' in Japan. The popular ''[[Yakuza]]'' series began its life on the PlayStation 2 before continuing on the PlayStation 3, though much of Sega's top PS2 output came after the demise of the Xbox and GameCube.
  
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== Specifications ==
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In Europe, early Sega games were published by [[Sony Computer Entertainment]], possibly due to Sega's difficult financial situation. This was amended by the latter half of 2002.
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*CPU: 128 bit "Emotion Engine"  clocked at 294 MHz (later versions 299 MHz)
 
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**System Memory: 32 MB Direct Rambus or RDRAM
 
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**Memory Bus Bandwidth: 3.2GB per second
 
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**Main processor: MIPS R5900 CPU core, 64 bit
 
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**Co-Processor: FPU (Floating Point Multiply Accumulator x 1, Floating Point Divider x 1)
 
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**Vector Units: VU0 and VU1 (Floating Point Multiply Accumulator x 9, Floating Point Divider x 1), 128 bit
 
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**Floating Point Performance: 6.2 GFLOPS
 
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**3D CG Geometric Transformation: 66 million polygons per second*
 
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**Compressed Image Decoder: MPEG2
 
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*Graphics: "Graphics Synthesizer" clocked at 150 MHz
 
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**DRAM Bus bandwidth: 48.0GB Per Second
 
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**DRAM Bus width: 2560 bits
 
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**Pixel Configuration: RGB:Alpha:Z Buffer (24:8:32)
 
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**Maximum Polygon Rate: 75 million plygons per second*
 
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*Sound: "SPU2+CPU"
 
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**Number of voices: 48 hardware channels of ADPCM on SPU2 plus software-mixed channels
 
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**Sampling Frequency: 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz (selectable)
 
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*I/O Processor
 
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**CPU Core: Original PlayStation CPU (MIPS R3000A clocked at 33.8 MHz or 37.5 MHz)
 
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**Sub Bus: 32 Bit
 
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**Interface Types: 2 Proprietary PlayStation controller ports, 2 proprietary Memory Card slots using MagicGate encryption, Expansion Bay for Network Adaptor, Modem and Hard Disk Drive, IEEE 1394**, Infrared remote control port**, and 2 USB 1.1 ports.
 
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*Disc Media: DVD-ROM (CD-ROM compatible) with copy protection. 4.7GB capacity, few are DVD-9 (8.5 GB)
 
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*Physical Dimensions: approximately 12"(L) x 7"(W) x 4"(H) in horizontal configuration.
 
  
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* Polygons per second under ideal circumstances (e.g., no texturing, lighting, or vertex colors applied). Some criticize these figures for being unrealistic, and not indicative of real-world performance, especially when compared to those released for the Microsoft [[Xbox]] and [[Nintendo]] [[GameCube]].The true polygons per second figure with full textures, effects etc. is around 13 million.
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In Japan it was almost mandatory to support the PlayStation 2 as a third-party publisher, and particularly after the merger with [[Sammy]], Sega found itself supporting the PlayStation 2 well into the next generation. Sega's relationship with the PlayStation 2 could be considered a marriage of convenience - more "cutting edge" games from the company were given to the Xbox, while family-orientated games were brought to the GameCube. Nevertheless, Sega supported the console until 2008, with over 150 games published for the platform over a seven year period.
  
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** IEEE 1394 removed in SCPH-50000 and later hardware versions, and Infrared remote port added.
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One of Sega's most important contributions to the PlayStation 2 library was the ''[[Sega Ages 2500]]'' series of remakes of classic Sega games. Originally created as a partnership with [[D3Publisher]], the series featured remakes and emulations of a wide variety of Sega games as early as ''[[Head On]]'' and as recent as ''[[Dynamite Deka]]'', making it one of the most comprehensive compilation series produced by any company to date. Though the series would only be released in Japan, Sega brought a handful of the early volumes overseas in one package, ''[[Sega Classics Collection]]''.
  
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[[Category:Post-Sega Consoles]]
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Sega's [[WOW Entertainment]] also produced ''[[Vampire Night]]'', a game for [[Namco]] that runs both on PlayStation 2-based arcade hardware and on the PlayStation 2 itself.
 +
 
 +
==Peripherals==
 +
===Multitap===
 +
The PlayStation 2 Multitap was an upgraded version of the PlayStation 1 Multitap, which was a peripheral for the console that would allow up to four people to plug in controllers and memory cards. It plugged into the first slot, and due to the depth of the memory card and controller ports between "fat" and "slim" models, there were two different models made. The SCPH-10090 was made for the "fat" models (SCPH-1xxxx, 3xxxx and 5xxxx) and the SCPH-70120 was for the "slim" models (SCPH-7xxxx and 9xxxx). This peripheral was used on many games due to the PlayStation 2's lack of more than two player support.
 +
 
 +
===BB Unit===
 +
The PlayStation 2 BB Unit (short for BroadBand Unit) was a Hard Disk/Broadband Adaptor originally made for the launch models (10000, 15000 and 18000 series). It featured a 40GB hard disk in an enclosure (SCPH-20400) and would add storage space to the PlayStation 2 for games that could install to it (to speed up load times), and plugged into a PCMCIA card with a broadband jack. The name was kept in Japan when moving up to the 3xxxx and 5xxxx units, but the hard disks were no longer in a separate enclosure (although the internal disk serial was the same, SCPH-20401), and plugged into the Broadband Adaptor that would plug into the back of the "fat" units. The internal disk was released outside of Japan as the "HDD Unit" and was packed in with Final Fantasy XI (the only game released outside of Japan to require HDD support), with the Broadband Adaptor being sold separately. On the "slim" models, support was entirely stripped out, although in 70000 models up to the 75000, extensive hardware modifications can be made to add it back due to the contacts on the motherboard still being accessible and the BIOS still having support.
 +
 
 +
The BB Unit saw far more use in Japan than any other country, with many games only having HDD capabilities in Japan such as [[Virtua Fighter 4]].
 +
 
 +
==Lists of games==
 +
{{BulletPointGameList|PS2}}
 +
 
 +
===By region===
 +
*[[List of PlayStation 2 games in Australia]]
 +
*[[List of PlayStation 2 games in Brazil]]
 +
*[[List of PlayStation 2 games in Canada]]
 +
*[[List of PlayStation 2 games in France]]
 +
*[[List of PlayStation 2 games in Germany]]
 +
*[[List of PlayStation 2 games in Italy]]
 +
*[[List of PlayStation 2 games in Japan]]
 +
*[[List of PlayStation 2 games in Mexico]]
 +
*[[List of PlayStation 2 games in Russia]]
 +
*[[List of PlayStation 2 games in South Korea]]
 +
*[[List of PlayStation 2 games in Spain]]
 +
*[[List of PlayStation 2 games in Taiwan]]
 +
*[[List of PlayStation 2 games in the United Kingdom]]
 +
*[[List of PlayStation 2 games in the United States]]
 +
 
 +
==Other PlayStation 2 games also released for Sega systems==
 +
{{NonSegaList|PS2}}
 +
 
 +
==References==
 +
<references />
 +
 
 +
{{NonSegaConsoles}}

Latest revision as of 19:18, 17 February 2024

PlayStation 2 logo.svg
PlayStation 2.png
PlayStation 2
Manufacturer: Sony Computer Entertainment
Release Date RRP Code
Sony PlayStation 2
JP 		¥39,80039,800[3]
Sony PlayStation 2
US
Sony PlayStation 2
EU
Sony PlayStation 2
AU
Sony PlayStation 2
KR
Sony PlayStation 2
TW

The PlayStation 2 (プレイステーション2), abbreviated to PS2 is Sony's second video game console and successor to the PlayStation. It was released in early 2000 as part of the sixth generation of video game consoles, and was the major competitor to the Sega Dreamcast, as well as the Xbox and Nintendo GameCube which followed.

With over 155 million units and thirteen years of software support, the PlayStation 2 stands as one of the most successful video game consoles of all time. It was followed by the PlayStation 3 in 2006.

See Sega Dreamcast hardware comparison for a technical comparison between the Dreamcast, PS2, GameCube and Xbox hardware.

Overview

For most of its history, the PlayStation 2 dominated the video game landscape, being the most powerful console in the world at the time of its release, near-complete backwards compatibility with older PlayStation 1 games, the ability to play DVD movies (thus turning it into an inexpensive DVD player), and a dual-stick analogue controller with rumble features straight out of the box. Sony gathered strong third-party support from Japanese publishers, and succeeded in part due to the failings of its rivals - the GameCube's inability to attract older users, the Xbox's inability to break into Japan and the Dreamcast's inability to compete from a technical or marketing perspective. Brand awareness also played its part - the original PlayStation was a huge success, and customers were familiar with the name (the GameCube building the awkward history of the Nintendo 64, and the Xbox being completely new).

Though the PlayStation 2 was more capable than the Dreamcast upon launch, it was soon displaced by its rivals from a technical perspective. Despite this, third party relations kept the system afloat for far longer than expected. Perhaps most notably is its Japanese record, in which PlayStation 2s continuously outsold the Xbox 360 despite being on the decline.

The PlayStation 2 is most remembered among Sega fans for being the catalyst which forced Sega out of the home video game console market. Although the Dreamcast had over a year's head start over the PlayStation 2, it was haunted from day one by news of the PlayStation's successor, and was perceived to be the weaker console when the PlayStation 2 launched. Despite many critics proclaiming that the Dreamcast's library in 2000 far exceeded that of the PlayStation 2's, its sales were being outpaced by the PlayStation 2. As Sega's financial position deteriorated, and threats came from Microsoft and Nintendo, Sega announced its exit from the console hardware market entirely in January 2001, in order to focus instead on third-party software and the arcade market.

Sega Support

Though Sega were keen to back the Xbox and GameCube upon release, the company's plans for the PlayStation 2 were subdued during the early years, receiving only a handful of Dreamcast conversions (including F355 Challenge, Rez, Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future and Space Channel 5). Starting with the likes of Gungrave in late 2002, PlayStation 2 exclusives from Sega began to pick up, but never to the same level as the console's rivals. By the middle of the decade Sega prioritized multi-platform releases, the PlayStation 2 receiving its fair share of titles, and the longer lifespan of the console led to the PlayStation 2 receiving the most Sega-published games overall.

Games like Virtua Fighter 4 and reboots such as the 2005 release of Altered Beast and the 2002 release of Shinobi were made exclusive to the platform, and Sega found itself producing several "budget" releases for the console, such as the 33-volume Sega Ages 2500 series. It also partnered with western publishers to release the likes of Destroy All Humans! and Killzone in Japan. The popular Yakuza series began its life on the PlayStation 2 before continuing on the PlayStation 3, though much of Sega's top PS2 output came after the demise of the Xbox and GameCube.

In Europe, early Sega games were published by Sony Computer Entertainment, possibly due to Sega's difficult financial situation. This was amended by the latter half of 2002.

In Japan it was almost mandatory to support the PlayStation 2 as a third-party publisher, and particularly after the merger with Sammy, Sega found itself supporting the PlayStation 2 well into the next generation. Sega's relationship with the PlayStation 2 could be considered a marriage of convenience - more "cutting edge" games from the company were given to the Xbox, while family-orientated games were brought to the GameCube. Nevertheless, Sega supported the console until 2008, with over 150 games published for the platform over a seven year period.

One of Sega's most important contributions to the PlayStation 2 library was the Sega Ages 2500 series of remakes of classic Sega games. Originally created as a partnership with D3Publisher, the series featured remakes and emulations of a wide variety of Sega games as early as Head On and as recent as Dynamite Deka, making it one of the most comprehensive compilation series produced by any company to date. Though the series would only be released in Japan, Sega brought a handful of the early volumes overseas in one package, Sega Classics Collection.

Sega's WOW Entertainment also produced Vampire Night, a game for Namco that runs both on PlayStation 2-based arcade hardware and on the PlayStation 2 itself.

Peripherals

Multitap

The PlayStation 2 Multitap was an upgraded version of the PlayStation 1 Multitap, which was a peripheral for the console that would allow up to four people to plug in controllers and memory cards. It plugged into the first slot, and due to the depth of the memory card and controller ports between "fat" and "slim" models, there were two different models made. The SCPH-10090 was made for the "fat" models (SCPH-1xxxx, 3xxxx and 5xxxx) and the SCPH-70120 was for the "slim" models (SCPH-7xxxx and 9xxxx). This peripheral was used on many games due to the PlayStation 2's lack of more than two player support.

BB Unit

The PlayStation 2 BB Unit (short for BroadBand Unit) was a Hard Disk/Broadband Adaptor originally made for the launch models (10000, 15000 and 18000 series). It featured a 40GB hard disk in an enclosure (SCPH-20400) and would add storage space to the PlayStation 2 for games that could install to it (to speed up load times), and plugged into a PCMCIA card with a broadband jack. The name was kept in Japan when moving up to the 3xxxx and 5xxxx units, but the hard disks were no longer in a separate enclosure (although the internal disk serial was the same, SCPH-20401), and plugged into the Broadband Adaptor that would plug into the back of the "fat" units. The internal disk was released outside of Japan as the "HDD Unit" and was packed in with Final Fantasy XI (the only game released outside of Japan to require HDD support), with the Broadband Adaptor being sold separately. On the "slim" models, support was entirely stripped out, although in 70000 models up to the 75000, extensive hardware modifications can be made to add it back due to the contacts on the motherboard still being accessible and the BIOS still having support.

The BB Unit saw far more use in Japan than any other country, with many games only having HDD capabilities in Japan such as Virtua Fighter 4.

Lists of games

By region

Other PlayStation 2 games also released for Sega systems

References

  1. ↑ http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdatausa_e.html (Wayback Machine: 2004-04-22 08:12)
  2. ↑ http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdataeu_e.html (Wayback Machine: 2004-04-22 07:42)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdatajpn_e.html (Wayback Machine: 2004-04-22 07:48)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdataasia_e.html (Wayback Machine: 2004-04-22 07:40)


Non-Sega consoles
Nintendo
Nintendo Entertainment System (1983) | Game Boy (1989) | Super Nintendo Entertainment System (1990) | Nintendo 64 (1996) | Game Boy Color (1998) | Game Boy Advance (2001) | Nintendo GameCube (2001) | Nintendo DS (2004) | Wii (2006) | Nintendo 3DS (2011) | Wii U (2012) | Nintendo Switch (2017)
Sony
PlayStation (1994) | PlayStation 2 (2000) | PlayStation Portable (2004) | PlayStation 3 (2006) | PlayStation Vita (2011) | PlayStation 4 (2013) | PlayStation 5 (2020)
Microsoft
Xbox (2001) | Xbox 360 (2005) | Xbox One (2013) | Xbox Series X (2020)
Mobile
iOS | Android | Windows Phone
Other
Atari 2600 (1977) | Intellivision (1979) | ColecoVision (1982) | Atari 5200 (1982) | PC Engine (1987) | CD-ROM² (1988) | Super CD-ROM² (1991) | R-Zone (1995) | Game.com (1997) | WonderSwan (1999) | Neo Geo Pocket Color (1999) | N-Gage (2003) | LeapFrog Didj (2008) | Stadia (2019)
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