Difference between revisions of "PlayStation 2"
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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. | 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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+ | See ''[[Sega Dreamcast/Hardware comparison|Sega Dreamcast hardware comparison]]'' for a technical comparison between the Dreamcast, PS2, GameCube and Xbox hardware. | ||
==Overview== | ==Overview== |
Revision as of 22:12, 5 November 2018
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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 prioritised 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 ammended 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 hadware and on the PlayStation 2 itself.
Lists of games
- 18 Wheeler: American Pro Trucker
- Aero Elite: Combat Academy
- Altered Beast (2005)
- Appleseed EX
- Astro Boy
- Berserk: Millennium Falcon Hen Seima Senki no Shou
- Blood Will Tell: Tezuka Osamu's Dororo
- Britney's Dance Beat
- Choujikuu Yousai Macross
- Crazy Taxi
- Culdcept Second Expansion
- Cyber Troopers Virtual-On: Marz
- Dai 3 Ji Super Robot Taisen Alpha: Shuuen no Ginga e
- Daisenryaku 1941: Gyakuten no Taiheiyou
- Derby Ba wo Tsukurou! 5
- Derby Tsuku 3: Derby Ba wo Tsukurou!
- Derby Tsuku 4: Derby Ba wo Tsukurou!
- Destroy All Humans!
- ESPN College Hoops
- ESPN College Hoops 2K5
- ESPN Major League Baseball
- ESPN NBA 2K5
- ESPN NBA Basketball
- ESPN NFL 2K5
- ESPN NFL Football
- ESPN NHL 2K5
- ESPN NHL Hockey
- Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future
- F355 Challenge
- Fantasy Zone Neo Classic
- Finny the Fish & the Seven Waters
- Full Spectrum Warrior
- Full Spectrum Warrior 2: Ten Hammers
- Gekitou Pro Yakyuu: Mizushima Shinji Allstars vs Pro Yakyuu
- Guilty Gear Isuka
- Guilty Gear XX Accent Core
- Guilty Gear XX Reload
- Guilty Gear XX Slash
- Gungrave
- Headhunter
- Headhunter Redemption
- Hokuto no Ken (2005)
- Initial D: Special Stage
- Iron Man
- J.League Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou! '04
- J.League Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou! 3
- J.League Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou! 5
- Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! Aladdin 2 Evolution
- Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! Hokuto no Ken 2: Ransei Haouden Tenha no Shou
- Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! Hokuto no Ken Plus
- Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! Hokuto no Ken SE
- Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! Mr. Magic Neo
- Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! Onimusha 3
- Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! Ore no Sora
- Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! Selection: Salaryman Kintarou - Slotter Kintarou - Ore no Sora
- Jissen Pachi-Slot Hisshouhou! Ultraman Club ST
- Jissen Pachinko Hisshouhou! CR Aladdin Destiny EX
- Jissen Pachinko Hisshouhou! CR Hokuto no Ken
- Jissen Pachinko Hisshouhou! CR Sakura Taisen
- Jissen Pachinko Hisshouhou! CR Salaryman Kintarou
- Juiced: Tuning Car Densetsu
- Kamaitachi no Yoru Triple: Mikazukishima Jiken no Shinsou
- Killzone
- Le Mans 24 Hours (PlayStation 2)
- Let's Make a Soccer Team!
- Mr. Incredible: Kyouteki Underminer Toujou
- NBA 2K2
- NBA 2K3
- NCAA College Basketball 2K3
- NCAA College Football 2K3
- NFL 2K2
- NFL 2K3
- NHL 2K3
- New Roommania: Porori Seishun
- NiGHTS into Dreams
- Nightshade
- Online Games: Dai Guru Guru Onsen
- OutRun 2 SP (PlayStation 2)
- OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast
- Panic!
- Phantasy Star Universe
- Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition of the Illuminus
- PlayStation 2 bootleg games
- PlayStation 2 demo discs
- PlayStation 2 game ratings
- Pro Yakyuu Team o Tsukurou! 2
- Pro Yakyuu Team o Tsukurou! 2003
- Pro Yakyuu Team o Tsukurou! 3
- Puyo Pop Fever
- Puyo Puyo Fever 2
- Puyo Puyo!
- Rez
- Roommania 203
- Saka Tsuku 2002: J.League Pro Soccer Club o Tsukurou!
- Sakura Taisen 3: Paris wa Moeteiru ka
- Sakura Taisen Monogatari: Mysterious Paris
- Sakura Taisen V Episode 0: Kouya no Samurai Musume
- Sakura Taisen: Atsuki Chishio Ni
- Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love
- Samurai Jack: The Shadow of Aku
- Seaman 2: Peking Genjin Ikusei Kit
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 10: After Burner II
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 11: Hokuto no Ken
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 12: Puyo Puyo Tsuu Perfect Set
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 13: OutRun
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 14: Alien Syndrome
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 15: Decathlete Collection
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 16: Virtua Fighter 2
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 17: Phantasy Star Generation: 2
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 18: Dragon Force
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 19: Fighting Vipers
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 1: Phantasy Star Generation: 1
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 20: Space Harrier II ~Space Harrier Complete Collection~
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 21: SDI & Quartet: Sega System 16 Collection
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 22: Advanced Daisenryaku: Deutsch Dengeki Sakusen
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 23: Sega Memorial Selection
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 24: Last Bronx -Tokyo Bangaichi-
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 25: Gunstar Heroes Treasure Box
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 26: Dynamite Deka
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 27: Panzer Dragoon
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 28: Tetris Collection
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 29: Monster World Complete Collection
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 2: Monaco GP
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 30: Galaxy Force II: Special Extended Edition
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 31: Cyber Troopers Virtual-On
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 32: Phantasy Star Complete Collection
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 33: Fantasy Zone Complete Collection
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 3: Fantasy Zone
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 4: Space Harrier
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 5: Golden Axe
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 6: Ichini no Tant-R to Bonanza Bros.
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 7: Columns
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 8: Virtua Racing FlatOut
- Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 9: Gain Ground
- Sega Bass Fishing Duel
- Sega Classics Collection
- Sega Fun Pack: Sonic Mega Collection Plus & Shadow the Hedgehog
- Sega Mega Drive Collection
- Sega Rally 2006
- Sega Rally Championship
- Sega Soccer Slam
- Sega Superstars
- Sega Superstars Tennis
- Shadow the Hedgehog
- Shining Force EXA
- Shining Force Neo
- Shining Tears
- Shining Wind
- Shinobi (2002)
- Shinsengumi Gunrou Den
- Sonic Gems Collection
- Sonic Heroes
- Sonic Mega Collection Plus
- Sonic Riders
- Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity
- Sonic Unleashed
- Space Channel 5
- Space Channel 5: Part 2
- Space Channel 5: Special Edition
- Spartan: Total Warrior
- SpongeBob
- Spy Fiction
- Standard Daisenryaku: Dengekisen
- Standard Daisenryaku: Ushinawareta Shouri
- Stuart Little 3: Big Photo Adventure
- Super Monkey Ball Adventure
- Super Monkey Ball Deluxe
- Taito Legends
- Tenchu: Fatal Shadows
- Tenka-bito
- The Getaway: Black Monday
- The Golden Compass
- The Incredible Hulk (2008)
- The King of Route 66
- The Rumble Fish
- The Typing of the Dead: Zombie Panic
- Thunder Force VI
- Trizeal
- Usagi: Yasei no Touhai: Yamashiro Mahjong Hen
- Vampire Night
- Virtua Cop: Elite Edition
- Virtua Fighter 10th Anniversary
- Virtua Fighter 4
- Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution
- Virtua Pro Football
- Virtua Quest
- Virtua Tennis 2
- World Series Baseball 2K3
- World Snooker Championship 2005
- World Snooker Championship 2007
- Worms 3D
- Worms Forts: Under Siege
- Yakuza
- Yakuza 2
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