Can You Really Play PS1 Games on PCSX2? Find It Out!

We all grew up enjoying our old games from the PS1 and PS2 eras.

Every now and then we get nostalgic and we want to play them again. However, we don’t always have access to our old consoles. That is where console emulators on PCs such as PCSX2 stand out.

You may wonder, what types of games does PCSX2 supports, and that is what we are going to discuss in this article.

What is PCSX2?

PCSX2 is a free and open-source PlayStation 2 emulator for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X that supports a broad number of PlayStation 2 games with good compatibility and capability. 

Although PCSX2 can accurately replicate the original PlayStation 2 gaming experience, it also offers a number of enhancements over standard PlayStation 2 gameplay, including the option to use customized resolutions, anti-aliasing, and texture filtering.

PCSX2 Features

PCSX2 is based on a PSEmu Pro standard plug-in architecture, similar to its predecessor project PCSX (a PlayStation emulator), which separates numerous functions from the primary emulator.

Graphics, audio, input controls, CD/DVD drive, and USB and FireWire (i.LINK) ports are all included. In terms of compatibility and performance, different plug-ins may provide varied results.

Save states and dynamic recompilation are both supported by PCSX2.

The GSdx plugin also allows you to record your games in Full HD.

Optional features include the ability to change game speeds, use limitless memory cards, and use any controller that the original operating system supports. PNACH patching files are used to allow cheat codes.

Furthermore, due to copyright-related legal problems, PCSX2 needs a legitimate version of the PS2 BIOS that is not accessible to download from the developers. 

PCSX2 has been partially compatible with PlayStation games since September 2016.

PCSX2 Compatibility with PS1

Other PS1 emulators were already available before PCSX2 was launched. As a result, it was mostly overlooked, with PS2 compatibility taking priority.

In August 2021, the current version was shown to be compatible with over 2500 games that were tested.

With the 1.5.0 development series and later PCSX2 versions, PSX, or PS1 games are compatible.

You may now play your PSX games in PCSX2 and expect a decent performance. However, not all PS1 games on PCSX2 will be able to boot.

That is mainly because certain components are still missing or do not function properly.

Boot failures, graphics and FMV corruption, incomplete or damaged audio, failure to read memory cards, and sluggish controls are just a few of the problems.