84-638: Sonic Gems Collection is a 2005 compilation of Sega video games, primarily those in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The emulated games span multiple genres and consoles —from the Sega Genesis to the Sega Saturn —and retain the features and errors of their initial releases with minimal edits. Player progress is rewarded with demos of other Sonic games, videos, and promotional artwork spanning
168-431: A Dragon Quest VIII "slime" controller, a Final Fantasy X-2 "Tiny Bee" dual pistol controller, an Onimusha 3 katana controller, and a Resident Evil 4 chainsaw controller. Optional hardware includes additional DualShock or DualShock 2 controllers, a PS2 DVD remote control , an internal or external hard disk drive (HDD), a network adapter, horizontal and vertical stands, PlayStation or PS2 memory cards ,
252-678: A digital video recorder and DVD burner in addition to playing PS2 games. The device was released in Japan on 13 December 2003, and was the first Sony product to include the XrossMediaBar interface. It did not sell well in the Japanese market and was not released anywhere else. PlayStation 2 users had the option to play select games over the Internet , using dial-up or a broadband Internet connection . The PlayStation 2 Network Adaptor
336-477: A "safe bet" despite not being the "newest or most powerful", noting that the console "yields in-game graphics with more jagged edges". CNET also criticized the DVD playback functionality, claiming that the console's video quality was "passable" and that the playback controls were "rudimentary", recommending users to purchase a remote control. The console's two controller ports and the high cost of its memory cards were also
420-541: A decentralized model of online gaming where the responsibility is up to the developer to provide the servers, Sony's moves made online gaming a major selling point of the PS2. In September 2004, Sony revealed a newer, slimmer model of the PlayStation 2. In preparation for the launch of the new models (SCPH-700xx-9000x), Sony stopped making the older models (SCPH-3000x-500xx) to let the distribution channel empty its stock of
504-493: A few weeks prior. There were shortages in more than 1,700 shops in North America on the day before Christmas. In 2010, Sony introduced a TV with a built-in PlayStation 2. The PlayStation 2 continued to be produced until 2013 when Sony announced that it had been discontinued after over twelve years of production—one of the longest lifespans of any video game console. New games for the console continued to be made until
588-438: A maximum colour depth of 16.7 million true colours . When accounting for features such as lighting , texture mapping , artificial intelligence , and game physics , the console has a real-world performance of 25 million polygons per second. The PlayStation 2 also features two USB ports, and one IEEE 1394 (Firewire) port for SCPH-10000 to 3900x models only. A hard disk drive can be installed in an expansion bay on
672-416: A point of criticism. The slim model of the PlayStation 2 received positive reviews for its incredibly small size and built-in networking but received criticism for easily overheating due to the exclusion of the original model's built-in fan. The requirement for a separate power adapter was criticized while the top-loading disc drive was noted as being less likely to break compared to the tray-loading drive of
756-434: A second console around the time of the original PlayStation's launch in late 1994. At some point during development, employees from Argonaut Games , under contract for semiconductor manufacturer LSI Corporation , were instructed to design a rendering chip for Sony's upcoming console. Jez San , founder of Argonaut, recalled that his team had no direct contact with Sony during the development process. Unbeknownst to him, Sony
840-454: A specific task, integrated onto the same die . These units include a central CPU core, two Vector Processing Units (VPU), a 10-channel DMA unit, a memory controller , and an Image Processing Unit (IPU). There are three interfaces: an input output interface to the I/O processor running at a clock speed of 36.864 MHz, a graphics interface to the graphics synthesiser, and a memory interface to
924-455: A television as long as there is access to mains electricity or a similar power source. These screens can fold down onto the PS2 in a similar fashion to laptop screens. There are many accessories for musical games, such as dance pads for Dance Dance Revolution , In the Groove , and Pump It Up titles and High School Musical 3: Senior Year Dance . Konami microphones for use with
SECTION 10
#17327834845351008-429: A total of 10,035 software titles had been released worldwide including games released in multiple regions as separate titles. Initial reviews of the PlayStation 2 from 2000 highly acclaimed the console, with reviewers commending its hardware and graphics capabilities, its ability to play DVDs, and the system's backward compatibility with games and hardware for the original PlayStation. Early points of criticism included
1092-498: Is available for the system to connect to older TVs. The PlayStation 2 has undergone many revisions, some only of internal construction and others involving substantial external changes. The PS2 is primarily differentiated between models featuring the original "fat" case design and "slimline" models, which were introduced at the end of 2004. In 2010, the Sony Bravia KDL-22PX300 was made available to consumers. It
1176-471: Is distributed on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM; the two formats are differentiated by their discs' bottoms, with CD-ROMs being blue and DVD-ROMs being silver. The PlayStation 2 offered some particularly high-profile exclusive games. Most main entries in the Grand Theft Auto , Final Fantasy , and Metal Gear Solid series were released exclusively for the console. Several prolific series got their start on
1260-464: Is for you". When Famitsu named the best games of 2005, it ranked Sonic Gems Collection among the bottom of the PlayStation 2 and GameCube releases. Video game compilation A video game compilation is a type of product bundling in which different video games are available for purchase as a special collection. They are often stored on the same physical media or digital package, making use of menu interfaces that allow players to select
1344-411: Is infamous for its low quality. Pirate Nintendo compilations often included ROM hacks that replaced character sprites . In the 1990s, video game consoles saw compilations of older arcade games, such as Arcade's Greatest Hits and Williams Arcade's Greatest Hits , while Windows computers received compilations of console games, such as the Sonic & Knuckles Collection . Three Wonders
1428-723: Is the best-selling video game console of all time , having sold over 160 million units worldwide, nearly triple the combined sales of its competing consoles. Announced in 1999, Sony began developing the console after the immense success of its predecessor. The highlight of the system was its Emotion Engine processor, co-developed by Sony and Toshiba , which was said to be more powerful than personal computers. The PS2 offered backward-compatibility for its predecessor's DualShock controller, as well as its games. The PlayStation 2 received widespread critical acclaim upon release. A total of over 4,000 game titles were released worldwide, with over 1.527 billion copies sold. In 2004, Sony revised
1512-504: Is unusual for a 1991 arcade machine for being a compilation of three games. Renewed interest in retrogaming has motivated the release of multiple compilations in the 2010s and 2020s, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection and the Irem Collection series. PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 ( PS2 ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment . It
1596-583: The Karaoke Revolution games, dual microphones (sold with and used exclusively for SingStar games), various "guitar" controllers (for the Guitar Freaks series and Guitar Hero series), the drum set controller (sold in a box set (or by itself) with a "guitar" controller and a USB microphone (for use with Rock Band and Guitar Hero series, World Tour and newer), and a taiko drum controller for Taiko: Drum Master . Unlike
1680-672: The Master System Sonic games should have been included, not the Game Gear ones. Superpanda said he would have preferred Knuckles' Chaotix over the Game Gear games and also considered its exclusion of the Saturn version of Sonic 3D Blast a disappointment. Reviewers were generally divided over whether Sonic Gems Collection would leave players satisfied. EGM summed it up as a "woefully uneven mix", but one Sonic fans should check out if they wanted Sonic CD . Castro said
1764-567: The Nintendo DS reached 100 million shipments in 4 years and 5 months from its launch. By July 2009, the system had sold 138.8 million units worldwide, with 51 million of those units sold in PAL regions . By 31 March 2012, over 155 million PlayStation 2 units were sold worldwide, and in the same year, Sony officially stopped supplying updated sales numbers of the system. On 29 March 2024, Jim Ryan (CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment) stated on
SECTION 20
#17327834845351848-653: The Sega CD , Sega Saturn , and Game Gear . It primarily focuses on Sonic the Hedgehog games, including Sonic CD (1993), Sonic the Fighters (1996), Sonic R (1997), and six of the twelve Sonic games released for the Game Gear , with the other six having been included in the previous compilation release, Sonic Mega Collection Plus . These games encompass various genres, such as platforming , fighting , racing , pinball , and puzzle . Players can also unlock
1932-600: The Streets of Rage games and Bonanza Bros. had to be omitted from the Western localization , due to fears of a "Teen" rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). The team also wished to include both the Japanese and North American Sonic CD soundtracks, but storage and licensing problems resulted in Japan only receiving its respective soundtrack and all other regions using
2016-431: The multitap accessory. There was, however, some concern about the system's abilities following the lack of anti-aliasing in the two most popular early titles, Ridge Racer V and Tekken Tag Tournament . It was exacerbated for a period of time post-launch amid concerns about the relative lack of new quality software. This situation was eventually turned around following a spate of big and highly acclaimed games in
2100-500: The multitap for PlayStation or PS2, a USB motion camera ( EyeToy ), a USB keyboard and mouse , and a headset . The original PS2 multitap (SCPH-10090) cannot be plugged into the newer slim models. The multitap connects to the memory card slot and the controller slot, and the memory card slot on the slimline is shallower. New slim-design multitaps (SCPH-70120) were manufactured for these models; however, third-party adapters also permit original multitaps to be used. Early versions of
2184-561: The 2001 holiday season with the release of several blockbuster games that maintained the PS2's sales momentum and held off its newer rivals. Sony also countered the Xbox by securing timed PlayStation 2 exclusives for highly anticipated games such as the Grand Theft Auto series and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty . In a 2002 article analysis of the system up to that point, Edge noted: Now, 18 months on, things are looking much rosier for PS2 owners. Developers are coming to terms with
2268-538: The ESRB. Theobald was also disappointed that the compilation lacked SegaSonic the Hedgehog , Knuckles' Chaotix , and the other Game Gear games. Jeremy Parish ( 1UP.com ) said even combining Sonic Mega Collection and Sonic Gems Collection would provide players an incomplete Sonic collection, lambasting the exclusion of Knuckles' Chaotix and Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure and feeling
2352-480: The Fighters and Sonic R mediocre, and disliked the Game Gear games. Some were disappointed by the absence of the Streets of Rage games in the International version and other Sonic games like SegaSonic the Hedgehog , Knuckles' Chaotix and Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure . Sonic Gems Collection is a compilation of obscure video games published by Sega for various consoles , such as
2436-463: The Fighters were mediocre. Castro, Theobald, and Davis compared Sonic the Fighters unfavorably to the Virtua Fighter games, with Davis calling it dated and simplistic. Jeuxvideo.com ' s Superpanda, in a negative review of the compilation, argued that Sonic the Fighters was too short and had control issues, but that Sonic R was on par with Sonic CD in terms of quality, praising
2520-622: The Hedgehog (1993) was omitted due to problems emulating its trackball controls. AM2 assisted in porting Sonic the Fighters , marking its first release on a home console . The Windows versions of Sonic CD and Sonic R were used in Sonic Gems Collection . Both games received visual upgrades: Sonic CD ' s opening sequence is presented in fullscreen and Sonic R has higher resolution textures . During development, Sonic Team hoped that each region's version of Sonic Gems Collection would be identical in content. However,
2604-652: The North American version. Sonic Gems Collection was announced in May 2005, and was playable at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). It was released on August 11, 2005 in Japan, August 16, 2005 in North America, September 30, 2005 in Europe. In Australia, the game was released for PlayStation 2 and GameCube the following week on October 5 and October 7, respectively. The PlayStation 2 version
Sonic Gems Collection - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-699: The Official PlayStation Podcast, that the PlayStation 2 had sold 160 million units worldwide. This statement was not corroborated by Sony directly until nearly eight months later, with this figure appearing on the PlayStation 30th Anniversary website on 26 November 2024. Using homebrew programs, it is possible to play various audio and video file formats on a PS2. Homebrew programs can also play patched backups of original PS2 DVD games on unmodified consoles and install retail discs to an installed hard drive on older models. Homebrew emulators of older computer and gaming systems have been developed for
2772-437: The PS2 could be networked via an i.LINK port, though this had little game support and was dropped. Some third-party manufacturers have created devices that allow disabled people to access the PS2 through ordinary switches, etc. Some third-party companies, such as Joytech , have produced LCD monitor and speaker attachments for the PS2, which attach to the back of the console. These allow users to play games without access to
2856-459: The PS2 remained the only sixth-generation console for over 6 months before it faced competition from new rivals: Nintendo's GameCube and Microsoft's Xbox . Many analysts predicted a close three-way matchup among the three consoles. The Xbox had the most powerful hardware, while the GameCube was the least expensive console, and Nintendo changed its policy to encourage third-party developers. While
2940-554: The PlayStation 2 theoretically had the weakest hardware of the three, it had a head start due to its installed base plus strong developer commitment, as well as a built-in DVD player (the Xbox required an adapter, while the GameCube lacked support entirely). The PlayStation 2's initial games lineup was considered mediocre, with a lack of quality games especially amid the expectations of its hardware capabilities (partly caused due to its complex architecture for developers). This changed during
3024-614: The PlayStation 2, including God of War , Ratchet & Clank , Jak and Daxter , Devil May Cry , Kingdom Hearts , and Sly Cooper . Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was the best-selling game on the console. Game releases peaked in 2004, but declined with the release of the PlayStation 3 in 2006. The last new games for the console were Final Fantasy XI : Seekers of Adoulin in Asia, FIFA 14 in North America, and Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 in Europe. As of 30 June 2007,
3108-424: The PlayStation, which requires the use of an official Sony PlayStation Mouse to play mouse-compatible games, the few PS2 games with mouse support work with a standard USB mouse as well as a USB trackball . In addition, some of these games also support the usage of a USB keyboard for text input, game control (instead of a DualShock or DualShock 2 gamepad, in tandem with a USB mouse), or both. PlayStation 2 software
3192-615: The back of the console, and is required to play certain games, notably the popular Final Fantasy XI . The system has 4 MB of Video RAM in the form of eDRAM . Software for the PlayStation 2 was distributed primarily on DVD-ROMs , with some titles being published on blue-tinted CD-ROM format. In addition, the console can play audio CDs and DVD films and is backward-compatible with almost all original PlayStation games. The PlayStation 2 also supports PlayStation memory cards and controllers, although original PlayStation memory cards will only work with original PlayStation games and
3276-520: The colour black as it represents the infinity of the universe. The blue represents the intelligence and life spouting up." —Teiyu Goto reflecting on the PlayStation 2's aesthetics Sony unveiled the PlayStation 2 at the Tokyo Game Show on 20 September 1999. Sony showed fully playable demos of upcoming PlayStation 2 games including Gran Turismo 2000 (later released as Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec ) and Tekken Tag Tournament —which showed
3360-537: The compilation to introduce younger players to older Sonic games. One game they wished to include, SegaSonic the Hedgehog (1993), was excluded due to emulation difficulties. Sega released Gems Collection for the GameCube and PlayStation 2 in August 2005. Reviews were mixed or average; critics were divided over whether the package would satisfy players. They preferred Sonic CD and Vectorman , but found Sonic
3444-401: The compilation was "decent" and worth its price tag, but was not as solid as Sonic Mega Collection . Theobald found it weak and that only Sonic CD and Vectorman would appeal to casual gamers. Bramwell was sarcastic: "if this sort of thing matters to you, if you still can't bear to unplug your Dreamcast , and you do own Virtua Fighter 4 and all the others and think they're brilliant, this
Sonic Gems Collection - Misplaced Pages Continue
3528-472: The compilation's strongest feature, so much that Nintendo Power ' s Steve T. and Electronic Gaming Monthly ( EGM ) said it was worth buying for Sonic CD alone. Juan Castro ( IGN ) found that Sonic CD "still holds its own against modern platformers", praising its unique, time-travel oriented gameplay, level design , visuals, and sound. Castro called it one of the best games in the Sonic series and
3612-601: The console continued to be released until shortly after the end of its life and support from Sony. Released in 1994, the original PlayStation proved to be a phenomenal worldwide success and signalled Sony's rise to power in the video game industry . Its launch elicited critical acclaim and strong sales; it eventually became the first computer entertainment platform to ship over 100 million units. The PlayStation enjoyed particular success outside Japan in part due to Sony's refined development kits , large-scale advertising campaigns, and strong third-party developer support. By
3696-505: The console with a smaller, lighter body officially known as the Slimline , popularly called the "PS2 Slim". Even after the release of its successor, the PlayStation 3 , it remained popular well into the seventh generation . It continued to be produced until the beginning of 2013 when Sony finally announced that it had been discontinued after over twelve years of production, one of the longest lifespans of any video game console. New games for
3780-528: The console's graphic abilities and power. The PS2 was launched in March 2000 in Japan, October in North America, and November in Europe. Sales of the console, games and accessories pulled in $ 250 million on the first day, beating the $ 97 million made on the first day of the Dreamcast. Directly after its release, it was difficult to find PS2 units on retailer shelves due to manufacturing delays. Another option
3864-483: The console, named the "Graphics Synthesizer". It has a fillrate of 2.4 gigapixels per second, capable of rendering up to 75 million polygons per second. The GPU also runs with a clock frequency of 147.456 MHz (which is half the clock speed of the Emotion Engine), 4 MB of DRAM is capable of transmitting a display output of 1280 x 1024 pixels on both PAL and NTSC televisions. The PlayStation 2 has
3948-693: The controllers may not support all functions (such as analogue buttons) for PlayStation 2 games. The standard PlayStation 2 memory card has an 8 megabyte (MB) capacity and features MagicGate encryption. There are a variety of non-Sony manufactured memory cards available for the PlayStation ;2, allowing for a memory capacity larger than the standard 8 MB. The PlayStation 2 can natively output video resolutions on SDTV and HDTV from 480i to 480p , and some games, such as Gran Turismo 4 and Tourist Trophy , are known to support up-scaled 1080i resolution. The PlayStation 2 supports
4032-408: The disc for "educational" purposes. He lambasted their resolutions and encouraged readers to ignore them entirely. Some reviewers found the compilation incomplete. Davis and Theobald both criticized the exclusion of the Streets of Rage games in the North American version. Davis stated he preferred them over Vectorman and Theobald said Sega should have just let the compilation get a Teen rating from
4116-609: The end of 2013, including Final Fantasy XI : Seekers of Adoulin for Japan, and FIFA 14 for North America. The last game to be released on the PlayStation 2 is Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 , which was released in the United Kingdom on 8 November 2013. Repair services for the system in Japan ended on 7 September 2018. The PlayStation 2's main central processing unit (CPU) is the 64-bit R5900-based " Emotion Engine ", custom-designed by Sony and Toshiba . The Emotion Engine consists of eight separate "units", each performing
4200-421: The final quarter of 2001. Later reviews, especially after the launch of the competing GameCube and Xbox systems, continued to praise the PlayStation 2's large game library and DVD playback, while routinely criticizing the PlayStation 2's lesser graphics performance compared to the newer systems and its rudimentary online service compared to Xbox Live . In 2002, CNET rated the console 7.3 out of 10, calling it
4284-439: The following standards: composite video (480i), S-Video (480i), RGB (480i/p), VGA (for progressive scan games and PS2 Linux only), YP B P R component video (which display most original PlayStation games in their native 240p mode which most HDTV sets do not support ), and D-Terminal . Cables are available for all of these signal types; these cables also output analogue stereo audio. Additionally, an RF modulator
SECTION 50
#17327834845354368-442: The game they want to play. They are a form of video game preservation . The Nintendo Entertainment System received official multicart compilations that re-released earlier games, such as Super Mario Bros. / Duck Hunt / World Class Track Meet . In the early 1990s, Codemasters , an unlicensed publisher, used multicarts to release brand new games in their Quattro compilations . Action 52 , released by Active Enterprises,
4452-542: The game's graphics and claiming that it was the compilation's most beautiful game. Castro was less positive: he found its ideas clever and considered it an interesting departure from normal racing games, but thought the ideas were poorly implemented and the controls were awkward. However, he still thought the game was enjoyable and that its soundtrack was unique. Theobald voiced a similar opinion, considering it "a concept that works better in theory than in practice". Conversely, Davis said Sonic R ' s "laughably bad soundtrack"
4536-444: The gamer, as its debut pricing was less than many standalone DVD players on the market. This made the console a low-cost entry into the home theater market. The success of the PS2 at the end of 2000 caused Sega problems both financially and competitively, and Sega announced the discontinuation of the Dreamcast in March 2001, just 18 months after its successful Western launch. Despite the Dreamcast still receiving support through 2001,
4620-608: The games included are emulated , but Sonic the Fighters is a port . At the beginning of Gems Collection ' s development, Sonic Team made a list of the most wanted games for the compilation. The team considered the games they felt were high quality in graphics, gameplay, and overall nature. Sonic CD and Vectorman were considered for inclusion in Mega Collection , but were deferred to Gems Collection . Producer Yuji Naka said storage constraints prevented Sonic CD from inclusion in Mega Collection . AM3's SegaSonic
4704-457: The history of the Sonic franchise. While its 2002 predecessor, Sonic Mega Collection , comprises popular Sonic games, Gems Collection focuses on more obscure games, such as Sonic CD (1993) and Sonic the Fighters (1996). Other non- Sonic games are included, but some, such as the Streets of Rage trilogy, are omitted in the Western localization . Developer Sonic Team conceived
4788-524: The internal hard disk drive. It also lacked an internal power supply until a later revision (excluding the Japanese version), similar to the GameCube , and had a modified Multitap expansion. The removal of the expansion bay was criticized as a limitation due to the existence of titles such as Final Fantasy XI , which required the HDD use. Sony also manufactured a consumer device called the PSX that can be used as
4872-570: The lack of online support at the time, its inclusion of only two controller ports, and the system's price at launch compared to the Dreamcast in 2000. PC Magazine in 2001 called the console "outstanding", praising its "noteworthy components" such as the Emotion Engine CPU, 32 MB of RAM, support for IEEE 1394 (branded as "i.LINK" by Sony and "FireWire" by Apple), and the console's two USB ports while criticizing its "expensive" games and its support for only two controllers without
4956-498: The late 1990s Sony had dethroned established rivals Sega and Nintendo in the global video game market. Sega, spurred on by its declining market share and significant financial losses, launched the Dreamcast in 1998 as a last-ditch attempt to stay in the industry. Though Sony has kept details of the PlayStation 2's development secret, Ken Kutaragi , the chief designer of the original PlayStation, reportedly began working on
5040-497: The online-capable Xbox. Coinciding with the release of Xbox Live , Sony released the PlayStation 2 Network Adaptor in late 2002, with several online first-party titles released alongside it, such as SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs to demonstrate its active support for Internet play. Sony also advertised heavily, and its online model had the support of Electronic Arts (EA); EA did not offer online Xbox titles until 2004. Although Sony and Nintendo both started late, and although both followed
5124-441: The original Genesis games to showcase what made the franchise a success, Sonic Gems Collection focused on games Sega considered rare and obscure. Although Sonic Team was responsible for Sonic Gems Collection ' s creation, they had limited involvement in the development of the games included on the compilation; for example, Sega AM2 made Sonic the Fighters , and Sonic R was primarily developed by Traveller's Tales . Most of
SECTION 60
#17327834845355208-464: The original instruction manuals for each game, along with hints and cheat codes . The compilation features an extensive museum section in which players can view content—such as promotional artwork, videos, screenshots, and remixed music—unlocked after obtaining achievements . Time-limited demos of the Genesis Sonic games and the other six Game Gear games can also be unlocked. In each demo,
5292-423: The original model. Demand for the PlayStation 2 remained strong throughout much of its lifespan, selling over 1.4 million units in Japan by 31 March 2000. Over 10.6 million units were sold worldwide by 31 March 2001. In 2005, the PlayStation 2 became the fastest game console to reach 100 million units shipped, accomplishing the feat within 5 years and 9 months from its launch; this was surpassed 4 years later when
5376-460: The parallel architecture and fears that the PS2 would suffer the same fate as the Sega Saturn now seem ridiculous. A mixture of hard work, trial and error and middleware tools is also ensuring that development cycles are getting shorter and game quality improving. It's taken much longer than anticipated, but exceptional titles are beginning to come through. Sony cut the price of the console in May 2002 from US$ 299 to $ 199 in North America, making it
5460-453: The player begins in the respective game's final level and can play until the time limit is met. Sonic Gems Collection was developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega for the GameCube and PlayStation 2 . According to Sonic Team director Yojiro Ogawa, the compilation (and its 2002 predecessor Sonic Mega Collection ) was conceived to introduce young players to older games in the Sonic franchise. While Sonic Mega Collection focused on
5544-536: The same functionality as its predecessor. However, it includes analogue pressure sensitivity to over 100 individual levels of depth on the face, shoulder and D-pad buttons, replacing the digital buttons of the original. Like its predecessor, the DualShock 2 controller has force feedback , or "vibration" functionality. It is lighter and includes two more levels of vibration . Specialized controllers include light guns ( GunCon ), fishing rod and reel controllers,
5628-457: The same level they did when they were 17. The slogan used was: Live in your world. Play in ours. (Stylized as: "LIVE IN Y [REDACTED] UR W [REDACTED] RLD. PL [REDACTED] Y IN [REDACTED] URS.") Backward compatibility had been widely seen as a desirable feature for consumers since the debut of the first successor video game console, but prior to the PlayStation 2 only one console had featured true backward compatibility (i.e. without
5712-412: The same price as the GameCube and $ 100 less than the Xbox. It also planned to cut the price in Japan around that time. It cut the price twice in Japan in 2003. In 2006, Sony cut the cost of the console in anticipation of the release of the PlayStation 3 . Unlike Sega's Dreamcast, Sony originally placed little emphasis on online gaming during its first few years, although that changed upon the launch of
5796-405: The system memory. The Emotion Engine CPU has a clock rate of 294.912 MHz (299 MHz on newer versions) and 6,000 MIPS , with a floating point performance of 6.2 GFLOPS . The system's I/O processor was based on the PlayStation's CPU and was designed to provide full backward compatibility with the PlayStation. The system has 32 MB of RDRAM . The GPU is likewise custom-designed for
5880-413: The two Vectorman games for Sega Genesis (1995 and 1996). Four additional games, Bonanza Bros. (1990) and the Streets of Rage trilogy (1991–1994), are unlockable only in the Japanese version and are not included in any international releases. Each game is mostly identical to its initial release, but some were changed; for example, Sonic R runs at a higher frame rate . Players can view scans of
5964-709: The units. After an apparent manufacturing issue—Sony reportedly underestimated demand—caused some initial slowdown in producing the new unit caused in part by shortages between the time Sony cleared out the old units and the new units were ready. The issue was compounded in Britain when a Russian oil tanker became stuck in the Suez Canal , blocking a ship from China carrying PS2s bound for the UK. During one week in November, British sales totalled 6,000 units—compared to 70,000 units
6048-484: The use of add-ons), the Atari 7800 , due to the added hardware costs and industry concerns that backward compatibility could cause the console to appear to be a merely a new model of its predecessor or lead developers to prefer making games for the predecessor system. Later, Sony added new development kits for game developers and more PS2 units for consumers. The PS2's built-in functionality also expanded its audience beyond
6132-540: Was Ridge Racer V followed by Geki Kuukan Pro Baseball: At the End of the Century 1999 , Tekken Tag Tournament , Kessen , Dead or Alive 2 and Jikkyo Powerful Pro Baseball 7 . Marketing for the PlayStation 2 reverted to the same tactic used in the early days of the original PlayStation: use 17-year-olds as the target audience , since younger audiences aspire to be teenagers and older audiences enjoy video games at
6216-510: Was a 22" HD-Ready television which incorporated a built-in PlayStation 2. The standard color of the PS2 is matte black. Several variations in color were produced in different quantities and regions, including ceramic white, light yellow, metallic blue (aqua), metallic silver, navy (star blue), opaque blue (astral blue), opaque black (midnight black), pearl white, sakura purple, satin gold, satin silver, snow white, super red, transparent blue (ocean blue), and also Limited Edition color Pink, which
6300-509: Was being developed. Chris Deering , then-president of SCEE recalled that there was a degree of trepidation among Sony leaders to produce a console which would recapture or exceed the success of its predecessor. Sony announced the PlayStation 2 on 2 March 1999. Sega's Dreamcast enjoyed a successful US launch on 9 September of that year; fuelled by a large marketing campaign, it sold over 500,000 units within two weeks. "PlayStation 2's real-time graphics have no limitations. That's why I chose
6384-401: Was designing their own chip in-house and had instructed other companies to design rendering chips merely to diversify their options. By early 1997, the press was reporting that a new PlayStation was being developed and would have backward-compatibility with the original PlayStation, a built-in DVD player , and Internet connectivity. However, Sony continued to officially deny that a successor
6468-485: Was distributed in some regions such as Oceania, and parts of Asia. In September 2004, Sony unveiled its third major hardware revision. Available in late October 2004, it was smaller, thinner, and quieter than the original versions and included a built-in Ethernet port (in some markets it also had an integrated modem ). Due to its thinner profile, it did not contain the 3.5" expansion bay and therefore did not support
6552-475: Was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, in Australia on 30 November 2000, and other regions thereafter. It is the successor to the PlayStation , as well as the second installment in the PlayStation brand of consoles. As a sixth-generation console , it competed with Nintendo 's GameCube , Sega 's Dreamcast , and Microsoft 's Xbox . It
6636-484: Was intrigued that they were all on one disc, but thought their screen displays were bad and said "you'd probably be better off dusting your old [Game Gear] and finding those old games" rather than playing them on Sonic Gems Collection . Of the Game Gear games, Davis preferred Sonic 2 , Sonic Triple Trouble , and Tails Skypatrol , but disliked the rest. He heavily criticized their emulation quality, noting their frequent frame rate drops. Bramwell joked they were present on
6720-399: Was its "only redeeming quality". Bramwell considered it too odd and short to be worth the player's time. The six Game Gear Sonic games were criticized for their uneven quality and poor emulation. Theobald liked that the games were available from the start, but was puzzled why the other six games were left out. He also considered the selection random ("why Sonic 2 , but no Sonic ?"). Castro
6804-633: Was no less fun than its original release. Ryan Davis ( GameSpot ) found Sonic CD superior to the other games in the compilation, and Tom Bramwell ( Eurogamer ) declared "rejoice for Sonic CD ... Just don't rejoice for anything else, because it's mostly rubbish". Many reviewers were also pleased by the inclusion of the Vectorman games. Castro called it "the pinnacle of 16-bit gaming", praising its melding of boss fights, action, and platforming and saying it aged well. Bramwell and Phil Theobald ( GameSpy ) agreed. Critics generally felt Sonic R and Sonic
6888-445: Was not released in North America. Those who ordered the game through Sega's online store Sega Direct received an exclusive Sonic -themed yo-yo . According to Metacritic , a video game review aggregator , Sonic Gems Collection received "mixed or average" reviews. By November 22, 2005, the compilation sold 200,000 copies outside Japan. In 2006, the GameCube version was branded a Player's Choice game. Reviewers considered Sonic CD
6972-449: Was purchasing the console online through auction websites such as eBay , where people paid over a thousand dollars for the console. The PS2 initially sold well partly on the basis of the strength of the PlayStation brand and the console's backward compatibility, selling its entire inventory of 1.4 million units in Japan by 31 March 2000, less than a month after launch. From its launch until the end of 2000 in Japan, its best-selling software
7056-514: Was required for the original models, while the slim models included built-in networking ports. Instead of having a unified, subscription-based online service like Xbox Live as competitor Microsoft later chose for its Xbox console, online multiplayer functionality on the PlayStation 2 was the responsibility of the game publisher and ran on third-party servers. Many games that supported online play exclusively supported broadband Internet access. The PlayStation 2's DualShock 2 controller retains most of
#534465