Summary
ThePS2was the best-selling console of all time until theNintendo Switchdethroned it in 2024. That may be bad news for Sony, but the PS2 remains an all-time great console, offering games that fans of all genres enjoyed in the early 2000s, from RPGs to platformers.
Today, other console owners can enjoy PS2 games thanks to ports, remasters, and remakes. For example,the Nintendo Switch features some great PS2 games, and these are among the very best available right now.They are ranked based on quality. Hopefully, most of these will work or even be improved on the Switch 2.
This collection of PS2 games will feature titles that were not available on Nintendo hardware until they were ported to the Switch.
Katamari Damacy Rerollis a remasterof what was initially a PS2 exclusive and one of the system’s weirdest games of all time. It started with the King of All Cosmos destroying the galaxy and then sending his son, The Prince, down to Earth to scoop up scrap to make into new stars.
Players would roll through levels, scooping up everything from erasers to fence posts to people. Again, it’s an unusual experience, but delightful in every way, both in its sense of humor and its soothing gameplay.
Star Wars: Battlefront Classic Collectioncontains the first two games in the series, both of which received PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions, but GameCube owners were left out.Xbox One and Series X/S owners had the opportunity to play these original versions via backwards compatibility for years, until a proper HD remaster was compiled and ported to modern consoles.
While the menu system and load times are not ideal on the Switch, these are still some of thebestStar Warsgamesof all time. There are so many modes to get into, from the story to the Galactic Conquest map, all of which offer fans the opportunity to play as heroes or villains.
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance 2is another example of a game that snubbed the GameCube in favor of the PS2 and original Xbox. It’s superior in every way to the original, offering more characters, each set with a specific class, race, and set of abilities.
That was all rectified thanks to this subtle remaster, offering Switch fans the opportunity to play as a Barbarian, Cleric, Monk, Necromancer, or Rogue. Best of all,Dark Alliance 2can be played locally with one other player, and the first game also got a Switch remaster, allowing players to experience the complete series on modern Nintendo hardware.
Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destinyis the most recent remaster Capcom has issued from its past library of games. Playersassume the role of Jubei Yagyu, a samurai hellbent on getting revenge against Lord Nobunaga and his demon army.
Armed with various weapons, from guns to hammers, as well as playable allies and demon powers, players can explore this open-ended survival horror game on Switch. The first game,Onimusha: Warlords, is also available on Switch and also takes place in feudal Japan, but it stars a different hero, Samanosuke Akechi.
ThePS2Devil May Cryentriesalso exist on the Switch, but not in one complete package digitally, unlike previous collections on other consoles. If Switch fans had to choose one game to play on the console, it should beDevil May Cry 3 Special Edition.
It’s a prequel, which is nice for beginners from a story perspective, but it’s also the most fully-featured action game of the bunch. Dante can switch between a variety of weapons to pull off impressive combos, like a sword and electric guitar, all while eating as much pizza as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Persona 4 Goldenis technically based on a PS Vita port of a PS2 game, but this was a first, no matter what, for the Switch.The game centers on a high school student, Yu, who moves to a new town to live with his uncle and niece.
Around town, murders start happening, along with Yu and his new friends gaining the power to go into a demon world. Fight in turn-based battles, crawl through dungeons, go on dates with friends to build relationships, and more in this impressive RPG that some fans call the bestPersonagame in the series.
This package deal for Hideo Kojima fans containsMetal Gear Solid, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty,andMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.Metal Gear Solidis a PS1 game that came to Nintendo viaMetal Gear Solid: The TwinSnakes, which was kind of a different game in spirit.Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eaterwas ported to the 3DS asMetal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Libertyis the only game to never appear on a Nintendo console in any capacity until the Switch version. The first thirdstars Solid Snake, while the rest of the game features newcomer Raiden in an unmatched stealth classic.
Final Fantasy 10/10-2 HD Remasterwas first developed for the PS3 and PS Vita as a collection of two solid PS2 entries redone with HD textures.Final Fantasy 10stars Tidusand the crew, who go on a pilgrimage to stop an evil whale lord named Sin.Final Fantasy 10-2was a direct sequel featuring a cast of three femme fatales, all led by Yuna, with a fashion-based Job system.
Switch fans can also enjoyFinal Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age. The Switch overall brought Nintendo fans almost every PlayStation-exclusiveFinal Fantasygame that they missed out on for decades, and it’s hard to pick just one. Still, out of the entire collection,FinalFantasy 10is probably the best one to start with.
