10 PS2 classics that would be perfect on iPad

The iPad is slowly becoming a handy device to have around to relive the classic games from the previous generation or so. From GTA 3 to The Bard’s Tale, Resident Evil 4 and Soul Calibur, the device is clearly capable of handling games of roughly the size and complexity what showed up on the PS2.

Which is good, because the PS2 had a massive range of brilliant games. And hopefully more developers and publishers are inspired by the games being released on the iPad to do some porting of their own.

Here’s ten games that we would love to see resurrected for the iPad. It is by no means a definitive list, but these are games that we feel would play really nicely on the iPad virtual controls, and are games that we might not have a chance to re-experience otherwise.

We’ll kick off with this chilling little game that was sadly overlooked when it first hit the market. A genuine horror tale, the game pitted Alyssa, a largely defenceless teenage girl, against some of the worst serial killers from history (and some of them were indeed based on real serial killers).

Running and hiding was the name of the game. You’d be exploring around a location, looking for keys or clues, and otherwise doing what you would normally in an early-era Resident Evil game. Then suddenly the serial killer would show up and start stalking Alyssa. She then had to find a hiding spot and wait for the stalker to go away. It made for some tense moments indeed, but the lack of buttons would make this a fine candidate for the iPad.

Possibly the weirdest (and also most wonderful) PS2 game, Gregory Horror Show had creativity in bounds. Based on a rather twisted TV series, the game had you wandering around a hotel, figuring out how to steal the other resident’s souls, and at the same time running away from those you’ve already robbed; understandably they were rather pissed at you at that point.

With a truly striking art style, this was a game created out of genuine love, and a game that remains compelling even today. This would work easily on the iPad, as it never required quick reflexes, and was a relatively light game on the PS2’s processors.

I don’t think it would be a great idea for Tecmo Koei to bring the Warriors franchise to the iPad. That’s a series that really does need buttons.

But Kessen’s is a strategy game, not a Warriors game, and this is a franchise that Tecmo Koei should bring to the iPad, a device that does strategy games superbly.

Being able to tap around would make for a far less frustrating interface, and it would be good timing on Tecmo Koei’s part – there isn’t really a rival to the Kessen type of gameplay on the App Store yet.

I’ll admit, this is pure fantasy. I have no idea whether the iPad would be able to handle the large worlds of Drakengard, and the on foot sections would be difficult to get right with virtual buttons. But this was a Cavia game, and it was an deeply underrated one at that.

Given that the iPad can give a second lease of life to these “forgotten” franchises, perhaps Drakengard could even find a new legion of fans.

Square Enix is already remaking Final Fantasy X in lovely HD for the Vita and the PS3, but it would be lovely to see the original rereleased on the iPad too. A very simple game to play and control, Square Enix has already proven the Final Fantasy games can be fun to play on the iPad.

Final Fantasy X has become a fan favourite over the years (which is amusing, because it started off with a reputation not unlike FFXIII “enjoys” in some very vocal circles back in the day), and the iPad is just crying out for that first truly epic JRPG. This would be the perfect marriage.

I am absolutely shocked that Harvest Moon hasn’t already hit the iPad. It’s almost the perfect game for the touch screen tablet. The relaxed pace, the charmingly simple visuals, the lack of real plot all make it perfect for those pick up and play sessions. Marvellous would even be able to throw in microtransactions to help their bottom line… and this is the kind of thing that Farmville has proven people like to pay for.

On top of that, A Wonderful Life is arguably the best game in the series. Marvellous is one of those Japanese developers that clearly hasn’t put much thought into the iPad, having released all of one little puzzle game to date. Time to change that, guys. You’d have a big hit on your hands.

Rockstar did a brilliant job with bringing GTA 3 to the iPad. There’s a game that plays well, despite being quite action heavy, and is an open world and everything.

Given it’s been in the App Store charts for a while now, now is the time for Rockstar to hit up another one of its franchises. Max Payne on the iPad would be a brilliant marketing trick in getting the world excited for the next big game in the series currently in development for the consoles, and the game itself would sell in bucketloads on the iPad.

If nothing else, someone needs to knock Infinity Blade 2 off the top of the iPad action rankings.

This series is a bit like Harvest Moon: how the heck is it not already on the iPadiPad: It has a good infrastructure in place for sending levels back and forth (Game Centre, or even OpenFeint), and the nice big screen would make for a comfortable platform when designing games.

The reason I’ve listed RPG Maker 3 is because it’s the one that let you make 3D RPGs, but really any RPG Maker would do just fine, and would certainly help the drought of genuine JRPGs that are on the App Store.

I think the strangest thing of all the strange wonders on the App Store is the fact that Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is available for purchase and download, but the original, and far superior “new wave Prince” game is not.

Sands of Time is a simply incredible game, with an amazing plot, innovative puzzle platforming, and a stellar soundtrack. This is one of those few games that I actually completed in a single sitting when I originally got it, I was that addicted.

And it’s clearly possible to get the iPad running the game. Warrior Within is a technically superior game.

Ubisoft, I hope you’re reading this.

Fatal Frame is my favourite Japanese horror series. It mixes genuine frights and creepy-as-hell settings with a relative lack of combat and a touching story.

The series has had a love/ hate relationship with the west, earning a dedicated following but niche, at best, sales.

But releasing the game on the iPad would be a low risk deal for Tecmo Koei, and would give a big audience access to one of the most frightening games of all time. Throw in the fact that the game would look gorgeous on the big iPad screen, and even the potential to mix things up with gyroscope controls, and it would be a surefire winner.