PS1:PAL Optimized Titles

What is a PAL Optimized Game
Considering the PAL and NTSC region differences, many PS1 titles released in PAL Regions had gameplay that runs 17% slower than NTSC counterparts in the US and Japan. PAL also has a higher vertical resolution of 576 lines compared to NTSC's 480, which meant PAL gamers get big black borders, while NTSC gamers enjoyed full screen games. Some titles also have issues with sound and music being slower, and issues with clocks and timers being inaccurate. This is due to the timing differences of the PS1's internal frequency oscillator, to accommodate the 50hz / 60hz technical differences between regions.

If you have not modified your PS1 by installing a Dual Frequency Oscillator (DFO) to address these problems, even MM3 modchipped consoles can experience these issues. If you do not plan to install a DFO, there are some PAL Optimized titles available within the PS1 library. This means the speed of gameplay has been corrected while still running at 50hz / 50 fps, the music and sound effects are identical speed and tempo to NTSC. Clocks, timers within games and save game data are accurate to the second.

This is not by any means a definitive list, unfortunately one does not exist. Titles tagged with NTSC Unoptimized means PAL version of these titles run too fast when played on a NTSC console.

Note: If the game you're looking for is not listed here, generally European developers are safe to assume they optimized their games. For example, Codemasters, Psygnosis and Rockstar North / Rockstar Lincoln generally optimized their games and the retail releases will play the same as NTSC releases.

Game listing

 * Alundra
 * Broken Sword 1
 * Broken Sword 2
 * Colin McRae Rally 2.0 (NTSC Unoptimized)
 * Crash Bandicoot 1
 * Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
 * Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped
 * Crash Team Racing
 * Destruction Derby 2
 * Gran Turismo
 * Gran Turismo 2 (NTSC Optimized)
 * GTA 2
 * Grand Theft Auto: London 1969
 * Kula World
 * Medievil (NTSC Unoptimized)
 * Pandemonium
 * PaRappa the Rapper
 * Silent Hill
 * Spyro the Dragon
 * Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage!
 * Spyro: Year of the Dragon
 * Tomb Raider
 * Tomb Raider II
 * Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft
 * Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation
 * Unholy War
 * Wipeout
 * Wipeout 2097
 * Wipeout 3 (wip3out)
 * Vib Ribbon

PAL Unoptimized
This section contains all games tested and confirmed to be completely unoptimized for PAL regions.
 * Square Enix and Konami Games
 * Alone in the Dark - Jack Is Back
 * Battle Arena Toshinden
 * Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
 * Cool Boarders 2
 * Destruction Derby
 * Dino Crisis 1 and 2
 * Final Fantasy IX
 * Final Fantasy VIII
 * Final Fantasy VII
 * Grand Theft Auto
 * Jumping Flash
 * Klonoa
 * Metal Gear Solid (FMVs are optimized)
 * Mega Man X4
 * Mega Man X5
 * Mega Man X6
 * Mickey's Wild Adventure
 * Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee
 * Oddworld Abbey's Exodus
 * Rayman
 * Resident Evil - Director’s Cut
 * Resident Evil 2
 * Resident Evil Code : Veronica
 * Ridge Racer
 * Suikoden 1-2
 * Tekken 3
 * Tiny Toon Adventures - Buster and the Beanstalk
 * Tomb Raider 1
 * Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six
 * Vagrant Story