PS1:PAL Optimized Titles: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 21:45, 2 July 2024

Considering the PAL and NTSC region differences, many PS1 titles released in the PAL region had gameplay speed that ran 17% slower than NTSC counterparts in the US and Japan. The PAL standard allowed for a higher vertical resolution of 576 lines compared to NTSC's 480, which meant PAL players saw big black borders in many games, due to a lack optimisation. Some titles may also have issues with sound and music being slower or clocks and timers being inaccurate. This is partially because of timing differences in the PS1's internal frequency oscillator and developers not compensating for these differences.

If you have not modified your PS1 by installing a Dual Frequency Oscillator (DFO) to address these problems, even MM3 modchipped consoles can experience minor issues while running out of region games on original hardware. If you do not plan to install a DFO, there are some PAL optimised 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 being identical in tempo to NTSC. Clocks, timers and save game data are accurate to the second.

Due to technical limitations, PAL games cannot take full advantage of the PAL resolution (the image is effectively squeezed down). However, if you look at games like the Crash Bandicoot series, they do not have big black borders (because of quality optimsation) and run at a perfect speed. Forcing these games to 60Hz would break them, speed up the gameplay or cause UI elements to draw out of the viewable area. With a CRT that has overscan, you will not see the small borders, hence why they might be called 'fullscreen'. In terms of forcing these games to 60Hz on original hardware, some tests have been carried out with the FreePSXBoot softmod for the PlayStation and GSM tool for the PlayStation 2. Below is a table with some information of games that have undergone testing.

Gran Turismo (Part Optimised)
Crash Bandicoot 3 (Fully Optimised)

This is by no means a definitive list, as unfortunately one does not exist. Titles tagged with Fully Optimsed or Part Optimised might run too fast if forced to NTSC (60Hz). Fully Optimised means no big black borders.

Exclamation-circle-fill.svgIf the game you're looking for is not listed here, generally it is safe to assume that European developers optimised their games for the PAL region. Codemasters, Psygnosis and Rockstar North / Rockstar Lincoln have done so for many of their releases. Prominent offenders include developers such as Square, Konami and Namco, as they are based in NTSC territories.


PAL PlayStation Games Tested for Optimisation
Fully Optimised Part Optimised Unoptimised 60Hz with FreePSXBoot 60Hz with GSM Modchip Protected
007 The World Is Not Enough Yes No No N/A N/A No
007 Tomorrow Never Dies Yes No No N/A N/A No
Alone in the Dark - Jack Is Back No No Yes Untested Untested No
Army Men: Lock 'N' Load Yes No No N/A N/A No
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night No No Yes Untested Untested No
Colin McRae Rally Yes No No N/A N/A No
Colin McRae Rally 2.0 Yes No No N/A N/A No
Cool Boarders 2 No No Yes Untested Untested No
Crash Bandicoot Yes No No N/A N/A No
Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back Yes No No N/A N/A No
Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped Yes No No N/A N/A No
Crash Bash No No Yes Untested Untested Yes
Crash Team Racing Yes No No N/A N/A Yes
Croc: Legend of the Gobbos No No Yes Yes Untested No
Destruction Derby No No Yes Untested Untested No
Destruction Derby 2 Yes No No N/A N/A No
Die Hard Trilogy Yes No No N/A N/A No
Dino Crisis No No No Untested Untested Yes
Dino Crisis 2 No No No Untested Untested Not Known
Driver Yes No No N/A N/A No
Driver 2 Yes No No N/A N/A No
Final Fantasy Anthology No Yes, correct game speed, wrong aspect ratio (letterboxed) No Music runs too fast, graphical corruption Music and game run too fast No
Final Fantasy VI No Yes, correct game speed, wrong aspect ratio (letterboxed) No Music and game run too fast Music and game run too fast No
Final Fantasy VII No No Yes Yes, image slightly shifted up and right Untested No
Final Fantasy VIII No No Yes Reverts to 50Hz Works in NTSC mode Yes
Final Fantasy IX No No Yes Reverts to 50Hz Works in NTSC mode Yes
Firestorm - Thunderhawk 2 No No Yes Yes Untested No
Formula One No Yes, correct game speed, wrong aspect ratio (letterboxed) No Hangs at loading screen Runs too fast No
Gran Turismo No Yes, correct game speed, wrong aspect ratio (letterboxed) No Runs too fast Untested No
Gran Turismo 2 Yes No No N/A N/A No
Grand Theft Auto Yes No No N/A N/A No
Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone Yes No No N/A N/A No
Heart of Darkness No No Yes Untested Yes No
Jackie Chan Stuntmaster No No Yes Untested Untested Yes
Jumping Flash No No Yes Untested Untested No
Klonoa No No Yes Untested Untested No
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver No Yes, however small borders in 50Hz No Untested, suspect it might cause overscan Untested Yes
MediEvil Yes No No N/A N/A Yes
Mega Man X4 No No Yes Untested Untested No
Mega Man X5 No No Yes Untested Untested No
Mega Man X6 No No Yes Untested Untested No
Metal Gear Solid No Yes, cutscenes same speed as NTSC No Untested Untested No
Mickey's Wild Adventure No No Yes Untested Untested No
Music Yes No No N/A N/A No
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee No No Yes Untested Untested No
Oddworld: Abe's Exodus No No Yes Untested Untested No
Pandemonium Yes No No N/A N/A No
Parasite Eve 2 No No Yes Untested Untested Yes
Rayman No No Yes Untested Untested No
Resident Evil No No Yes Untested Untested No
Resident Evil 2 No No Yes Untested Untested Yes
Ridge Racer No No Yes Untested Untested No
Ridge Racer Type 4 Yes No No N/A N/A No
Silent Hill No Yes, small borders but slower gameplay (PAL version has minor censorship) No Correct speed, but causes overscan (picture draws out on viewable area) Untested No
Sports Car GT No No Yes Untested Broken No
Spyro the Dragon Yes No No N/A N/A No
Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! Yes No No N/A N/A Yes
Spyro: Year of the Dragon Yes No No N/A N/A Yes
Suikoden No No Yes Untested Untested No
Suikoden II No No Yes Untested Untested No
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins Yes No No N/A N/A No
Tiny Toon Adventures - Buster and the Beanstalk No No Yes Untested Untested No
Tekken No No Yes Untested Untested No
Tekken 2 No No Yes Untested Untested No
Tekken 3 No No Yes Untested Untested No
TOCA World Touring Cars Yes No No N/A N/A Yes
Tony Hawk's Skateboarding Yes No No N/A N/A No
Tomb Raider No Yes, aspect ratio correct at 50Hz, intended to run in 60Hz speed (PC version is definitive) No Untested Untested No
Tomb Raider II Starring Lara Croft Yes No No N/A N/A No
Tomb Raider III: Adventures of Lara Croft Yes No No N/A N/A No
Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation Yes No No N/A N/A No
Tomb Raider: Chronicles Yes No No N/A N/A No
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six No No Yes Untested Untested No
Vagrant Story No No Yes Untested Untested No
Wipeout Yes No No N/A N/A No
Wipeout 2097 Yes No No N/A N/A No
Wipeout 3 Yes No No N/A N/A Yes
Exclamation-circle-fill.svgMore data from personal testing is welcome, with an emphasis on the use of original hardware (PS1, PS2). Side to side runs from the Duckstation emulator can also provide valid results, as the emulator does not remove the PAL picture squeeze you would get on original hardware.