How to Play PlayStation 1 & 2 on Windows 7, 8, 10 and 11
PlayStation games have been entertaining global gamers for a long time now. Distributed across 5 generations, these games have a history of around 3 decades. Looking through the class of technology and advancement, you may easily drift towards PS4 and PS5 consoles.
The retro titles in PlayStation 1 and 2 series, however, are no less in securing a worldwide fan base. These games still have a soft corner in the heart of retro game lovers.
Enjoying these titles with friends and family on a PC adds to the fun and excitement. Getting a copy of ROMs for PlayStation 1 and 2 games is all you need to do.
Playing PS1 Games on Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11
Emulator Download
To start with, you need a PS1 emulator to reproduce the game hardware in software format. While a host of emulators are available, ePSXe is the best choice for PS1 titles. Here’s how you can download the program:
- Visit the emulator’s official website to download its latest version to your Windows PC.
- This emulator does not require installation. Just extract the files from the ZIP archive after a successful download.
- The first execution of ePSXe may need some additional files to be extracted. You can run the program after extracting the same.
ePSXe BIOS Configuration
BIOS configuration is necessary for the ePSXe emulator to function properly. This program contains important information regarding the PS1 hardware, like manufacturing region, version, etc. The PS1 BIOS also decides the games available for playing according to the geographic location.
You can download PS1 BIOS files from online sources. However, ripping the software from your PS1 is the only legal method to get the program. After ripping, the archived files should be copied and pasted into the BIOS directory. This directory is present in the ePSXe folder. Extract the files from the BIOS archive after pasting them into the emulator’s folder.
ePSXe Setup
When the BIOS is ready, you can set up the ePSXe emulator as follows:
1. Graphics Configuration
A list of graphic options and developer suggestions will be displayed on your screen. NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards are the most popular in today’s times. Choose ‘Pete’s OpenGL2 GPU core 2.0.0’, followed by clicking on ‘Config’ to configure these two graphics cards.
Depending on your PC’s graphics card, you can configure a host of graphics options. The emulator settings can also be tweaked according to the graphics card. It is recommended to run the PS1 game first, and tweak the graphics at a later stage.
In the beginning, you can make an elementary graphics tweak. Navigate to ‘Default Options’ at the bottom-right of the ‘Configuration Options’. Now choose ‘Nice’ or ‘Fast’ graphics. You can easily notice the difference between basic and tweaked graphics.
2. Sound, Drives, and Controller Configuration
- The default sound settings for PS1 games on the ePSXe emulator are well-to-do for an immersive gaming experience.
- As for the CD-ROM plugins, the default settings work well for versions earlier than Windows 10. The latter requires you to choose ‘ePSXe CDR WNT/W2K core 2.0.0’ for moving ahead.
- Hit the dropdown list at the top right and select the input type for configuring the ePSXe controllers. There are options to choose from the keyboard alone, mouse and keyboard, XInput, and Direct Input. XInput works best for Xbox One and Xbox 360 controllers by mapping them automatically.
Game Execution
Having the emulator ready, you can run PS1 games by downloading them for free from online sources. Navigate to a preferred site with a copy of the original game file to download the ISO files of your favorite PS1 games.
The next step is to load these files into the emulator. Navigate to the ‘File’ menu and select ‘Run ISO’. Now head to the game location and choose the game file to begin the loading process. Wait for the process to finish, and you are ready to play!
Playing PS2 Games on Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11
Emulator Download
As already stated, you will need an emulator to mimic the PS2 hardware in a software setting. You can run PS2 games on your Windows PC using a host of programs. The PCSX2 emulator is, however, the market leader for playing PS2 titles. The latter is an open-source program to enjoy PlayStation 2 games without a hassle. Here’s how you can download and install the same:
- Head to the official PCSX2 website for downloading and installing the emulator’s latest version on your Windows PC.
- The ‘PCSX2 First Time Configuration’ window shows up after a successful installation. Select a preferred language and hit ‘Continue’.
- A host of plugin menus for settings customization will pop up next. Leave them for later and click on ‘Next’.
PCSX2 BIOS Configuration
You should now rip the BIOS files from your existing PS2, followed by copying and pasting the ZIP archive to a preferred directory. The next step is to extract the archived contents in the BIOS folder. After this, you need to copy each archived content into the ‘Root BIOS’ folder. The ‘BIOS Configuration’ screen pops up. Select ‘Refresh List’ to continue.
PCSX2 Controller Configuration
Controller configuration is necessary for playing PS2 games on PCSX2. Navigate to and click on ‘Config’, followed by choosing ‘Controllers (PAD)’. Now select ‘Plugin Settings’. 3 controller tabs appear on your screen. The ‘General’ tab shows universal controller settings for the emulator. You can manually change controller inputs in the remaining 2 tabs.
Game Execution
You can now download your favorite PS2 games’ ISO file from any preferred website. Keep a copy of the original game for a safe download. Take the following path to load the game into PCSX2:
CDVD > ISO Selector > Browse
Locate your PS2 title and navigate to ‘System’. Select ‘Boot CDVD (Full)’ to start the game booting process. You can configure PCSX2 graphics settings at this stage. To do this, navigate to ‘Config’ and choose ‘Plugin/BIOS Selector’. Now hit ‘Plugins’ in the list of options that follows for introducing the desired configurations. Having everything set, you are ready to play!
