The PlayStation 2 turned nine on October 29, 2009. The system is arguably one of the best game consoles to date. The system has had its ups and down, but has one of the biggest libraries ever, with games still being made today. It is however perhaps best known for the free online service that came with purchase of the network adaptor, the hard drive (on select models), and of course the backwards capability that only existed in certain PS3 models.
The early life of the PS2 was certainly a bumpy one. There were "DRE" or disc read errors that struck many of the early PlayStation 2 users. The system would stop playing blue-backed discs then later would not play any discs at all. The user would have to either open the system up which would void the warranty or call Sony and ship it out to a repair center. This problem was eventually fixed in the system's second generation, but still caused many a headache for early adopters.
The PlayStation 2 library currently has thousands of games ranging from action to adventure, first person shooters to role playing games, sports games, puzzle games, and fighters. With this year's price drop to $99, the system shows few signs of slowing down.
Additionally, the PlayStation 2 still has the ability to go online for people to work together, or against each other, using broadband and dial-up. The network adaptor, originally optional, is now included in the console's latest iteration. The system also makes it possible for people to use a mic and a keyboard if desired (and supported by the game).
As for the hard drive, while mainly used for Final Fantasy XI, there are other games that support it for quicker loading times and game saves. Both PS1 and PS2 save files can be copied there, which makes for a better management system than multiple memory cards.
The console still has a long way to go and with the user base bigger the ever there is no real reason for it to go away any time soon. Sony has done a good job with the system in the nine years that it has been around. Hopefully there will be many more good ones to come.
Here's to good memories for a system that will always be in my heart and the heart of a lot of gamers. Happy Birthday PS2.
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