Retro Gaming Australia

Hot off the heels of the news that Sony was stopping PlayStation 2 production in Japan, The Guardian is reporting that Sony is actually ceasing manufacturing of the best-selling console globally.

The PlayStation 2 launched in March 2000 and has sold over 150 million units worldwide.

Units are still on shelves, but whatever’s left in Sony’s warehouses is it – so if you want a spare machine or you’re one of the few who never bought a PS2 in the first place, this might be your last chance to get a fresh console.

After 12 years and 9 months on the market and 21.8 million units sold, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. has announced today that they will no longer be shipping new PlayStation 2 units to stores in Japan.

Japan is the first region where the PlayStation 2 has been officially discontinued. At least one new release is scheduled for 2013, with the latest Final Fantasy XI expansion, Seekers of Adoulin due in March.

So if you, like me, still have a ton of import PlayStation 2 games you want, you should probably get on it.

A couple months ago we ran a story about PS2 Classics like God Hand being re-released for download on the US PlayStation Store. Well after a long wait, they’ve finally come to the SCEE run stores.

We’ve got a much larger initial line up of games too, though the quality greatly varies. Games are priced between $AU4.25 and $AU15.95. Here’s the list of what’s currently available:

• A-Train 6 ($AU15.95)
• Arcade Classics ($AU8.45)
• Bust-A-Bloc ($AU8.45)
• Cel Damage: Overdrive ($AU8.45)
• Chicken Little ($AU15.95)
• Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe ($AU15.95)
• Disney Princess: Enchanted Journey ($AU15.95)
• Donald Duck: Goin’ Quackers ($AU15.95)
• God Hand ($AU15.95)
• Golden Age of Racing ($AU8.45)
• Gungrave Overdose ($AU8.45)
• International Super Karts ($AU6.25)
• Kim Possible: What’s the Switch ($AU15.95)
• Maximo ($AU15.95)
• Maximo vs. the Army of Zin ($AU15.95)
• Meet the Robinsons ($AU15.95)
• Mr Golf ($AU11.45)
• MX World Tour ($AU8.45)
• Neo Contra ($AU15.95)
• Noble Racing ($AU8.45)
• Road Trip Adventure ($AU8.45)
• Seek and Destroy ($AU8.45)
• Skyscraper ($AU4.25)
• SSX On Tour ($AU15.95)
• WWI: Aces of the Sky ($AU8.45)
• WW2: Battle Over the Pacific ($AU8.45)

While it’s certainly a case of quantity over quality, I recommend God Hand, the two Maximo games and Neo Contra.

Our good friend Xed over at PlayStation Collecting recently interviewed a fellow named Ahans76, who has recently completed a fully sealed NTSC-U PlayStation 2 collection.

Well, excusing the games that have yet to come out (Madden NFL 12, FIFA 12, NBA 2K12). (continue reading…)