Crash Bandicoot was the unofficial mascot, Final Fantasy VII made a generation cry, and Lara Croft became the first true gaming superstar. The PlayStation 1 changed everything in the mid-90s and with it came games that are still firmly anchored in the minds of millions of gamers today.

But which PS1 titles actually sold best? The answer might surprise even die-hard PlayStation fans. Because while some classics are at the top, as expected, other games made it into the top list that hardly anyone had on their list. And the “face of PlayStation”? Never made it to number 1 despite three entries in the top 13. We’ll show you the best-selling PS1 games of all time – from number 13 to the undisputed number 1.

Tomb Raider III

• Units sold: 5.90 million

Tomb Raider III sent you from London to Nevada to Antarctica in 1998, making it the most varied adventure in the series to date. More weapons, more vehicles, more freedom in the order of the levels – Core Design has really stepped it up.

However, part 3 was also significantly harder than its predecessors. Some passages were so crisp that even experienced players regularly wanted to throw the controller into the corner. Nevertheless: Almost 6 million sales show that the Lara mania at the end of the 90s was far from over.

Tomb Raider II

• Units sold: 6.80 million

Tomb Raider II improved in every respect in 1997: bigger levels, more action, and Lara was allowed to race around in vehicles for the first time. From the Grand Canal in Venice to the Great Wall of China – the sequel was a global adventure that clearly stood out from its rather quiet predecessor.

And then of course there was THE level: Lara’s Villa. For hours you locked the butler in the cold room, jumped from the diving board into the pool and searched for secrets that didn’t even exist. The purchase was worth it for that alone.

This means that Tomb Raider II secures the second of three places in the top 13 – because the series was an absolute sales machine on the PS1.

Crash Bandicoot

• Units sold: 6.82 million

Here it is: the beginning of a legend. The first Crash Bandicoot appeared in 1996 and made the cheeky bandicoot the unofficial PlayStation mascot almost overnight. Sony even used him in commercials in which he bullied directly in front of Nintendo’s headquarters – it couldn’t get any bolder than that.

The game itself was a tough platformer that demanded a lot from you with its linear but treacherous levels. If you wanted to collect all the diamonds and the secret colored gemstones, you needed nerves of steel. Crash Bandicoot landed in the top 13 three times and yet the “face of the PlayStation” never made it to number 1. But more on that later.

Metal Gear Solid

• Units sold: 7.00 million

Tomb Raider

• Units sold: 7.10 million

Before Lara Croft became a gaming superstar, the idea was almost absurd: an archaeologist with dual pistols who gymnastics through ancient ruins and kills T-Rexes? Sounds like a B-movie – but it became one of the most defining games of the 90s.

Tomb Raider made Lara the first true video game icon in 1996 and proved that 3D action-adventures worked on the PlayStation. The huge levels, tricky puzzles and then-stunning graphics ensured that Lara even made it to the covers of magazines that weren’t usually gaming-related.

Crash Bandicoot: Warped

• Units sold: 7.13 million

Many fans consider Crash Bandicoot: Warped to be the best part of the trilogy and the sales figures prove them right. The third offshoot of Naughty Dog sent you through different eras: you raced through China on the back of a tiger, beat up knights in the Middle Ages and raced across the water on jet skis in the future.

In addition, for the first time there were playable skills that you could unlock after every boss fight – the double jump was a real revelation. Warped was the culmination of the original trilogy and the last Crash game that Naughty Dog developed before the studio moved on to one Jak and Daxter.

Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back

» Watch video: rs-crash-01-86644.mp4

• Units sold: 7.58 million

Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back did everything better than its predecessor, so clearly that it also sold better. Naughty Dog has learned from the feedback on the first part: better controls, fairer checkpoints, more varied levels and the iconic belly flop as a new attack.

This makes Crash Bandicoot 2 the best-selling Crash title on the PS1. The cheeky marsupial appears in the top 13 three times.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

• Units sold: 8.00 million

Wait, what? Harry Potter? Yes, you read that right. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone has sold a whopping 8 million copies on the PS1, easily beating games like Metal Gear Solid or Tomb Raider. This might surprise even the biggest PlayStation connoisseurs.

The action-adventure from 2001 let you explore Hogwarts, learn spells and fight against trolls and thus struck a chord with an entire generation that grew up with the books and the first movie. The combination of the Harry Potter hype at the time and the huge PS1 install base was simply unbeatable. Sometimes you don’t need a masterpiece, you just need perfect timing.

If you still can’t get enough of Hogwarts, you’ll find the 10 best tips for Hogwarts Legacy in our guide. And we clarify whether there will ever be a sequel in our article about Hogwarts Legacy 2 and all previous rumors.

Tekken 3

» Watch video: Tekken 3 intro

• Units sold: 8.30 million

Tekken 3 was THE fighting game of the PS1 era. Point. While other fighting games struggled with stiff animations and limited rosters, in 1998 Namco delivered a package that had virtually no weaknesses: lightning-fast combat, a huge character roster, and even a beat-’em-up bonus with the Tekken Force mode.

And then there was Tekken Ball – a mode in which badass martial artists hit each other with volleyballs. It sounds absurd, but it was incredibly fun and the perfect reason to invite a friend over to play. Speaking of which: If you’re looking for the ultimate couch evening with friends today, you’ll find the 15 best couch co-op games in our photo gallery.

Final Fantasy VIII

• Units sold: 8.60 million

Final Fantasy VIII didn’t have it easy. After the mega success of Part VII, expectations were gigantic and Square delivered a game that deliberately did everything differently. Instead of a spiky-haired mercenary there was the introverted Squall, instead of Mako reactors there was a military academy, and instead of the classic leveling system there was the controversial junction system in which you had to link magic to your values.

The fans were divided, but the sales figures still speak for themselves: 8.6 million copies were sold over the counter.

Gran Turismo 2

• Units sold: 9.37 million

Gran Turismo 2 proved in 1999 that the success of its predecessor was no coincidence. Polyphony Digital packed over 600 cars and 27 tracks into the game. An absolutely insane amount of content for the time. For the first time there was also a rally component that chased you through mud and gravel away from the asphalted routes.

With 9.37 million sales, Gran Turismo 2 secured third place. The PS1 was not only the home of JRPGs and platformers, but also the ultimate racing game console.

Final Fantasy VII

• Units sold: 10.02 million

It’s the game that defines the entire PS1 era for many. Final Fantasy VII changed everything in 1997: JRPGs went from niche genre to mainstream phenomenon, cutscenes suddenly became the talk of the schoolyard, and a certain moment in Midgar emotionally traumatized an entire generation. Who knows, knows.

Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Sephiroth – hardly any game has produced such iconic characters. And with over 10 million copies sold, Final Fantasy VII is one of the most successful JRPGs of all time. But: It’s still not enough for first place on the PS1. Because there is a title waiting that very few people would have expected to be at the top.

Gran Turismo

Units sold: 10.85 million

The top dog here is the PlayStation 1. No crash, no cloud, no Lara. Gran Turismo beat them all. Polyphony Digital’s racing game revolution appeared in 1997 and made the PS1 a serious platform for car enthusiasts almost overnight.

Over 170 cars, tuning options down to the smallest detail and license tests that were harder than the real driving test – Gran Turismo made an entire genre socially acceptable on consoles. And with 10.85 million copies sold, it has sat undisputed at the top of the PS1 charts for almost 30 years.

The crazy thing about it: Gran Turismo and Final Fantasy VII came out in the same year. 1997 was an absolute dream year for the PlayStation 1.

Things are similar on the successor PS2 – there too, a title has dominated the charts for over 20 years. You can find out which one it is in our photo series of the best-selling PS2 games.

The complete top 20

Of course, the PlayStation 1 had many more games to offer. For everyone who wants to know exactly, we have listed the complete top 20 best-selling PS1 games here.

If you want to know what PS1 games are worth on the collector’s market today, you will find some surprising answers in our photo gallery of the most valuable PS1 games. And if you’re looking for even more retro nostalgia: We’ve also listed the best-selling GameCube games and the biggest Nintendo hits of all time for you.