The PlayStation 1 made Sony a name to watch out for in the video game industry. It was a commercial success, plus it had amazing games in the form of Tekken 3, Metal Gear Solid, and Crash Bandicoot.
Its successor, however, would take the company to even further heights. Not only would the PlayStation 2 be Sony’s best-selling console, but also the best-selling console ever.
Its video game catalog played no small part in that feat. Just like the PS1 had fantastic games, so did the PlayStation 2. Plenty of these games sold millions of copies, and their popularity would lead to more people buying the console. So, here are the best PS2 games of all time ranked by sales.
The Best PS2 Games
- 10. Dragon Quest VIII
- 9. Kingdom Hearts
- 8. Final Fantasy X-2
- 7. Final Fantasy XII
- 6. Tekken 5
- 5. Metal Gear Solid 2
- 4. Final Fantasy X
- 3. Gran Turismo 4
- 2. Gran Turismo 3
- 1. GTA: San Andreas
10. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed Kingdom - 4.9 Million Copies Sold
Since the 80s, the Dragon Quest franchise has been going strong. This RPG series follows a hero and his friends as they try to save the day. In Dragon Quest VIII, the inhabitants of a castle are turned into various creatures by a spell.
It’s up to one of the guards of the castle to form a party to try to reverse the spell, included in this party are the king and the princess. Along the way, they will come face to face with villains such as Dhoulmagus and Rhapthorne.
Like the rest of the Dragon Quest games, the eighth installment features an RPG, turn-based gameplay. The player can attack, defend, or choose to skip their turn, and then the enemy is given a chance to make a move.
The interesting story and the compelling gameplay of Dragon Quest VIII made it one of the best ps2 games, and it would go on to sell 4.9 million copies.
9. Kingdom Hearts - 5.2 Million Copies Sold
When it comes to video games, it’s always good to see collaborations between companies. However, one of the more unusual collaborations came when Disney and Square came together to create the Kingdom Hearts franchise.
The game sees aspects of Disney films and Final Fantasy games come together spectacularly.
The first game in the series sees protagonist Sora join Donald and Goofy as they go on an adventure to find their friends. Sora is looking for his friends Riku and Kairi. Donald and Goofy on the other hand are looking for King Mickey.
Opposing them is the villain Maleficent from the Disney movie, Sleeping Beauty. This unique collaboration intrigued players and it sold millions of copies; 5.2 million to be exact.
8. Final Fantasy X-2 - 5.5 Million Copies Sold
On the topic of Final Fantasy, it consistently sells well. The franchise especially did well on the PS2, with their games selling millions of copies.
One of these games is Final Fantasy X-2, which was released on the console in 2003. It’s a sequel to Final Fantasy X, and it features some of the same characters and continues the story.
Final Fantasy X-2 follows Yuna, Rikki, and Paine as they try to navigate life on the planet Spira. After the events of the last game, Spira’s people have split into different groups that have different philosophies.
On top of that, Yuna is searching for Tidus, the protagonist of Final Fantasy X. Final Fantasy X-2, like its predecessor, was a big hit, and it sold 5.5 million copies.
7. Final Fantasy XII - 6.1 Million Copies Sold
The Final Fantasy hits kept on coming with Final Fantasy XII. The game follows the group of heroes as they try to free the Dalmasca Kingdom from the control of the Archadian Empire.
Some of the heroes include Vaan and Ashe. Vaan is a kid who has big dreams of being a sky pirate one day, and Ashe is the former princess of Dalmasca.
Final Fantasy XII was a success and sold 6.1 million copies. However, the story of Final Fantasy XII doesn’t end there. The game would get a sequel a year later on the Nintendo DS.
It follows Vaan who has achieved his dream of being a sky pirate. Vaan isn’t the only returning character; Penelo, Balthier, and Fran all return for the sequel.
6. Tekken 5 - 6 Million Copies Sold
Tekken has never been afraid to change, and they did it again with Tekken 5. After seemingly killing off the main antagonist Heihachi and freeing his father Jinpachi during the opening scene, Tekken appeared to head into its next chapter.
The game also featured a handful of new characters that include Asuka Kazama, Feng Wei, and Devil Jin.
The majority of the roster includes returning characters such as Kazuya Mishima, King II, Nina Williams, and Yoshimitsu. The final boss of the game is Jinpachi, and whoever beats him takes control of the Mishima Zaibatsu corporation.
With a new boss and the stakes higher than ever, fans of the series loved Tekken 5 and it went on to sell 6 million copies.
5. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty - 7 Million Copies Sold
The first Metal Gear Solid game was immensely popular on the original PlayStation, and its sequel would share the same fate on the PlayStation 2.
Taking place after the first game, it follows Raiden and Solid Snake as they try to save the United States President from terrorists. Along the way, they’ll uncover a conspiracy concerning the entire nation.
The first Metal Gear Solid game sold 7 million, and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty sold the same; making it one of the best PS2 games of all time.
The Metal Gear Solid series would continue to have success with its latest release, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain releasing in 2015. The most recent installment in the franchise, Metal Gear Survive was released in 2018.
4. Final Fantasy X - 8.5 Million Copies Sold
Before Final Fantasy X-2, the first Final Fantasy X was a juggernaut on the PlayStation 2. It sold 8.5 million copies on the console, and it’s the best-selling Final Fantasy game on the PS2.
For fans who weren’t able to play them on the PS2, both Final Fantasy X and X-2 are available on modern consoles like the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4.
With its good story and gameplay, Final Fantasy X still stands the test of time. It follows Tidus, Yuna, and their friends as they try to defeat Sin.
Sin is a monster that terrorizes the world that they live in, but he won’t be easily defeated. Sin has a mysterious past and it’s up to the heroes to figure it out how to stop the monster for good.
3. Gran Turismo 4 - 11.7 Million Copies Sold
Gran Turismo has consistently been a gigantically popular franchise for PlayStation.
A lot of their games sell millions of copies, and that’s never made more clear than during the PS2 era when their games were sold by the boatload. Gran Turismo 4, which was released in 2004, sold 11.7 million copies on the PS2.
Gran Turismo 4 was a hit and it’s easy to see why; they had an abundance of cars and courses available in the game. According to the Gran Turismo website, the game offered 100 courses and 700 cars.
Some of the cars available in the game include the 1997 McLaren F1 GTR, the 1999 Nissan Skyline, and the 1999 Toyota GT-One.
2. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec - 14.8 Million Copies Sold
Although Gran Turismo 4 had fantastic sales numbers, it failed to reach the height that its predecessor, Gran Turismo 3, achieved. That’s not a knock on the game, however, because Gran Turismo 3 surpassed all games on the PS2 except for one.
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec sold 14.8 million copies, making it the best-selling game in the series.
Like every Gran Turismo game, Gran Turismo 3 had a wide selection of cars available. Some of the cars in the game included the Toyota Supra RZ ‘98, the Mazda RX-7 Type RS, and the Dodger Viper GTS ‘98.
The Gran Turismo series is making its debut on the PlayStation 5 soon, with its upcoming game, Gran Turismo 7.
1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - 17.3 Million Copies Sold
This game needs no introduction. GTA San Andreas isn’t just one of the best PS2 games, it’s one of the best and most influential games of all time.
The game sold 17.3 million copies on the PS2 and sold millions of more on other consoles. This cements GTA: San Andreas as one of the most popular games of all time.
The game chronicles the story of CJ and his life within San Andreas. He’s on a quest to fix the Grove Street Families gang, but things quickly spiral out of control in ways that CJ would’ve never been able to imagine.
The story, combined with the freedom of an open-world gameplay, helped GTA: San Andreas become one of the best PS2 games of all time.
The PS2 is the best-selling console of all time, and the selection of games makes it clear why. With games like Final Fantasy X and Metal Gear Solid 2, the PS2 couldn’t lose.
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