Back when Sony released its first home console in 1994, few could have predicted the success that the publisher would achieve. Against competition from the likes of Nintendo and Sega, though, the PS1 flourished. Thanks to several factors like its pioneering CD technology, the console helped revolutionize gaming on its way to selling over 100 million units.
One of the consequences of the PS1's rise to stardom is that plenty of franchises can trace their origins back to the console. Icons like Grand Theft Auto, Resident Evil, and Tomb Raider, all got their start on the original PlayStation. However, due to an array of different factors, several IPs with multiple entries have remained trapped on it as well.
Alundra
In an attempt to compete with Nintendo, Sony spent part of the PS1 era creating franchises it hoped could rival its competitor's efforts. Alundra, a series of action-adventure games inspired by The Legend of Zelda, is just one example of this phenomenon. Despite never reaching the heights of Nintendo's IP, Alundra was able to claw out some acclaim. The first game in the series in particular is still talked about fondly today for exploring adult themes. Although the series has remained dormant on the PS1 for 2 decades, avenues like PS Plus' Premium tier could theoretically open the door for it to return in the future.
Bushido Blade
While the PS1 became successful for several reasons, the relationship Sony built with SquareSoft played a significant part in that process. Most of the franchises that the latter created during that era before it became Square Enix, such as Fear Effect, have since received new games, remasters, and remakes. Bushido Blade is a rare exception to this wave of modernization, though.
Stylized as a realistic 3D fighting game, the two entries in the Bushido Blade series offered players a serious alternative to games like Mortal Kombat and Tekken. Unlike those games, every hit could theoretically be fatal and end a fight. With stakes like that, it’s easy to see why the franchise has remained a popular talking point among players despite becoming trapped on the PS1.
Colony Wars
Considering how the Colony Wars franchise received three separate entries on the PS1, it's remarkable that Sony completely dropped the series after that console generation. Developed by Psygnosis before it became Studio Liverpool, each game explored humanity's attempts to expand beyond a resource-depleted Earth. While Colony Wars' story was a mixture of science-fiction themes, its space combat gameplay and starfighters were arguably its biggest draws. So much so that, despite its trapped status, fans haven't stopped clamoring for more space-fairing adventures.
Jet Moto
The PS1's roster of sports and racing games helped to launch the console to success in the 90s. Being able to play familiar activities in a 3D environment was so popular that the likes of Gran Turismo endure to this day. Not every franchise within both genres escaped the confines of the generation, though. While IPs like Sony's Xtreme series faded because of licensing issues, others like the publisher's Jet Moto ended due to studio closures. In its heyday, though, the hoverbike racer’s three installments earned a warm reception from fans.
Tomba!
While most of the PS1’s platforming franchises like Ape Escape went on to receive new entries on later platforms, others weren’t as lucky. Whoopee Camp’s Tomba! Is arguably the most prominent example of a platformer that’s become trapped on Sony’s first console. Even though Tomba!’s two entities didn’t reach the same commercial success as their contemporaries, the antics of its titular protagonist have since reached beloved cult classic status. Their anime-inspired 2D sprites and 3D backgrounds in particular still hold up to this day. That’s an achievement considering they’ve remained constrained by the PS1’s 28-year-old hardware.