This week marks the 30th anniversary of the Sony PlayStation 1: Released in Japan on December 3rd in 1994, the game console – which was the first to use CDs – literally changed the game with cutting-edge 3D graphics for its time. And while it’s beyond the scope of this post to list all the superlatives of the PS1 – like dethroning Nintendo, selling 102 million units worldwide, and releasing more than 4000 games – we’re using the grand anniversary to celebrate another aspect of it:
The PlayStation had style. And we’re not even talking about graphics and gameplay, but about the often uber-iconic clothing of their characters. Without claiming to be exhaustive, here come six of our favorite heroes and heroines who didn’t play games when it came to their wardrobe – with some of them even foreshadowing major fashion trends, arguably.
PaRappa The Rapper
A rapping, paper-thin dog trying to win the heart of a girl named Sunny Funny – who happens to have a flower for a head: sure, why not? While ‘PaRappa the Rapper’ helped to pave the way for later rhythm games such as ‘Guitar Hero’ with its wonderfully surreal visuals and story, the outfit of the title hero was surprisingly simple in contrast:
An oversized orange beanie with a small logo, baggy jeans, and chunky sneakers – it doesn’t get more 90s-streetwear-ish than this and, after taking a look at today’s fashion, it also couldn’t be more timeless. Even if a certain similarity to Redman’s comic character, who appeared around the same time, can’t be denied.
Solid Snake / Metal Gear Solid
Can Solid Snake be considered a techwear/ ninja core pioneer? Given the popularity of ‘Metal Gear Solid’, one of the no-brainers in any “best PS1 games” discussion ever, it’s at least not unlikely that the popular character could have shaped the style of a generation of gamers:
The iconic bandana. The sneaking suit, for boosted resilience and strength. His no-nonsense utility belt. Ok, probably not too many people might have rocked the latter in real life, but with his iconic look, we just had to sneak Snake into this list.
Eddy Gordo/ Tekken 3
Although the ‘Tekken’ series is not short of stylish characters anyway, one in particular stood out in part 3 of the fighting game (and its sequels): Just look up “swagger” in the dictionary – there’s a good chance you’ll see a picture of good old Eddy Gordo underneath.
Whether we’re talking athleisure, with his yellow-and-green capoeira outfit, or b-boy style with a sleeveless jersey, black shorts, matching sneakers and badass sunglasses: the Brazilian capoeira fighter, who got countless players through fights with nothing but wild controller squeezing, just has it.
Lara Croft/ Tomb Raider
Who wears a “red cap, black moustache, boiler suit and brown boots”? That’s right, the arguably most famous video game hero of all time. Who comes to everyone’s and their mother’s mind when they hear “ponytail, turquoise tank top, cargo shorts, combat boots and two guns”? Exactly, the most famous video game heroine of all time. Except that Super Mario probably never got tons of love letters (yes, that happened).
As sophisticated as it’s edgy, the style of Lara Croft – no, her name is still not “Tomb Raider” – has always been A-plus. And even though the game series has changed the heroine’s outfit considerably throughout the year, her look from the first PlayStation 1 game is still the most memorable.
Cloud Strife / Final Fantasy VII
The outfit of Cloud Strife, the hero of legendary ‘Final Fantasy VII’, is definitely great: we’re talking gravity-defying blonde hair atop a sleeveless turtleneck. And his shoulder armor and combat boots perfectly walked the line between futuristic and medieval, no doubt.
But Cloud’s outfit wouldn’t have made this list without the veeeery big cherry on top: his incredibly large Buster Sword, which even towers over the hero, and works as perfect proof for how important accessorizing can be for a memorable outfit. Even though we don’t necessarily recommend wearing earrings as big as Cloud’s sword.
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2’ stood the test of time, not only because it’s a great game, but because it’s also a time capsule of streetwear culture: Kareem Campbell’s baggy jeans and oversized tees epitomized the street-savvy aesthetic of the era. Chad Muska brought retro flair with his bucket hats and boombox-toting vibes, while OG Eric Koston’s laid-back California look brought a sense of effortless cool.
And that’s just three examples of baggy pant royalty gamers could choose from among all the skateboarding legends in the game, which immortalized the skate style that defined a generation. What’s also noteworthy: Tony Hawk, the eponymous living legend, by far had the most unspectacular clothing style of all characters – except for Private Carrera and Officer D*ck, of course.
