Quick answer: The five PS2 games that appear on all four of the major “best PS2 games” lists we compared are Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Shadow of the Colossus, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Silent Hill 2 and Final Fantasy X, with Okami making it six. Most of the top 30 are still cheap: the median loose disc in this list sells for about $12.24 on PriceCharting. The big exception is Silent Hill 2, at $139.98 for a loose disc, more than ten times the typical price. Even its Greatest Hits reprint sells for $174.99 loose.
Prices are PriceCharting’s US (NTSC-U) averages for 28 October 2026. They move, so treat them as a guide rather than a quote.
Affiliate links: if you buy through the Amazon links on this page we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We link a PS2 HDMI cable and adapter, not games, because second-hand game prices vary too much by seller.
How we ranked the best PS2 games
We did not invent a ranking. We combined four published lists and ordered games by how many of them include each game, then by average position:
- IGN’s best PS2 games (updated 7 April 2026)
- GamesRadar’s 25 best PS2 games, written by the Retro Gamer team (updated 7 October 2026)
- Ultimate Ranks, an aggregate of 715 “best games” lists (updated 22 July 2026)
- Game Ranks, a community ranking
Six games are on all four lists, and 25 of our 30 are on at least two. We filled the last five places with games that appear high on one list and also score 87 or more on Metacritic. Metascores are for the PS2 version. Prices come from PriceCharting.
The 30 best PS2 games, ranked
| # | Game (year) | On how many lists | Metascore | Loose / complete price | Easiest way to play today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004) | 4 of 4 | 91 | $12.99 / $17.74 | Master Collection Vol. 1; Delta remake (2025) |
| 2 | Shadow of the Colossus (2005) | 4 of 4 | 91 | $16.12 / $24.97 | PS4 remake (2018) |
| 3 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004) | 4 of 4 | 95 | $10.45 / $18.42 | PS2 Classic on PS4; Definitive Edition |
| 4 | Silent Hill 2 (2001) | 4 of 4 | 89 | $139.98 / $199.97 | Remake (PS5, PC, Xbox Series); original is PS2 only |
| 5 | Final Fantasy X (2001) | 4 of 4 | 92 | $8.30 / $12.65 | FFX/X-2 HD Remaster |
| 6 | Okami (2006) | 4 of 4 | 93 | $20.48 / $29.99 | Okami HD |
| 7 | Resident Evil 4 (2005) | 3 of 4 | 96 | $12.13 / $25.44 | RE4 HD; 2023 remake |
| 8 | God of War (2005) | 3 of 4 | 94 | $14.91 / $18.63 | God of War Collection (PS3, Vita) |
| 9 | ICO (2001) | 3 of 4 | 90 | $20.14 / $38.27 | ICO & SotC Collection (PS3) only |
| 10 | Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2001) | 3 of 4 | 96 | $9.90 / $13.01 | Master Collection Vol. 1 |
| 11 | Burnout 3: Takedown (2004) | 3 of 4 | 93 | $12.49 / $19.99 | No remaster; play the original |
| 12 | Katamari Damacy (2004) | 3 of 4 | 86 | $12.66 / $16.85 | Katamari Damacy REROLL |
| 13 | God of War II (2007) | 2 of 4 | 93 | $14.99 / $16.63 | God of War Collection (PS3, Vita) |
| 14 | Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) | 2 of 4 | 95 | $11.28 / $16.54 | PS2 Classic on PS4; Definitive Edition |
| 15 | Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003) | 2 of 4 | 92 | $7.86 / $11.21 | Original or PS3 Trilogy HD |
| 16 | Kingdom Hearts II (2006) | 2 of 4 | 87 | $8.00 / $14.84 | Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX |
| 17 | Devil May Cry (2001) | 2 of 4 | 94 | $9.73 / $13.00 | Devil May Cry HD Collection |
| 18 | Kingdom Hearts (2002) | 2 of 4 | 85 | $12.35 / $14.57 | Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX |
| 19 | Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec (2001) | 2 of 4 | 95 | $5.70 / $8.68 | No remaster; play the original |
| 20 | Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (2004) | 2 of 4 | 91 | $10.69 / $15.99 | Original or PS3 HD collection |
| 21 | Beyond Good & Evil (2003) | 2 of 4 | 86 | $10.66 / $17.12 | 20th Anniversary Edition |
| 22 | Devil May Cry 3 (2005) | 2 of 4 | 84 | $9.70 / $16.18 | Devil May Cry HD Collection |
| 23 | SoulCalibur II (2003) | 2 of 4 | 92 | $10.02 / $18.00 | SoulCalibur II HD Online (PS3, 360) |
| 24 | Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 (2001) | 2 of 4 | 97 | $8.02 / $10.99 | Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 remake |
| 25 | Dragon Quest VIII (2005) | 2 of 4 | 89 | $19.99 / $35.16 | 3DS and mobile versions |
| 26 | Grand Theft Auto III (2001) | 1 of 4 | 97 | $7.08 / $11.83 | PS2 Classic on PS4; Definitive Edition |
| 27 | Bully (2006) | 1 of 4 | 87 | $18.95 / $44.69 | PS2 Classic on PS4 |
| 28 | Persona 4 (2008) | 1 of 4 | 90 | $43.80 / $60.00 | Persona 4 Golden (PC, consoles) |
| 29 | Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (2001) | 1 of 4 | 90 | $14.99 / $17.49 | PS Plus Premium Classics (PS4/PS5) |
| 30 | TimeSplitters 2 (2002) | 1 of 4 | 90 | $14.99 / $23.74 | PS Plus Premium Classics (PS4/PS5) |
“Loose” means the disc only (sometimes with case); “complete” means disc, case and manual. “PS2 Classic on PS4” means the emulated PS2 version sold on the PlayStation Store. “PS Plus Premium Classics” means it is in the Premium tier’s classics catalogue.
If you only play five
- Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. The one that tops or nearly tops every list. A loose disc is $12.99, or play it in the Master Collection.
- Shadow of the Colossus. Sixteen giant bosses and almost nothing else. The PS4 remake is the easy way in; the PS2 disc is $16.12.
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. First on three of the four lists. $10.45 loose, and also sold as a PS2 Classic on PS4.
- Resident Evil 4. First on Ultimate Ranks and a 96 Metascore on PS2. $12.13 loose.
- Final Fantasy X. The cheapest of the big five at $8.30 loose, and the HD Remaster is on almost every modern platform.
What the prices tell you
- Cheapest classics: Gran Turismo 3 ($5.70 loose), Grand Theft Auto III ($7.08), Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time ($7.86) and Kingdom Hearts II ($8.00). Big sellers tend to be cheap because so many copies exist.
- The expensive ones: Silent Hill 2 ($139.98 loose, $199.97 complete), Persona 4 ($43.80 loose, $60.00 complete) and complete copies of Bully ($44.69) and ICO ($38.27). Late or low-print-run releases cost more, and the original Silent Hill 2 has never been re-released on a current console.
- Complete copies cost more, and much more for some games: a boxed Bully costs more than twice a loose disc.
For more PS2 values, including the rare games, see our PS2 price guide and the most valuable PS2 games.
Why the top 10 made it
- Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004). A jungle survival game with camouflage, food and injuries to manage. It is on every list we checked and in the top three of all four.
- Shadow of the Colossus (2005). Team Ico’s follow-up to ICO, built around climbing sixteen huge bosses. It is on all four lists.
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004). IGN, GamesRadar and Game Ranks all put it first. The PS2 version scores 95.
- Silent Hill 2 (2001). Psychological horror that every list ranks in the top six. The 2024 remake is on PS5 and PC, and reached Xbox Series in November 2025. The original is not on current consoles.
- Final Fantasy X (2001). The first fully 3D, voiced Final Fantasy. It is on all four lists.
- Okami (2006). Clover Studio’s ink-brush adventure, and the last of the six games on every list.
- Resident Evil 4 (2005). Ultimate Ranks’ highest-placed PS2 game, with a 96 Metascore on PS2.
- God of War (2005). Santa Monica’s first God of War, on three lists, with a 94 Metascore.
- ICO (2001). Small and quiet, and the game Shadow of the Colossus grew from. It is only on PS2 and the PS3 collection, so a disc ($20.14 loose) or emulation is the way to play it now.
- Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2001). IGN’s number five, with a 96 Metascore.
How to play these games today: which way should you choose?
| Option | Best for | What it costs | Catches |
|---|---|---|---|
| An original PS2 and discs | Collectors, and games with no re-release (ICO, Burnout 3, Gran Turismo 3) | A console plus discs from about $6 | Old consoles need an HDMI adapter for a modern TV, and drives wear out |
| PS Plus Premium on PS4 or PS5 | Trying several classics without buying discs | $17.99 a month in the US | Only some games, and the catalogue changes. A PS5 cannot play PS2 discs |
| Remasters and remakes | The best picture with the least effort | Varies by game | The game is often changed (Silent Hill 2 and Resident Evil 4 are full remakes) |
| PCSX2 on a PC | Higher resolution, using discs you own | Free software | You must dump the BIOS from your own PS2 |
Which should you get?
- You want the games as they were, on a TV: a PS2 with a decent HDMI cable. Start with our guide to connecting a PS2 to HDMI. Simple plug-in options include the HD Link HDMI cable for PS2 (RGB) and the Mcbazel PS2 to HDMI adapter.
- You own a PS5 and want five or six of these: check PS Plus Premium’s classics list first. Jak and Daxter and TimeSplitters 2 are there, and San Andreas and Bully are sold as PS2 Classics.
- You have a decent PC and a shelf of discs: use PCSX2. Our guide to the PS2 BIOS for PCSX2 shows the legal way to set it up, and the best mini PC for PS2 emulation covers hardware.
UK and PAL buyers
The prices above are for US (NTSC-U) discs. UK buyers usually want PAL copies, which are priced separately on eBay and in retro shops. A PAL PS2 will not normally play NTSC discs without modification. Some PAL releases also ran at 50Hz, while others offered a 60Hz mode, so check the version of the game you are buying.
Honourable mentions
These ranked highly on one list or scored well on Metacritic but did not make the 30: Guitar Hero II (92), Persona 3 FES (89), Gran Turismo 4 (89), Sly 2: Band of Thieves (88), Jak II (87), Max Payne 2, Rez, Psychonauts, Deus Ex and The Sims. For less obvious choices, read our list of underrated PS2 games worth playing.
Related guides
- PS2 BIOS for PCSX2: how to dump your own
- PlayStation 2 price guide
- How to connect a PS2 to HDMI
- Best mini PC for PS2 emulation
- PS2 disc read error fix
Sources: IGN, GamesRadar, Ultimate Ranks and Game Ranks rankings; Metacritic PS2 Metascores; PriceCharting NTSC-U loose and complete prices on 28 October 2026; PlayStation Store and publisher announcements for re-releases. We ranked the games from published lists and did not play them for this article.
FAQ
What is the best PS2 game of all time?
On the lists we combined, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater ranks highest overall: it is in the top three of all four. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is first on three of them, and Resident Evil 4 is first on Ultimate Ranks.
What are the top 5 PS2 games?
By agreement across IGN, GamesRadar, Ultimate Ranks and Game Ranks: Metal Gear Solid 3, Shadow of the Colossus, GTA: San Andreas, Silent Hill 2 and Final Fantasy X.
Why is Silent Hill 2 so expensive on PS2?
On 28 October 2026 a loose US copy averaged $139.98 on PriceCharting, and the Greatest Hits reprint $174.99. The original is not on current consoles, so demand for discs is high.
Can you play PS2 games on a PS5?
Not from discs. Some PS2 games are on PS Plus Premium or sold as PS2 Classics on the PlayStation Store, and many have remasters or remakes.
What is the cheapest way to play the best PS2 games?
A used PS2 and loose discs: many top games cost under $15 each. Gran Turismo 3 averaged $5.70 and GTA III $7.08 on 28 October 2026.
Is it legal to play PS2 games on PCSX2?
PCSX2 itself is legal. You need a BIOS dumped from your own PS2 and copies of games you own.