Kinda Funny Gamescast: Celebrating 25 Years of PlayStation 2

Episode Date: October 31, 2025
Hosts: Blessing Adeoye, Tim Gettys, Barrett

Overview

This episode of the Kinda Funny Gamescast is a lively, nostalgia-fueled retrospective celebrating the 25th anniversary of the PlayStation 2—the best-selling console of all time. Rather than strictly running through a ranked "shitlist" as originally planned, the crew pivots into a vibrant discussion sharing their most personal PS2 memories, favorite and deep-cut games, and the cultural legacy of the console. Fans chime in via live super chats, fueling further anecdotes and game recommendations. This is a love letter to the PS2 from those who grew up (and gamed up) with it.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Power and Legacy of the PlayStation 2

• Tim Gettys: Declares the PS2 "the most successful console of all time," noting its status as both a pop culture force and a key transitional system for many gamers (05:02).
• Blessing Adeoye: Argues the PS2 "might be the greatest console of all time," citing its unmatched third-party support and pivotal role for his generation (05:17-05:23).
• Both hosts discuss how the PS2 not only provided legendary exclusives (God of War, Shadow of the Colossus, Jak & Daxter) but was vital for third-party series like Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear Solid, and Tony Hawk.

PS2 as a Generational Touchstone

• Tim: Reminisces about the excitement of the PS2 launch, sharing a vivid childhood memory of visiting the PlayStation Store in San Francisco with his dad and experiencing the launch hype and gaming community for the first time (09:00–10:00).
• Blessing: Shares memories of being a young gamer, noticing the leap in graphics when visiting friends’ houses and marveling at mature games like GTA III and God of War (10:00–11:22).
• Blessing describes his personal gaming "coming of age" with the PS2, emphasizing the emotional impact of Shadow of the Colossus and Metal Gear Solid 3 (12:00–12:30).
• Tim: Points out that “coming into a generation late is a pivotal moment to decide: am I a gamer, or do I just like games?” (11:22–11:38).

Why the PS2 Was So Successful

• Tim: Notes the dual appeal of PS2—as both a world-class gaming device and a DVD player, drawing many new fans into the ecosystem (13:11–13:55).
• The hosts marvel at the longevity and breadth of the PS2’s library, often crediting it as the formative system for both themselves and countless others spanning age ranges (14:12–15:18).

Favorite Deep Cuts and Underrated Gems

• Tim’s Picks:

  • Downhill Domination - “Downhill mountain bike game, incredible, holds up today.” (16:59–17:28)
  • Kinetica - “Humans racing, holding on to wheels with their bodies, that was Sony Santa Monica’s weird one.” (17:32–17:41)
  • Frequency and Amplitude – Early rhythm games, precursors to Guitar Hero/Rock Band (17:44–18:02).

• Blessing’s Picks:

  • 7 Samurai 20XX - “I was the master of the GameStop $10 bin… obsessed with it even if it’s a 5/10 game.” (18:02–19:10)
  • MTV Music Generator 2, I-Ninja – Oddball finds that evoke strong nostalgia (18:32–19:10).

• Barrett’s Pick:

  • FlatOut series – “Kind of Burnout-esque, but really about crashing and funny stunts.” (19:10–19:37)

Demo Discs & “Cousin Games”

• The team reminisces about the era of demo discs, GameStop bargain bins, Blockbuster rentals, and friends’/cousins’ bizarre game collections (19:59–25:03).
• Barrett: Vividly brings up Whiplash—an odd 3D platformer about escaping an animal testing lab—and unlocks “core memories” for the group (23:55–24:50).

Hidden Gems & Blockbuster Standouts from the PS2 Era

• Tim: Shouts out Spy Hunter, TimeSplitters, and the launch slate: “TimeSplitters was like GoldenEye but with more kooky energy. TimeSplitters 2 was phenomenal.” (26:53–28:36)
• Franchise Trilogies: The hosts highlight how PS2 boasted not just single classics but full trilogies, e.g., GTA III–San Andreas, Jak & Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, Sly Cooper (47:22–48:11).
• God of War & Ratchet & Clank: The two PlayStation first-party series that have truly endured (47:22–47:40).
• Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec - Even for those uninterested in sim racing, GT3 “was a moment… you just wanted to see it because of how good it looked” (46:58).

Evolving Game Development & Player Expectations

• Games were released more quickly, which led to annual sequels being welcomed rather than critiqued for lack of innovation (49:12–50:16).
• Annualized titles like Need for Speed Underground and Prince of Persia were eagerly awaited—players would coordinate who would buy which sequels amongst friends (48:38–49:12).

Celebrating the Publishers and Developers of the Era

• Top MVPs:

  • Rockstar (GTA, Bully, The Warriors)
  • Square/Square-Enix (Final Fantasy X, XII; Kingdom Hearts)
  • EA Sports Big (NBA Street, SSX, NFL Street)
  • Activision (Tony Hawk, extreme sports)
  • Harmonics (Guitar Hero, Rock Band)
  • Pandemic (Battlefront, Destroy All Humans, Mercenaries)
  • Konami (Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill)

• Tim: “Square didn’t miss on PS2.” (45:20)

• Barrett: “The true goat for Rockstar in that era is Bully.” (43:11)

• Blessing: “God of War and Ratchet & Clank are the two big PlayStation franchises that stood the test of time.” (47:26, 47:40)

Notable Quotes & Moments

On the PS2 as a cultural moment:

• “25 years of the most successful console of all time, the PlayStation 2.” — Tim Gettys (05:02)
• “Some might say the greatest console of all time.” — Blessing (05:17)

On personal transitions as gamers:

• “For me, that was the PS2. PS2 was me going from, alright, I'm a kid who's playing video games… to then having that transition [into]… appreciating the story here.” — Blessing (12:30)

On discovering bad games:

• “Spy Hunter… I had learned what bad video games were. As a kid, I was like, ‘Oh, this is boring... too many requirements.’” — Blessing (25:16)

On the sensory memory of old consoles:

• “I hear a hum… that’s a PlayStation 2 is on… I literally heard the hum and I knew it was a PlayStation 2.” — Tim (15:18–16:09)

On demo discs:

• “Official PlayStation Magazine… you pay for a monthly demo disc. That’s the best moment of my month.” — Tim (33:41–34:32)
• “You just keep going back like it’s crack or something.” — Blessing (34:46)

On annualized sequels:

• “As a new game would enter the fray, you kind of just had to plan: next year there’s going to be a sequel.” — Tim (48:38)

On PS2’s wide-ranging impact:

• “Everything, the good, the bad, and everything in between.” — Tim, reflecting on Star Wars games and the console's massive library (41:58)

Super Chats & Community Involvement

• Fans shout out deep cuts like The Bouncer, Mark of Kri, Indigo Prophecy, War of the Monsters, Budokai 3, Haunting Ground, and more, sparking rapid reminiscence by the hosts (30:41–52:10).
• The chat helps unlock forgotten titles (Freedom Force, Maximo), demo disc lineups, and more.

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [05:02] – PS2 as a generational and cultural milestone
• [09:00]–[11:22] – Childhood anticipation and personal PS2 “coming of age” stories
• [16:41]–[19:37] – Deep cut and underrated PS2 games (Downhill Domination, Kinetica, FlatOut)
• [23:55] – Whiplash and cousin game memories
• [26:53]–[28:36] – The importance of TimeSplitters and early launch standouts
• [33:41]–[36:55] – Demo disc culture and magazine memories
• [47:22]–[48:17] – Long-running series and franchises on PS2
• [50:02] – The evolution of game release schedules and sequel expectations
• [52:53] – Nick’s final shout out: SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom

Memorable & Fun Moments

• Extended and enthusiastic cape discussion (“I tried to wear a cape for my wedding so hard… bought three separate capes.” – Tim, [02:12])
• The group being suddenly flooded with nostalgia over obscure games like Whiplash, Oni, and FlatOut (“I don’t think I’ve ever had a memory hole unlock like this.” – Tim, [24:26])
• Repeated running joke of mistaking the console for a DVD player—Tim can identify a PS2 by its operating hum alone ([15:18])

Conclusion

While promising to eventually tackle an official “top 25 PS2 games” ranking, the crew recognizes the impossibility of truly capping off a conversation about a console with such a massive, diverse, and beloved library. Instead, they remind listeners just how formative and wide-reaching the PlayStation 2 was for countless players—offering not just legendary blockbusters, but weird failures, oddball favorites, and unforgettable moments in gaming history.

“When you start the conversation, it’s impossible to end the conversation.”
– Blessing, [53:23]

Next up: The crew teases future ranking episodes and heads off to Game Showdown, their next show for the day—leaving listeners with a heartfelt, open-ended celebration of a true video game legend.

25 years on, the PS2 legacy endures.