PS Plus’s first classic PS1 game has finally added 50hz/60hz region switching
The majority of PS1 games were based on the slower PAL format at launch
Sony has added the first PlayStation Plus PS1 title in Europe with the option to switch region formats.
When the revamped PlayStation Plus launched in Europe this summer, several classic PlayStation games were discovered to be the 50Hz PAL versions, which run 20% slower than the NTSC 60hz versions used in the US and other regions.
At the time, Sony responded to criticism from some users by claiming that the option to switch to 60Hz was on the way. Three months later, this feature has arrived with Tuesday’s addition of Syphon Filter 2.
As demonstrated in VGC’s captured image above, Syphon Filter 2 now offers the ability to switch game regions from its settings menu, after which the game will be reset.
PAL versions of games generally run at a slower speed than their NTSC counterparts, because of the different refresh rates of each frequency.
Generally speaking, PAL games tend to run 20% slower than NTSC games, and can only reach maximum frame rates of 50 frames per second.
VGC previously confirmed that PS5’s Ape Escape, Everybody’s Golf, Jumping Flash, Kurushi, Syphon Filter, Wild Arms and Worms World Party are all based on their PAL versions.
Some games like Jumping Flash also include the patch Sony introduced for “improved PAL output”, which seemingly attempts to increase the 50Hz output to 60Hz to match the NTSC versions’ speed but creates a noticeable ghosting effect as the screen scrolls.
Further reading
Classic PS1 games on PS Plus are 50Hz in Europe, but Sony says 60Hz is coming
However, third-party games such as Tekken 2, Mr Driller and Oddworld: Abe’s Oddysee appear to be the NTSC 60Hz versions, even though there were PAL versions available.
Sony previously said it was planning to roll out NTSC options for “a majority of classic games offered on the PlayStation Plus Premium and Deluxe plan” in Asia, Europe, Middle East, India, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand regions.
