Back in the PS1 days, there was a ton of innovation as game companies made the switch from sprite based 2d platformers to 3d games like Wipeout or Tomb Raider.
But one of the best unknown gems of the PS1 era was a party game called Poy Poy from Konami. It took advantage of the MultiTap, which allowed you to expand the number of players on the system to four from two. The object of the game was basically to bash your opponents over the head or blast them off the relatively small playing field until you were the last avatar standing. Wicked good fun.
Back in the old Imagine offices, where Next Generation Magazine, Ultra Game Players and IGN were housed, it supplanted Bomberman, the reigning king, as the after work game of choice for quite a while.
Most PS1 games really don’t hold up to the modern era’s astonishingly good graphics. Even social games look better. But Poy Poy has actually managed to remain visually compelling and playable even after all these years.
Sadly, I’m not MultiTaping it with my old friends, but I am rediscovering it with my daughter, which is even better. If you’re into “old school” (god it kills me this game is now old school) Poy Poy is a blast.
