I bought an unmodded PS3 super slim model and all the games pictured below for about $100.
I haven't been this excited about gaming in years. I never had a ps3. It was one of the few consoles I didn't own since all the way back to the nes.
First thing I did was mod it by putting hen on it so I could use my usb headset while playing since I do not have speakers connected to my monitor.
Now, I am playing the uncharted series for the first time. Out of all the games there, the only ones I have played are Skyrim, GTAV, and the last of us. I played a bit of the batman games, but not really too much of it so I consider it unplayed.
I can get more games where I live for about $6-$12. I think the PS3 is going to be my new gaming console for a while.
If you have a modded ps3, what hen compatible homebrew apps do you recommend? I do not think I will do any piracy since the games here are so cheap, but I am thinking of copying the games to an ssd and running them over a network (I think that can be done with HEN).
I have a small ssd which could hold a few games at a time and I think that will be better so I do not put too much wear on the optical drive.
Sorry, for the long post. I am just really excited about this. I have always had the opinion that gaming started going downhill in this generation.
Oh, also, what other games do you recommend I pick up?
I already have fallout 3, new vegas, god of war, and the injustice games. I have a steamdeck, but since games are so cheap, I want to build out a ps3 collection.
Tell me more about the FPGA.
~~Field processing graphics array (I think)~~
Field programmable gate array
obviously there's way more online to read but the way I understand it's a type of graphics unit that has, in a way, flexible "code" so you can "tell" it to be anything you want. One moment you tell it it's a C64, it acts identital. Then you tell it to act like a PS2, it acts identical.
This is usually what the expensiver "retro consoles" have in them. The way I understand, it's actually not emulation per se, but similar.
The SuperStation is an example:
https://retroremake.co/
This is a good ELI5, let me refine it a bit - an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a type of chip, like a processor, that can physically rearrange itself to mimic other hardware on a gate level. which can get you highly accurate recreations of multiple other systems on a single device. the MiSTer FPGA or the superstation one you posted are great examples of this.
I would point out that right now the level at which FPGAs that aren't cost prohibitive cap out at around PS1 and N64, and those are mildly compromised in "accuracy". The biggest benefits you get are a great level of accuracy and lower latency over emulation. But you're not going to see as many advanced modifications that you can get in emulation and if your favorite games are on dreamcast or more powerful, you're kind of restricted to original HW or emulation.
I love my MiSTer and i'm still waiting on my SuperStation One (I also ordered the disc drive add on so i'm still waiting on my Founder Edition unit). There are also other FPGA systems out there like the FPGBC, Analogue Pocket and Analogue 3D, and I think there's some fuckwit military contractor who also sells FPGA systems that you should absolutely avoid. Anyway, there's FGPA systems for every level of hobbyist or enthusiast. If you're really comfortable with assembling things yourself, a MiSTer Pi or DE-10 nano is awesome. If you'd prefer a more consumer-friendly package but want it to still be open, go for a SuperStation One. If you've got a store of carts for GB/C/A or N64, check out Analogue's options (they also have Gensis/Mega Drive, NES, and SNES but they're no longer produced so you'll have to pay a premium on ebay)
I'm a nut with a lot of original HW and a "RetroNAS" so I actually have my PS2, PS3, GameCube, and MiSTer networked to the same local server for loading my games. What's nice about this is that I don't have to have a ton of large SD cards around, plus the read speeds over the networking HW is faster than SD card loading for all of these systems. Plus, if I have two MiSTer systems they can pull from the same file and save to the same location for a seamless experience across my home network.
Women can be pretty good at golf