I might have fulfilled a teen-age dream. Bought a fat PS3. Now what?

[Color me Dan]

My recent nostalgia obsession with the PS3 architecture resulted in me buying two refurbished PS3's. I always wanted to get the fat one, and never did. Until now! They'll arrive in a week or so. Hopefully both PS3's are the same generation so I have spare parts if one should break. I've been scrambling to see what I should do with them.

First and foremost:
- Any games you may recommend? Which games did you enjoy on your PS3?
- Anything I should avoid because it doesn't work on account of PSN for PS3 being dead and buried?

If both of them work fine I'm thinking of screwing one apart and fitting graphite pads. If the operation is successful I'll do it for the other as well. I can't imagine 10+ year old thermal paste being particularly effective...

I also know you could (can?) install Linux on them. One might become dedicated to that! Anyone have any experience with it? I understand you're limited by what firmware you have and what distros are available. Never really tinkered with Linux. So could be an interesting challenge.

 

[Florin]

Aww yeah those were the days. Any PS2 hardware backwards compatible ones (CECHxx) by any chance?

Uncharted 2 and Killzone 2 for sure. I bet they hold up.

 

[homerdog]

My recent nostalgia obsession with the PS3 architecture resulted in me buying two refurbished PS3's. I always wanted to get the fat one, and never did. Until now! They'll arrive in a week or so. Hopefully both PS3's are the same generation so I have spare parts if one should break. I've been scrambling to see what I should do with them.

First and foremost:
- Any games you may recommend? Which games did you enjoy on your PS3?
- Anything I should avoid because it doesn't work on account of PSN for PS3 being dead and buried?

If both of them work fine I'm thinking of screwing one apart and fitting graphite pads. If the operation is successful I'll do it for the other as well. I can't imagine 10+ year old thermal paste being particularly effective...

I also know you could (can?) install Linux on them. One might become dedicated to that! Anyone have any experience with it? I understand you're limited by what firmware you have and what distros are available. Never really tinkered with Linux. So could be an interesting challenge.

Is that the modle that basically has a PS2 inside for BC? I think later models used software for BC but the early ones had hardware.

 

[Color me Dan]

I actually don’t know what generation within the “fat” family they belong to. So whether they’re the ones with backwards compatibility remains to be seen. I’m gonna assume that they don’t so I’m not let down. But I’ve decided to keep my eyes out for one of those. It would be glorious to have the original one in silver with full hardware backwards compatibility! I mean, I think they look beautiful, so having a few as decoration isn’t too bad if I end up collecting them by mistake ;P

I’ve been thinking of Killzone, Uncharted, Journey (actually played that one, it was different and touching), Final Fantasy XIII so far. I don’t mind games that aren’t great so long as they’re unique to the PS3 either. Oh right, MGS4. Though I’ve never played any of the predecessors.

Has anyone used one on a 4K TV? 1080p should scale decently. But I’ve thought about getting a 1080p gaming monitor for the PS3 for clarity. Possibly also to game on with the PC.

 

[Florin]

I actually don’t know what generation within the “fat” family they belong to. So whether they’re the ones with backwards compatibility remains to be seen. I’m gonna assume that they don’t so I’m not let down. But I’ve decided to keep my eyes out for one of those. It would be glorious to have the original one in silver with full hardware backwards compatibility! I mean, I think they look beautiful, so having a few as decoration isn’t too bad if I end up collecting them by mistake ;P

I’ve been thinking of Killzone, Uncharted, Journey (actually played that one, it was different and touching), Final Fantasy XIII so far. I don’t mind games that aren’t great so long as they’re unique to the PS3 either. Oh right, MGS4. Though I’ve never played any of the predecessors.

Has anyone used one on a 4K TV? 1080p should scale decently. But I’ve thought about getting a 1080p gaming monitor for the PS3 for clarity. Possibly also to game on with the PC.

The backwards comp ones are rare. I never had one. It wasn't the console's defining feature, just a fun gimmick that carries a premium in the refurb market now.
This is the console for Dark Souls, The Last Of Us, LittleBigPlanet, and Ratchet and Clank, Also a bunch of multiplats ofc.

 

[tuna]

If you are going to play FFXIII, get the asian version with Japanese voice acting and english text!

I would also recommend Motorstorm 1, Super Stardust and all Sega's arcade conversions!

 

[Color me Dan]

If you are going to play FFXIII, get the asian version with Japanese voice acting and english text!

I would also recommend Motorstorm 1, Super Stardust and all Sega's arcade conversions!

Oh damn, I thought for sure there would be a Japanese voice acting option even in the Euro release. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[Color me Dan]

The backwards comp ones are rare. I never had one. It wasn't the console's defining feature, just a fun gimmick that carries a premium in the refurb market now.
This is the console for Dark Souls, The Last Of Us, LittleBigPlanet, and Ratchet and Clank, Also a bunch of multiplats ofc.

Yea, I know. I would hardly use it I'm sure. But emotionally it would be satisfying to have one of the "full-fledged" ones. Which is probably why they carry a premium as well.

At the risk of veering off topic that's one of my major gripes with our modern day. And why I wax nostalgic I think. You increasingly own nothing and rent everything. Beholden to a corporations whims or existence. I absolutely deplore it. While PS3 began to introduce it towards the end of its life I don't have the impression that it was too bad. So games should still just work so long as you have your disc and your console.

After release patches were a thing though... That one is trickier...

 

[Dominik D]

Which games did you enjoy on your PS3?

Heavenly Sword, Lair (despite the jank) and LBPs. Didn't enjoy Motorstorm or MGS4 that much but would still recommend. If you enjoy JRPGs, Folklore was pretty interesting too.

 

[Color me Dan]

Complementary update on my PS3 escapades: I'm now a bit poorer with little to show for it. Turns out the resellers description of the consoles ("as new") was far from it. And one has a fan that is giving me the distinct impression that it's looking for a career change in the not too distant future.

So both of them would enjoy a thorough cleaning, inside and out, but I've never really pulled much apart from repasting the odd laptop. Does anyone know of a good place for info/resources on how to go about it aside from iFixit? I do have one of their Mako driver toolkit and some other bits and bobs.

I have started getting a few games though from all of your suggestions though! Building up a little library. Even if the hunt goes on for something that looks decent enough to keep in the living room on display to play them with.

Oh, and if you live in Sweden (or where shipping isn't an arm and a leg to Sweden) and happen to have a PS3 (preferably fat) and/or some games laying about collecting dust, well, get in touch! In for a penny, in four a pound and all that.

 

[Sxotty]

Just make sure it is warm when you are trying to take it apart so you don't break anything plastic clipwise and take a lot of photos and you'll probably be fine. I haven't taken a ps apart but I've taken many things apart and usually it is easy except for the plastic it shell.