Back again with another thread for console modding! In a vacuum, the PS2 is my favorite system of all time! For a while I’ve considered modding my system but being a PS2 slim user I always thought it was not worth it on my system. Well thanks to advancements in homebrew hardware that is no longer the case! For those looking to mod a PS2 go ahead and look up a “FMCB Memory Card” for the fastest way to get started!
FAQ
What is the point of modding a PS2?
There’s not nearly as much to do with a modded PS2 as other systems. The primary purpose is to play region locked and backed up isos. That being said: with the rate of drive failure on systems relying on optical media it’s now or never!
What does the PS2 do better than anyone else?
Game library and relyability. The PS3 was produced during the dark ages of relyable chips and that family of systems are notorious for having pieces that don’t work. The PS2 is more reliable, cheaper and still works as a DVD player for Standard Definition. If you want a machine to watch your DVDs on a CRT the PS2 is your guy!
I don’t have a PS2 so which should I get?
Get a “fat” PS2 with the hard drive. While PS2s are super common the slim model is an afterthought for much of the modding scene. A “fat” PS2 can insert a modern hard drive with a cheap adapter and some minor fiddling and that system will work way better for the user than the “Slim” PS2, which works best with an adapter memory card or hardware modding.
Piracy/Game backups?
Yeah the PS2 works for downloaded titles. Fan translations of the Final Mix Kingdom Hearts games and others work thanks to the Open PS2 Launcher! As for backing up the games yourself, you are better off using a USB DVD drive on your PC and ripping them with software of your choice. Open PS2 Launcher even has software that lets you download box art for the system to read when you turn it on.
How’s the emulation?
I haven’t messed with it much but I’ve heard decent things for the usual emulation staples. The Playstation 1 plays best on the system thanks to the integrated PS1 chipset (similar to the GBA and DS on the 3DS). While the PS3 can do the same, that system can’t hook up to most CRT displays so the picture can appear less due to being displayed wrong.
What about homebrew ports?
Again the PS2 doesn’t have anything of significant note homebrew wise. The community seems more focused on making the backups play as nicely as possible. But you can play Mario 64 with a PS2 controller at least. That being said the Official Release of Half-Life is a fan favorite with full keyboard and mouse support. Linux also was officially supported on the PS2 though finding the discs officially can be difficult.
Funny PS2 hacking stories
The PS2 has been my personal nightmare the last few weeks. This is the first system I’ve fully hacked with a financial requirement attached in the form of a custom mx4sio and FMCB memory card. After playing with the settings on and off for weeks I was finally able to get my system to read from my SD card backups but the number of reinstalls and custom versions were a headache. Please make sure if you decide to mod a PS2 yourself you use the correct OPL, launchELF and FreeMcBoot versions for your specific configuration!
Conclusion
Go mod a PS2! Here’s some videos on the subject
