I bought a PS3 and it was the best thing I've done in 2025

Summary

I missed out on getting a PlayStation 3 (PS3) twenty years ago, so I finally bought one in 2025 to experience it.
The PS3 has some great titles to play, like the Uncharted trilogy, Demon Souls, MGS:4, The Last of Us, and many more.
The PS3 is still worth getting in 2025, and you can find it at retro game stores or online for under $100.

I’ve been a lifelong gamer, and one of my biggest regrets has always been missing out on the PlayStation 3 (PS3) era and some of the excellent games associated with it. In 2007, when I faced the choice of which new console to get, the PS3 or Xbox 360, I chose the latter. I’ll admit that this was mainly due to Halo 3, but because of that decision, I kept my 360 throughout that entire console generation, and as a result, I missed out on the experience of owning a PS3.

In 2025, nearly twenty years later, I decided it was finally time to fix this. After hearing about all the love the PS3 has been receiving lately — whether through its latest official update from Sony or the emulators now appearing on Android — it got me thinking a lot about the PS3 and what I missed out on.

I have a PS1, PS2, PS4, and PS5, but I don’t own a PS3. What was I thinking? So, in a quest to finally experience what it was like to play the original PS3 and complete my PlayStation collection, I drove to my local retro game store, picked up a PS3, and embarked on a journey of discovery. There’s nothing like a nostalgia trip, and the PS3 is a blast from the past that still has legs in 2025.

Getting a PS3 is cheap and easy

You can get one online or from a local retro game store

Overall, for the PS3 console, a legit controller, and eight games, I paid less than $150 for everything, and I was quite satisfied with that. I could have found something cheaper on Facebook Marketplace or eBay, but I wanted to support my local retro game store, and they offer a good warranty option in case I run into any issues. That said, if you’re interested in also getting a PS3 in 2025, there’s a good chance you can get everything you need for around $100.

When I told my friend I got a PS3, he compared the cost of getting it to picking up a Switch 2 game, which I was baffled by when I came to the realization he was right. I recently picked up The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for the Nintendo Switch 2, which retails for $80. If you look on eBay, you can find plenty of PS3s for around the same price. What a time we live in.

Throughout its life cycle, several different versions of the PS3 were made available. I purchased a 320GB PS3 Slim, which I found to be the best-priced at my local store.

Of course, obtaining the actual console is just the first part of the experience. The most enjoyable part is the games. I’ve selected a few titles to begin with, and I plan to buy many more in the near future to help build my collection.

To start, I picked up Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. I know you can find remastered versions of these on PS4/PS5, but I wanted the true PS3 experience. I also bought Battlefield: Bad Company. I’m really looking forward to Battlefield 6, and since I’ve never played Bad Company, I saw this as a great chance to try it out on PS3.

Earlier this year, I played The Last of Us: Part One, but I was curious about the original PS3 version. So, I also bought a copy of it, along with Medal of Honor, Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga, and Skyrim. Each of these games cost me about $5-10, so it’s hard to argue with that value.

Discovering the magic of the PS3

The PlayStation Store on the PS3 still works

The first game I decided to try on the PS3 was actually Medal of Honor, mainly because it came with a remastered version of Medal of Honor: Frontline. It felt fitting that the first game I played on the PS3 was also the first game I played on the PS2. Storming the beaches of Normandy on the PS3 in full HD was a very nostalgic experience, and it was fun playing a classic shooter again.

Next up, I popped in Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. I’ve always loved Indiana Jones and adventure games, so I figured Uncharted was right up my alley. Considering the game was released in 2007, I was genuinely impressed with how it looked on the PS3. Obviously, it looks better on the PS4 and PS5, but for the $5 I paid, I can’t complain. I still have to finish it, but I’m excited to move on to the second game, Among Thieves, which I’ve heard is the best one.

While exploring more games to play on the PS3, I also found out that the PlayStation Store on the PS3 is still up and running. Xbox shut down its store on the 360, so I assumed PlayStation had probably done the same for the PS3 after all these years. But to my surprise, it remains active. I was able to buy Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, one of my favorite Star Wars titles from the PS2, and play it on the PS3. I was beyond excited because I hadn’t played that game in almost twenty years.

One thing I loved about playing the PS3 was how quickly I could start a new game. These days, even with a disc version, you often have to wait for it to download. But with the PS3, I just popped in a disc, maybe downloaded a small update, and was playing within a minute.

Although the PS3 online store no longer features every PS3 game digitally — likely due to licensing issues — it’s still great to see many titles remain available. I couldn’t find a physical copy of The Sly Cooper Collection, but the PS3 PlayStation Store has it, so I plan to purchase it soon, since I’ve never played the third Sly Cooper game. The one caveat with the PlayStation Store on PS3 is that you can’t add your credit card to it. You need to add funds to your PlayStation account through the app or website, then visit the PS3 store and purchase games using your added funds.

Another thing I loved about playing the PS3 was how quickly I could start a new game. These days, even with a disc version, you often have to wait for it to download. But with the PS3, I just popped in a disc, maybe downloaded a small update, and was playing within a minute. I had forgotten how simple gaming used to be, and it made me miss the old days. None of this Game-Key card nonsense or waiting for 100GBs to download.

The PS3 is still worth playing in 2025

The graphics may not be quite as stunning as the PS5, but the experience remains enjoyable

If you haven’t owned a PS3 before, I strongly recommend getting one at a low price and trying it out. I’ve really enjoyed playing it recently, and it has brought back a good number of joyful childhood gaming memories.

While I currently have only a handful of games for it, I’m excited to pick up even more soon from eBay and my local game store. There are several PS3-exclusive titles I want to try out, including the original Demon Souls, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Infamous, and LittleBigPlanet. I’m sure there are many games I haven’t even heard of that I need to check out as well.

If you’re looking for a blast to the past and a cheap way to play lots of different games, then picking up the PS3 in 2025 may be worthwhile for you.

Overall, I’m glad I decided to buy a PS3 in 2025. While the system is nowhere near as powerful as the PS4 and PS5, playing games on it still remains just as fun now as it would’ve been back in 2006 or 2013. If you’re looking for a blast to the past and a cheap way to play lots of different games, then picking up the PS3 in 2025 may be worthwhile for you. I have zero regrets about picking one up, and I’m looking forward to playing it a lot more this year and into the future as I collect more games for it.

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