It was recently mentioned in our comments section that Bishi Bashi Special (pictured) has been removed from the EU PSN store. So I ask: why is PSN so horrendously crappy?
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This is shameful, since not only was it Konami’s first game to go up, and cheaper than the other PS1 games, it was also for a long time the best PS1 game on there (which is more a reflection that everything else sucked). Still, Bishi Bashi was an awesome, insane collection of wacky minigames, including one called “Uncle Launcher” which was as its name implied, and another involved brides throwing cake. I own the disc so never bought the PSN version, but now I wish I had. No explanation was given, and its removal is a mystery. At least with Outrun it was known to be due to Sega’s licensing running out. But why would Konami remove a PS1 game? They also previously removed Silent Hill, and so I’m left wondering what will go next.
This raises further concerns. Will we start to see random awesome games getting pulled from the Japanese PSN store? There’s about 10 games I still want which are on there, but I’ve been holding off because the cost would be at least £60 ($100+), so I buy one or two when the mood takes me and I have spare funds. If we’re going to start seeing random removals it would be worth buying everything right now.This is hugely problematic, and is a reason I hate digital distribution. For every Gaia Seed they release, costing $6 instead of $150, there’s the threat of a Bishi Bashi style removal. With physical copies I can wait a few years and even if stores stop stocking it, I can buy it on eBay or forums. And it’s not like I can buy the PS1 discs, because Sony has infuriatingly region locked PS1 discs. So really, we’re all screwed. PSN should be a method for allowing niche games to thrive, and instead we’re seeing them removed without warning and without explanation, denying people the chance to play them entirely. If they’d made an announcement we could at least have gone and grabbed it.
I would recommend all US readers to try Bishi Bashi by buying a UK PSN card, since it is the perfect party game with some fantastic multiplayer modes (it could be the best beer&bros game on the PS1). But I’m afraid you can’t, because Konami won’t let you. Honestly, we’re all better off just going out and pirating this stuff, because companies don’t want our money.
Somebody please try to explain to me the logic behind such rank stupidity. I WANT MY BISHI BASHI BACK!
