I love my PS1 Classic, If you can get one even for a gift I definitely recommend it. only if you have a television with an HDMI plug. The one I got from Walmart in store came with 2 sturdy controllers and they have a game covering all genres including puzzle, and even survival horror and even a platformer.
A giant downside is the fact that they didn't include a USB power adapter with my PlayStaion 1 Mini, but I'm lucky I had one. and all the cords have a short to medium length,
so just like the NES mini you need a chair close to the console, not ideal for some more wealthy people who have large rooms or seats far from where the television is setting. I would not recommend any Mini Console for liveing room usage where you can not pull a seat in close.
I really don't see the hate this thing gets. It even has that PS1 intro screen when you turn this thing on some of the the games that they chose for are hard to find in the wild for cheap. and plus this was only a $30 USD gift when I got it,
If I got Final Fantasy VII game disc alone it would have cost about the same for a used copy of a possible beat up 2 disc Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII is suppose to have a feature where. When the original game had to change disc, the I heard that they even have a feature to make you press the open button on the PS1 Mini to get that feel of changing the disc on the original system.
Plus this PS1 classic/mini console has a built in memory save system for all the games where you can save and start exactly where you left off
PlayStation 1 Mini Game list. (post edit) this is not a console some parents want to buy their younger children
Battle Arena Toshinden
Cool Boarders 2
Destruction Derby
Final Fantasy VII
Grand Theft Auto
Intelligent Qube
Jumping Flash!
Metal Gear Solid
Mr. Driller
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee
Rayman
Resident Evil Director's Cut
Revelations: Persona
Ridge Racer Type 4
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo
Syphon Filter
Tekken 3
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six
Twisted Metal
Wild Arms