PSVita is not quite dead yet.

Now… the Playstation Vita. Released back in December 2011 it was promised to revolutionise hand held gaming. A console that could play Triple A games on the go and some of Playstation’s biggest titles were going to make its way to the Vita. A couple of decent Triple A games were released, Resistance Burning Skies is a decent shooter, and the first FPS on a hand held with twin analogue sticks but it doesn’t really shine. Killzone Mercenary on the other hand is a fantastic game; playing this game you could definitely see a Call of Duty title on the Vita. Uncharted: Golden Abyss is another great game for the Vita from one of the Playstation’s most recognised and loved franchises. The Vita community were excited for the potential of the device but as we all know now, Sony’s main plan for the Vita failed…

Sales for the Vita were well below what Sony had hoped for; people just didn’t want to pay a premium console price for a handheld system, regardless of the potential. Nintendo’s hugely successful 3DS also dented the Vita’s sale as it was a fair bit cheaper than its more powerful counterpart but you could argue it’s gaming catalogue was and still is a lot better. Sony has always tried to cater their handheld systems to adults, but the 3DS has an amazing amount of games for adults, which include some of the releases aimed at a younger audience! I for example love Luige’s Mansion Dark Moon; I have spent many hours happily sucking up ghosts using my Poltergust 5000.

But I think now, nearly four and half years later is the best time to be picking up Sony’s forgotten handheld. You can pick a new one up these days for around £160 with a couple of games, or about £90 second hand. The games I mentioned above are now all pretty cheap as well now so you won’t be breaking the bank. That isn’t the Vita’s greatest selling point at the moment though, what the Vita does for me is worth the £160 odd I paid for it..I can relive my childhood games in the best way today.

The PSN has a huge amount of classic PSone games to download, all at very reasonable prices, or you can wait for a sale on the PSN and just download until your hearts (or memory cards) content. I downloaded Gex: 3D Gecko for £1.99. Gex the ****ing gecko!!!! But all the classics are on there; Tomb Raider, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Resident Evil, Silent Hill and the list goes on. Now I know a lot of people will say you can pick up a PSone cheap still and the games even cheaper but how many of you still use a TV from the mid 90s? The games for the PSone were never designed to be played on a 42inch HD Smart TV, and if you do play them on that they look ****ing awful. The Vita’s modest 5inch screen however plays them like a treat. The other reason I would argue that the Vita is the best platform for the classics is connivance. Ok, you have bought a second hand PSone and you have a couple games.

You boot it up and it all comes flooding back to you, the PSone loading screen, all the sounds all the visuals this is the best thing ever! You stick in Crash Bandicoot for arguments sake. Realistically how long would you actually play it for, an hour or two? Half an hour? Then you unplug the PSone as I imagine you had to unplug something first, then it sits there…and sits there until you eventually move it into a cupboard and use it maybe twice a year? With the Vita you will not get that, because it hasn’t replaced anything? I know for a fact if I had to unplug my PS4 for my PSone, I wouldn’t play it half as much as I should. With the Vita you can pick it up for an hour, relive your childhood favourites then put it down, but it’s always going to be there to pick up again should you fancy to. Playing Resident Evil 2 on a bus to work is amazing, especially as I don’t have to wait until I can save to turn it off, I can just put the Vita into sleep mode.

I love my Vita, and for the price it is now you can play three Triple A Sony favourites, a huge collection of PSone classics (not to mention old PSP games) and there are loads of amazing Indie games to pick up, as well as a huge catalogue of JRPGs. The Vita also offers remote play for the PS4, which seems to me to be aimed at couples, you want to play a game she wants to watch the TV who usually wins? now I don’t use this feature as I don’t have to (Single guy, ladies if you’re interest please message me your favourite Star Wars movies from best to last, this is of course a joke J).

So just have a think, if you get a bit or spare money consider the Vita you will not regret it.