Summary
ThePlayStation Vitawas touted as anextremely powerful devicethat could easily deliver the PlayStation 3 experience on the go. And, what do you know, it actually did just that, while often adding its own flair to games thanks to its host of additional features, like its touch screen and back pad.
While the Vita did offer some great original games, many of the best on the system were just console games that were ported to fit in the hands of the most fervent players. Even better were games that gave players the same phenomenal experiences, with just a few added tweaks that only the Vita’s hardware could provide.
Telltale’s The Walking Deadis an adventure game that follows a new survivor, Lee Everett, who’s a convict who gets a new lease on life during the zombie apocalypse. Of course, he’s also accompanied by one of the most iconic modernvideo game characters, Clementine.
The PS Vita port, renamedThe Walking Dead: A Telltale Games Series, is nearly identical to its console version. What the Vita port does add is touch controls that serve as a way to immerse the player in the series’ horrifying world.
There is a reason thatMinecraftcontinues to be the highest-selling video game of all time. It has come to just about every console there is, which makes sense, as it’s easy to pick up. In both story andcreative mode, it offers some of the best in the medium.
The Vita port has almost everything players come to expect fromMinecraft, albeit with a shorter draw distance and a smaller player count. Regardless, it’s a good option for players who want to goof around in one of the best sandboxes ever made.
TheMarvel vs Capcomseries makes the idea of experimenting in a notoriously high-skill genre of game viable. It does this by including some ridiculous characters on their rosters and having them duke it out withgods among men.
Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3takes this concept and runs with it, having players build a team of three to defeat their opponent in a flurry of adamantium slashes and text bubbles.Ultimateincludes all DLC from the base game, and the PS Vita port loses none of it.
The PS Vita basically being a DualShock controller with a screen means that ports can give players the same experience that the consoles could without buttons being a constraint. That means thatSpelunkylost none of the challengethat made the game great.
As the title suggests, players take control of a cave explorer as he tries to make his way through procedurally generated cave systems. The goal is to survive as long as possible, while everything wants the player to die in some ridiculous way. As unforgiving as it is, it’s extremely hard to put down.
Enhanced ports are often a great way to breathe new life into a game by modernizing its features for new eyes.Persona 4 Goldenfor the Vita does this while retaining the original charm of the already-established series.
Goldenadds an entirely new month to the game’s calendar, new opportunities to hang with party members, and a new ending. It also includes more social links that add more depth to the story, which is always aPersonafan’s dream.
Hotline Miami’s bloody andbrutal top-down actionjust makes sense for the Vita. Players must navigate levels that can only be described as murder puzzles. The more flashy and fluid players move from kill to kill, the more points they get.
However, the player dies in one hit, just as the enemies do, making replaying levels because of minor missteps a common occurrence. To help with this, the Vita port makes full utilization of the system’s touch controls, turning the finger into a deadly and incredibly effective weapon.
Rayman has gone through tons of evolutions over the years, with one of his best being in the side-scrolling adventure,Rayman Origins. The game was an instant hit upon release, and its Vita port managed to incorporate some additions that made it even better in some aspects.
Those additions were simple, and yet profoundly welcome. For instance, players could pinch-and-zoom on the screen to bring the camera closer to the action. While co-op was absent from this version, players could scratch that competitive itch in the game’s Ghost Mode to gun for the best time.
Metal Gear Solid HD Collectionincluded everything that made Hideo Kojima a household name. The games are widely considered some of the best inthe stealth genre, and thanks to this collection, the exploits of Snake, Raiden, and the rest can be played back-to-back on the same console.
That includes the Vita, albeit with a slightly tweaked control scheme. It dedicated specific buttons and the touch screen to things like aiming and swapping weapons. Otherwise, these are the same old games players know and revere.
The first fully 3D entry in theFinal Fantasyfranchise had some big shoes to fill, and it delivered on all fronts. Its sequel wasn’t bad either. The two games are massive fan favorites that provide two wildly different experiences, tonally speaking.
Both of thesefairly long titlesare included in theFinal Fantasy X/X-2 Remaster. Thankfully, cross-save is available, allowing players to jump between the PS3 and its excellently realized Vita port seamlessly.
Released during a renaissance of high-quality indie titles,Limboshook the gaming world with its darkly realized black-and-white world. In this game, players take control of a young boy on his journey to find his sister, discovering some sinister truths along the way.
This is another port to the Vita that just works extremely well when compacted to a handheld system. Like a good book, players can curl up under the covers to enjoy its brisk handful of hours in one uneasy sitting.
