Still, the reason the system remains so beloved is because of the experiences it delivered. It brought big budget, AAA gaming on the move – something you’ll see reflected in our ranking of the best PS Vita games, many of which were developed by  the biggest developers in the world. This Vita might have been a commercial failure, but those who invested know just how awesome this handheld truly was. 

Let’s explore why, with our definitive breakdown of the 25 best PS Vita games of all-time.

For more definitive rankings of Sony PlayStation games throughout the years: 

| Best PS1 Games |Best PS2 Games | Best PS3 Games | Best PS4 Games | Best PS5 Games | Best PSP Games |

Best PS Vita Games, Ranked

25. Killzone: Mercenary

Developer: Guerrilla Cambridge
Released: 2013

Considering its capabilities, the Vita was decidedly short-served when it came to excellent first-person shooters. Fortunately, Guerilla Cambridge was able to fill the void with a superb effort that made its peers look laughable in comparison. While the frame rate can take a hit at times and it’s a little on the short side, it looks tremendous, has great shooting mechanics, and offers you the opportunity to play as both sides of the conflict. Sadly, its excellent online multiplayer is no longer up and running, so you’ll have to make do with the single-player campaign which clocks in at a brief but action-packed five hours.

24. Minecraft: PlayStation Vita Edition

Developer: Mojang
Released: 2014

The accessibility of Mojang’s world builder means it’s perfect for gaming on the go. While some will be disappointed with its lack of story or instruction, the real beauty of Minecraft is the sheer freedom that it offers. Pretty much anything you can think of can be built (providing you have the right resources or are playing in Creation mode) and you’re only really limited by your own imagination. While it lacks the huge playing areas of the PC original, the Vita version still manages to impress on its own terms and looks fantastic too.

23. Soul Sacrifice Delta

Developer: Marvelous AQL
Released: 2014

With Nintendo locking up Monster Hunter for the 3DS, numerous other developers rushed to plug the gaping hole on Vita. Soul Sacrifice Delta is easily the most ambitious of these clones, and it’s the brainchild of Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune. Sacrifice plays a big part in Delta’s mechanics as you’ll have to not only sacrifice fallen enemies to boost your stats but using certain powers will directly debilitate you, meaning there’s a little strategy to go alongside the combat. Delta is an enhanced update of Soul Sacrifice, rather than a proper sequel, and didn’t get a physical release in the west, although an expensive Asian English language version is available.

22. WipEout 2048

Developer: Studio Liverpool
Released: 2012

There was no shortage of great games for the PS Vita’s launch and WipEout remains one of the best racing experiences you can have on the console. Yes, it’s hampered by some slow loading times and the weight and speed of the craft take a little while to get used to, but once the new handling does click you’ll discover the racing and combat to be just as satisfying as earlier games in the series (which are actually set many years after this prequel). While its online multiplayer is a thing of the past, there remains plenty of cart-based content to keep you busy.

21. Dariusburst: Chronicle Saviours

Developer: Pyramid
Released: 2015

Few Vita shoot-’em-ups are as ambitious as this gargantuan game. While many balked at its high digital asking price, it makes perfect sense when you realize just how much content Taito’s magnificent shooter actually contains. In addition to featuring all the extras from the numerous arcade versions, including the 3,000 stage variations of Chronicles mode, Saviours also adds the brand-new Chronicle Saviours mode which gives you over 180 more stages to tackle and all sorts of delicious goodies to unlock, from new ships to bosses and audio tracks. Just be mindful that the nature of the arcade games means Arcade and EX mode are severely letterboxed, which can make it tough to tackle the water-themed bosses.

20. Mortal Kombat

Developer: NetherRealm Studios
Released: 2012

The PS Vita is blessed with a wealth of great fighters, but few can compete with the insane amount of content that Mortal Kombat offers. While its online servers have long since shut it features virtually all the content from the PS3’s Komplete Edition, meaning there’s a genuinely excellent story mode to battle through, sickening X-Ray Moves to enjoy and a gargantuan Challenge Tower to climb. Amazingly, the PS Vita version improves on this by retaining all the excellent gameplay and adding new costumes, touch-based finishing moves, and a brand-new Challenge Tower with 150 new missions to complete.

19. Lumines Electronic Symphony

Developer: Q Entertainment
Released: 2012

Q Entertainment’s sound-based puzzle game made its debut on the PSP and this new Vita iteration keeps the same base mechanics while adding in a few clever wrinkles of its own. Touch-based controls are usable as well as a more traditional set-up, while musical skins are now unlocked via a new experience system. Two brand-new blocks are introduced allowing you to shuffle on-screen blocks or chain together blocks and there’s a new Voyage mode where you must continually create colored squares, which is easier said than done. Coupled with a stunning soundtrack and the PS Vita’s OLED display it makes for a beautiful fusion of sight and sound.

18. Dragon Quest Builders

Developer: Square Enix
Released: 2016

As great as Minecraft is, its freeform gameplay certainly isn’t for everyone. If you’re like us and need a little more structure with your digging and building, you’ll find Dragon Quest Builders to be the perfect tonic. It takes the core concept of Mojang’s phenomenally successful game, but marries it to the popular Dragon Quest universe and fills it with likable characters, lite RPG mechanics, and an engaging story. It’s clever with its structure too, slowly giving you simple tasks to complete that rarely tax you, but as the game reaches its conclusion you’ll be overseeing objectives that will be beyond your wildest dreams.

17. The Walking Dead: Season One

Developer: Telltale Games
Released: 2013

It’s possible to purchase several TellTale Games titles on PS Vita, but its first entry in the popular Walking Dead series remains its strongest. While the game doesn’t give anywhere near as much agency over events as it would like you to believe, there’s no denying the weight of each choice you make as every decision seemingly dictates the future of protagonist Lee Everett and his young charge, Clementine. Yes, it’s built on a flimsy game engine that would become ever more problematic with later games, but the distinctive-looking visuals, magnificently written episodes, and numerous tense situations mean your Vita will rarely leave your hands.

16. Rogue Legacy

Developer: Cellar Door Games
Released: 2014

This charming roguelike is one of several PS Vita games that didn’t receive a physical release, meaning you should pick it up sooner rather than later. The clever mechanics at the base of Cellar Door Games’ adventure is that dying lets you carry on playing with a direct descendant of your character and they’ll often have abilities that can enhance or hinder your progress, from shortsightedness to smashing anything they blunder through. You soon realize that every trait can be exploited in some way meaning there are always new ways to explore the procedurally generated castle. It’s certainly not an easy game, but an excellent skill tree and perfectly balanced combat mechanics make each new run that little bit easier.

15. Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward

Developer: Chunsoft
Released: 2012

While the Zero Escape series started on Nintendo’s DS, its two concluding parts can be played on Vita and both of them are cracking yarns. Like 999, Virtue’s Last Reward is split between narrative-based story sections that allow you to interact with the eight other characters who are trapped with you in an unknown location and Escape sections that require you to solve numerous tricky puzzles so you can progress the engaging story. The masterstroke here though is the addition of a new Flowchart that allows you to instantly jump to key points of the story rather than playing through the entire game again.

14. Ys: Memories Of Celceta

Developer: Nihon Falcom
Released: 2012

The Ys series has been knocking around since the late 80s and Memories is actually a remake of the fourth game in the series which itself has two versions by two different developers. Despite its confusing lineage Celceta is a cracking update that features dynamic combat mechanics, a wealth of interesting characters to meet, and a genuine sense of exploration as the amnesia-stricken Adol attempts to piece his memories together while mapping a gigantic forest. It’s a great example of modernizing a 16-bit game for a new audience and is filled with great story beats and some fantastic boss fights. Adol’s Vita adventures would continue with Ys VIII: Lacrimosa Of Dana in 2016.

13. Velocity 2X

Developer: FuturLab
Released: 2014

While its physical release is rapidly escalating in price there’s always the digital version (while the store remains open). Regardless of which option you do plump for it’s unlikely you’ll be disappointed with FuturLabs’ slick shooter/run-and-gun hybrid. As with the original Velocity most levels take part in your Quarp Jet which has the handy ability to teleport, but you can also now dock at various points and it’s here that the game introduces new run-and-gun stages as Kai Tana tears around cleverly constructed levels. She’s as nimble as her jet and can also warp, meaning you’ll have plenty of clever puzzles to solve as you race through each stage. Exceptionally fast-paced and blessed with an astonishing soundtrack, Velocity 2X has some of the most frenetic blasting you can experience on Sony’s console.

12. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir

Developer: Vanillaware
Released: 2013

Although Vanillaware’s game started off on PS2, the PS Vita revision has gone through so many changes it can be considered a standalone (and much better) release. Combat has been dramatically overhauled compared to the PS2 original, numerous new enemies and bosses have been added and clunky elements like the inventory, POW gauge, and Psypher systems have been completely overhauled. The numerous new tweaks, greatly improved framerate, and additional quality of life touches that Vanillaware has added really allow you to enjoy Odin Sphere’s delightful story as it unfolds and intertwines via the five distinct characters you get to control.

11. Guacamelee!

Developer: DrinkBox Studios
Released: 2013

There are a number of entertaining Metroidvanias on Sony’s handheld, but our favorite remains this larger-than-life effort from DrinkBox Studios. As you’d expect from its name, combat plays an important role in Guacamelee! with luchador Juan receiving many combat-based moves that allow him to effortlessly navigate the village of Santa Luchita and best its many inhabitants. Filled with delightful characters, a drop-in and out two-player mode, a sharp script and plenty of memorable boss encounters, Juan’s adventure spans both the land of the living and the dead and never fails to impress. What a pity PS Vita owners never received the sequel.

10. Uncharted: Golden Abyss

Developer: Bend Studio
Released: 2011

Even today we still can’t work out how Bend Studio managed to cram a full-fat Uncharted experience into a 7.2-inch console. Granted it’s hampered by some rather naff touchscreen-based controls (many of which can thankfully be turned off) but that’s the only criticism we really have. The action is relentless, there are some spectacular set-pieces to gape at and Nolan North and Richard McGonagle return as Drake and Sully. Filled with inventive touches from using the PS Vita’s motion controls to aim your gun, or holding your Vita up to a light source, or rubbing its screen to solve puzzles, there’s always a lovely new flourish to discover. Sadly, the Vita never received another adventure quite like it.

9. Spelunky

Developer: Mossmouth
Released: 2013

The original Limited Run Games release of Derek Yu’s masterful platformer sold out in a couple of minutes, making it quite a pricey purchase nowadays. There’s a reason for the high demand though, it’s quite simply the best platformer you can play on Vita, and considering the competition that’s high praise indeed. Spelunky’s brutal difficulty will no doubt put many off, but if you stick with it you’ll find one of the most rewarding experiences around. While stages are procedurally generated, the enemies and traps that inhabit them obey certain laws and you’ll need to understand those in order to make progress. Just make sure to chain your Vita to your wrist as you may want to throw it at times.

8. Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Developer: Spike
Released: 2013

This excellent visual novel and murder mystery game is cleverly split into two distinctive parts. The School Life sections feature dating sim elements and have you chatting to your peers as you try and work out who is knocking off other students and the identity of a creepy talking bear called Monokuma. You also get the opportunity to investigate rooms and pick up clues similar to the Phoenix Wright games. Class Trials on the other hand crop up whenever a murder victim is found and you then have to work out who the killer is using multiple choice answers or literal “Truth Bullets” to hopefully catch someone in a lie and save your own skin in the process. Sharply written and expertly paced it’s one of the finest examples of the genre on Vita. Its two Vita sequels also come highly recommended.

7. Dragon’s Crown

Developer: Vanillaware
Released: 2013

Vanillaware’s vibrant brawler is also available on PS3 and PS4 but the Vita’s stunning OLED screen punches up the action no end. Dragon’s Crown is essentially a modern-day evolution of the scrolling fighters of old but ramps things up considerably thanks to its rich combat system, some solid RPG mechanics, six distinctive character classes that all play differently from each other, and some truly huge dungeons to navigate. While it lacks the multiplayer of its bigger brothers, the enemy AI is balanced enough that you don’t mind battling the game’s often stunning bosses on your own. The studio’s earlier release, Muramasa: The Demon Blade, is equally worthy of your time, but quite pricey now.

6. Severed

Developer: DrinkBox Studios
Released: 2016

DrinkBox Studios pushed out some wonderfully creative stuff on Vita and this epic slash-’em-up from the Toronto-based studio is as challenging as it is beautiful. Blessed with a surprisingly rich story, Severed casts you as Sasha, a plucky young girl on a quest to find her missing family. With a demonic blade in hand, you swipe at the PS Vita’s screen to deliver quick slashes, slow swipes, and clever counters as you’re constantly assaulted by grotesque nightmares that are vividly brought to life with the studio’s distinctive art style. Each monstrosity in the game has its own weaknesses and it becomes a mad juggling act as you switch between multiple targets to exploit the chinks in their defenses. Severed is one of those rare Viva titles where its touched-based controls improve the action rather than detract from it, so download it now and prepare to give your fingers a proper workout.

5. TxK

Developer: Llamasoft
Released: 2014

Jeff Minter has been tweaking and evolving Tempest for years now and with TxK he comes pretty close to perfecting it. At its heart, TxK is a tube shooter meaning you zip around the edges of elaborate shapes shooting at anything in your path, before proceeding to the next level. It’s simple enough in its execution, but TxK works so well because Minter is a master at creating twitch reaction-based shooters and TxK is one of his finest ever creations. Each level not only looks incredible thanks to the trippy psychedelic visuals and the Vita’s OLED screen, but they also sound incredible too and it’s this masterful blend of shooting and aesthetics that makes TxK so hard to put down. It has an alluring pull that’s impossible to ignore and it’s a crying shame that it never received a physical release.

4. Hotline Miami

Developer: Dennaton Games
Released: 2013

Dennaton Games’ viciously violent top-down shooter is as much a puzzle game as it is an all-out blaster. Each meticulously structured level requires you to navigate rooms filled with goons and achieve your goals as violently as possible. Doors can be slammed into enemies, weapons can be thrown at them and dogs can be violently stabbed. No deed is too dirty for your protagonist Jacket and you’ll have to do a lot of nasty stuff and don several animal masks (all of which grant you distinct powers) before you reach the game’s conclusion. Hotline Miami is as stylish as it is vibrant, thanks to its neon-soaked pixel art and solid writing, and shouldn’t be missed. Its equally violent sequel, Wrong Number, is also available on Sony’s console.

3. Tearaway

Developer: Media Molecule
Released: 2013

While an enhanced version would make its way to PS4, we feel Media Molecule’s inventive platformer fares best on Vita. Like many early Vita games, Tearaway makes heavy use of the PS Vita’s features, but here they enhance the on-screen action and never feel like forced-in gimmicks. You can touch the back screen to poke your fingers into the world and interact with it, create various things for the world’s inhabitants via the touchscreen and even appear in the game as a Teletubbies-styled sun. Outside of its many innovative flourishes Tearaway takes place in a beautifully constructed paper world full of folds, creases, and wrinkles and has a charming story at its center that’s every bit as memorable as Tearaway’s ever-evolving game mechanics.

2. Persona 4 Golden

Developer: Atlus
Released: 2011

This tremendous remake of the PS2 game was originally planned for PSP, but Atlas moved development to Sony’s new console and the end result is one of the system’s most engrossing games. Persona 4 was already a staggeringly deep experience on PS2, but this new Vita revision expands things dramatically with plenty of new content, including a brand-new character called Marie, as well as expanded storylines and social links and the introduction of new Personas, brand-new story elements and greatly enhanced visuals. Even without all these delicious extras Persona 4 is elevated to greatness thanks to its deep combat mechanics, wonderfully flexible gameplay, its unique dungeons, and exceptionally written characters who are as interesting as they are varied. Indeed, there’s so much going on in Atlus’ game that it’s easy to forget you’re supposed to be tracking down a serial killer.

1. Gravity Rush

Developer: Japan Studio
Released: 2012

Few videogame superheroes express their available powers as well as the main protagonist of Japan Studio’s sensational action-adventure game. Kat has the power to manipulate gravity and while it takes a little while to master, you’ll soon feel invincible as you run along the sides of buildings, propel yourself at enemies and even master the power of flight. It creates a wonderful sense of freedom as you explore the breathtaking city of Hekseville and complete quests for its memorable NPCs while looking for the tucked-away gems that will expand Kat’s health and grant her new abilities. Not since Crackdown has the feeling of exploring presented so many rewards and it’s easy to lose focus from the main adventure as you explore Hekseville’s many nooks and crannies.

Japan Studio’s game is everything you want from a killer app: it offers stunning visuals, does a spectacular job of showcasing the PS Vita’s unique attributes, and is mechanically excellent. It’s quite simply the best experience you can have on Sony’s handheld.

If you’re passionate about retro gaming or just want to learn more about it, then you should check out Retro Gamer. Retro Gamer is the world’s longest-running magazine dedicated to classic games, and you can find out more about it at at Magazines Direct (opens in new tab)

The post The Best PS Vita Games of All-Time appeared first on Game News.

This feature first appeared in Official PlayStation Magazine. Get the latest in PlayStation on doorstep early and for a better price! Subscribe to OPM here (opens in new tab). 

Sony has officially stopped producing PS Vita (opens in new tab), but the diminutive powerhouse will live on in our memories and our clammy hands for years to come. It proved itself a worthy home for blockbuster games like Uncharted: Golden Abyss (opens in new tab) and  Tearaway (opens in new tab) and gave awesome indies like  Hotline Miami (opens in new tab) and  Severed (opens in new tab) a place to shine. We spoke to developers about the PS Vita, and found out we won’t be only ones mourning its loss. 

Have you got any memories of the PS Vita you want to share? Ideas about what Sony could do in the handheld market next? Poems about Tearaway you want to record and send? Let us know on Twitter. (opens in new tab) 

Graham Smith, Drinkbox Studios

Games: Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack, Guacamelee!, Severed
“The Vita was the first handheld console that Drinkbox Studios developed games for. Getting up and running on the Vita was super smooth-due to its similarity to PS3 development, and the performance of the device was good enough to allow us to run our games without sacrificing any quality. We found a lot of success on the Vita, having released three games on the console, including a launch title that was designed specifically with the Vita in mind (Mutant Blobs Attack). We also made it possible to play Guacamelee! on PS3 using the Vita as a controller where the Vita screen would show the mini-map while you played. Overall, the Vita was an absolute delight to work with.” 

Toshihiro Kondo, Nihon Falcom

Games: The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel, Ys Series
“At Falcom, starting with the Trails and Ys series, we have truly released many titles for the Vita. We’ve learned so much about it by developing for it and, not only I, but our entire development staff has a very strong attachment to the Vita. I’ve also played many titles on it as a gamer myself. There aren’t many handheld gaming hardware devices out there with so many high quality titles so easily available! I’m proud to say that I still have my Vita to this day. I would certainly love to see it revived in the future.”

Sohei Niikawa, Nippon Ichi Software

Games: Disgaea series
“The Vita is personally my all-time favorite console. At Nippon Ichi Software, we’ve developed and sold lots of software on this console. Vita’s awesome! If there will ever be a successor to the Vita, I would love have a game ready for its launch!”

Yu Mizokami, Nippon Ichi Software

Games: Yomawari: Night Alone
“The first game I ever developed was for the Vita hardware, so I have a lot of attachment to it. In fact, I’ve never developed for anything but Vita! The Vita was such a playful console that provided so many unique features like the back-touch screen. Vita’s so awesome.”

Josh Fairhurst, Limited Run Games

Games: Chronus Arc, King of Fighters 97 Global Match, Saturday Morning RPG
“For me, it’s the perfect platform for visual novels, shoot-‘em-ups and RPGs. It’s easy to develop for versus the 3DS (and more powerful) and the beautiful widescreen display makes these genres really shine on the platform. I feel like if those genres were more mainstream in the West, the Vita would be much more successful here.”

Takuya Yamanaka, Aquria

Games: The Caligula Effect
“Thinking back, the PSVita was the console that I played for the longest time. (Games like Sakatsuku (Let’s Make a Pro-Soccer Club!), Persona 4 Golden, and Freedom Wars really stole my time~) There have been several portable game consoles, but that initial, rich feeling ‘I am walking around with a PlayStation in my hands’ is something that I will never forget. As a creator, my debut work Caligula was on the Vita so we are very much in debt to the console.”

What games should you play on Sony’s handheld? Check out our list of best PS Vita games (opens in new tab) of all time. 

The post “My all-time favorite console” – Developers pay tribute to PS Vita appeared first on Game News.

Look at how responsive it is, even when the gyroscope is being used to move the camera by holding down the left bumper to activate it. And the frame-rate even looks reasonably smooth. We are slightly disappointed that such a technical wizard didn’t have an HD camera to hand, as the video is a little pixellated even on 480p. But we’re not complaining too much – we’re too busy being in awe.

If this is an indication of how PS3 Remote Play will look on Vita, we’re sold. However, bear in mind that most PS3 games weren’t programmed to leave some processing space for converting the video output for play on a PS Vita, so it may not be as simple as this PC link.

We always liked the idea of Remote Play on PSP, but it was always too laggy to be enjoyable, in our experience. This looks like… well, it looks exactly like Left 4 Dead. And that means brill.

Source: Joystiq (opens in new tab)

The post Left 4 Dead running on a PlayStation Vita? Unofficial video shows the potential brilliance of Remote Play. You HAVE to see this appeared first on Game News.

For the uninitiated, Super Stardust is a shoot-em-up in which you move a spaceship along the spherical surfaces of several planets and blast through waves of missiles, asteroids, and whatever other debris and threating items come your way. You fight through wave after wave until you encounter a massive level boss, then conquer each planet. It’s a twin-stick game—on the PS3, you steer with the left and fire with the right; the PSP game suffered from using the face buttons to shoot—that forces you to think fast and depend on your shields and a dash function to evade danger. It’s a proven formula that works exceptionally well.

Delta adds several new wrinkles to Housemarque’s popular mechanics. Many of them center around the Vita’s hardware capabilities, but unlike so many launch games, they blend in naturally and give the game a sense of uniqueness that’s missing from several other titles. Aside from full twin-stick support, Delta allows you to tap on the touchscreen and rear touchpad to unleash massive missile attacks and devastating black holes, respectively.

Delta also takes wonderful advantage of the Vita’s accelerometer to allow you to not only emit a massive pulsewave that clears out legions of enemies, but lets you tilt the screen to get different angles on the enemies you battle. It’s invaluable in boss fights, as it lets you get a better angle on each level boss and strategize your attack effectively. Also, if you’re inclined to play in a more traditional style, the game also offers a “Pure” mode, that gets rid of certain enhancements and touchscreen functions.

One of the reasons that the game functions so well as a proper handheld shooter is the nature of the gameplay. It’s highly conducive to being picked up for 15 to 20 minute bursts on a bus or subway, and it’s easy to lose track of time, as we discovered when we missed a subway stop while trying to crack a level boss. Upon beating each planet, you’ll also unlock some brief, but fun minigames. Delta takes advantage of the Vita’s social features. If you’ve got the Wi-Fi + 3G system, you’ll be able to see how you fare against your friends in a matter of seconds thanks to the game’s leaderboards.

Overall, Super Stardust Delta offers a great deal of engaging and entertaining gameplay in a tiny package. Although you may be deliberating over several other PlayStation Vita launch titles, there’s no reason not to add this game to your collection. Even if it weren’t lower-priced in comparison to other games in the lineup, there’s enough here to make it far more intriguing of a game to add to your collection. Don’t hesitate to pick this one up.

The post Super Stardust Delta review appeared first on Game News.

Box Score is a weekly column that offers a look at sports games and the athletic side of the industry from the perspective of veteran reviewer and sports fan Richard Grisham.

This is the third of a 3-part series examining how FIFA for the Vita went from conception to completion. To read Part 1, click here; Part 2 is here.

“This is where a little piece of you dies.”

So laments Matt Prior, producer of FIFA for Sony’s new Vita handheld. The final months of a game’s development cycle are when the toughest, most painful decisions are made. After a year and a half of planning, designing, building, and testing, Prior and his team must look at each other and kill one or more features they’d desperately hoped would make it into the hands of the players.

“As a producer, you want to make the best possible product you can,” explains Prior. “All producers are gamers; we’ve sat there and criticized other products, but the reality is every team is working its hardest. You have to make those sacrifices and decisions.”

Sometimes those decisions can be taken personally. Each major aspect of a game has an individual producer associated with it; cuts to that mode can make that person feel as if their work has been compromised or, even worse, eliminated altogether. No one said the business of building videogames was easy, after all. It’s a simple, cold calculation. “You’re up against time and budget,” says Prior. “That’s the most brutal, from a producer’s standpoint.”

The last few weeks of a game’s development are frantic. When things are going well, that’s when the daily builds start to reveal the essence of what it will be. “You’re up against the time limit and it’s kind of a critical phase. (That’s your) chance to put the polish on it; hopefully time allows it,” says Prior. “It’s where you do the final bit of tuning. You say ‘oh, we must do this, because it makes it better.’ The game really comes into its own that last little bit where it all gets polished.”

Then, of course, there are the bugs.

“No game in the history of gaming has ever gone out without bugs,” continues Prior. “Bugs do get shipped; they have to if you want a game on time. As a producer, your role is to make sure those bugs that are shipped aren’t detrimental to the overall quality. You hope it doesn’t really affect the consumer experience. At the end of the day, that’s the paramount thing. We want to make the best possible game.”

While Prior and his team are making the tough calls on last-minute adjustments and frantically prioritizing the issues to tackle, he’s also taking his game and putting it in the hands of the general public and press for the first time. It’s one thing to do this on a platform people are comfortable with; quite another to do so on something so different and innovative as the PlayStation Vita.

“You’d be amazed at how many thousands of ways people could hold the device; it’s one of those things you never really think of when designing it,” laughs Prior as he describes the initial ‘game-ops’ sessions with people the team invites to the studio to play-test the title. “We love watching people pick it up and hold it. Almost no one holds it the same way, so we have to kind of say ‘We’ve got to adapt to this.’”

Almost immediately, Prior and his team discovered that they’d need to provide several options for control. In particular, the presence of a rear-touch pad on the Vita presented a challenge. While FIFA takes advantage of the screen for passing and shooting, the team realized they’d need to give users the ability to toggle its use on and off – at least until the person got a handle on how to best play using the screen.

“Rear shooting is off if you desire,” explains Prior. “You can’t design for everyone. There is no best practice in how to hold it even though the device has got the grooves on the back. Clearly you’re meant to hold it with your fingers bent, but very few people actually do that off the bat. We sat and looked at people and how they held it and we said ‘we’ve got to be kind of clever.’”

As Sony has begun holding events promoting the Vita (at both invite-only sessions and its Vita Social Clubs), FIFA has been one of the showcase titles. As a title with wide appeal, terrific visuals, and unique control offerings, it’s easy to see why Sony would choose to show off the power of their new handheld with such a big, deep game.

Even so, the newness of the machine, coupled with its unique rear touchscreen has many people talking. On his influential show Weekend Confirmed from January 20, host Garnett Lee voiced a combination of optimism and concern based upon his initial experience.

“I’m sort of torn,” said Lee, explaining his first go with the game and, in particular, the rear touchscreen. “You can do what you couldn’t do before in FIFA, which is shoot a low hard ball into a corner. [However,] my fingers are so long that I have a hard time holding the thing and not having them touch the back touch[screen], which defeats the purpose.”

As with any new hardware, it will take time for players to get familiar with, and ultimately comfortable using, all the features the Vita offers. FIFA has clearly been built with a tremendous amount of passion, which reflects in the conversations I’ve had with Prior. Whether or not FIFA ultimately succeeds when it’s released next month depends on many things, not least of which is the reception the Vita gets from the North American market. One thing is clear, above all: Matt Prior has poured his heart and soul into it being something to be proud of.

Richard Grisham has been obesessed with sports and video games since childhood, when he’d routinely create and track MicroLeague Baseball seasons on paper. He currently lives in New Jersey with his wife and four-year old son, who he’ll soon be training to be an NFL placekicker. As a freelance journalist and writer, his work has appeared in GamesRadar, NGamer, and 1UP.

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The month-to-month plans don’t require any contract commitment, and come in two flavors: $14.99 for 250MB and $25 for 2GB. No details were given on just what happens if you go over that amount, but the prices (while not cheap) fall in line with similar AT&T data plans for phones. Since the 3G version of the hardware is already $50 more than the Wi-Fi model, do these prices seem fair, or do they make you want to pre-order the Wi-Fi version instead?

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Slated for launch release in both the US and Europe, Touch My Katamari hopes to revitalize the somewhat stagnant series with a new “spin” (sorry!) on the Katamari formula.

What is it? The premise of all Katamari games is simple: roll around a round, sticky katamari to gather larger and larger items strewn about various colorful levels. The goal is always to make as large a spherical clump of random objects as you possibly can. Katamari’s strength has always been deeply rooted in its stylish presentation, so it’s something that you have to see or play for yourself to really understand the appeal.

What’s new in the PS Vita version? The two biggest additions in Touch My Katamari are the Vita touch controls and the ability to stretch and squish the katamari into oblong shapes using the back touchpad. Swipe your fingers outward on the back touchpad to stretch the katamari into a rolling-pin shape that enables you to pick up wider swaths of items at a time. Swipe your fingers toward the center of the back touchpad to squish the katamari into a tall wheel able to roll up ramps quickly and get into narrow gaps.

How do the PS Vita controls work? If you prefer, you can control the game entirely through touch controls by swiping your finger across the screen to send the katamari rolling in the direction you swipe. It works fine, but the dual analog sticks on Vita are still the best way to control your katamari, and they’re a big step up from the single stick on PSP.

Regardless of if you decide to use the sticks or the touch screen controls though, you still need to use the back touchpad to stretch and squish the katamari, which felt somewhat unwieldy at first. Because we’re not used to using a rear touchpad, we often had to pause our thumb movement to stretch, squeeze or reset the katamari (double tap the back to return to normal katamari shape), causing our katamari to grind to a halt for a precious split-second each time. Still, the levels we’ve played so far don’t really require that you manipulate the katamari’s shape, so if you want to play it as a traditional Katamari game you totally can.

The best parts so far: Touch My Katamari is very Japanese even by Katamari standards, and we’re not just saying that because we’re playing the import version. Aside from the intro story about the King of All Cosmos’s fall from popularity, there’s also a side story told in cutscenes about a videogame otaku struggling to focus on his studies and failing miserably. It’s a typical tale, but it’s told with such classic Katamari style that it’s still ultra-charming. It’s also good to see that Katamari isn’t toning itself down in search of wider appeal – if anything, this is the most balls-out (ha ha) bizarre Katamari game yet.

The not-so great parts: If you’re looking for something really different compared to previous Katamari games, this isn’t it. That’s either going to be a very good thing or a very bad thing depending on your perspective of the series. And while we found that squeezing and stretching the katamari was fun to experiment with in the first few levels, we stopped using this feature as much after awhile. The rolling-pin shape katamari does have a larger surface area to pick up more items, but it also rolls more slowly, which kind of negates the benefit a little bit. We also experienced occasional pop-in issues on some of the larger stages that made areas look empty until we rolled closer. Normally that wouldn’t be a huge deal, but it sometimes made judging which area we should explore next difficult because we couldn’t see what kind of items it contained from a distance.

Above: Playing through the first areas of the game

When can you play it for yourself? Touch My Katamari is a Vita launch title for both the US and Europe, so if you’re planning on a day one purchase, you can start rolling your katamari right away.

Is it import-friendly? The acutal gameplay of Katamari is pretty easy to grasp for anyone who has played it before, but there is a fair amount of gameplay that involves reading, and we couldn’t find an English option. We worked around it, but later levels that require rolling up specific things might prove difficult.

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