Box Art | Title | Genre | Description | Screenshots |
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Atelier Totori Plus | RPG | Updated port of the PS3 game. and includes the PS3 DLC along with new costumes, recipes, bosses, illustrations, and Orthogalaxen from Rorona. Also has some new camera tweaks, optional(?) touchscreen for menus, and fast-forward for events you've already seen. No cross-game stuff, sadly. If you've never played it, it's "arguably" the most well-rounded of the Arland Trilogy of Atelier games, though opinions are a bit split on that. Negatives include the occasional lag (which is thankfully not too bad, but still noticable) and load times can be a little long. EU/USA got only a digital release. |
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Dokuro | Platformer / Puzzle | A puzzle-platformer with a chalk-based storybook aesthetic and aspects reminiscent of a side-scrolling Ico. You are a skeleton who must guide a princess to safety, while avoiding traps, foes, and other hazards. You must protect your own hide but also hers, since either character's death means redoing the current stage. The difficulty soon gets rather devious with many clever and fiendish puzzles. While some puzzles revolve around using obstacles, there's a few items you get to keep for future use, such as a potion that lets you become a sword-wielding hero for a while and different types of magic chalk (use with the touchscreen for different effects related to puzzles) It's a well thought out game and it takes some real thinking to beat. Even the bosses are interesting to fight as well. The story is also quite adorable. For NA/EU, it's only on PSN but japanese retail is cheap to import and contains english and other european languages. |
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Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable | TPS | Giant bugs are invading the earth! Are you a bad enough dude to save the earth? Has some extra content over the original console version (more missions. etc.), and some once-removed features coming back, like the Palewing (pictured; a flying "jet hero"-esque fighter who uses an electric laser), along with local and online multiplayer. Also, a new one is coming out as well, but on consoles. PSN-only in USA and Europe. Physical is JP-only. |
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Escape Plan | Puzzle | Quirky and stylish puzzle game that revolves around guiding two loveable blobs of dark matter around deadly rooms full of traps. Each has abilities and properties that the other doesn't. Though both humorously tally how many times they've died on their bellies. Responsive and intuitive touch controls that are sometimes way too precise for it's own sake. Extremely nice addition to the Vita's library. Game looks amazing with its monochrome graphics, that feature black, white, and pretty much every damn shade of the two that fall in-between, giving a gorgeously noir-like feel. Has DLC to add on extra stages. | ||
Guacamelee! | Metroidvania/ Meme 'em up |
You're a farmer-turned-luchador who learns super-powered wrestling moves from a magical goat-man in order to save El Presidente's Daughter from an evil charro skeleton and his band of demons, who want to sacrifice her and turn the world into their undead slaves. It plays as crazy as it sounds. Every single move you learn has usage in combat and in exploration, and the intricate world revolves around utilizing your skills and testing your reflexes with clever layouts. Combat is also a treat, as you can combine your striking attacks with grappling, throws, and juggles to deal long strings of versatile combos across multiple foes at a time, providing you have the reactions to weave out of damage and the bravado to rattle some bones. Although this version lacks co-op, it supports full cross-buy (buy either, get the other) and cross-save with the PS3 version, which does have co-op, along with cross-controller, to co-op with a PS3 while using your Vita. |
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Hotline Miami | Kill 'em all | Surreal as fuck ultra-violent murder simulation. The game gives you multiple ways to kill your enemies, from a quiet knife-stab to blazing firearms sprays, littering levels with the bodies of the fallen. Ironically, you'll probably be the one dying the most. Thankfully, you can obtain masks that give you beneficial aid, such as lethal punches or starting off with weapons of choice. Without giving away too many spoilers, the story is set in the 1980s, features an atmosphere fitting of such, and becomes stranger and more twisted with each stage. Cross-Buy with the PS3 version. | ||
Hatsune Miku Project Diva
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Rhythm | Another installment in the Project Diva series. Vocaloid otaku-attracting rhythm game featuring Hatsune Miku that's actually quite challenging. Was shown in a booth at E3 surprisingly enough so it may get out of Japan (and it did). Some have questioned the star-swiping, but you'll probably get it for Miku anyways (Luka master race is so above this shit). Has its own Vita as well, but don't expect to pay less than top dollar for that.
Physical copy not availble in North America and Europe. |
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Jet Set Radio | Groovy skating platfomer grafitti rudie game | JET SET RADIOOOOOOOOOO has now been remade for your pleasure. Your portable pleasure. You can use touch controls for graffiti and also images from Vita's memory and/or Vita's camera. However, it is sometimes picky about what it accepts and uses. A solid port of the console port (It never ends), with no real detriment or difference. | ||
Knytt Underground | Platformer/ Puzzle |
3rd entry in the Knytt series. Combines aspects of nifflas' past games, such as the clever platforming of Within a Deep forest, the non-linearity of Knytt, and the NPC interaction and story roles of Knytt Stories. It also has a lush as fuck world that's a feast for the eyes. That's about all one can say without jumping into spoilers territory. Supports full cross-buy and cloud save with PS3. |
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Motorstorm RC | Arcade/ Racing |
You thought Micro Machines were gone for good? Well, you were wrong as they returned under Motorstorm RC cloak! Fast paced,crazy and off the bounds RC racing that bring breathe of fresh air with a pinch of oldschool arcade racing. Good amount of content mixed with extremely low price are just too good to pass. Great title that will last you for hours. Also has the DLC "Pro-Am Festival" add-on, which unlocks extra stages. *Cross-Buy* Now available as a "complete" edition, with all the DLC stages and vehicles for not much more than the base game (and much less than buying all the DLC separately). |
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Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD | First/Third- Person Shooter |
The summary on our Xbox page pretty much sums up the game proper. If you want more info on the Vita-centric differences, check out these two sites, as they pretty much sum it up: 1 2. It still looks, sounds, and plays great, and despite the Vita res, still looks better than the original version. The best portable way to play this, aside from laptops. | ||
The Pinball Arcade | Pinball | If you're a pinball connoisseur, then this will be a real treat for you. Emulating real life pinball machines to their exact details, this game provides all the bells and whistles of actual machines (even potential stuck-zones which require you to "call a repair"). What's great is the sheer range of gimmicks and properties, from the anti-gravity "Black Hole", to fan-faves like "Elvira", even the much-loved "Theatre of Magic". A number of these machines have become rare finds (some having even less than 10,000 MADE) and often snatched up by collectors. Thankfully, you can get in on the action, without spending the quarters. Cross-buy with PS3. All extra tables also seem to be cross-buy. |
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Retro City Rampage | Action/ Sandbox |
A completely awesome, pseudo 8-bit, retro-styled, top-down GTA type game. In this game, you can cause all sorts of havoc all over a big city. The game also loves that it's in retro style, as is shown by the HUGE amount of references to gaming days gone by (even in the COLOR OPTIONS). Mixes things up a bit in some story-mode missions, having you do things such as some unexpected platforming, theft, chases, etc., instead of just just killin dudes. However, there are optional mini-missions that do just that. If you have a PS3, you can cross-save between platforms. Note: on Vita, 3x zoom is recommended, though not mandatory. *Cross-Buy* Note 2: This has been replaced by the DX version of RCR. More on that later. | ||
Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken | Platformer/ Stealth |
You are a chicken in the special forces trying to stop terrorist penguins. Filled with goofy parody and hefty action alike, creating a nice balance of "fun n' gun". Stealth plays a notable part in your mission, as to avoid being riddled full of bullets. Ammo and health refills are also limited, giving survival-based aspects to this as well. In the flying stages, though, you're free to blast at will, as you zip around on a jetpack taking out foes and large vehicles alike. Also, there's a new co-op mode where you play as tiny budgies on a rescue mission. Although it was ported from the PS3, the frame rate was reduced. It still plays smoothly, but it's more notable if you played the original. Sadly, it lacks cross-game capablities, though you do unlock extra characters for co-op mode in Vita if you have the PS3 version. |
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Sine Mora | Horizontal-Shmup | Crazy shmup with a story told out of sequence, and features different characters in stages. The interesting thing about this is that they have different attributes as well, making for some interesting gameplay. All of them share a time-based mechanic though. Your life is based on a stage-set clock, and getting hurt lowers your time left, while killing foes well adds to it. There are also power ups as well. The "arcade mode" puts the stages in sequence, making for a different experience. Doesn't support cross-buy or cross-play outside of leaderboards. |
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Sound Shapes | Platformer/ Rhythm |
Use the touch screens to make musical side-scrolling platformer levels. The types of design and elements created depend on tempo, instrument, and layering. Best of all, you can upload them and download levels from others. Some are good, others are not. Has a campaign mode to unlock more content with each level beaten. Said campaign is fairly short, but has some neat levels, like Beck's stages. While it lacks multiplayer, you seem to be able to download levels made with either version. The price is a bit high, so you might want to wait for a sale or discount, unless you have a PS3 as well, which makes it a bit more fair, since you get both versions for the price of one. *Cross-Buy* | ||
Spelunky | Platformer/ Roguelike |
You may have played the original seen in here, but this one is based off the Xbox 360 remix. It added and changed quite a lot, so those who wish to know more should check the official site and its Wiki. This version specifically has the advantages of co-op without sharing screens, cross-buy and cross-play with PS3, and, of course, portability. The Vita's game-suspend capabilities work quite well with Spelunky's quick-play nature. The resolution difference may seem like a disadvantage, but it still looks and fits/resizes everything in quite well, so no worries. | ||
Super Stardust Delta | Action/ Shoot'em up |
SHIEEEET. This is the game you must have if you are getting Vita. Shoot asteroids and aliens with your space ship using dual analog sticks control scheme. For such low price you are getting centuries worth of fucking awesome gameplay mixed with badass soundtrack and pure eyegasmic visuals. One of the most fun games in a while. | ||
Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack | Platformer | Sequel and successor to the PS3/PSN game "Tales from Space: About a Blob". Funny and stylish platformer in which you take control of the titular Mutant Blob. Your objective is to complete levels while platforming, magnetizing, polarizing, jetting, and munching through all sorts of stages and obstacles. Also, Tilt-a-Blob levels, which are similar to the old marble-mazed toys, but much more intricate and devious. Different in a few ways versus the prequel, but still good. Offers a lot of content that is just a steal for such low price. Great visuals mixed with addicting and fun platforming. Even if you haven't played the first, there's no stopping you from playing this. | ||
TxK | Shooter | A topnotch spiritual remake of Tempest 2000 by the one and only scruffy hairy beast Jeff Minter. And seriously, if you don't know Tempest 2000, you know jack shit about classic vidya. It's a trippy, fast-paced, abstract tube shooter. | ||
Zen Pinball 2 | Pinball | Improved sequel to the flippin' excellent Zen Pinball. Great physics, great tables, great online competition. Imports your data and tables from ZP1 and Marvel Pinball (though not the other way around, sadly), so you didn't waste a dime if you got those before this. Where as TPA has many tables from real-life, it seems damn near every table in Zen is full-digital, giving lots of neat opportunities for gimmicks and bonuses. In addition to ZP's own tables, there's also tables they made based on other properties as well, such as Star Wars, Plants vs Zombies, and Ninja Gaiden, each having some neat little modes based on their origins. Has cross-buy, cross-DLC, and cloud-save with PS3 version, so even when you're out and about, you won't have to worry about going full tilt from pinball dehydration. |