I never owned a Game Boy. As a child, I spent my portable playtime enjoying Sega’s Game Gear, with it’s bright, colourful screen, and classic titles such as Sonic the Hedgehog, and Streets of Rage. Things were different back then, as Nintendo’s handheld dominance was not yet fully established, and other companies tried to grab a piece of the pie. Unfortunately, as the years went on, the Game Boy’s advantages (such as portability, battery life, and, of course, Tetris) proved too much for Sega’s pocket-sized fun machine, and it disappeared into the pages of history, alongside the Atari Lynx and a few other ill-fated attempts at portable gaming. Nintendo’s monopoly on the handheld market had truly begun.
It would be many years before another company tried to unseat the big N. Then in 2005, Sony stepped up to the plate with the PSP. It seemed like it may be the first real evolution in portables - gone were the 16-bit-style graphics we were accustomed to on the GBA, to be replaced by full 3D polygons and CD quality sound. The system had real promise, and I was among the many who eagerly made the trip to my local gaming store on launch day, in order to see what the future held. It could be argued that the PSP turned out to be a failure. Sure, it sold well enough, but as time passed, Nintendo’s DS proved to be the system of choice for those looking for gaming fun while away from the TV. I must admit that I had a hand in this, as my PSP slowly began to gather dust, and my DS collection continued to grow for many years. However, the PSP certainly succeeded in one area - showing that a company other than Nintendo could produce a quality handheld system.
A lot has changed since the DS and PSP launched in the mid-2000s. The portable gaming market is now dominated by Apple, with their fun, inexpensive iPhone games, a change that has caused many to predict the death of dedicated handhelds in the next few years. However, this has not discouraged Sony from giving it another go, bringing us the recently-released PlayStation Vita. The promise is still there - full console gaming in the palm of your hand, and it seems that, finally, there’s a chance this dream may become reality. No expense has been spared (well, almost none - more on that later) when it comes to Sony’s latest portable, with it’s 5-inch OLED touchscreen, duel analog thumbsticks, rear capacitive panel, SixAxis motion control, front and back cameras, and even GPS and 3G integration. But do all these ingredients combine into a delicious dish, or simply an inedible mess? Let’s spend a little time examining them.
I’ll start with the basic hardware. Design-wise, the Vita follows in the footsteps of the PSP, but changes a few things. For a start, it’s noticeably bigger, although seems thinner than Sony’s last handheld. Gone are the row of buttons that controlled the PSP’s brightness and sound/screen settings, creating a cleaner looking console. With the volume buttons moved to the top of the unit, the front is kept strictly for the important stuff - gaming control. Sony’s trademark circle, triangle, cross, and square buttons are present, although smaller and closer together than any previous console they’ve produced. For those of us with small hands, it’s not a problem, though I can imagine some will be put off by their size and placement. The d-pad has probably undergone the most radical change, as Sony finally move away from their design of systems past - you know, where each segment of the d-pad appears separate from every other; instead going with a fully raised cross. It feels like a real improvement, and I’m sure games that require its use will benefit greatly.
Of course, the biggest improvement to the control system centres around the duel thumbsticks. The single biggest complaint lobbied towards the PSP was Sony’s decision to include only one analog control nub, as the duel-stick system is one that so many games rely on these days. Thankfully, they listened, as the Vita incorporates two of them, and they are a lot nicer to use than the PSP’s flat circle thing. They are definitely smaller than a full-sized controller’s, and don’t move as far, but feel solid and responsive. They don’t click when pressed down (no L3 and R3), but since the Vita has a touchscreen and back touch panel, games should not have to sacrifice any controls when appearing on the system. Overall, the unit feels very nice in the hand - it’s not too heavy, and doesn’t induce any hand cramps, unlike certain other systems I’ve played in the past….
The screen on the Vita is certainly attractive. As I mentioned before, it’s a 5″ OLED display, which is bright, vibrant, and doesn’t have the terrible refresh rate the PSP’s screen suffered from. However, I find myself a little disappointed with the resolution Sony chose to use. Sure qHD (960×540) may be higher than any dedicated handheld that came before, but with 720p (1920×1280) phones already on the market, it seems that Sony could have easily used a screen that matches this resolution. I know that the quad core processor is more than powerful enough to render graphics this fine, so I can only assume that cost was the deciding factor in their decision. High-res screens are definitely more expensive to manufacture, and since the Vita costs far less than an unsubsidised high-end smartphone, it makes sense that Sony couldn’t go all-out with their display. That’s not to say it looks bad, it really doesn’t, but I worry that a few years down the line people may not find the Vita’s graphics to be as pretty as those on other devices. I should also mention that the screen’s a real magnet for fingerprints. Yes, I know, so are most touchscreen devices, but modern oleophobic (god, i love that word) coatings can work wonders to prevent smears, so it’s a shame Sony didn’t utilise this technology.
As far as touch control goes, Sony use a capacitive, multi-touch display on the front, and a large multi-touch area on the back. The inclusion of a touchsceen was a no-brainer, really, as this is a control method we’ve all become used to in the last half-decade. The Vita’s feels accurate and responsive, and it’s large size means that developers can easily fit touchable icons down the side of game screens without getting in the way of the action. It’s the touch panel on the back, though, that seems to leave many scratching their heads. So far, in the few games I’ve played, no one has quite figured out what to use it for, but the potential is there for some interesting gameplay mechanics if properly utilised. Only time will tell if it becomes the next big thing in gaming control, or if it ends up being one of the oft-ignored input methods, such as the PS2′s pressure-sensitive buttons or, to a lesser extent, the PS3′s SixAxis abilities.
Speaking of SixAxis, this is another addition to the Vita’s lineup of control methods. Anyone who’s used the PS3 should be familiar with its integration, and I’m sure developers will incorporate it to some extent. In my Uncharted review, I mentioned that using it to line up headshots was one of the best elements of the game, and I really hope other studios follow this lead, using the motion control as well as SCE Bend did. The front and rear cameras are also available for developers to use, although I can’t imagine we’ll see them in many games, except for the AR titles that occasionally crop up. You also won’t be using the cameras for taking photos, as they simply aren’t up to the quality that many phones provide these days, and certainly nowhere near a real digital camera.
Okay, lets move on from the hardware and talk a little about the software. I was happy to see that Sony have moved away from the Cross Media Bar UI featured in the PS3, PSP, and even Sony TVs. I always found it a little confusing, and constantly had to search around for the functions I was looking for. Instead, the Vita uses an interface that clearly draws inspiration from today’s line of mobile phones, with it’s scrollable pages of icons and applications. Unfortunately, Sony decided to include some very Nintendo-Wii-sounding background music into the menus, but this can easily be switched off in the options before it drives you crazy. When you open an application, it appears as a card that can be swiped to, much like HP’s WebOS (anyone actually use that?), and multiple applications can be open at once. This is quite a nice feature, as you can have settings and trophy information open while you’re still playing a game, and switching back and forth between them is achieved in seconds.
Another nice feature becomes apparent when you insert a game cartridge (yes, the UMD is gone - replaced by a much better, solid-state drive): As well as giving you the option to start the game, there are links to the instruction manual, game forums, and PSN store. It’s great having quick access to these resources, and I have to applaud Sony for moving away from the traditional printed manuals we’ve had for years. Not only is it better for the environment, but it’s nice to know the game instructions are always accessible (because we sometimes need to consult them, especially in complex games), even if the box is not present.
Included on the system are a number of built-in apps - all of the usual ones are present, such as video and music players, trophy viewer, and friends list. I won’t spend too much time going into the details of every application, but I’ll talk a bit about some of the more important ones. Firstly, the web browser is surprisingly decent: It’s smooth and responsive, and loads pages fairly quickly. There’s no Flash support (unsurprisingly, as Adobe are moving away from Flash on mobile), but I could see myself using it if no other options were available. There’s also a useful Google Maps app, which uses the GPS to provide directions. Of course, many of us will never use these apps, as we have phones that do the job much better, but it’s nice to know the option is there. It’s also good to know that if I click on the forum link offered by each game, it will open in a browser I actually feel comfortable using. One application that won’t be found on phones, though, is the one called “Welcome Park”. It claims to be an introduction to the various functions of the Vita system, but rather than simply show videos, it invites you to play various minigames, each of which uses a different feature to play. For instance, one set relies on the touchscreen and back panel, one uses the camera, and another the SixAxis motion control. I can’t see myself playing these games too often, but they’re a fun little distraction, and can even earn you trophies, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Honestly, I could probably spend hours writing about the various ins-and-outs of the software, but I think I’ve covered most of the important stuff. Lets just say that the interface is the best I’ve used on a portable gaming device, and will hopefully be improved even more with further firmware updates.
There are really so many features and functions included in the Vita that it’s tough to fit them all into one review. However, here are three of my favourites that I haven’t mentioned so far: First, you can easily back up saved game data to your PS3 by simply plugging it into a USB port and choosing the backup option. This means that your precious hours spent beating those difficult titles won’t be lost if something happens to your Vita. Second, you can take screenshots by simultaneously pressing the PS and Start buttons, great for showing off to your friends or when writing reviews. Third, and I have to day this is probably my favourite feature of all, the system has full support for bluetooth headphones, meaning I can play games in bed without waking up my girlfriend, and without becoming tangled in the mess of wires that usually accompany headphones! Okay, maybe I’m being overly dramatic there, but having spent the last few years using nothing but bluetooth headphones, I’ve long been waiting for a handheld system that understands my needs. Thank you, Sony.
Before I finish, I’d like to explain why I haven’t covered the 3G aspects of the system. The simple answer is, because I only have the Wi-Fi model. Since I have the ability to tether from my phone, adding another monthly data fee seemed a little silly, although could be useful for those folks still sporting an old-fashioned mobile. It’s unlikely we’ll ever see full online gaming over 3G connection (due to speeds and data caps), but those with a large number of PS friends may enjoy the ability to keep in touch with them wherever they are.
In conclusion, it’s been a long time since I sat in my bedroom as a child, wiling away the hours on my Game Gear. While technology has come a long way in the decades that have passed, the need to play video games on a pocket-sized system hasn’t changed at all. It’s not yet clear how well the Vita will hold up over time, what with competition from Nintendo, Apple, and even Google in the mobile game space, but Sony are certainly trying to step up to the challenge. For the first time, I actually feel that I may choose the portable versions of games rather than the home console versions, as the Vita’s graphics and controls are close enough to it’s bigger brother that it doesn’t feel like I’m handicapping myself in any way. As I get older, I find that I have less time to sit in front of the TV, so being able to enjoy epic blockbusters while in bed, or even on the toilet, is a godsend, and I sure hope the next few years see the Vita live up to it’s full potential. From all I’ve seen so far, though, Sony’s future definitely looks bright, and I’m excited to be a part of it.
