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Here's Why The PlayStation Vita Is Still Impressive In 2020 (Video)
- Thread starter entremet
- Start date
The Vita never really clicked with me, perhaps because the first game I played on it was Uncharted Golden Abyss, which was a pale pastiche of the ND Uncharted games, and it was immediately obvious that it was running at a sub-native resolution.
I think Ridge Racer (also a launch title) was my most played game on it. I mainly used my Vita as a portable MP3 player.
I think Ridge Racer (also a launch title) was my most played game on it. I mainly used my Vita as a portable MP3 player.
Wish Sony kept Vita alive or put out a more powerful model and just pushed indies hard on it.
Trophy hunters would buy that shit up.
Trophy hunters would buy that shit up.
There's really not much worry in bricking it, I did it a few months ago, and it's really easy. At this point I feel like they're only releasing official updates to prevent hacking.
is the store down on the vita or did i just get myself banned lol by syncing my trophies?
If you're using henkaku or whatever, you shouldn't have any issues, your Vita is acting like it's whatever firmware it's spoofing.
Is it necessary to downgrade it to 3.6, or is staying on 3.73 okay for the most part?
You could stay on 3.73 and use h-encore but the hack isn't persistent and needs to be run everytime you restart the console. If you downgrade you can install a more permanent patch that runs at startup. Since you can then spoof your firmware you will still be able to play all your games and access the psn store no problem.
I've been meaning to hack it for years to use it more. Specially as an emulator system. Does it work well with SNES and GBA games ?
This. 👆 Counter intuitive with how many games they had for sale for the thing. If we had the option to fill inexpensive ad cards with their library it would have been a success... Still salty when I imagine how awesome dead cells would have been on there.
I mean, it's Sony's job to make you wanna go out there and buy their hardware.
Let's not forget 3DS numbers weren't good at first, then the price was cut and new game releases made it a success !
if I do that and go back to official firmware, will I be able to play the games still? I have the games in my download list. I just could not install it to the Vita.
The 3DS was a ridiculously priced handheld for the most price sensitive audience and even at that price it sold far better than the Vita.
The Vita launched with the same price as the PSP, but 7 years later meaning it was cheaper if you factor in inflation and it did get a price cut to $200€ 1.5 years after launch (they also slashed the price of the mem cards somewhere along the way) and did it do something? No
The real problem was that nobody (outside Japan) made big budget Handheld games anymore, leading to a situation where the only realistic software support would have been ports, but for that the Vita just wasn't powerful enough.
Retrospectively I value my Vita much more than my 3DS/2DSXL, mainly due to the hardware not holding back my enjoyment of the software. I liked the 3DS better from a quantity standpoint, but my absolute favourite game from that handheld generation was and still is Persona 4 Golden. With the Vita having my number 1 game between the two and also having the superior hardware, which still doesn't feel outdated nowadays in my opinion, it certainly has still a lot of value to me.
The 3DS platform on the other hand had Monster Hunter and Fire Emblem, my other top 3 IPs besides Persona. And a lot of them, each offering three distinct entries. Quite the argument as well. But with Fates being middling and me growing somewhat fatigued by the time I finished MH4U, the Vita simply left me with more of an positive impression.
And just as I said, the Vita still feels viable today, even with smartphones making other stuff, like the 3DS, feel like they belong in a completely different timeline. I wouldn't really mind using the Vita still alongside my PS4 and Switch as the dedicated handheld, with the other two serving different roles.
Buuut ... and that's a big but ... there aren't too many games I'd still want to play on the thing, which is probably its biggest downside nowadays. Aside from Persona, Soul Sacrifice might be the only Vita exclusive I'd still care enough about to play it on there. Too much of the other stuff has found its way onto the Switch especially, like Mary Skelter, Code Realize, Digimon Cyber Sleuth, World of Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest Builders, Ys VIII, just to name a few I'm interested in and aware of.
These are games I would have bought on the Vita over the PS4! Simply because I prefer handhelds and like the Vita generally.
But with those being on another handheld (hybrid), which also is technically superior in terms of raw power, and has the better line-up in terms of quantity, ... Yeah, there isn't much reason to play titles like these on the Vita anymore.
With so many things coming to the Switch, the Vita literally turned into my Persona machine.
I've been tempted for a few weeks now already to pick the device up again and just start a new playthrough of P4G and maybe Soul Sacrifice Delta though, heck, maybe even with some of those games that saw Switch ports. There is just something about the Vita overall that makes playing these games on it enjoyable for me, even when I could be playing them on the Switch instead, if I wanted to.
The 3DS platform on the other hand had Monster Hunter and Fire Emblem, my other top 3 IPs besides Persona. And a lot of them, each offering three distinct entries. Quite the argument as well. But with Fates being middling and me growing somewhat fatigued by the time I finished MH4U, the Vita simply left me with more of an positive impression.
And just as I said, the Vita still feels viable today, even with smartphones making other stuff, like the 3DS, feel like they belong in a completely different timeline. I wouldn't really mind using the Vita still alongside my PS4 and Switch as the dedicated handheld, with the other two serving different roles.
Buuut ... and that's a big but ... there aren't too many games I'd still want to play on the thing, which is probably its biggest downside nowadays. Aside from Persona, Soul Sacrifice might be the only Vita exclusive I'd still care enough about to play it on there. Too much of the other stuff has found its way onto the Switch especially, like Mary Skelter, Code Realize, Digimon Cyber Sleuth, World of Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest Builders, Ys VIII, just to name a few I'm interested in and aware of.
These are games I would have bought on the Vita over the PS4! Simply because I prefer handhelds and like the Vita generally.
But with those being on another handheld (hybrid), which also is technically superior in terms of raw power, and has the better line-up in terms of quantity, ... Yeah, there isn't much reason to play titles like these on the Vita anymore.
With so many things coming to the Switch, the Vita literally turned into my Persona machine.
I've been tempted for a few weeks now already to pick the device up again and just start a new playthrough of P4G and maybe Soul Sacrifice Delta though, heck, maybe even with some of those games that saw Switch ports. There is just something about the Vita overall that makes playing these games on it enjoyable for me, even when I could be playing them on the Switch instead, if I wanted to.
That's why I'm saying it needed a better price - I totally forgot it got a price cut to be honest, same for the memory cards lol - and more first party games. There's no point in cutting your price if you don't release new games afterwards on a regular basis.
100% agreed. This cursed a lot of the review models that went to the press—including mine, which I got before I was on staff at Ars Technica. I didn't even realize it was a defect until mixed reviews started filtering out there, and there was no "return" process for my kit, so I still have it. Now it's an emulation machine.
Get Started | Vita Guide
A complete guide to PS Vita (TV) custom firmware, from stock to Ensō.
vita.hacks.guide
It should be really easy. But let me know if you need help or shoot me a PM and I can guide you through it step by step if this is still too difficult.
Yeah you could mod it install the games and go back. That's what i initially did myself but went back to having a modded Vita as it has a lot of perks
It can sell games though and actually live up to the console on the go promise.
I've been setting mine up with sd2vita recently - wasn't too much hassle.
Been playing a lot of Super Crate Box (playstation mobile) while waiting for things. Great little quick arcade game. That's the sort of thing I want on my handheld, little arcade gems.
It's crazy that Sony doesn't even let you download the playstation mobile games you bought anymore.
Having a massive NES, SNES, Genesis, GBA, GB, PS1, PSP and Vita library on one little tiny device with a great screen and d-pad is the best.
You don't need to open up the vita for it, just get an SD2Vita adaptor (two dollars on ebay) and put the micro sd in it - that then goes in the game card slot. But then you have to have henkaku on your vita set up properly for it to work. Look for sd2vita version 5.0 when you buy it.
My 64GB official card died too. Absolutely ridiculous.
Been playing a lot of Super Crate Box (playstation mobile) while waiting for things. Great little quick arcade game. That's the sort of thing I want on my handheld, little arcade gems.
It's crazy that Sony doesn't even let you download the playstation mobile games you bought anymore.
Having a massive NES, SNES, Genesis, GBA, GB, PS1, PSP and Vita library on one little tiny device with a great screen and d-pad is the best.
You don't need to open up the vita for it, just get an SD2Vita adaptor (two dollars on ebay) and put the micro sd in it - that then goes in the game card slot. But then you have to have henkaku on your vita set up properly for it to work. Look for sd2vita version 5.0 when you buy it.
My 64GB official card died too. Absolutely ridiculous.
Great! One last question, will I be able to back it up to a PC using CMA and restore it?
^ I use QCMA with my modded vita, works great with my official backups.
I transfer the roms via USB/FTP using a file browser program on the Vita that gets installed when you install henkaku.
The process to mod the vita is super easy now. But setting it up exactly how you want and with a microsd card is a little bit more finnicky with config files. Especially getting PSM games to work with microsd. That part was the main hassle.
I transfer the roms via USB/FTP using a file browser program on the Vita that gets installed when you install henkaku.
The process to mod the vita is super easy now. But setting it up exactly how you want and with a microsd card is a little bit more finnicky with config files. Especially getting PSM games to work with microsd. That part was the main hassle.
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Yep
You'd be installing it like a nornal vita application just using a roundabout way to install the license since it's backlisted due to licensing issues
After it's installed you can use CMA to back it up to PC
I would still be using mine if I could have all my PSN accounts on it and use SD cards (I am not risking my accounts with Henkaku). Sony screwed this thing up every step of the way.
I would recommend downgrading to 3.65 so you can install Enso 3.65 so that you won't have to run the exploit every time you start the system.
I didn't bother with Enso. It's only everytime you turn the vita on from a fully-off state. And running the exploit takes less than 5 seconds, click on a single app. It used to be a pain with the exploit failing doing it with the Mail app, but now it's super simple and quick.
I stayed on 3.65 anyway though. Not sure how much harder / what issues are present on later firmwares.
--- The coolest thing is that there's a pretty good fan-made english patch for Puyo Puyo tetris, which was Japanese only - the only game I picked up when I went to visit, got it along with the 2000 model - they were sold out of the grey version :( . I used to have to refer to screenshot translations all the time which was such a pain as I'd go back to it every few months forgetting what was what, but now pretty much everything is in english.
I stayed on 3.65 anyway though. Not sure how much harder / what issues are present on later firmwares.
--- The coolest thing is that there's a pretty good fan-made english patch for Puyo Puyo tetris, which was Japanese only - the only game I picked up when I went to visit, got it along with the 2000 model - they were sold out of the grey version :( . I used to have to refer to screenshot translations all the time which was such a pain as I'd go back to it every few months forgetting what was what, but now pretty much everything is in english.
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Great, doesn't really excuse the fact that the OS and software features on the Switch are seriously lacking.
Pretty bad that the system is 8 years old and has better network features than the Switch, which has far more online/multiplayer centric games. I love the Switch but damn, Nintendo.
The buttons on my vita stopped working but only when playing games.
I have a PlayStation TV but loved the Vita back in the day.
I have a PlayStation TV but loved the Vita back in the day.
Great handheld, and the screen on 1000 model was killer where it matters the most - motion and contrast. There was so much more smear/blur in 60FPS scrolling games on every handheld at the time (including top of the line iPads) that it was unbelievable, and the contrast made everything look so juicy :)
I have to say that despite liking Switch overall a lot, the screen is really sub par and anemic looking, compared to other devices I'm surrounded with nowadays.
I have to say that despite liking Switch overall a lot, the screen is really sub par and anemic looking, compared to other devices I'm surrounded with nowadays.
While still not as punchy in terms of color, I think an IPS New 3DS XL compares favorably. Not sure if the smaller ones ever came with an IPS panel. I also have a small 3DS like yours and it only comes in TN, so I tend to use this XL one more.
Bought a Vita and it was pre-hacked (which was handy, saved me doing it). OLED model.
It's nice, although some aspects of the usability are not the greatest - hitting the touchpad accidentally when using the analogue sticks is a big one that kept happening to me. It's also odd that the PSP's XMB looks way slicker than whatever bubble abomonation is on the Vita.
It's nice, although some aspects of the usability are not the greatest - hitting the touchpad accidentally when using the analogue sticks is a big one that kept happening to me. It's also odd that the PSP's XMB looks way slicker than whatever bubble abomonation is on the Vita.
You're right so it looks worse for switch not to have such basic features in 2020. Can't even message friends what're we paying for exactly?
other than that I hope Sony makes another handheld. I would like handhelds to feel... current because with my switch lite it doesn't feel that way.
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Correct
After modding the vita and getting the games it'll be just another game you can backup/delete. You just can't download it or delete it without a backup unless you want to redo the process again of getting it installed
True, not many know about psvsd. I have yet to do it to mine, but it's the goal.
that's amazing. Thanks for responding. So softmod the Vita, go to download list and download the Crash and Spyro games, reinstall official firmware, backup to Pc using CMA.
OMG i thought it was just mine. Its not too bad but loading screens that are black are distracting as all hell.
My Altus/Vanillaware/PS1 RPG machine is still being used every other day alongside my Switch! Right now I am making slow progress on Zero No Kieski.
And funny enough, all the buttons, D-pad and analog stick of my OG Vita STILL WORKS after so many years.... same can not be said about my Switch. ;/
EDIT: The OLED on my Vita is still flawless....
And funny enough, all the buttons, D-pad and analog stick of my OG Vita STILL WORKS after so many years.... same can not be said about my Switch. ;/
EDIT: The OLED on my Vita is still flawless....