View full sizeThe PlayStation Vita, the latest hand-held video-game console from Sony, goes on sale Wednesday starting around $250. The console features motion controls, two touch screens, two cameras, two analog joysticks and a 5-inch OLED, or Organic Light-Emitting Diode, screen.PlayStation Vita
Sony Entertainment, Price: $249.99 (WiFi), $299.99 (3G/WiFi)
The PS Vita is a definite upgrade from its predecessor, the Sony PSP. The PS Vita has robust multimedia features, but video games are the foundation of the device. Apps for games, music, movies, TV and social media provide guaranteed entertainment. Now, you can get sucked into portable gaming without falling off the edge of the earth, but with the plethora of interactive gifts comes a few drawbacks.
The PS Vita simply looks like a larger version of the PSP, but it has a different feel. The 5-inch Organic Light-Emitting Diode touch screen dominates the front of the device. The increase in overall size allows room for a second analog control stick, a VGA camera and front-side speakers. Face buttons are small, similar in size to the PS3 Move controllers, and the shoulder buttons are larger.
The rear of the device features a second touch-pad that is light-sensitive with usable space that syncs up with dimensions of the front screen, and a VGA second camera. Sony's SIXAXIS motion controls and a microphone add the cherry on top.
The Sony XMB navigation bar has been replaced with a hub system that allows you to tap and slide through the games, music and app selections. Load times for games and apps are not horrendously long, but "please wait" is a prompt you will see often. Battery life is only three to five hours after taking two hours to charge. Hardcore gamers and media hogs need to stay near a wall socket.
The built-in tutorial, "Welcome Park," helps players get accustomed to controls through simple mini-games. Gauging the sensibilities of rear touch pad and front touch screen is the biggest adjustment. If the swipe is too light it might not register. If it's too strong you might inadvertently drop a grenade at your feet, or bob when you should have weaved.
Eighteen social-media apps such as Twitter and Flickr will be available via the online store. These are nice features but if you have a smartphone or a tablet the nongaming social media features will be duplicates. Plus, the PS Vita keyboard and web browser are simply mediocre. The "Near" gaming network, and "Party" app for PS Vita are designed to be the main social engine to connect PS Vita owners. Also, if you use the Vita's wireless capabilities you either are going to need access to a wireless hotspot or purchase a 3G data plan from AT&T. Data plans are $14.99 for 250 MB and $30 for 3GB per month with no long-term contract.
So what about the games?
Twenty-four games, covering all genres, will be available when the PS Vita hits stores. Bye, bye, Universal Media Discs. Games are contained on a small flash card and cost between $9.99 and $49.99. Sony PSP games downloaded from the online store can be played on the PS Vita. Several new titles including MLB: The Show 12 can be played seamlessly on the PS3 and PS Vita. Games are available for download online with file sizes consistently over 1GB. Data is stored on flash memory cards ranging from 4GB to 32GB. A 16GB memory card for the Vita costs $60.
PS Vita games emphasize utilizing all of the different control combinations. If you can't buy them all, here are a few to consider purchasing:
• Lumines: Electronic Symphony ($35.99) -- This game utilizes the majority of the PS Vita's features. The Lumines series has always been addictive, but adding touch controls raises the bar. Visuals are glorious, and the music is on point. It's a puzzle game with a light show in tow.
• Uncharted: Golden Abyss ($49.99) -- Nathan Drake takes his daredevil act to South America. The game looks and plays similar to a PS3 game with a few motion-control twists for the Vita. It offers more than 30 chapters of explosions and fights in the signature Nathan Drake style.
• Escape Plan ($14.99) -- The game is great because it is done in black and white, but it remains visually startling. And challenging. The only controls used are the motion controls. Trying to escape close to 80 rooms without pushing a button provides a unique twist.
The PS Vita is a wonderful gaming device, but it can quickly get expensive. A PS Vita with a data plan, memory card and two games can hit $400 easily. It's worth the price if you make the commitment to maximize all the features. Grade: A-