Best PS Vita Games | Push Square

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What are the best PS Vita games? First released on 15th February, 2012 in the United States, with a European launch following on 22nd February, 2012, the PS Vita represented Sony's second attempt at a portable PlayStation platform, following the success of the PSP, which sold over 80 million units worldwide. Billed as a home console on the go, the manufacturer packed the machine with cutting-edge features, including a 5-inch OLED multi-touch capacitive screen.

At launch, Sony paired the platform with a number of key franchises, with the tentpole title being Uncharted: Golden Abyss, a full-scale adaptation of Naughty Dog's buccaneering brand, developed by Sony Bend. In addition to eye-popping visuals, this spin-off leaned into all of the system’s key features, including its rear touchpad, camera, and motion sensors. But it was just one of several major franchises available on day one, with the likes of Modnation Racers and Super Stardust Delta also getting adaptations.

With production budgets soaring and third-party developers hesitant to invest in such a small install base, Sony started to tap up the emerging indie scene to keep PS Vita's software slate active, and introduced the cross-buy initiative – allowing games purchased on the PS3 to be playable on the portable as well. Many titles even adopted cross-save functionality, perhaps planting the seed for Nintendo Switch's hybrid approach.

Despite being well-liked among enthusiasts, however, the PS Vita sold fewer than 15 million units worldwide, and Sony's first-party output dried up as it turned its attention to the more popular PS4. Some feel that the manufacturer pulled the plug too early, and bone-headed decisions like using expensive proprietary memory cards