Livin’ La Vita Loca – Our PS Vita launch plans and expectations

The Gaming Age staff is hyped and ready for the PlayStation Vita launch.   The general consensus seems to be quite positive thanks to the powerful specs and excellent launch titles, so read on to see what everyone’s launch plans are and what they all think about Sony’s powerful upcoming portable.

Craig

Vita Model: PlayStation Vita – First Edition 3G Bundle
Accessories: 32GB memory card
Games: Uncharted: Golden Abyss, wipEout 2048, Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational

2012 is finally here and with it comes the excitement of not one, but two brand new hardware launches. It?s always a special time when new gaming systems gear up for release, and while I?ll have to wait many more months to enjoy my first whiff of what Nintendo?s cooking up for the Wii U, the PS Vita is almost here and I can?t wait to put it through its paces!

Ever since I held one at last year?s E3 I knew I had to have a Vita. It?s gorgeous OLED screen, dual analog sticks, motion and touch technologies, and a bevy of first and third party games is a recipe for high-end entertainment. Sony has seemingly thrown everything in its arsenal into this high-tech gadget, and I can?t wait to play PS3-calibre games on the go. I realize that the Vita won?t be for everyone. Sure, it?s a bit big and will only fit into the baggiest of cargo pants. And, I realize the price is a bit steep ($249 Wi-Fi, $299 3G and $349 First Edition Bundle). But for the techies out there who have to own the latest and greatest handheld, there?s no other choice. That?s why I?ve already paid off my First Edition Bundle in full and will be playing the heck out of it on February 15. Then again, I?m somewhat of a handheld whore. I have in my collection: Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Sega Nomad, Turbo Express, N-Gage, Game Boy Advance SP, Nintendo DS Lite, DSi XL, 3DS, Game Boy Micro, and yes, even a Neo Geo Pocket and a Virtual Boy. Is it a sickness? Perhaps, but I like to game wherever I?m at, and cheap iPhone games just won?t cut it (although there?s a few good time wasters on there too).

So, what am I picking up at launch? Well, I?m already getting a 4GB memory card, carrying case, and Little Deviants with the bundle. I?m also picking up a 32GB card so I can download lots of games from the PlayStation Network. As for games, I?ll be snagging Uncharted: Golden Abyss, WipeOut 2048, and Hot Shots Golf. I had been considering ModNation Racers, but let?s be honest, they screwed themselves over by not including online play. I?m still on the fence with Lumines. I enjoyed it on the PSP, but I just don?t know if I want to spend a full $40 on a puzzle game that?s pretty much the same thing I already own, so I may wait for a sale on that one. Despite buying Ridge Racer at the launches of PSP and 3DS, I?m skipping the Vita version as it?s a watered-down version of a game series I once loved. On the horizon I?m looking forward to Little Big Planet as the demo I played at E3 really showed off the motion and touch capabilities of the Vita and was really fun to play. I?m really digging the originality that Gravity Rush looks to bring, but it looks like that one got pushed out a few months from launch. On the download side I?ll be day one on Sound Shapes.

The Vita launch looks incredible overall with the sheer number of games coming out day one for the handheld. Of course, the question remains whether or not a device this expensive can be successful in a market saturated by handheld devices. Will people pay $250 to carry around another piece of hardware and shell out $30 to $50 per game when iPhone games cost considerably less? I for one hope Sony can find a way to sell lots of Vitas and bring lots of games to the marketplace, if only to give Nintendo some much-needed competition and keep both game makers operating at their best.

So, fellow readers, what say you? Are you looking forward to Vita?s launch? Leave us comments on whether you?ll be picking one up and when. Or, if you?re skipping the Vita altogether, give us your reasons. Either way, it?s an exciting year for gaming!

Dustin

Vita Model: PlayStation Vita – First Edition 3G Bundle
Accessories:  32GB memory card
Games: Uncharted: Golden Abyss, wipEout 2048, Dynasty Warriors NEXT, Army Corps Of Hell, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 and Touch My Katamari

I’m pretty excited for the Vita launch based almost entirely on the games line-up. Seriously, when have seen a launch this filled with potentially great titles day one? I’ve even bought into the early edition bundle with the Little Deviants/Case pack-in; after I swore to myself I’d stick to the Wi-Fi only model. The 3G aspect doesn’t do much for me, but being able to lay my hands on this system a week early is worth the price.

The line-up is stellar, and if you include the launch window games, it looks even better. Day one I’m planning on picking up Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Wipeout 2048, and I’m pretty confident that I’ll be playing or picking up Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Rayman Origins, Hot Shots Golf, Lumines, Touch My Katamari, Army Corps of Hell, and more. It’s really nice to see so much stuff I want to play at launch, when generally you’re stuck buying half-baked shovelware just to justify your purchase.

One other thing worth mentioning is that it feels like Sony got the design of the Vita down pat right out of the gate. You’ve got touch screen controls, a beautiful display, dual analog sticks, and if early import word is anything to go by, a quality D-Pad and a lightning quick interface. The only negative I know of going into this thing is the lack of support for PS1 titles, but that’ll be coming down the line shortly. So yeah, I’m pretty excited for this thing.

Brian

Vita Model: PlayStation Vita – WiFi
Accessories: 16GB
Games:  Uncharted: Golden Abyss, FIFA Soccer

There are many things that intrigue me from the quality of the games, to the ability to play a game like MLB The Show on the road, and when you get home you can just pick up right where you left off previously on your PS3.

I will be getting the Wi-Fi version as I have Verizon as my carrier and even if I didn?t, almost every place I go or visit has some sort of Wi-Fi hot spot. The PS Vita also interests me due to the overwhelming backing from developers like EA, Namco, Activision, etc. so I?m expecting to see a flood of great titles, unlike the PSP which offered very few. Let?s not forget the exclusive titles from the home Sony team, online play, Netflix, and other great options that make this much more than just a gaming device, just like the PS3, it just about does everything.

Lastly, the future looks bright for developers if you are to take games like LittleBigPlanet for example integrating their camera and touch screen capabilities to really change how we play games. Should be good stuff.

Oh, did I mention it comes out on my birthday Feb 22nd? Sweet!

Jim

Vita Model: PlayStation Vita – WiFi
Accessories: 16GB or 32GB memory card, carrying case
Games: Uncharted: Golden Abyss, wipEout 2048, Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational

With a killer piece of portable hardware, an excellent, well-rounded launch line-up, and the possibility of it being the “last real portable” what’s there not to be excited about with the PlayStation Vita? Well, there are a couple of odd decisions with regard to the memory card requirement, lack of on-board memory for saves, and the multiple PSN account situation which kind of turns me off just a little bit. I can also see how the price of the hardware, accessories and a few games may sour some potential owners, but still, it seems like the pros far outweigh the cons.

I personally have a Wi-Fi PS Vita pre-ordered and I think that for what you get, $250 is definitely a fair price. Nintendo sorta moved the goal posts when they deeply slashed the 3DS price soon after launch, but the Vita is way more impressive from a hardware standpoint. The incredible 5″ screen itself is drool-worthy. It has anything and everything you can ask for in terms of controls and user input, as well as the potential for all sorts of interesting location-based and social gaming. Backwards compatibility with PSP games and PS minis, remote play and save sharing with PS3 games, and the ability to purchase almost all games from either the PS Store or a retail store are all great, forward-thinking decisions on Sony’s part. The battery life could be better I’m sure, though with all the hardware’s power, the huge screen, and the variety of online capabilities, it was to be expected.

To be honest, I rarely use my portables outside of the house these days.  I like the ability to plop down on a chair in any room of my house and still be able to play some real games without fully taking over the HDTV and surround sound system.

I own and use both iPads/tablets and smartphones, and while I game on them occasionally, it’s just not the same as using a dedicated machine with physical buttons, and higher budget games and all.  My instincts say that the Vita will be fighting an uphill battle as future gamers (such as my children) are okay with such limitations, but I am currently not.

All of that is fine and well, But there are really 2 things that forced me to pick up a Vita – Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational and wipEout 2048. Being a huge, huge, huge fan of both series, I’d gladly buy a new console for those 2 games alone. Uncharted: Golden Abyss doesn’t hurt of course.

Travis

Vita Model: PlayStation Vita – WiFi
Accessories: 32GB memory card
Games: Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational, Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift EXTEND

I’m getting a PS Vita at launch because it’s a new system, and that’s what I do *shrugs* The longer answer is that I’m actually excited about this launch, unlike the 3DS. I can accept some of the gimmicky controls (dual touch screens, etc.) because it’s got dual analog stick, and all the buttons needed for mainstream gaming. Plus, the initial flux of games seem to be targeting my demographic, RPGs, sports, action/adventure, instead of casual, gimmicky, and low budget.

I’m excited about the system connectivity between the Vita and the PS3, especially if they can follow through on the streaming technology that was started with the PSP (few games supported) and is do-able on the upcoming Wii U. I’m keen on hardware refreshes, technology upgrades, and a snob for good graphics. So while I would always prefer a game on the PSP, unfortunately most of the games in genres I wanted to play were on the DS (where d-pad, touch controls, and primitive graphics irritated me). I’m hoping that the Vita continues to bring the games I’m looking for on the more attractive handheld platform.

And there ya have it. We’ll be sure to add more as the release date draws near. Make sure to check out our PlayStation Vita pre-order and pricing guide for more information on what may be worth getting for launch.

Feel free to let us know what your launch plans may be. Or just cut to the chase, and pre-order it directly below.
Go crazy, vive la vida loca, you know you want to…