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The best PS Vita games will offer you a world of gaming on one of Sony‘s most iconic consoles. While it may seem a little out of date in today’s digital world – you won’t see the best PS5 games on there, of course – it still boasts an incredible array of titles worth playing.
And what with Sony’s own PlayStation Portal and the Nintendo Switch ensuring that handheld gaming has a place in 2024, there’s never been a better time to pick up the iconic handheld and dive into the game library even though the production of the PS Vita console ended in 2019.
But even as the end seems nigh for Sony’s portable console, its lifespan has seen plenty of worthwhile titles make their way to the platform – not to mention a Remote Play feature that lets you stream titles from your PS4 over your local WiFi. So for anyone looking to pay tribute to the PS Vita in what could be its final few years, we’ve run through the 7 best games to have graced the console so you’ll know what you must play before it’s too late.
Best PS Vita games
A gorgeously designed dungeon-crawler using touch-based controls to slash your way through psychedelic enemies. Originally a Vita exclusive, it made the move successfully to iOS and Nintendo Switch, but developer DrinkBox studios also brought out a lavish physical collector’s edition for the PS Vita version to celebrate their illustrious history on the console.
This thrilling and eccentric action game lets you manipulate gravity to navigate obstacles and take down enemies. The plot is incomprehensible, but the rush of walking on walls or soaring through the air more than compensates. Last year’s sequel stuck with the PS4, but the original Vita experience is well worth a visit.
Guacamelee! seems like harmless fun at face value, but underneath its silly exterior is a brutal 2D platformer meets fighter built for the hardcore. Your luchador hero has a wide range of attacking maneuvers, from suplexes to butt-stomps, which you’ll never tire of performing. He can also, er, transform into a chicken for extra comedic value.
An exquisitely presented platform adventure by the Media Molecule team, and a reminder of just how talented the LittleBigPlanet team is. Tearaway uses every facet of the PS Vita’s functionality in a way that doesn’t feel like it’s been shoe-horned in, but more importantly, it’s a 3D adventure with very high standards.
Persona 4: Golden
This port of the PS2’s Persona 4 was credited with a huge boost in sales for the Vita, and it’s not hard to see why. Persona 4 took the series to a murder mystery in rural Japan while retaining all the paranormal adventure and quirky high-school dressing we’ve come to expect from the iconic Japanese RPG.
Hotline Miami
Don your rooster mask, turn off the answering machine, and gun down the Russian Mafia underneath the neon lights of 80s Miami… This ultraviolent top-down shooter blends fast action with a retro aesthetic and wonderfully surreal humor, all of which made Hotline Miami a must-play cult hit.
A fantastic package that can easily stretch beyond 50 hours. The stars of the show are Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 – iconic games of yesteryear now resplendent in wondrous HD – but as a bonus, you also get the original Metal Gear (1987) and Metal Gear 2 (1990). Why fling a bunch of angered birds or point at candy on the train when you can take part in high-functioning espionage action?
Best PS Vita games – FAQs
Are games still being made for the PS Vita?
Sadly, the answer to this question is a firm ‘no’. Games are no longer being made for the PS Vita and the handheld is no longer officially supported either. However, a strong community remains and the device and its game library have a strong fanbase.
Can you still get games on the PS Vita?
While games are no longer being made for the PS Vita, you can very much still buy them and get them to play on the device. There’s a thriving second-hand scene, which extends from refurbished and pre-loved hardware and accessories, right through the PS Vita game library.
Can the PS Vita run GTA 5?
Well, no. But also, yes! What we mean by that is that while GTA 5 wasn’t made for the PS Vita – so there’s no bona fide Vita release of the game – there are means to play the PS4 version on the handheld via remote play. The latter is the way you can play your console on another device over the internet – the same process that the PlayStation Portal uses with the PS5.
So there might not be a Vita version of GTA 5, but you sure can play it on there.
Can you play PS3 games on the PS Vita?
You absolutely can! The PlayStation Remote Play function in Sony’s console ecosystem also works with the PS3 console – in fact, that was the console and generation that started the concept. You should be able to located the remote play setting on the console, then boot up the Vita, and find ‘Remote Play’ or ‘Remote Play on the PS3’ – hit connect and you’ll be basically there!
If you’re looking for an alternative platform, our list of the best Xbox Series X games is bound to point you in the direction of a new adventure worth embarking on, but for a further slice of nostalgia, it’s worth looking at our list of the best GBA games too.