PS Vita doesn't deserve bad reputation - Drinkbox

Drinkbox was one of the earliest supporters of the Vita. The studio's Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack!!! launched alongside the system in 2012, the first indie game on the handheld that wasn't published by Sony. They followed that up last year with the critically acclaimed Guacamelee on Vita, PS3, and (several months later) the PC. Speaking with GamesIndustry International earlier this month, Drinbox's Chris McQuinn explained his affinity for Sony's portable platform.

[randomass171]

Of course not. Early mismanagement unfortunately hurt its initial sales, but it's still great hardware with great features. Combine these new games with a price drop and we're looking at a stellar seller (hey look a rhyme!).

[shivvy24]

imagine if vita got an exclusive GTA game, dude thing will fly off the shelves!

[3-4-5]

All it takes is ONE game to really make you like any system or gaming console.

For me, right now I've got MvC3 & MLB The Show 13 for Vita.

Those are the games keeping me playing it over and over. At least until Sly Collection & Borderlands 2.

* For 3DS is was Mario Kart 7, FE:A, old DS games & Bravely Default

* Wii U I've been catching up on Mario galaxy & playing some NSMBU.

I think all gaming consoles have something really good going for them, but it's up to the individual person to find THEIR game for that system.

[Protagonist]

Some gamers are busy giving Vita the same treatment as the PSP.

Why some gamers are like that is beyond me, I mean "If you dont like the system" why badmouth it and spread lies?
Give it a rest, enjoy your fav system and let others enjoy theirs.

Btw, thanks Drinkbox Studios for the support and Guacamelee.

"Honestly, Vita owners are the ****ing best," McQuinn said."

Exactly ;))))

[Hicken]

It's a continuation of that hatred of Sony from last generation. There is no sense in it.

[lelo]

Hatred of Sony? Are you kidding ?
That's why the PS4 is selling so poorly. /s

Simply put, the Vita doesn't sell because it has very few good exclusive games worth playing. If you compare Vita's library of games with 3DS's, Vita's library is quite lacking.

[levian]

@lelo

Love people disagreeing to fact. Indie games available to literally *every* platform are not system sellers.

Give us an exclusive God of War, Final Fantasy, GTA, Kingdom Hearts game, any one of those and the system will fly off the shelf.

As it stands, the one game I enjoyed for Vita was Gravity Rush, and it was by no means a AAA game. I ended up selling it and put the cash towards a PS4

[iceman06]

That's a small part of a big picture. The Playstation handhelds have been held to a higher standard, partially due to "power". They are more often than not compared to their console brethren than their direct competition. (who has maintained a death grip on this section of the industry for over 20 years) Marketing, aside from the initial blitz, was almost absent. They struggle with identity and misrepresentation. The idea of a playstation franchise coming to PSP or Vita was often that "it was a port". Whereas, a franchise coming to 3DS was just a new game. Add to that, people are waiting for a "AAA" blockbuster for the Vita. It has a great library of games and can do just about anything that you would need (in one way or another). However, for the mass market, it needs a higher profile in marketing and in library. A price drop wouldn't hurt. I LOVE my Vita, but I understand why it sits in the position that it does. Hopefully, after the initial PS4 blitz, Sony returns to the Vita to pump up it's presence. They did it with the PSP. Let's see what they do with Vita.

[MNGamer-N]

Can be said about all the Nintendo haters around here as well. Give it a rest.

I like the Vita, I think it's a great system and agree it does not deserve a bad rap at all. I definitely recommend getting one if you can afford it. Memory is expensive. I splurged though and bought the 64 GB card from Japan.

Lot's of good games for free right now on PS+. It's worth owning.

[Fixay]

Guacamelee is actually pretty damn good.

Started playing it yesterday and i'm hooked! Would love to see a trial fusion type game come to the vita aswell. The urban trials game thats on there just aint cutting it for me

[DarXyde]

I love the Vita. Honestly, I can understand some of the criticisms of the PSP: awkward controls, not very feature-rich, and it just got boring very fast. Vita lives up to it's name and really has a life of its own. Very fast and efficient, the controls are great, and developers have made interesting use of the motion-sensing, camera, and touch panels. Tearaway is a great example of that.

I hope Vita gets more games (particularly, a Valkyria Chronicles). I would still give the win to 3DS for games, but the Vita is a fine gaming device.

[AskedMaster]

I'm a very dedicated vita owner

[SpiralTear]

"If people don't see the Vita doing the same number of sales as the 3DS, then it's automatically a failure."

This mentality that McQuinn speaks of is why the gaming community is so hostile. Just because something's not first place doesn't mean it's worthless. The Vita has some really awesome software and it's a shame that it's not as recognized.

[TongkatAli]

Nintendo Zionist love playing the sales game, they play that exclusive more then Pokemon.

[TRS_Gear]

Just got a Vita last month, and I have to say I'm pretty impressed. The OLED screen is brilliant and the unit itself fits well in my hands. Way better than the PSP where my fingers would cramp and and go numb.

My one gripe with it is I'm running out of things to play, as few of the titles grab my interest. Got a few PSone classics on it, Uncharted, Spelunky, and Sly cooper. There seems to be a lot of good titles on the PS store, just not sure what to get. Any recommendations?

[akaFullMetal]

Get Super star Dust if you haven't, not too much money, and very fun and addicting. Or if you get PSPlus, there are about 6 to 8 games for you off the bat.

[Thehyph]

Super Stardust Delta is an absolute must play. Double so if you've never played it on PS3.

[nope111]

Muramasa Rebirth
Persona 4 Golden - even if you already played it on PS2.
Soul Sacrifice, though Soul Sacrifice Delta was announced for a western release, so i recommend waiting for that.
Hotline Miami - It plays SOOOOOO much better on Vita because of the smaller analog sticks.

[shivvy24]

Dude TEARAWAY and Killzone ! GET DEM !

[SilentSolid]

Killzone is mediocre imo. Tearaway is awesome tho :)

[hkgamer]

does your hand ever touch the rear touchpad? my fingers keep touching it, which is bad for some games.

1'st thing to do is GET PS+!!!! I've practically stopped buying most vita games because of this. PS+ probably killing the vita, but who am i to care?

Small games like mutant blob, retro city rampage, hotline miami.
Ridge Racer (little content, but still fun0
Virtues: Last reward
Persona4
Earth Defense Force (supposedly a really BAD but fun game)
FFX

I stop now before I end up listing the whole line-up :P

[SpiralTear]

That's the only hardware problem I have with the Vita: the rear touch pad. I know some games are using it in interesting ways like Tearaway, but interesting doesn't overtake functional.

If a game uses the rear touch pad, you're forced to hold the Vita in a very awkward and uncomfortable way, one with your fingers curled around the edges and not resting on the back. Also, if you're holding it in your lap or something, you have to hold it up off the surface or it'll trigger.

Other than that, the Vita is a fantastic piece of hardware, one that I wish more companies would take as seriously as Drinkbox does.

[Inception]

- Gravity Rush (sandbox + RPG + action/adventure)
- Persona 4: Golden (JRPG)
- YS: Memory of Celceta (JRPG)
- Dragon's Crown (if you love classic like Golden Axe)
- Dangan Ronpa (if you love visual novel with puzzles)
- Soul Sacrifice (if you love hunting genre)
- Toukiden (if you love hunting genre)
- Muramasa Rebirth (2D hack & slash from Vanillaware)
- Tearaway (very unique game from Media Mollecule)
- Hotline Miami
- Guacamelee
etc

[xfear2diex]

i hate sony for a not providing games to the vita they let the job for 3rd parties there there is great games for the vita but not from sony and i want to comment on you list that there only 2 great games and 3 good games the rest are bad
and how did you forget killzone mercenary and zero escape vol2? those were great games

[Thehyph]

The indie selection is also very nice if you can get into indie games.
-Both Drinkbox games
-Hotline Miami
-Luftrausers
-OlliOlli
-Spelunky

Also, Zen Pinball 2 deserves props as you can give the Vita to anyone, tell them they only need the L & R buttons, and they'll be amazed at the visual quality and ease of gameplay. (I recommend the Plants vs. Zombies table, and it's definitely girlfriend approved, too.)

[TheLastGuardian]

Persona 4 Golden
Tearaway
Killzone Mercenary
LittleBigPlanet Vita
Gravity Rush
Both Raymans
Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack
Guacamelee!
Hotline Miami
Sound Shapes
Velocity Ultra

[user9597082]

Hardware is great but the games aren't there and that's honestly what matters in a gaming console.

[Summons75]

Very true, you could have the best hardware but if there aren't games to play then its basically dead.

Vita had promise but it still lacks the games and it seems the attention of even Sony besides it being a second controller for the ps4. Truly sad.

[Protagonist]

@Summons75

"Vita had promise but it still lacks the games"

In your state of mind, not mine, In fact I see most 3DS games as showelware.

[hkgamer]

It is a shame, I mean if vita is your main gaming console then the list of games very lacklustre.

There's a few 3DS games where I just wish for developers to just port the game to the vita. i mean how much harder is it to make a vita port?

[DualWielding]

Actually the problem is the opposite, if your Vita is your primary console it has lots to offer, the problem is the Vita lacks exclusives so its not as attractive for people who already own a PS3/360 as their primary console...... Fortunately the exclusives situation seems to really be improving this year...... Dagganrompa, Toukiden, and many upcoming

[hkgamer]

@ferthepoet

I disagree. But I guess we have our own opinions on this matter. I am lucky enough to have other consoles so I would never really know how it feels jsut having a vita.

[Yodagamer]

I think the general misconception of the vita having "no games" usually means no big named games. The vita has quite a bit of smaller games, but alot of people want those bigger games like a grand theft auto, a new mgs, a new god of war, etc. on the vita like the psp had. I kinda bought one because of that potential to have those games, but i love the variety the vita's had with the small games so i can't be too upset

[IcicleTrepan]

Yep, there's also the matter of being locked in to a proprietary memory card.

I did buy a Vita but that was the hardest part to swallow. I really dislike that sort of thing. I should be able to use any microSD. I'd be more encouraged to buy even more games if I could use a big memory card that didn't cost an arm and a leg. And yes I know you can just uninstall and reinstall later off the network but I'd much rather just install it all to one card especially with it being portable and all.

[hkgamer]

Agree. I have other consoles to play so I don't really mind vita not having a massive library.

Loving the smaller games, mutant blob is my favourite so far. not sure if that's good news or bad news :P

I wish they released peace walker for Vita, I could just buy the PSP version, but I have a feeling that if I buy it, a vita version would be announced not long after. I've bought so many games that ended up on PS+ IGC the next month ¬.¬

[Thehyph]

Mutant Blobs is great!

Sound Shapes, the Rayman games, Fez, and Stealth Inc are all great 2D platformers, too.

[bit-crusherrrr]

I've had my vita for a month and i love it, uncharted, ultimate marvel vs capcom 3, blazblue etc etc. It may not have as many games as the 3ds but its got more of the games i wanna play on it.

[TheLastGuardian]

PS Vita has more games than the 3DS according to Wikipedia. 531 on Vita, 504 on 3DS. Vita has a lot less shovel ware too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

[bit-crusherrrr]

I guess thats the misconception the vita has, with psone games that makes it even more.

[OhMyGandhi]

The vita gets a bad rap not because of hardware. People love the hardware. the dual analog sticks, the brilliant display. But I bought a psp phat a long time ago, and simply played through most of the games that interested me.

I work at Best Buy, and every time I walk past the kiosk with the vita on display, I think to myself, "Sony, give me a more COMPELLING reason to buy one. I love PS plus, love my ps3 and ps2. But give me that one system seller that will showcase the immense power of the handheld.

I haven't seen the system seller. I've been waiting for a rock solid first person shooter to take advantage of the dual analog sticks, but it simply hasn't arrived.

To those who have a vita, are you guys confident that Sony is going to support the hardware with actual software? I'm not interested in remote play, nor am I really interested in playing ports of games. I want to see Insomniac or Naughty Dog, or Sucker Punch make a brand new IP on the platform.

I am seconds away from wanting to buy one, I just need that one title that will keep me occupied for hours and hours.

I suppose that's why I loved my GBA the most of any handheld because it seemed like Nintendo made games that you'd want to replay twenty times over.

I'm avid supporter of all three platforms, but it annoys me to no end to see such powerful hardware like the Vita gain so little traction. Where is the buzz? Where is the hype regarding the next big title for the platform?

I know this post will irk quite a few people. I have no intention of spiting Sony, or showing ill will towards the Vita, I have high hopes for the portable, but I am strapped for cash and need that affirmation from Sony that this portable will mean more then a dozen Japanese imports, and "Tingle Tuner" console/portable based connectivity.

[nope111]

I love my Vita. I bought it for a JRPG experience (like PSP) and it delivers every time.

Playing some Ragnarok Odyssy Ace right now.

[GrandpaSnake]

from what i get out of it i feel as though it was just the 3ds fanboys downplaying the handheld. saying it has no games it is completely close minded because the 3ds also has no games?, you could compare nintendo's 1st part games like mario/pokemon vs something on the vita like...... actually you cant and thats why i think people say it has no games.
I had a 3ds but i sold it the only game i actually played was pokemon. From what i see the majority of 3ds owners are just nintendo fanatics, casuals who just grew up with nintendo. Alot of the new owners are just sons/daughters of the parent who grew up with nintendo.
For me i feel like all if not most of the current rpg games on vita just offer way more compared to the 3ds games.

i have y's celceta
ragnarok oddyssey
disgaea 3
soul sacrifice
personaa 4 golden
ffX hd
conception 2
asphalt injection
wipeout
rayman legends
mortal combat
blaz blue
gravity rush
muramasa

i would consider most of these games much better than anything 3ds has to offer beside pokemon.

[_FantasmA_]

I think part of the problem is many Vita users still can't admit that it lacks games. We need to be more vocal on forums or wherever Sony can hear us about the lack of games. I love my Vita, but it is really lacking in games compared to the PSP. Where are Sony first party studios? PSP had Metal Gear, GTA, Midnight Club, Syphon Filter, etc. Vita has more than 8 million sold but it gets nothing but ports, or simultaneous PS3 and PS4 released games. It needs it own software. If PS3 and PS4 owners can buy a game for their home console, why would they buy the portable version. Remote play and cross buy is not enough. Sales won't be consistently high until Vita gets its own exclusives.

[Inception]

"but it gets nothing but ports, or simultaneous PS3 and PS4 released games. It needs it own software"

Can i ask you a question: you don't own a vita right? Because vita already had it own games such as Gravity Rush, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, KZ: Mercenary, Tearaway, YS Celceta, Soul Sacrifice, Over My Dead Body 2, or Freedom Wars that you can't play on any platform except Vita.

And the real -not the haters / pretenders- vita owners already gave their voices when it comes to quantity of games. This year our voices got awarded with more games such as Freedom Wars, Soul Sacrifice Delta, Oreshika 2, Mind Zero, Dangan Ronpa 1 & 2, Destroyer Trillion, Hotaru no Niki, indies such as Hotline Miami 2, Murasaki Baby, etc.

We knew there will be more games to come. But right now the list getting bigger and personally i'm happy with it.

[TheLastGuardian]

Stopped reading after the first sentence. I could not disagree more.

[patchzon]

As i always said,we vita owners and the others have to give repect to studios like drinkbox,and specialy GG for giving us a game like KZ mercenary,i still remember how impressed i was when i first saw it running on the vita!Imagine if the other devs were putting the time and efforts GG did whith Kz mercenary,then we would have had a lot of very good games on it,thats a fact!!!

[MatrixxGT]

Went in to gamestop to get my wife a vita. They had none, not even used. I said "damn that's odd" the guy working there agreed and said that its a combination of ps4 sales boost and sony not shipping them anymore OLED models as they are holding for vita 2000 bl2 bundle.

[ShwankyShpanky]

I'm just waiting for the 6th for my preordered 2000.

Been impatient and trying to find a 1000 in SF East Bay CA (to sell off when my 2000 arrives), and they are nowhere to be found. Out of stock everywhere.

Can't wait to put my PS+ backlog to work!

Sucks that both my PS3s are full though. Gonna pop a spare hdd into one of them and download all my PS+ Vita games so they're ready to load as soon as my 2000 shows up. Already got my 64gb card ready to go.

[Thehyph]

You're in for a treat with that backlog, holy crap.

I wish I didn't have my 1000 because I want the 2000 more. The 1000 may have a better display, but I'd really prefer the trimmed size and weight of the 2000 because I need it to be portable. Also the improved battery life because of LCD over OLED is very nice.

That said, any Vita 1000 owner knows that the thing is a brick. You could use it as a bashing weapon against a laptop or something and I'll bet you the Vita takes it in stride whilst the laptop gets demolished.

[ShwankyShpanky]

"You're in for a treat with that backlog, holy crap."

I think so. I've saved every "free" Mini, PSP, PS1, and Vita game (except one or two that I had absolutely no interest in) since PS+ launched.

It was really the standard micro-USB charge port that made me wait for the US 2000 release, but the other changes are (mostly) welcome as well. I was pretty close to just importing, but I think that X/O swap would bug me.

[FATHASUN]

To me the Vita doesn't have a necessarily "BAD" reputation. It just doesnt have a good one. Correction.. The Vita does not have "MUCH" of a reputation. Needs more exposure.

Most people I have spoken to who own one are the epitome of a gamer and Love their Vita. All it will take is that ONE killer app. Who knows what it will be or if it will ever come. But if it did... The Vita could surprise everyone. One BIG name could make a huge difference. COD actually could've done that if it wasn't so poorly put together. It seemed so effortless. As in virtually NO effort was put into it. I swear, sometimes i feel that it was deliberate. Conspiracy Alert!*** Acti/MS wouldn't allow a tight COD PS3/Vita integration make consumers think that the best experience could only come from this combination versus the 360 version by itself. Cmon, you can't tell Me that they couldn't pull it off. The Vita can definitely provide a similar to the PS3. Mercenary has proven that.

My Playstion Vita! I call her QUASAR. I take it with me everywhere I go. Just in case... You know.. the apocalypse or something.

[CocoWolfie]

has anyone played mutant blob? its actually.. good :p

[endrwggn83]

I've not played guacamelee but I really enjoyed mutant blobs attack qnd am glad to hear that the head of drinkbox is big vita fan.

[DualWielding]

The Vita needs more support from the big Japanese companies... smaller ones like idea factory and compile hearts do a lot for Vita but out of the big ones only Atlus has provided decent support but the Vita has not gotten exclusives from Square-Enix, Capcom or Konami, all of which have greatly aided the 3DS with exclusive titles

[Inception]

"out of the big ones only Atlus has provided decent support"

You forgot Tecmo-Koei. They gave vita a lot of support. From Dynasty Warriors, DoA 5, Ninja Gaiden, Atelier series, to Toukiden.

Also Namdai put some good support too. From God Eater 2, One Piece: Musou, J-Stars Victory, Tales of Innocence & Hearts R, to Gundam.

"but the Vita has not gotten exclusives from Square-Enix, Capcom or Konami"

SE gave one exclusive for vita: Army Corpse of Hell. Konami also gave one exclusive: Silent Hill - Book of Memories which imho looks & play decent. And even though capcom not yet give any exclusive to vita, but so far they already put 2 high profiles game: Ultimate MvC 3 and SF x Tekken.

I'm sure sooner or later they will put more exclusive for vita. But SE, capcom, and konami in bad situations this past years. They produced less and less great games compare to the old days. So personally i will not put to much hope in their back.

[TheLastGuardian]

Could Drinkbox be any more awesome? My favorite indie studio, hands down. Vita owners being serious purchasers of games is definitely true for me. I have 68 Vita games currently and should have over 100 by the end of the year. Great article. It gives me hope that Severed will come to the Vita.