Let’s delve into some portable gaming classics as we check out the best PS Vita games of all time!
Ah, the PS Vita, the PSP’s lesser-known sibling that sank in a world dominated by the DS Family.
That’s not some sort of Mafia mob,; I’m talking about Nintendo’s dual-screen marvel.
The PS Vita only sold around 18 million units, while the PSP sold around 80 million. On paper that looks pretty poor, but the console itself is still a tour de force with some cracking titles behind it.
Had the tables turned and the DS been on the back foot, we could all be playing the best PS Vita games on the first console to use an OLED screen instead of still putting time into Link and Mario’s portable adventures.
An OLED screen, for crying out loud. Sony put some serious effort into this thing.
So, for their sake, grab a PS Vita and some of the best games that ever released for it.
You won’t be disappointed… but if you are, just keep it to yourself, alright?
Table of Contents
1. Uncharted: Golden Abyss (2011)
If you’ve read any of my articles before, you’ll know I’m a sucker for an Uncharted game. This fourth title in the series was actually the first ever Nathan Drake game for a handheld title and is set before the first Uncharted adventure.
Fourth, first, first… with me so far?
Look at that sunset! The graphics on this thing never fail to amaze me. No wonder so many people are asking is what can a hacked PS Vita do.
As with other games in the series, Nathan must find treasure while searching through jungles and mysterious abandoned locations.
Utilise the Vita’s touchscreen to make impressions of artefacts by swiping the screen and perform certain moves.
The story could have jumped straight our of an Indiana Jones film too. I’m not going to give anything away; just trust that it made the top spot in this list for a reason, and that reason is that it’s a freakin’ awesome adventure that you all need to play!
2. Gravity Rush (2012)
Gravity Rush is up next, an action packed open world titled with a fearless heroine who can’t remember her past…
… or that falling from great heights is incredibly scary if the still below is anything to go by.
Running through a place called Hekseville, players take Kat on a journey to rebuild her world while controlling gravity, a skill that a black cat gave her…
… yeah, mysterious right?
Punch enemies and use the Vita’s gyroscope to aim the camera at the place you want to land after performing a massive jump.
This is a pretty unique game and a must-have title if you’re thinking about buying a Vita.
3. Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (2011)
The epic Metal Gear Solid HD Collection takes the bronze medal in this list of the best PS Vita games ever made!
I guess everything that you need to know about this PS Vita title is up there for you on the cover. This game provides HD copies of two of the best Metal Gear Solid games of all time; Sons of Liberty, and Snake Eater.
Sons of Liberty is more than just a stealth game; it’s one of the deepest games around. How many titles do you know that cover existentialism as well as freedom of thought, all while gunning down bad guys?
Snake Eater rightfully topped our list of the best PS2 games too. Set in 1964, players take Naked Snake on a covert mission with some of the stealthiest kill skills around.
Assumedly he’s Naked Snake because it has something to do with the Summer of Love… who knows.
Both games look stunning with their new HD polishing and are great to revisit while kicking back on the sofa or at the office instead of doing work.
4. Persona 4 Golden (2012)
Persona 4 Golden is essentially a shinier version of Persona 4 with added features and improved graphics. It enhances everything, adding new areas, personas, and endings.
Basically a little something extra for the people who still can’t get enough of Persona 4, or one that you can go straight to if you’ve only just completed Persona 3.
Unsurprisingly, Persona 4 follows on from Persona 3 and sees players returning to a high school setting for more murder-mystery shenanigans.
Dead bodies keep appearing throughout the town, and it’s up to you to enter your TV to try and find out why.
Yeah, I did just say that…
Wielding demon-like Personas in battle, players must fight to solve this gruesome mystery while collecting items, upgrading characters, and doing everything they can to stay alive.
If my high school was like this, I would have flunked out immediately.
5. Mortal Kombat (2011)
Remember I said that Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 was one of my favourite handheld fighting games? Well, Mortal Kombat is the other, and what a game it is!
Rightfully taking the top spot in our best PS3 fighting games list, Mortal Kombat remains the king of side-on fighting games .
Ok, so Street Fighter is a classic and Tekken might be a more well-known name, but there’s no game like MK for it’s brutal finishing moves, epic characters, and moody-looking levels.
I love playing with Sub-Zero, but having the chance to fight as Kratos from God of War is something you just really can’t pass up on.
From Lui Kang to Raiden, everyone’s here ready for you to fight to the death.
Heck, if you remember any of the plotlines from the original cartoon series, then you can even recreate some of those epic battles too… although they’ll be 100% more gory this time, so be prepared.
6. Rayman Origins (2011)
Rayman Origins takes the 6th spot in this list of the best PS Vita games of all time!
I feel like Rayman doesn’t get enough credit. In my opinion, he’s just as iconic as Mario, Sonic, Link, and the Master Chief, but he’s never really been classed as a mascot or a leading gaming figure.
Well, this side-scrolling adventure more than lives up to titles like New Super Mario Bros and indie classics like Shovel Knight. The graphics are amazing and the Vita displays this larger-than-life game perfectly.
Rayman isn’t alone in this adventure. He’s teamed up with Globox (possibly the greatest sidekick ever after Kazooie) and two Teensies.
Players must prevent the Darktoons from screwing stuff up in the Glade of Dreams, all while learning new moves and rescuing Electoons from certain death.
Rayman might be armless, but he certainly knows how to pack a punch. Those bad guys don’t stand a chance!
7. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (2011)
Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 is one of my favourite handheld fighting titles of all time.
For fans of pretty much any Street Fighter crossover title, the premise of this game won’t be much of a surprise.
We’re talking Deadpool vs Ryu, Wolverine vs Doctor Strange… basically the best battles of all time on your Vita.
So, let’s touch on some cool features.
For starters, there’s a system called X-Factor, but luckily it has nothing to do with that drivel Simon Cowell used to host. It’s a feature that boosts important characteristics like speed and strength for a short time.
Then there’s new characters to make an entry that didn’t feature in the previous game. Play with Hawkeye, Ghost Rider, Nemesis, and many more epic fighters.
Who’s ready for a Marvel-ous beatdown?
8. Resident Evil: Revelations 2 (2015)
From a fantasy realm to a world that no one in their right mind would want to get lost in, Resident Evil: Revelations 2 takes the 8th spot in our list.
Revelations 2 for the Vita has tonnes of content for players to sink their teeth into (zombie pun).
It contains four main episodes plus tonnes of downloadable content including raid modes and much much more.
And you know what, the gameplay looks freakin’ ace on the Vita. This thing doesn’t get anywhere near enough credit; it might have sold an embarrassingly low amount of units compared to the PSP, but it still cuts the mustard today.
Revelations 2 has all of the R.E thrills and spills that we’ve come to expect from these games. You know how I feel about handheld titles (and if you don’t, I love them), and splatting undead cretins while laying on the sofa never looked or felt so good.
The controls are easy to use, and the whole title is a joy to play. Grab a copy and let me know your thoughts.
9. Child of Light (2014)
Child of Light takes the 9th spot in this list of the best PS Vita games, proving that we love a good RPG handheld title here at Retro Dodo towers.
Now I know what you’re thinking, and the answer is yes; side-scrolling RPGs are just as good as the 3D ones.
Play through the world of Lemuria, which I’m sorry to say has absolutely nothing to do with Lemurs. If it did, then this game would be ranking WAY higher, trust me.
So what’s the story here then?
Well, players take a girl who is dead in real life but living in a fantasy realm on an adventure. What’s more, the sun and moon are missing.
In terms of looks, Child of Light has an early Abes Odyssey meets Rayman vibe to it, which is by no means a bad thing. It also sits neatly in line with other games like Hollow Knight, one of the best Nintendo Switch games I still play on a regular basis.
Take part in battles that wouldn’t seem out of place in the FF series, complete Zelda-style puzzles, and do it all while destroying weird and wonderful creatures at every turn.
Yep, this is 100% one of the best PS Vita games for fantasy nerds… which should be every single damn one of you!
10. Minecraft (2011)
Minecraft doesn’t need an introduction. It’s an institution, a classic title on every console and a movement bigger than any of us.
If you’re reading this, Microsoft, I’m available for your marketing team…
The style of this game is instantly recognisable, just as much as a red hat with an M on it or the golden Triforce triangles.
Speaking of Zelda, I recently saw someone creating their own version of Hyrule Castle in Minecraft! It looked mad!
Minecraft is all about using your imagination, and if you don’t have one, this game is going to be over and done with very quickly.
Test your skills in survival mode or go wild in creative mode and make some of the most elaborate words ever seem by hu-mine-kind (see what I did there?)
11. Darkest Dungeon (2015)
Darkest Dungeon jumps in at Number 11. It’s about time we had another RPG, right?
We’re heading back to good-old-fashioned turn-based action with this one. Send parties to explore dungeons, upgrade strongholds and towns, and level up party members until they become stronger than Chuck Norris in a rage-fuelled bar brawl.
In a twist, the characters in this game can also get stressed. Get too stressed, and your character will die.
Wow, talk about deep!
Keeping your head in the game and your character on a level footing requires a lot of brainpower. This isn’t just one that you can stick on and half concentrate with; if you want to crack Darkest Dungeon, then it’ll require all your attention.
And it’ll probably leave you stressed in real life.
Still, look at that artwork. This is one beautiful-looking game and a great addition to the Vita’s back catalogue.
12. Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (2013)
Batman is always welcome in any of our best games lists, and Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate is one of the best PS Vita games to destress with on the way home from work.
Because who doesn’t feel more relaxed after a dude with a cape has punched the living daylights out of some evil goons?
We al love Castlevania, but if you’ve ever wished that Richter Belmont and Batman could have swapped places, then this will be the only game you’ll ever need in your life from now on.
So for all intense and purposes, this is another MetroidVania-style game albeit with multiple levels accessible by grappling hook and evolving camera angles in certain situations.
Gameplay wise, it mimics everything we know and love from the main Arkham series. Kick the crap out of bad guys, use exciting technology many of us can only dream of owning, hang from ledges, and glide through levels like a rich boss.
Exploration is key in this game; players will have to revisit certain areas with new equipment if they have any hope of completing Blackgate.
While everyone will get some enjoyment out of this game, it’s definitely one primarily for the comic book fans out there. It looks fantastic on the Vita too!
13. World of Final Fantasy (2016)
World of Final Fantasy is, as you would imagine, dripping with RPG-goodness just like every other Final Fantasy game in the canon.
in this title, players control twins as they recruit monsters to fight in battles with them and delve into dangerous dungeons for explorative gameplay and active-time battles.
You can even ride monsters around and have them solve puzzles too… unreal, right?
So, let’s touch on this Active Time Battle jobby.
Well, unlike turn-based battling, players can attack freely and use items at will. Stack monsters up and summon impressive powered-up beasts into the battle in order to get the upper hand.
Have I coaxed you into buying it yet?
There are also quests and minigames to access from a central hub players keep returning back to, the area where the game first begins.
Spend gold to buy extra items that will help you on your quest, and marvel at the impressive team of monsters you’ve caught along the way.
No, it’s not Pokemon… even though it sounds incredibly like it…
14. Velocity 2X (2014)
Velocity 2X takes the 14th spot in this best PS Vita games list. With a storyline that could challenge every Star Trek episode ever made for the title of universe’s biggest nerd, this title is filled with multiple gameplay styles to suit every gaming occasion.
In other words, it’s a smorgasbord of space-age brilliance.
What box would you put Velocity 2X in? Well, it’s a cross between a top-down shooter and side-scrolling MetroidVania style game.
A mixed bag, as it were.
In the first sections, the game is all about shooting bad guys and rescuing stranded survivors. It’s very strategy-based, with gameplay focusing on where the ship is amongst dangerous obstacles playing just as big a part as blasting a path to victory.
The side-scrolling parts add a whole different feel to this already established series, kind of like when we first had those 3D half-pipe levels appear in Sonic.
Teleport and dash while shooting enemies and completing missions. Sometimes this can just be in a bonus-style level while at other times it might be a full side-on level once your ship docks.
There’s one thing for certain: Velocity 2X certainly keeps you on your toes!
15. Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth (2015)
Digimon Story is undoubtedly one of the best PS Vita games for die-hard Digimon fans. We’re talking about the ones that have been with the series since it first appeared on the scene back in 1999.
They kind of people who didn’t just collect 90s toys; they lived and breathed them.
This games sees a return to a properly story-based format. We’re not talking about confusing plot lines or tonnes of side quests with characters that you can never remember the names of either.
No, Cyber Sleuth is all about believable character development and a stellar narrative right from the get go.
Add in the appeal of playing with 200 of the best Digimon to ever grace the franchise, and you’ve instantly got a handheld title that’s seriously hard to put down.
If you’re a fan of the best Digimon games, then you already know how amazing this game is. Not only has it rekindled or strengthened the love of Digimon in old fans, but it’s also responsible for bringing new fans to the table too.
You don’t need any more clue sleuthing to discover that this game needs to be in your collection… am I right?
