The PlayStation Vita is one of Sony’s best pieces of hardware, full stop. It was never a big commercial success, but the device itself is excellent — sharp screen, great controls, solid build — and it became a far more interesting enthusiast platform than Sony probably intended. I’ve spent enough time in its homebrew scene to have ported Commander Keen to it.
What it is
Sony’s late handheld, successor to the PSP. It pairs proper physical controls and a good portable library with unusually rich homebrew potential.
Why I like it
Portable play is the whole point of the machine, and the controls and ergonomics are a big part of why it works — which means the real device matters more here than it would for a platform you can comfortably abstract into software. Homebrew gave it a second life well past its official one, and it’s aged into something genuinely worth owning.
Pros
- excellent handheld design, controls, and screen
- a portable-native library that suits the device
- homebrew gave the platform a long and interesting tail
Cons
- the commercial failure limited its mainstream reach
- some of its best ideas were underused during its official life
- part of the appeal depends on liking portable-native and niche games