Technically the official launch date of the PlayStation Vita isn't until February 22 in the U.S. but Sony is offering up a First Edition Bundle (FEB) that dropped on February 15. That bundles offers up the 3G/WiFi version of the Vita, a memory card, a game, and a travel case. This writer got her hands on a FEB, so if you're curious how the hardware turned out read on.
The Vita has been out in Japan since December of last year but today marks it's first appearance in North America. The bundle being offered up a week before the official launch date is a decent deal for those of us itching to get our hands on a shiny new piece of hardware a little bit early. The bundle runs for $350 and includes the Vita (3G model), a 4GB memory card, a relatively sturdy travel case, and Little Deviants, which is a game that largely serves as a tech demo for the system.
The FEB seems like a pretty decent deal if you were planning on getting the 3G version of the Vita in the first place. If you really don't think you'll use the included 3G, which operates on AT&T's network, then you may be better off waiting for the WiFi only model that launches on February 22. If you do choose to activate the 3G service, you'll get one month free with the purchase of the first month and you'll also get the downloadable game Super Stardust: Delta and it's associated downloadable content (a $15 value) for free.
All told, the Vita hardware is pretty incredible. The system feels sturdy and the screen is absolutely beautiful. I had seen so much video of the device that I thought I knew what to expect when I saw it in person but I was totally blown away by how vibrant and huge the screen is. The buttons and analog sticks feel good to use and the touchscreen is responsive as one would expect. The device also outputs decent sound for a portable gaming system. I was pleasantly surprised by that, especially considering how lackluster I always felt the PSP's built in speakers were.
Sony's interface on the Vita is a little hit or miss. Some things are really nice, like the ability to navigate everything by touch. Some things leave me scratching my head. For example, every game you put in the system installs an icon to your home screen. The problem with that is once you remove the game cartridge from the Vita, the icon persists, so there's really no way to know what game you left in the slot. That seems like a simple thing but it gets annoying to click on an icon expecting a game to launch only to have the Vita prompt you to pop the cart in.
If you were going to grab the 3G version of the Vita with hopes of using it for web browsing on the go, I would rethink that plan. The web browser included on the Vita is mediocre at best. Pages load slowly, even over my home WiFi network and the scrolling and zooming just feel awkward. The other really issue with the browser is that it can't be running at the same time as a game. That doesn't seem like a huge deal but it completely removes the ability to pull up a FAQ for a part of the game you are stuck on while the game is still running. It seems really archaic to prevent users from doing that by forcing you to quit out of a game completely to use the browser and vice versa.
Interface quirks aside I really do enjoy using the device. Managing icons on the home screen works like we've come to expect in this age of smart phones. The Vita also linked right up with my PlayStation Network... excuse me, Sony Entertainment Network account. I could view my friends list and my trophies right on the Vita without any hitches or problems. It's neat to see what games my friends are playing on their PS3 while I'm on my handheld.
I also spent some time browsing around the store, which works like it does on any other Sony device. I bought Super Stardust: Delta, which is an excellent game. The process was very similar to buying games on a PS3. I still won't link my credit card to my account after all of the hacking nonsense last year, but prepaid points cards still work as expected. It's worth noting that Sony seems to be consistently offering a 10% discount if you purchase your Vita games digitally instead of buying physical media. If you are going to do that, you'll need a pretty hefty memory card and those aren't exactly the cheapest accessory for the device. Not all Vita games are being offered at a discount but a pretty decent number of them are.
I haven't had a ton of hands on time with games yet but I will say that Super Stardust: Delta and Lumines Electronic Symphony both deliver in a big way. Both games run incredibly smoothly and are super responsive. They also sound excellent, better with a good pair of headphones but still very passable via the built in speakers. Little Deviants, the game packed in with the FEB, is little more than a tech demo for all of the Vita features. There are about 30 mini games in that package, some of which are fun but none of them gave me the strong desire to go back and load them up again.
The Vita is a really beautiful piece of hardware with a strong lineup of launch games. With the exception of a few interface quirks that don't thrill me, I'm pleased with my purchase. I'd recommend anyone who is interested to at least go to their local GameStop or Best Buy and get some hands on time with the system. Once you hold it and play games on it, it is very hard to put it down and walk away.
