Game review: Playstation Vita

The next generation in portable gaming arrived in New Zealand last week and gamers have snapped it up.

The follow-up to the PlayStation Portable has a host of new features. Slightly larger and lighter, Sony's Vita boasts dual analogue sticks so first-person shooters are going to come thick and fast. Add to that, Six-Axis Motion Control, D-Pad, shoulder and symbol buttons and you have an almost endless range of movement options.

Front and rear cameras allow you to put yourself in the game or capture the world around you, including a range of Augmented Reality games that bring the action directly into your environment, a feature that will leave you gobsmacked.

A built-in microphone and stereo speakers allow you to chat online. The 5" OLED multi-touch screen is a thing of beauty and allows for another control method, while the back of the Vita is a touchpad. Games such as Escape Plan and Little Deviants are already brilliantly utilising the rear touchpad.

Games can be downloaded from PlayStation Store or game cards and content can be managed through your PS3 console. Vita's features, and its surprising affordability, make it a must-own.

Stars: 5/5