A trip down memory lane with the PSP and PS Vita
Well, mostly just the PSP, but I’ll get to the Vita later. This piece is a result of a question posed on my Twitter, asking me to share some of my PSP memories. I have many, and I hope you enjoy reading about them as much as I enjoyed reminiscing about them.
The PSP was ahead of its time, and it’s easy to see why, with its impressive features and sleek design. The lower resolution of the handheld allowed for close-to-PS2 quality games on the go, and paired with a library of incredible ports and some exclusives it’s easy to see why the PSP is so beloved.
I’m going to kick this off with a story about me, and my friend, playing multiplayer games on the PSP using ad-hoc networking. We were so young, and so thrilled to be doing something on our portable devices that we had never done before. We were playing football with each other on the subway! What a time it was.
The PSP’s successor, the PS Vita, released 12 years ago, impressed me with its OLED screen and overall performance, but I would be lying if I said it didn’t leave me feeling a little underwhelmed. I think it’s difficult to live up to the legacy of the PSP, but I know some of you still have a place for these devices in your heart, so I’m going to ask you a question: What are your best PSP and Vita memories?
“The premium feel of the PSP set it apart from Nintendo handhelds,” one user replies. This is true, I remember my PSP always feeling like it was worth more than the games I was playing on it, and that it would be worth something down the line. This is in stark contrast to my DS, which felt like a toy, even if it was a premium one.
“Definitely the distinct sound of the UMD drive,” another user quips. I can’t disagree, and I will admit that the slow rendering in certain games does stick out in my mind. But hey, I’m not 16 anymore, and I don’t have the patience I did back then, so these things didn’t matter as much to me at the time.
“I always saw the Steam Deck as a legitimate thing,” a user admits. This sparks a discussion about the eBay listing for the handheld, with some users defending it and others calling it a scam. I’m not sure what to believe, but I am always on the side of caution when it comes to such things.
“Which PSP games would you recommend to someone who has never played them?” one user asks. “I’d say Madden 16,” another replies. This leads to some mixed responses, but I will defend the Madden game, because I remember playing it on my cousin’s PSP and absolutely loving it.
“I miss my PSPs,” a user replies, and I know exactly how they feel. I still to this day miss my old PSP, specifically the white Darth Vader model. I even offered to buy one from another user. I think I still have a place in my heart for the Vita though, I still use it from time to time.
