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Pocket Gamer's Sony PlayStation Vita Christmas 2013 gift guide

All the Vita games and gear you need, and where to get it

Pocket Gamer's Sony PlayStation Vita Christmas 2013 gift guide
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Have you heard? The PlayStation Vita has come into its own of late, as has become the handheld of choice for gamers who want the best from the worlds of both big budget visual spectacles and obscure indie extravaganzas.

If you're late to the party then this Christmas is the perfect time for you to invest (or to bug your nan into buying one for you as a super neato gift).

We'll cover everything you need to get you started, with some recommended gubbins to go with your shiny new handheld, and a handful of games to get you going.

Don't worry about nan messing everything up, like she always bloomin' does when buying you games at Christmas; just point her in the direction of this article as we've got links to some great deals on the items featured.

Hardware

The system itself is an easy pick. Go for the WiFi-only model (Sony seems to have given up on that 3G nonsense) and if you can, try and cram in an included game or two. Some bundles will set you back just a couple quid more and you'll get a full game (or ten) as part of the deal.

If you really want to be able to connect to the internet with your device while out and about, you can follow the simple trick here to connect it to your mobile and use its data, or you could buy yourself a MiFi device.

There are a couple of bits and bobs in addition the Vita unit that you'll want to think about buying.

The most important of these for your shopping list should be another memory card, and preferably a high capacity one at that. Forget the 32GB model, as it's ridiculously expensive at the moment, but also disregard the 4GB card as you'll fill it quickly with content unless you plan to only purchase retail games (and miss out on a huge selection of downloadable gems).

There's an 8GB pack that comes with codes for ten games of varying quality. It's a pretty good price, and you can always delete the ones you don't like, can't you? Otherwise you'll want to shell out on the 16GB version to keep things roomy.

If this thing's going to be used on-the-go then you'll want a case. A hard shell one with some space for a couple of games will work brilliantly, and keep your expensive bit of tech from receiving too many knocks and scrapes. Alternatively, there's a Starter Kit which comes with two cases, a cloth to wipe your smudgy paw prints from the screen, and some other tat you're unlikely to use.

This portable charger is a nice addition too, especially if you're away from home a lot, or about to go on a really lengthy flight. It holds an additional charge for your Vita, so once you've drained the battery on the handheld you can plug it into this and top it back up.

If you already own a PlayStation 3 or PS4, then you may have already subscribed to PlayStation Plus, in which case you don't need another to receive the benefits on your Vita.

But if you don't then you should know that, for less than £40 / $50 per year, you'll receive more games for your PlayStation devices than you'll know what to do with. As long as you stay subscribed, the games you'll be given for free will remain yours.

They're not pap either, and the selection usually includes at least a few games each month that will be right up your proverbial.

While we're at it, one of the best (and most expensive) accessories you can get for your Vita is a PlayStation 4. Hook up a Vita to the PS4 and you'll be able to play your home console games via Remote Play, as well as enhance those games when you are playing on the big TV, by augmenting them with a second screen.

If your nan is actually Scrooge McDuck in a wig, or you happen to be Richie Rich, then you might want to think about adding some PSN vouchers to this list too. Redeemable for use on the PlayStation Store, they're a darn sight better than getting another naff jumper this year, so ask for them if you're out of ideas as to what else to request.

Games

You're spoilt for choice here, and probably the best thing you can do is go here and start making your way down the list to see everything that's come through our doors. Or maybe look at our Game of the Year list from 2012.

But if you want a few of my personal suggestions...

Tearaway (Get it on Amazon / PSN)

My favourite game on Vita right now, Tearaway holds the lofty position of being the game I show to people when they ask me about what the Vita can do.

Utilising every aspect of the Vita's hardware, it also contains tip-top platforming gameplay, an adorable papercraft universe, and a surprisingly deep social message. The best game on Vita? Quite possibly.

Killzone: Mercenary (Get it on Amazon / PSN)

When the Vita came out, a lot of the buzz centred on the inclusion of a second stick as part of the controls, and that this would mean first person shooters were finally possible on handhelds. Despite this, there haven't been that many decent shooters for the system.

Killzone: Mercenary bucks this trend and gives you both a chunky single player offering, and deep multiplayer experience to boot.

WipEout 2048 (Get it on Amazon / PSN)

While you'll want WRC 4 for your realistic racing needs, WipEout 2048 is where it's at for raw thrills and sheer speed.

Quite possibly the last WipEout game we'll ever see - the studio behind the series was shuttered in 2012 - this outing takes the series back to its roots and is unquestionably the pinnacle of the franchise.

Loads of tracks, ships and challenges combine with rock-solid multiplayer, expansive DLC and Cross Play to ensure you'll be playing it long into 2014.

Big Sky Infinity (Get it on PSN)

To describe Big Sky Infinity with mere words is to do it a disservice – you really do have to play it to understand why it's so God damn addictive.

Still not convinced? Simply know this: it's a twin stick shooter with randomly generated levels, it's filled with crafty enemies and gigantic bosses, it features earth-shattering explosions and neon bullet fire everywhere, and if none of that grabs you, the ridiculously compulsive online highscore tables will.

Proteus (Get it on PSN)

Don't let the retro-inspired visuals fool you, Proteus is cutting edge.

Essentially a game in which you pootle about a pre-8-bit 3D landscape for half an hour, the appeal of Proteus is that there is nothing else quite like it out there, and when you're "finished" with the game and chat to your pals about it, you'll have had a completely different experience to that of your mates.

Peter Willington
Peter Willington
Die hard Suda 51 fan and professed Cherry Coke addict, freelancer Peter Willington was initially set for a career in showbiz, training for half a decade to walk the boards. Realising that there's no money in acting, he decided instead to make his fortune in writing about video games. Peter never learns from his mistakes.