I thought it would be interesting to compare notes with fellow duders about their opinions on the Vita so far as an owner of one. Be it first day adopter or just got it last week I want to hear/read some people's thoughts on the damn thing because no one in my social circle even knows it exists! Instead of writing a block of text here are some stand out points I have as a day 1 owner.

Positives:

- Navigating the UI is really fast and still impresses me.

- I can play the bombcast and other podcasts in the background of any game which is really neat.

- I like the Twitter app a lot, seeing pictures at the side of messages without needing to click on them makes it 1000 times more useful than the iPad app.

- Trophy syncing and content managing for games, videos, music etc is super fast.

- Love the customizable backgrounds. I currently have the P4 cast on every screen like this.

- I love having all my games on the system. I pop in a few rounds of PvZ, play some Lumines, fight in UMvC3 etc.

Negatives:

- Yo dawg I need some original games like now... Gravity Rush seems to be my next buy when that comes out in June. Hopefully we see tons of stuff at E3.

- I've had the system day 1 and still have no fucking idea what Near does or how to properly use it!!

- I can't see some PSN messages if I respond to some on PS3 which sucks.

- I need some folders because right now I got too many bubbles per screen.

- The fucking system keeps on turning on Blutooth even though I keep turning it off to not drain battery/ I don't need it.

bluetooth will come on if you hold for more then 5s. its a feature if you use bluetooth headphones on vita. i want the option for powersave 'off' the screen dimming is annoying. so far i'm enjoying it though.

I've had my PSP since the First Edition Bundle shipped, and I still carry it around everywhere with me. I'm mostly playing Unit 13 in my spare time away from home on it, and a little Motorstorm RC here and there.

It'll definitely be nice once the game releases start to ramp up a little more, Gravity Daze looks great, and hopefully the Resistance game will be good. Also looking forward to loading up a few old PS1 classics on it and playing them. Sony needs to jump on that and get it working, the only firmware updates so far haven't done jack for PS1 games or PSP compatibility issues.

All in all, I'm happy with it, hoping that Sony brings the systems potential to fruition, but we'll see how things play out given how poorly Sony seems to be doing financially right now.

Just like any new system, I wish there was more games that interested right now. Currently just have Hot Shots Golf and Dynasty Warriors.
 
Also, just like with 3DS, I wish there were more people that owned Vita near me because there's very few people out here and I don't really get to experience the social "tag" features of the systems.

Seriously, I need some new games. Lumines and Rayman got pretty old really quick.

I just picked one up a few weeks ago, so I guess you could say I'm still in the honeymoon phase. That said, I really like the device, the PSN store really elevates it. I've got games like The 3rd Birthday, Lumines Symphony, Super Stardust Delta, Escape Plan, Motorstorm RC, Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack! and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite on my Vita ready to be played at a moment's notice. Uncharted was cool (when it wasn't force-feeding you the Vita's various features) and I picked up Unit 13 & Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 on sale - both are pretty great. Unit 13 is a surprisingly strong handheld TPS with missions that are typically the perfect length for playing in bursts. Hopefully we see PSone compatibility really soon, remote play just doesn't cut it and I really would love to have my free Playstation Plus PSone games on the Vita.

Hope the system sees decent software support, really crossing my fingers for a relatively strong E3 showing.

• Finger prints and smudges are a bigger problem than I anticipated, apparently no film sheild on these screens.
• I like the analog sticks, but the travel could be better, seems a little too precise, I don't know.
• The buttons are nice and clicky, but I can imagine it feeling good for fighting games, Ill see when mk comes out
• battery life is actually very good compared to 3ds.
• Screen is still impressive.
• Remote play is a joke.
• Motorstorm Rc is addictive.
• Rayman origins is prettier on this thing than on consoles, seriously.
• And all in all, it's holding up great, now lets just get mk and resistance already.

I really like the system, but the games still just aren't there for me. I don't like racing or fighting games... at all. Uncharted is okay... so was lumines. But I am waiting for something to come along.

It's a really neat bit of hardware. The two sticks are nice and help with aiming in FPS and TPS games.... but it's still not quite good enough. The sticks are a little fiddly.

I'm happy with it so far, because I know there will be good games for it.

I've had my Vita since the release of the First Edition Bundle and I continue to love it. I like being able to play all the PSP games I missed. I have a few Vita games, but I'm really looking forward to there being more games out there to choose from, which I'm sure there will be with titles such as 999's sequel and Gravity Rush.

Issues I have with it:

• Friend requests sent on the Vita and accepted there still appear as new on the PS3.
• Vita game trophies don't appear on the PS3.
• Game cartridges need to be "loaded" upon turning on the system, which takes a few seconds.
• I don't know how the hell Near works.

I'd like the option to navigate the UI using the controls instead of the touchscreen exclusively. Aside from that, and the drought of games thus far, it's fine.

I really like my Vita. The ability to continue your paused game instantly is just brilliant. I wish the next generation of consoles would have the same feature, because long load up times are super annoying. Only thing aside from the lack of new games to complain about is that downloading via wifi is really slow and keeps failing, which doesnt happen on any of my other devices.

@FluxWaveZ said:

• Game cartridges need to be "loaded" upon turning on the system, which takes a few seconds.

I know it's minor, but this is probably my biggest annoyance with the system so far.

I don't like the start and select buttons, I find them very hard to hit during gameplay.

I find it amusing that some of these lauded features are from the Go, the most unfairly trashed system evars :(

The system itself is amazing, but I don't think there's a game that I would buy if it was on PS3 yet.

New games are on the top of my list.

So, lemme ask you Vita owners this: If you were on the fence about buying one, would you wait for the potential "slim" redesign Sony always does with their systems and/or a price drop? Or jump on in now by selling any organ a person has two of?

Same problem I had with my 3DS for a long time, no games.

I like mine. Can't wait for that 999 sequel I totally forgot the name of. Oh, and Gravity Rush, obviously. And P4G.

@BiG_Weasel: Keep your organs, at least until E3. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a price drop/Ambassador program announced. They need to move more units to make it a good investment for developers. Exactly the same position Nintendo was in, although honestly the Vita is so nicely designed and capable I felt like I was getting a deal on at at $250.

For me, no regrets, just low-grade worry about the future and megrims about the present title drought. The system itself is impressive. I love Nintendo so I have a (post-drop) 3DS, but the device itself is a flat brick of crap. I tolerate it because I love the games it plays. Sony on the other hand has fantastic industrial design -- I enjoy the physical experience of it in my hands, and that gorgeous screen -- but it's got nothing doing for it since its admittedly solid launch.

The bluetooth thing is the only thing that pisses me off. Otherwise solid.

I've had my Wi-Fi model for about a month now and I really love it. I only have Rayman: Origins and Motorstorm RC but I have really enjoyed both games a lot. I don't really have the money for more games right now and until my job starts in a few weeks I'm stuck with these two. I'm really looking forward to Resistance and LittleBigPlanet, along with whatever else Sony has in store for us.

The screen is fantastic and the UI is pretty good, I have my frustrating moments with it, sure, but it's really good for release. The battery life is pretty good and I love the dual analog sticks. Like I said before I can't wait to play games that take full use of the controls.

The only complaint I have right now is the finger smudges on the screen. They can get really bad, really fast. Other than that it's a great system and I can't wait to get more games on it!

Oh I forgot one thing, I wish remote play was better. I would love to be able to play Journey on my Vita while lying in bed. That or like LittleBigPlanet 2. Just seems like a missed opportunity for an awesome feature.

Just the lack of games coming out is the only negative. I beat Uncharted and just about beat Rayman. Some more games would be nice. I guess Mortal Kombat is coming out soon but I'm getting bored with fighting games. I wish there were some puzzle games that interest me... I keep getting the urge to buy Closure on PS3 but I wish that game were on the Vita. I thought about being Mutant Blobs but not sure I'm interested in it enough. Thought aout MLB The Show as well but...eh...baseball.

The on screen keyboard that comes up when you need to type is fucking disgusting and having everything as an app that has to be launched is stupid.

Everything will be right between my Vita and me only when PSone games work and Persona 4 The Golden comes out in the U.S.

@BiG_Weasel said:

So, lemme ask you Vita owners this: If you were on the fence about buying one, would you wait for the potential "slim" redesign Sony always does with their systems and/or a price drop? Or jump on in now by selling any organ a person has two of?

The thing is awesome the way it is and I don't think there will be a major redesign anytime soon because I can't see a better looking screen or a lighter model anytime soon.

I wish you could play music during psp games

I got my Vita yesterday for my birthday and so far I think it's a great system. I got it with Rayman Origins and Uncharted 3. Both seem like good quality games. Rayman does look fab. I also purchased Persona 3 via the store and was impressed with the download / install time. I've played more Persona 3 then anything else thus far - its not that the actual Vita games aren't as good - I just have never played Persona 3 and its sucked me in pretty hard :D

My one concern currently is the lack of big name titles that i'd like to play. I hope we get some big announcements at E3 much like alot of other folk.

There are a fair few PSP games that i'm sure i'll buy via the store which will obviously give me some stuff to play.

As others have said - remote play is kind of disappointing at the moment.

Overall the system is really cool :)

Have had a Vita since it launched here in December, and I really really like it. PSP was already my favourite system before, so this just kind of continues the trend. The screen is fantastic, and the UI is much better put together than I'd have expected. Game releases have been slow, even in Japan, but that is after a very impressive launch that had a lot of games, so I'm not too upset about the waiting.

As far as games, I can already attest that Gravity Daze is an amazing game. Really fun mechanics, though the controlling takes some getting used to, I actually like the gyroscopic controls for this, oddly enough. Great art style, and a story that is actually pretty interesting. Tales of Innocence R is a great remake of a good game too, adds a lot of features and functionality. I know Gravity Daze is getting a western release soon, but I don't know about Tales of Innocence.

People seem to have problems with Near. Since I am in Tokyo, I am basically always surrounded by hundreds of people on my Near list. I can use it to see folks nearby playing games, what games they are playing, more information on those games, and in some cases get little trinkets and in-game items for those games. In areas where the vita population isn't quite so high, it probably seems a bit more obtuse.

Remote Play is supposed to be updated to actually...you know, allow remote play. No word on when, but that's the promise.

@BiG_Weasel: As far as a 'slim' redesign, the system feels pretty great already, and it isn't particularly bulky at all. I dunno how much they could redesign it without cutting into the screen space, cause the screen is already pretty big.

I love my Vita, very nice gift from my wife. The games are a little lacking at the moment. I don't really care about the full retail games though, I want more original downloadable games like the Mutant Blobs Attack or Escape Plan. Like the OP I have no freaking clue what the hell Near is supposed to do or how it works. The 3DS Street Pass feature is much better.

I haven't turned on my Vita in over a month.... Yeah... However, I'm super excited for the Gravity Rush demo on the 30th!

Also I have to agree about Near. What the fuck are you supposed to use it for? And how the fuck do you use it? There's nested menus within nested menus within nested menus up the ass in that thing.

Thanks for the info. I was on the fence for a long time, deciding between the Vita and a new smartphone. I went with the Galaxy Nexus, and I love it- but I'd like to get a Vita for myself and my girlfriend to play. May dive in in June when I have a 3-payday month :)

I bought a vita, it's in shipping right now. I'm suffering from buyers remorse. I look at all the games on the 3DS and it makes me sad. When i get it and it's not the right thing for me i'll sell it and get myself a 3DS. That is, if a redesign is announced at E3 this year.

I recommend waiting til E3 and seeing what they announce for the Vita, if nothing is to your interest check out the 3DS game list. It's extensive.

I use my Vita pretty regularly, usually around 4 or 5 times a week. I am still plodding my way through MK (challenge towers are hefty!) and enjoying the hell out of it. Finished up Mutant Blobs From Space, and really enjoyed that one too. Didn't end up liking Super Stardust all that much, but it was worth the price of admission still.

I use Netflix on the thing every now and again, and have actually had a few skype calls on it too. It's a capable little system and I'm a big fan of it. It definitely comes recommended to anyone who's sitting on the fence =)

I've rarely turned my Vita on since I bought it around February, mainly cause I haven't bought anything other than Ultimate Marvel VS. Capcom 3 and Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus. If they release more games sooner or just release the firmware update to allow Vita to play PS1 games I might be using it a whole lot more. Can't wait to play Gravity Rush, it's probably the only thing I'm looking forward to for the Vita in the foreseeable future.

I am still playing it quite a bit. I was enjoying going back through the PSP catalog for a while, so the lack of games hasn't really effected me. Plus with Disgaea 3 now, I am set until Gravity Rush comes out. I still am loving the way the system looks and feels though and I do play it way more then my 3DS at this point.

I'm kind of disappointed in some of the PSP games I've played, but other than that I my experience is pretty much exactly what I had expected out of buying a new system at launch.

I haven't really done anything with it in the last month or so, but to be honest I bought the system for Gravity Daze, and while waiting for that I've already gotten a whole lot more usage out of it than I expected. Gravity Daze Rush, Metal Gear Solid HD, and DJ MAX Technika are all coming out within a month of each other, so the Vita's gonna getting a lot of attention over the next couple months.

The UI could really use an update sometime soon, I have way too many bubbles everywhere. I'm hoping that the Vita eventually fixes the way it compresses images too. Even with images in the Vita's native resolution, I still get artifacting sometimes when using them as backgrounds.

It's good, it's fun. The only thing I've used is Pinball Arcade and Netflix, I'm hungry for that Wake-Up Club though! Also I need to get either UMVC3 or MK. I think my only gripe is the menu design. I at least want the option for a boring, static menu.

MK on Vita has so much freakin' content it's nuts. Keepin me really busy.

I love my Vita, absolutely glad I bought it. It just needs more games (and some updates to its web browser).

I just got one this week (called in to the subscriber radio show today to ask some API questions to Dave and Alexis, and ask Jeff about Gravity Rush, as he's played it.)

I have to say, Escape Plan is fantastic. I'm also surprised how fun the free Motorstorm RC is.

Once I'm done with Escape Plan I'll probably buy Super Stardust Delta, but I've also got a bunch of PSP games from forever ago to plow through on here.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with it. I wish it was a little easier to organize the game icons. I'm also not sure I entirely like the game icon style themselves, the images, even for Vita games, seem just a tiny bit too low res. We'll see how that develops.

I like the Vita, I just wish there were more/better games to play on it.

Love the system. Want more games, but overall it's great.

Yeah, I really like mine too.

Being able to drop in the digital copies of my PSP games was awesome: Persona 3, Disgaea 1 & 2, FF IV Complete Collection, all ready to play anytime. Picked up Disgaea 3 Vita and I'm just waiting for Persona 4 Golden. I certainly have no complaints about the game library for the time being.

The Vita is the best handheld console I've ever owned in terms of hardware. I have almost every handheld system released since the GBA including the 3DS, but the Vita's beautiful screen, dual analog sticks, touch screen capabilities and overall button layout put all other handhelds to shame. It all makes for a fantastic handheld gaming experience. I just wish there were more great software to complement the excellent hardware.

I currently have zero interest in any of the Persona 4 Golden Machine-only games, even after trying the demos for some of the bigger games for it (Uncharted game, Gravity game, and some other game I don't even remember the name of). And those are of games that I'm remotely interested in in general. Its owner has aptly named it the Persona 4 Golden Machine Even When The Game It Was Made For Isn't Even Out For It Yet. Honestly, I should have waited out my stupidity and seen the poor marketing of it during E3.

It sure looks nice. Which is pretty much the same thing I said about the PSP around the time when it was new. Obviously, this new thing is better, but that's, I guess, where it shines the most? It also holds down this post-it note stack down real well.