On Dec. 17, the PlayStation Vita, Sony's followup to its PSP gaming handheld, went on sale in Japan, and across the country gamers lined up to get their hands on one. Is it a worthy successor to the PSP? In two words: Oh yes.
However, the PSP, a smash-hit gaming portable in Japan, and the PS Vita are very different devices. Their basic oblong shape is similar, though the Vita is significantly larger, with a 5-inch screen, compared to the PSP's 4.3-inch one.
Both the front and back of the PS Vita feature touch controls, something absent on the PSP. Touch-screens are quickly becoming standard on electronics. But the addition of "rear-touch" opens up a realm of new possibilities for gaming, as players can seemingly "tickle" the Vita's back by moving their fingers along the rear of the device.