Since the launch of the PlayStation Vita the system has pretty much been ignored by most gamers, but in recent months the console is finally beginning to build its reputation with a much improved software lineup (especially on the PlayStation store) that provide, finally, some more meaningful uses of its hardware and camera. The release of the PlayStation 4 has also made Vita a much more attractive console for anyone looking to make use of some of the PS4’s most innovative features, like Remote Play. And on top of that, it’s also had a well-timed price cut that makes it temptingly affordable

If you’re not already a Vita owner, here are ten reasons why you might be tempted.

1. That OLED screen.

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Just like the original PSP, the Vita blew gamers and critics away at launch thanks to its remarkable screen technology. Sony’s latest handheld features a stunning five inch OLED display which is capable of rivalling many TVs with vivid colours and great contrast levels. It’s a capacitive touchscreen too, allowing for some intuitive UI controls and some unique game mechanics.

Of course, if you want to take advantage of the OLED display, then you’ll need to buy a Vita soon before the original design is replaced by a new version that swaps to an LCD screen, which is widely believed to be inferior.

2. Touchy feely.

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The Vita’s touch screen and rear touch panel are finally being put to more meaningful use now that the console is in it’s second year. Launch games used these features in ways which didn’t really improve on traditional control, but Media Molecule’s new game Tearaway, uses touch to include you in the game world in some incredible ways. The papercraft world can be manipulated with your fingertips, most spectacularly by poking your fingers into the world using the rear touch panel. Touching the system here in certain areas sees 3D fingers poke through the virtual paper, bouncing enemies and moving platforms by matching the position of your hand on the back of the console. It’s as technically impressive as it is charming, finally justifying the addition of touch to the hardware.

3. Power in your pockets.

The Vita’s quad-core processor and quad-core GPU mean that this is the most powerful portable system you can buy. If you’re in the market for a handheld console, but don’t fancy the lower resolution screens and lower graphical detail of the 3DS, then Vita is a better choice.

4. Remote Play: Play nearly every PS4 game on Vita.

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Sony’s Remote Play feature was first brought in on the PSP several years ago but it didn’t really work properly and barely any PS3 games supported it. However, the new PlayStation 4 now has Remote Play built into the system software, so almost every PS4 game is playable on Vita over WiFi. The game runs on the PlayStation 4 hardware and the console sends a video signal to your router which then streams it out to the Vita over WiFi. Both systems have to be connected to the same network for this to work, so you can’t use Remote Play on a 3G Vita outside your home just yet, but this is a good solution to keep you playing Killzone, Assassin’s Creed IV or any other PS4 title while someone else is hogging the TV. Don’t expect a perfect experience with Remote Play, though; PS4 games will only display at 30 frames per second on Vita, even if they run at 60 on the PS4, and the Vita’s controls aren’t ideal for every title, especially first person shooters. That said, Remote Play is still an impressive feature of the PS4 and you’ll need to own a Vita to try it out.

5. PlayStation plus gives you a massive game library for the price of a pre-owned game.

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For $49.99 or £40 a year, PlayStation Plus gives you two free games for each PlayStation platform every month. It’s proved essential for PS3 owners, but the Plus library on Vita offered little more than launch titles for several months. By now though, a huge number of great Vita games have been made available through Plus and you’ve definitely been missing out if you’re not a member. With PS4 out now, the value of Plus has gone up again, because your $49.99 gets you free content every month on all three PlayStation platforms. You get to keep the free digital games for as long as your subscription continues, so after a few months of Vita ownership you could have a fantastic game library and have taken advantage of discounts, too.

6. Cross-buy: Buy a PlayStation 3 or 4 game and get the Vita version too.

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Sony recently began offering “Cross-buy” titles on the PlayStation Store. This means that when a game is available on PlayStation 3 and Vita, buying one version gives you access to both, allowing you to transfer saves between systems and continue your game on the move. Some great examples are Need for Speed: Most Wanted and Hotline Miami. Cross-buy will also be coming to PlayStation 4, so expect to be able to play some smaller PS4 downloadable titles on the Vita too.

7. Be a hipster: Play indie games on the bus

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One of the Vita’s biggest selling points for many people is its extensive library of independently developed games. Outside of Steam, Vita is perhaps the best place to play indie games like Spelunky, Thomas Was Alone, Hotline Miami, Velocity Ultra, Stealth Inc. and many more. If you’re dying to play the latest critical darlings and cult hits, but aren’t into gaming on a PC, then Vita is a fantastic place to catch up on these titles. Many of these games make use of Cross-buy as well, so paying for them once gives you both the PS3 and Vita versions.

8. First-party exclusives.

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Plenty of legendary PlayStation franchises have made the move to Vita, some with more success than others, but the likes of Uncharted and Killzone have received brand new games on Vita. Some of these games feel like corners have been cut to fit them onto the smaller screen, but most of them are technically impressive, even if the likes of LittleBigPlanet feel just a little lacking compared to their PS3 siblings.

There are exciting new games from Sony as well. The most interesting of these is Tearaway, a beautiful new 3D puzzle platformer from Media Molecule that really shows off all of the Vita’s control options in a much less gimmicky way than the launch titles.

9. Handheld versions of big screen experiences.

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On top of sony Sony fan favourites, you’ll find console-sized games from third-parties too. Call of Duty, Need for Speed, and FIFA have all appeared on Vita. While some of these games are dumbed down compared to the living room version - and FIFA is a straight rip-off - others are at their best on Vita. Rayman Legends for instance is incredible, adding unique touch features and looking beautiful on the OLED screen. Spin-offs from console franchises are also common, with Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation being the most famous (and successful) example.

10. Catch up on original PlayStation and PSP classics.

If, like many other gamers, you never owned a PSP, Sony offers substantial discounts for digital downloads of PSP games that you can play on the Vita. If you missed the likes Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops and Peace Walker or LocoRoco, you can experience them for the first time on the Vita, upscaled and smoothed to fit the larger and higher resolution screen. Some PSP games look better than others on the Vita because the bigger screen doesn’t do any favours for earlier PSP titles, but that console still had a handful of great games that you might not have been able to play until now. Most of the PSone classics you’ve downloaded on your PS3 will run on the Vita as well, so long journeys can be passed with nostalgic trips through the slums of Midgar in Final Fantasy VII or the jungles of Crash Bandicoot.

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Do you agree with our choices? What do you think we’ve missed out? Let us know in the comments below.

Joseph Barron loves his Vita because it manages to make boring, delayed British train journeys so much more entertaining. His favourite games on the system are Wipeout 2048 and Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition. He owns a 3DS as well, but only uses it for a handful of Nintendo exclusives and to further his crippling StreetPass addiction.