Sony discontinued production of the PlayStation Vita in March 2019, bringing the lifespan of this portable video game console to a close.

Released worldwide in February 2012, the Vita was the successor to the PlayStation Portable, but failed to find a wide audience as smartphones grew more popular.

Though it wasn't as successful as Sony had hoped, the PlayStation Vita had its fair share of classic games, and helped a number of indie games make their way into the spotlight.

The era of the PlayStation Vita has come to a close with Sony's decision to discontinue the console earlier this month.

First released in early 2012, the portable video game console never really found a wide audience, but it was a respectable upgrade to Sony's PlayStation Portable and offered a handful of exclusive titles that were well worth the investment.

The PlayStation Vita's most impressive features included an OLED touch screen, 3G cellular internet, Bluetooth, dual analog sticks, and remote play for PlayStation 3 and 4 games. However, as smartphone technology began to develop more rapidly, the Vita became less compelling as a multimedia device. Happily, the Vita's legacy can still be defined by the handful of exclusive games released during the console's seven-year lifespan.

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While one of Sony's main goals with the Vita was to produce experiences that felt like playing on a home console, the Vita produced a number of unique games that were later brought over to more powerful hardware. And as the Vita got older, independent developers began to take advantage of the console's strong hardware and dedicated player base. For example, PC games like "Stardew Valley" or "Minecraft" that had earned an indie following could be moved to the Vita at low cost, letting players take their favorite games on the go.

The PlayStation Vita may not have been a smash hit, but there were plenty of gems to be found on the handheld if you spent enough time looking.

Here are the best PlayStation Vita games you might have overlooked: