How is the load speed on this. I'm debating getting one but i couldnt stand the load times on the psp. I'm also unaware if those got any shorter with the updated psp models or not since i went almost completely to ipod touch gaming.

Why do you need 3g or wi fi to play on the vita? What's the appeal to have that feature?

From IGN:

What is Near?


Near is the Vita's "location-based" app. It's pre-installed and free on every Vita. Basically, you use the app to check-in, and Near finds out who has been playing Vita in a 10-mile or so radius. You can tap those profiles to see the games that person has been playing, make friends and challenge others to multiplayer matches. You can drop packages like a modnation map all over the world so if you drop a package and someone finds it, they can dowlnoad what you dropped. You can even rate your games so people see how you like your library. In order to utilize these features however, your Vita must be connected to a wifi hotspot. Check out our video preview below.

<object id="vid_007cf6eed3bbb2b265138e0c33d35f31" class="ign-videoplayer" width="480" height="270" data="http://media.ign.com/ev/prod/embed.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="movie" value="http://media.ign.com/ev/prod/embed.swf" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><param name="flashvars" value="url=http://www.ign.com/videos/2011/12/22/how-to-use-playstation-vita-near"/></object>

Depending on the age of the PlayStationŽNetwork account holder and the settings for sharing information, some "near" features cannot be used.

Much better than the PSP. I played some Rayman Origins last night too and the load times were there, but not bad enough that I started tapping my fingers or anything. Probably comparable to a XBLA/PSN game I'd say. Who knows for things like Uncharted though.

I ordered a memory card, starter kit and Army Corps of Hell from Buttplugz but nothing has shipped (as far as I can tell). Kinda wishing I never bothered with Buttplugz but I damn sure wasn't paying full price for that Starter Kit and memory card. Ugh.

Load times on the PSP were basically tied to the UMD format, right? I know that once I started buying downloadable PSP games for the Go, the load times went way, way down.

yup.

Is there any sort of "Online Pass" or anything like that to make used games undesirable? Because I predict a "State Of Emergency" flood of used copies of Little Deviants in the next few weeks.

I don't think Little Deviants has an online pass, but some of the games will: http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/on...n-vita-titles/

The other interesting news is that apparently if you buy Hustle Kings for Vita, you get it for PS3 for free. And I think the same goes for Wipeout, unless I'm misreading this article: http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/so...c-and-vice-ve/

You are, a bit. With WipEout 2048, you get free Spring DLC if you own WipEout HD and Fury DLC on the PS3.
Regarding Hustle Kings, it's even better than you posted : Yes, if you buy it for the Vita, you get the (Move-Enabled) PS3 version for free, but also if you already own Hustle Kings for the PS3 (I got it on sale for $4.99 some time ago), you get the Vita version for free! That's a really nice bonus -- something I haven't seen a lot of from Sony with this launch.

Here's the official post from Sony:
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2012/...-play-content/

(Also if you bought bonus DLC for PS3 Ultimate MvC3, you can get the same content on your Vita version for free as well -- doesn't help me at all, but a nice bonus).

Finally, the "digital copy" concept comes to games.

BTW : IGN notes that the cross-platform offer also extends to Top Darts (a game I picked up on sale last Fall) and Motorstorm R.C. (another Vita-launch PSN title, this one priced cheaply, at least in Europe). I have found no corroboration in the Playstation Blog, but have seen that report elsewhere. Hope that's really a U.S. thing as well, because I buy every Motorstorm game and wouldn't mind a free darts game on the Vita.

Since my PSP was a gift from my wife ages ago and sat unused most of the time I owned it my wife thinks I'm nuts for wanting a Vita. I think it looks amazing and I'm itching to buy one.

I've had more fun in the past 4 days with my Vita than I've had with my PSP. And that's solely based on Lumines and Rayman Orgins. Oh - and the drop dead gorgeous screen.

Yeah, but you can play Rayman on the PS3, 360 and the Wii. And honestly, that game is so gorgeous, playing it on a smaller screen is to do it a great disservice. Also, I've already finished it, so now what?

Stopped by Target in Escondido, CA and their PoS did not allow a buy 2 get 1 free on the Vita games. Ad and PoS does not state a street date restriction but it was not coming up as part of the deal. Anyone have any luck elsewhere?

Haven't tried but Gamestop is doing roughly the same promo. Buy two first party titles get a 3rd free. http://www.gamestop.com/browse?nav=1...1vita2012,134f

Hopefully this means Amazon will match.

I had the same problem and they were not budging with the it doesn't start until Wed. and would not honor it. I talked with two different managers and they didn't seem to understand that no where in the ad does it say the sale started Wed. Only person that had a clue was the guy working in the electronics department who was saying the same thing as me about the ad not saying the sale started Wed. So I told them I was going to drive two minutes up the street and go to Best Buy and have them price match. They said go ahead and do that, so I did and Best Buy had no problem honoring the sale.

I tried as well. They kept saying "The games don't get released until Wed.", I told them that's not right and they're currently for immediate delivery on Amazon, but they said they got specific instructions to not sell the games until the 22nd (which is odd since the same store had Ninja Gaiden Black and some other game for sale in the same store last week). Anyway, since I won't have my Vita until late next week (thanks Butt Plugz!), it doesn't make a difference to me. I think I'll grab WipEout 2048 and Lumines (along with any another $40 game to return later). Apparently they won't have Rayman Origins there (plus, like slop, I already have it for 360) and there's nothing else I want (besides Uncharted and Ultimate MvC3 which have already shipped to me).

Seriously, this is an impressive handheld launch -- software-wise. They may have bungled the First-Edition Bundle, but the launch line-up already blows away the 3DS software line up after a year on the shelves. Looking forward to the Super Stardust and About a Blob games on PSN as well.

This will probably get me on board:

Did you play Lumines in the PSP? The original game.

I had a lot of fun with that game, played for months. I actually played a lot with my PSP the first year I owned it. But I have barely touched it the last 3 years.

Nope, because i hated my PSP.

I remember a writer at IGN referring to the PSP as his "Lumines machine". I wonder how significantly better this version is since I already have that game for the PSP (twice actually, original and sequel), XBLA, PSN (can't remember why I bought this game for both systems -- some sort of a sale and promotion with free DLC) and on Steam. Don't really need it again, and yet.....

How did they bungle the first edition?

When major retailers like Target think they're not allowed to sell the software for a full week week after you launch your new gaming system, there's some sort of incompetence going on somewhere.