Playstation Vita ready for Europe launch

Sony’s new handheld console – the Playstation Vita – is set to launch in Europe on Wednesday.
 
The device launched in Japan last Christmas and Sony say more than half a million units have now been sold.
 
It will be a rival to Nintendo’s 3DS, boasting a quad-core processor and 5in (12.7cm) OLED touch screen.
 
However, it is entering a competitive market as mobile casual gamer space becomes increasingly dominated by game applications for smartphones.
 
Two different versions of the device will go on sale: a model with wi-fi connectivity for £229 and an enhanced version that also uses the 3G mobile network.
 
Johnny Minkley, from video gaming website Eurogamer, said the Vita was "the most competent handheld gaming system ever made", but he believed price would be an issue.
 
It is a high-end device and Sony has shot itself in the foot with the proprietary memory cards, which is an added expense which everyone needs to make on day one," he added.Launch line-up
 
When Nintendo launched its 3DS system last year, sales were poor, forcing the company to slash 40% of the price, despite critical acclaim.
 
It was not until games such as Mario Kart were launched that sales of the 3DS started to pick up.
 
In contrast, the Vita will have 30 different games available at launch. Some will be full-price commercial titles, while others are third-party downloads priced at under £10.