The story of Katamari Damacy is one of the most surprising successes in Namco’s history. A budget import title becomes a cult hit and leads to nine sequels and spin-offs, including the Vita launch title Touch My Katamari. There hasn’t been much evolution in this beloved franchise, but Touch My Katamari makes a strong debut on Sony’s new handheld, proving that the series has a lot of life left. READ MORE
Writers Andrew Passafiume and Graham Russell tend to be on opposite sides of the debate when talking about handheld games: Andrew would usually rather be playing on a big screen, and Graham likes that lower system specs makes devs focus on gameplay. In this two-part feature, the two get together and make their picks of the games that best and least fit on a portable.
Pokemon Red and Blue Versions
Graham: What made the Pokemon games special was the idea that you built up these teams, carried them around and obsessed over them and then took on friends. Later games (and later tech) allowed for online play and profile porting, but even then, that’s not the same experience.
Andrew: The Pokemon series always felt like it was just perfect for handhelds. It was all about the ability to take your team wherever you wanted and trading with friends, like you said, so I completely agree. READ MORE
One of the first downloadable titles available for the PlayStation Vita, Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack is a 2D puzzle platformer and a follow-up to last year’s Tales From Space: About a Blob. This title focuses on a lot of the same basic gameplay found in that original title, but it also utilizes some of the Vita’s features in an engaging way. READ MORE
Lumines has been away from handhelds for a while, appearing in two console-exclusive titles, but both failed to re-capture what made the original game so incredible back during the PSP’s launch in 2004. And here we are, eight years later, with Lumines: Electronic Symphony, proving that this franchise feels right at home on a handheld. READ MORE
After remaining dormant for a few years, Twisted Metal makes its debut on the PS3 and it brings the full force of the late ’90s with it. The original Twisted Metal games combined completely chaotic car combat with a story and presentation that represented that era in video games rather well. With series creator David Jaffe back at the helm, Twisted Metal looks to reclaim that once-staggering level of popularity in a genre that has remained absolutely stagnant for the past five years. READ MORE
