PS Vita as a Retro Gaming Handheld (Review)

[@alanscott2517]

"This system is made to play Sony hardware game and it's not meant to play Sega games." Buddy, the Sega Saturn was barely meant to play Sega Saturn games.

[@RetroGameCorps]

Can't disagree there!

[@milkapeismilky5464]

I literally laughed out loud when I read that! I'm a huge fan of the Sega Saturn, but I know it's a whore. Kind of like, I'm not going to say it

[@user-yk1cw8im4h]

What else does the Saturn play?

[@alanscott2517]

@@user-yk1cw8im4h The joke is that the Saturn was very powerful but very poorly designed and it was a miracle they could get anything to work on it. That said, I had a PS, Saturn and N64 and without a doubt the Saturn was my favorite system of the lot. If you were willing to go to Japan the sheer amount of fighting games was fantastic. Also, Fire Pro Wrestling.

[@amk8411]

With the dual CD-ROM *_and_* cartridge capabilities the Sega Saturn should have been the superior console of its day.

[@clumsysensei]

Hey man, I've been using my vita for over 4 years and let me tell you that the emulation isnt bad. The problem was retroarch, you should just use emulators that were made on psp, then you will have no crashes at all and the vita has a n64 emulator in the making that has over half the library playable. So yes the vita is amazing on retro emulation. You just took the wrong path

[@G8S1983]

I need a ps vita with retro games on . Hard to find ones already pre installed

[@itsmesteve1081]

I agree

[@tazerturtle6572]

Yeah, Retroarch can be a real bitch. I will say though that GBA emulation on RA is damn near perfect

[@Vince29]

@@tazerturtle6572 Sorry, but a bit of a 'noob' question here; What does RA stands for? (I am considering modifying my PS-vita)

[@tazerturtle6572]

@@Vince29 sorry, I was trying to be "cool" and abbreviate Retroarch. That's what RA means

[@g0at720]

Me buying PSvita to play PSP games

[@Dendrotera1]

I just bought my ps vita 1004 and get 16 platinums 😎

[@X862go]

🙋‍♂️🙋‍♂️ just dusted mine of ordered new battery and grips too.

[@conanbdetective]

When you're gonna play a game that requires high reaction times, the PSP is a bit better because the buttons are a bit larger. I had a better experience with rhythm games and fighting games on the PSP.

[@true_neutral3378]

@@conanbdetective I kinda like the vita's buttons better though,

[@TheCoolDave]

Trust me, they look so much better on the OLED display... worthy upgrade..

[@SolidPython2099]

I kinda wish you mentioned that even though the Retroarch arcade emulation is pretty poor on Vita, with the 100% PSP/PS1 compatibility you still get TONS of essential arcade games through various releases, collections and compilations. Just “some” PSP examples like: Midway Arcade Treasures(Mortal Kombat 1-3, Rampage, Spy Hunter etc), Darkstalkers Chronicle The Chaos Tower(all 3 games in 1), Namco Museum, Metal Slug Collection, Capcom Classics Collections(Street Fighter 1 and several version of 2, Strider, Final Fight, Captain Commando etc), Capcom Puzzle World, King of Fighters The Orochi Saga, Samurai Shodown Anthology, Street Fighter Alpha 3 MAX, SNK Classics Collection 0 and 1, Activision Hits Remixed, Sega Genesis Collection, EA Replay, Atari Classics Evolved and Atari Flashback Classics etc On PS1 front you can have versions of some of the popular arcade games at the time as well like Marvel Super Heroes, X-Men vs Street Fighter, Tekken 1-3, Mortal Kombat 4, Soul Edge, Marvel vs Capcom, Street Fighter Alpha 2, Dead or Alive etc. And if you want a lil bit of Dreamcast on your Vita as well, there’s an official Jet Set Radio remaster on Vita, Crazy Taxi Fare Wars(includes first 2 games) and Power Stone Collection on PSP. I know the point of the video was mostly the emulation, but I just wanna give a heads up for people even though you can’t emulate some of these games, it doesn’t mean there’s no way for you to play these games on Vita! :)

[@fairyboy444]

Thank u

[@sTuPiDiScOoL_]

💯💯🏆🏆💚💚👊

[@HollowRick]

Just picked up a vita for cheap in 2024 this was a very helpful :)

[@quinnmiller9718]

It’s cool that it took them one year and 5 months to get all of those system available and fix most issues you mentioned. Dreamcast can be an issue depending on which core you choose.

[@stevethorpe9755]

Always the most common comment in retro handheld and emulation groups is always the Vita is the greatest thing ever etc. This was probably the best review video i've seen in comparison to an emulation handheld. Great video!

[@mediaman9719]

I think it’s the best for Sony games(it should be, it runs them natively). I have an RG351P, GPD XD+, ordering a Retroid Pocket 2 and Moqi I7s and also a Switch lite that plays everything brilliantly. The problem with the Vita isn’t it’s capabilities, but it’s support from the emulation community. Daedulus 64 is terrible, the Vita version of Retroarch is crap, etc...

[@cristhianolmedo3236]

​@@mediaman9719 it's the best, but using native psp emulators, works flawless, this video i'ts bad done, don't believe me just serrch you tube videos about it & you'll see

[@vgrepairs]

@@mediaman9719 native VITA Daedalusx64 version 0.6 just came out yesterday. Check it out. It's good.

[@clydefrosch]

@@cristhianolmedo3236 it's not. Psp emulators were always a mess of playing with settings to make the most of an OK for its time situation. There were like 4 gba emulators and all of them played different games at different levels of buggyness.

[@mikepritchard87]

@@cristhianolmedo3236 he didnt even try to overclock it and then try the arcade games that weren't running good

[@gustavocastillo9954]

20:42 I'm a huge metal gear fan, and as soon as I saw Adrenaline I knew I was able to play my beloved metal gear acid 2! You've helped me make my purchase decision. Thanks so much :D

[@omegamanGXE]

Metal Gear Ac!d 2: Electric Boogaloo

[@TheUberdude187]

The vita is a god as far as emulation goes. I missed the boat on the vita originally but got a fat and slim version last year and there both fantastic.

[@AsherBunnyman]

I've had my Vita for a few years, and honestly I'm really tempted to buy a couple backups in case mine ever wears out. This handheld will probably *still* have legs in a decade, and probably cost double or triple today's price.

[@punchingfatcones]

dude i just bought a 1000 and now i wanna get the 2000. should i do it? LOL

[@ElNegus9985]

@@punchingfatcones Up to you, I personally think that the 2000 series will be good in the future since 3rd party LCD panel is cheap. I owned a ps vita blue 1000 version since last year, left it inside the my case :( Now I have a high interest on it to mod the software lol. Looking forward on using it. I do also own a pspgo, which I love to collect handhelds.

[@3ooth]

I ordered a vita to play psp & vita games, so knowing a hacked one can play those perfectly is comforting. thanks 😊

[@goxcpre]

Perfect native support for PSX as wellm

[@johnzoidberg9764]

@@goxcpre with no R2,R3,L2,L3?

[@markuskus01]

It's been 2 years since the video came out and a lot has changed. Nintendo 64 games now work perfectly on Vita thanks to Daedalusx64. I just finished Super Mario 64 and it's running without any problems.

[@kainhighwind2]

It's not perfect, but it's getting better. I'm just waiting so I can play Mystical Ninja starring Goemon and stuff like Flying Dragon

[@Gloryboyquan]

​@kainhighwind2 no it isn't getting better last update was years agooooooooo .

[@TheNameIsSR]

​@@Gloryboyquanwhat are you talking about? DaedalusX64 is literally still getting nightlies, last release was two days ago.

[@Gloryboyquan]

@TheNameIsSR ohhhh my bad homie....I meant the main version not nightly release also yeah ... I have to install that then cause some games run better on the night release like f zero has graphics glitches for me but on night release its running noticeably better imma install the Newest Nightly Rn

[@tonytwostep_]

there's a Vita native port of Super Mario 64 which I would recommend over the emulated N64 one. 60 FPS, native resolution, other mods, etc. Part of the decompilation.

[@ianbaldwin8279]

One of the most comprehensive reviews on KZbin. Thank you fellow gamer for your service. Salute

[@RetroGameCorps]

Much appreciated!

[@Gloryboyquan]

​@RetroGameCorps please vita update 2024 🙏🏾

[@pacoroto]

Hey! emulation has gotten A LOT better since this video, I know it's been only like 4 months, but with the new version of retroarch I haven't experienced any crash and you can emulate perfectly from PSX and below, though some psx games get small slowdowns.

[@RetroGameCorps]

That's good to know, thanks! I really need to do an update video.

[@Alex-oy6wb]

@@RetroGameCorps any plans to do update? Interested to see if MAME got better. Want to play marvel vs capcom 2 at 60fps…any emulators you rec?

[@RetroGameCorps]

@@Alex-oy6wb hi, yep I have several updates out now. Check out my Vita playlist, and specifically my RetroArch video. Enjoy!

[@Alex-oy6wb]

@@RetroGameCorps spoke too soon. Saw them. Looks like Arcade still has issues.

[@alinepiroutek8932]

I am playing Contra 3 and the performance is quite bad

[@greygoose3936]

I love my PS Vita. That D Pad is just so satisfying to use and the OLED screen is absolutely gorgeous. It's no longer my main emulation device, but every time I boot it up I'm reminded how gorgeous it looks.

[@mhnoni]

and which device is your main emu now?

[@omegamanGXE]

@@mhnoniOdin 2: Electric Boogaloo

[@dezm101]

Nice video, Vita / PSTV owner here. The setup and config of retroarch and other emulators can be a pain on the Vita, but I think the emulation is better than what you might have experienced if you try a few additional options like installing CPS1 / 2 emulators via adrenaline and using different MAME cores in retroarch, for example I can run 90s arcade games like T2, MK and more without the same issues you have, but it did take a while to set it up.

[@RetroGameCorps]

I've been hearing the same, thanks for the feedback! I'll definitely look into emulation via Adrenaline.

[@wunderlichD]

I’m glad you made this video. I am a huge fan of using a Vita for retro emulation. I only need to emulate up to GBA and PS1. For me the premium hardware, oled screen and overall support is why I prefer it. I modded mine to run a 5000mah battery so I get 8-10 hours of runtime. Plus I am working on removing the stock charger port and replacing it with a USBC and make it compatible with data and charging. Another thing to try is to install lolicon via the Auto plugin to overclock the vita cpu to 500mhz

[@RetroGameCorps]

Thanks for the feedback! That 5000mAh battery mod sounds fantastic, and I'd love to hear how that USB-C mod goes in the future! I'll check out lolicon, thanks!

[@peejae082004]

hi there, how is the psvita with the 5000mah battery mod holding up? did you use a li-po or li-ion?

[@ohshift336]

@wunderlichD how'd it go? The battery in my Phat is going, so I was thinking of doing something like this.

[@goxcpre]

While there are limitations of the Vita, the quality of a Sony product is just amazing. I really appreciate how you mentioned the HD collections as well. No handheld system on the market can play MGS 1, 2 and 3.

[@RetroGameCorps]

That was a big draw for me -- Jak and Daxter and MGS!

[@tylergalicia7124]

i wanted a vita for years now, but wanting to have a portable way to play most of the metal gear series(outside of 4 and V) was a massive selling point. I'm in love with it though.

[@ГригорийБуров-м1ъ]

And here we are with mgs trilogy announced for the switch

[@Gloryboyquan]

​@user-se1ro4sy4z vita still better than switch .

[@ГригорийБуров-м1ъ]

@@Gloryboyquan it depends

[@sergm7195]

Premium text and voicing: very informative, explicative and solid in general! Big thanks from Nizhny Novgorod, Russia! ;-)

[@RetroGameCorps]

Thanks for watching!

[@YoreHistory]

As a computer retro guy as well it's worth mentioning you can play C64 and some others as well...lots of great gaming to be had on the 8 and 16 bit pcs of the day!

[@chrislaustin]

Yeah, I would HIGHLY recommend you do better research in the future, as Retroarch is just about the worst emulator on the Vita, and I only use it for situations were it's the only option. The Vita has many specific system emulators that run great, and most of the best ones, are from the PSP. As they are much more optimized for the PSP, and when used on the Vita, gets a great horsepower boost. Final Burn Alpha runs Aliens VS Predator perfectly, as I play it most days and that's the Vita specific emu. The best emu's are mostly PSP versions, like SNES9, Nester J, gpSP kai & Picodrive and these can all be used by setting them up through Adrenaline(yes, more work, but much better results). And while they aren't perfect, there's very few games that can't run in one emulator, that won't run better in a different one. I understand that Retroarch is an all in 1 type of deal(so 1st choice for ease), but I would recommend you make another video and try some emulators that actually work, before stating the Vita isn't good for emulation, because it's much, much better than what you have shown here(and by a very good margin).

[@atheismcrew1524]

"The best emu is Nester J" nope. You can't run a lot of games on that. For example, Ninja Gaiden 2 glitches out on the train stage every time I try it. Pretty much any FDS game crashes on that. When I used Picodrive to play Truxton I got frequent save/load errors: after loading a save state multiple times I couldn't save or load anymore unless I backed out of the emulator. For someone who's criticizing him based on doing only a little bit of research it seems like there are a lot of games you don't play. Also, did you watch the video? He showed Fceumm (a very polished emulator on pc) crashing at random at least once.

[@Kamuyy]

Excellent video. For the L2/R2, I bought a case that has the L2/R2 buttons and it works surprisingly well.

[@Kiyoshi_9606]

Which case did you buy?

[@cooolpotato]

Was going to suggest the same thing. I think the touchpad solution was clever and for anyone who doesn't like them there are cases with L2/R2 adaptions that work flawlessly. Mine was $20 on amazon.

[@jonathont5570]

I have had my vita and ps modded since it was first able to and never looked back. In fact any short comings for the vita and retro in my opinion is bested by the fantastic OLED screen. My vita has never crashed in emulation. I think you need to look at your software configs.

[@warnacokelat]

My dream when I was a I kid was to have a portable PS1 that I can play anywhere. The vita is the PS1 machine that I've always wanted.

[@Phallica-js7ht]

With one problem...you don't have L2 or R2 buttons.

[@JRodSMX]

@@Phallica-js7ht the rear touch pad works for those buttons

[@Phallica-js7ht]

@@JRodSMX Yeah, and it's utterly horrible.

[@nelsonr.9450]

@@Phallica-js7ht u do know u have cases now with actual buttons for that?! U can find it easy on YT with links for amazon! ;) they r pretty great!

[@Dun-N-Dusted]

@@nelsonr.9450 Do you know of any for the 1000? I have been keeping my eye out for one for the 1000 for almost 2 years now but the only one that I have been able to find specify that It works with the 2000 only other then one from china that was being sold for like 50$!

[@jessevandorsten5063]

I think there are some cases that add the L,R 2 and 3 buttons via pads on the back

[@skeptical7025]

I have a vita and honestly having the ability to play any vita, psp, or ps1 game cause I modded it is fcking amazing.

[@arlonborges]

Maybe it is time to make a 2024 version of this and show how is the retro gaming in the PsVita , specially after last year's jailbraking becoming so easy to do.

[@jaimeortiz534]

I chose the rg351p, thanks to you and your tutorials. I've gotten almost everything I set out to do finished on my rg351. Thank you russ you are god sent.

[@zeeejay]

anyone else watching this in 2023 hoping russ works on it again?

[@Gathies]

"5 inches feels like the perfect size" me: tell that to my ex girlfriend

[@ricklohr909]

I really hope this comment gets more likes lol

[@artoriasoftheabyss1575]

yall made it to 5?

[@ricklohr909]

@@artoriasoftheabyss1575 LOL

[@abilovestotrade]

@@artoriasoftheabyss1575 LOL

[@suhtangwong]

Still pushing half of that.

[@Gakki_Aniki]

I just bought a vita this month for three reasons: Psp, Oled, Persona 4 golden !

[@RetroGameCorps]

I've never played a Persona game but I think this will be my first one!

[@kingicej2312]

I had the OLED version for the longest 6 years to decide to sell it

[@save_zawarudo]

I wanted to get one for persona as well but since it got ported to pc I'm not sure

[@triniking1234]

@@save_zawarudo The other Persona games are still playable on Vita.

[@Tessaracts]

I just got mine today and I really just wanna play little big planet. I had a vita on release but sold it

[@Hamood113]

I got one for $80 brand new with no scratches at the start of the pandemic. It’s been great

[@RetroGameCorps]

Great price!

[@GleyRiviery]

I just bought one for about that price. I'm loving it to the moment, but in my case there's some random crashes and troublesome homebrews annoying me.

[@justi063]

Hacking is easy. In terms of retro gaming it does everything. Definitely plays n64 games these days. Don’t rely on retroarch look for stand alone emulators. VITA IS KING.

[@daddykarlmarx6183]

Yeah if he hacked a 3ds, then hed say hacking the vita is extremely easy lmao

[@coolguy101084]

How do I find out which Emulators are best for each system on the vita? I’m buying a Modded vita with henkaku

[@jorv1971]

@@daddykarlmarx6183 I found the 3DS to be easier to hack than the Vita.

[@saltydad2987]

So I used your guide and now this thing is awesome! I am now playing so much on this now and I was glad I had your channel to learn/walk thru with. Keep up the awesome work and I’m looking forward to more from your channel

[@WiZzArDStudios]

I have a 2DS XL for (3)DS games, then the rest of my retro gaming I have my goto Vita ;)

[@WaynesWorldofEverything]

Same. Even the 2ds xl at times is ok for retro with Retroarch these days.

[@clydefrosch]

Snes9x for O3ds and gpsp on retroarch work really well on n3ds, just chip games are a nogo

[@aiodensghost8645]

I keep my 2DS XL unmodded for now as I have my PSP Go and Vita modded for retro games.

[@realone3602]

My 3ds is modded with lots of games NES,Sega,GBA,GBC,GB,3ds games, mario 64 port, mario cart port plus I have the 208 in 1 just for DS games.

[@maxedoutswagger1152]

Yeah you can use that 2 for all the older nintendo games (I recommend Twilight menu instead of retroarch since Twilight menu (almost) never fails when loading games, while retroarch does (quite a lot)

[@H8KR]

I've watched some of your videos. you are good at reviewing, detailed content and good consideration of what people expect. great one! subscribed!

[@starby.]

A couple side notes or updates : N64 Emulation, Dreamcast, and Sega saturn emulation now works WAY better, a ton of mobile games have been ported to the ps vita ( dead space, mass effect, gta etc.) the device is probably better than the 3ds now with its library. There is a bounty for a 3ds emulator (300$ currently raised).

[@BoJangles42]

I have 2 PS Vitas and never thought it was worthwhile jailbreaking them. I have a big PS Vita library and some essential PS1 Classic and PSP games like Castlevania SOTN and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, and the device is well worth owning just for those games. This was a great video and I very much appreciate you sharing your experience with it. I might hack my Vita 2000 just for Adrenaline.

[@Gloryboyquan]

I'm still playing freedom unite in 2023 . frustrating game but very satisfying to kill monster haha

[@studioviper3016]

It's a great little device for retro gaming. I love being able to play all my modern PS4 games remotely on it too. Covers both bases. And that's not even mentioning being able to play PSP and Vita games perfectly.

[@RetroGameCorps]

The PSP and Vita games really are my favorite part of this device. So many quality games to play now!

[@andrebrait]

gpSP requires the GBA BIOS to be in the system folder in order to run. There was a bug in its dynarec too, but that was fixed a while ago. You should try it again.

[@shabantariq5662]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b36wp4CKj7WCnpo

[@martinm4725]

Mine didn't work even with the bios on the system folder, just like Russ said in the video. I had to use other core, which kinda sucks in terms of performance on some titles.

[@jackmao746]

@@martinm4725 try 1.9.0 build instead of latest 1.9.1, worked for me gl

[@turtle3600]

You need the bios. I jad the same issues. Also you might not be placing/naming them correcte because it works perfect on mine.

[@hadouken2123]

just wanted to say, BIG thanks for all the guides you provided so far! Not only regarding PS Vita, but also all the other system/handhelds.

[@streetstryker]

Hey just a note on the retro gaming on this device , this videos is now relatively old so your opinion may have changed however if you ditch retroarch and use native emulators on the Vita and even more so, retro emulators for the PSP your experience may differ considerably as the PSP has very solid emulators with years of development behind them

[@ZikzakHD]

How is it right? Still crashes?

[@poolboy22v]

Don't forget that you can run all the retro emulators that were developed for the PSP while inside Adrenaline

[@mobious01]

Maybe, my console keeps crashing while doing emulation inception

[@worstperson2ask]

Dont do it though. Emulating inside an emulator

[@IceKoldKilla]

I'm so glad I got a Vita off someone for £20. OLED version too. I got it a couple years ago or more but barely used it... until now. Some coworker wanted to get rid of it. I got 2 cases, FF X-2 HD or whatever it's called and a 32GB memory card. Such a steal. Now I hacked it not long ago and it's been amazing. I've been using Adrenaline non stop. So many PSP games I missed. Vita has some good ones but I'll get to them later. I already finished a few.

[@jonathont5570]

Vita crushes it with Retro and adrenaline... Fantastic emu device.

[@luisperez86]

It is true that RetroArch crashes A LOT... Even if I re-install it, it doesn't matter how many times I do it, it will crash the same exact way it did on this video, so I use the stand alone emulators for the retro games.

[@youreinmydreamsnow]

@@luisperez86 look up "and crazymac vita" on google. It'll change your view of retroarch

[@ParanoidThalyyMVS]

Sold my Retroid Pocket 2 and got a Vita, pretty good decision when it comes to devices for emulation, it's just so much better.

[@dihuo6137]

why RetroArch ? It is not the only option. There are other better options out there . Snes9xTYL 0.4.2 mod for SNES, Final Burn Alpha for Arcades, gPSP for GBA game, MasterBoy for Sega Genesis , adrenaline is perfect for PSP and PSone games and you can run NESTERJ in Adrenaline for NES games

[@youreinmydreamsnow]

@@dihuo6137 until you look up crazymac'a retroarch mod for vita, I think you'll continue to be in the dark as to how amazing retroarch is as a one stop shop for all roms/emulators. Everything works out of box without minimal configuration. You can configure it if you'd like, but there really isn't a need. It's all personal preference, I just prefer Retroarch to having a million other emulators on my device.

[@ungabungus01]

Ps vita dpad is my favorite of any console. The analog sticks have a bit of a sharp edge for me but I put caps on them and they're great

[@FaithFallRepentGraceRepeat]

I miss that dpad! Is there any Bluetooth controller that you know of that comes close? I can’t find any that match it.

[@HendraWijaya1983]

I agree with you.the dpad is amazing

[@DJDanceClassic]

@@HendraWijaya1983 I agree with you and C W but the Neo geo x gamepad comes very very close !

[@Pelvic_Thrust1]

Great Review as always! This has quickly become one of my favorite Channels for Retro Devices! Also some extra stuff that might be of use for people interested in getting a Vita: - Some PSP games actually play better on the Vita than on an original PSP, because of the right Stick. Mainly any PSP game that originally used the D-Pad for camera controls (Monster Hunter, MGS Peace Walker, Splinter Cell etc.); - If you're willing to shell out, there are grips you can buy that essentially add L2/R2/L3/R3 buttons, though good ones can be somewhat expensive. It does make playing over remote play a lot better though;

[@RetroGameCorps]

Thank you! I just recently ordered a grip with triggers, can’t wait to try it out.

[@HoLDoN4Sec]

the psp's N64 emulator runs pretty well, and since adrenaline is essentially the PS vita's front end to its internal PSP emulator you can basically use all of the PSP's retro console emulators - most of which run exceptionally well since the PSP is over 17 years old at this point. as for the remote play L2/L3 R2/R3 issue, there is a special grip you can buy which will turn those into actual triggers on the back of the console, i've been playing with that grip for 2 years now and it works pretty neatly, its not perfect but it is significantly better than the touch pads

[@jaimef5668]

What is the name of the special grip?

[@Chocoburger]

@@jaimef5668 If you have a Vita 1000, your only option is "Joetsu PS Vita grip". I have it, and it's okay, could have been better, but it's the only option, so you'll have to make due.

[@OptimusMonk01]

1) For fingerprints, get an anti glare screen protector for like, $2 2) It doesn't do PS3 Remote Play unless you're emulating the PSP, in which case it works with precisely one game, because Sony dropped Remote Play on the PS3 faster than OJ dropped gloves out the window of his SUV 3) For remote play, you're better off using a DS4, which you can install a mod to support as long as you're unlocked for homebrew. Then you can use L2/R2/L3/R3 properly. Get one of those DS4 mobile phone grips. 4) In Japan you can readily find a microUSB port adapter for the 1000 model for about $6, look in any yamada denki or other big electronics warehouse.

[@adamocaya809]

There is also a case/grip for ps vita with l2 r2 trigger

[@anthonyblack8279]

Great vid man, i had my psvita ages, so il give you a tip, use retro emulators on adrenaline, you can still find the likes of snes and nes genesis and mastersytem and many more emulators for the orignal psp that work great. Adrenaline is the best aide to run 16bit emulation on the vita

[@szwajcarskadiastema2414]

The main thing you did wrong is you used Retroarch for some unknown reason. Who told you it's a good idea? You're blaming the console for not doing good emulation, but you used the wrong software.

[@xigbar1994]

What would you suggest out of curiosity? Using dedicated emulators for each software/console?

[@szwajcarskadiastema2414]

@@xigbar1994 Yup, exactly. At least for those which are known to suck in Reatroarch. And you don't really need 50 systems to be emulated, do you? A few emulators is still plenty, and most will use like 2-3 from Nintendo and maybe something from Sega. Plus native PSV, PSP and PS1.

[@vitalirogel5938]

@@szwajcarskadiastema2414 it can go all the way up to n64. With flawless emulation for me.

[@ZunaZurugi]

@@vitalirogel5938 would be cool if it had the Mame 2010 core or 2016. Its sadly missing on the vita version.

[@vitalirogel5938]

@@ZunaZurugi yeah it would. I have never been able to play mame that easily

[@98matheusalles]

I'm learning english , so this not going to be perfect , but...i understand almost everything you say (with subtitles as "assistance") and that's very pleasant to me as your content is something i do like. Thanks! I've got mine here , it's a Fat one and i play it a lot.

[@_The_Worst_]

The Vita is such a beautiful handheld...💯✔

[@teriyakipuppy]

The psvita is beautiful. That piano black is just stunning.

[@HuseynMemmedov]

PS Vita has N64 emulator and there's a Dreamcast emulator too (not stable yet)

[@Ryan-ru6qz]

the n64 emulator is actually runs smooth

[@JayColor]

@@Ryan-ru6qz Depending on what game you’re running

[@onewisedre]

@@Ryan-ru6qz not for goldeneye

[@vitalirogel5938]

@@onewisedre super Mario 64 is really good on it. Also super smash bros

[@onewisedre]

@@vitalirogel5938 yeah I know, mario kart also runs well. But without being able to play goldeneye it just feels incomplete.

[@RGGeek]

This just confirms that for me, the RG350M is still my favorite device. 4:3 screen and parallel analog sticks. If I want to play more modern games (even PSP), I’d rather play them on my 4K TV with EmuELEC. Thx for the very educational video!!

[@DJDanceClassic]

I own the vita and 350m, they are both awesome

[@RetroGameCorps]

I was tinkering with my 350M today, hadn't picked it up in a week or so. Man, it's a beautiful device :)

[@RGGeek]

@@RetroGameCorps I'm starting to think the 350M will be my last retro device. Everything else that's come out either doesn't have the 4:3 screen I want or the controls are different from what I want. The only handheld I could still consider buying is the Analogue Pocket, but even that doesn't excite me that much after offering their pre-order for just 10 min. lol

[@RetroGameCorps]

@@RGGeek haha, I know what you mean. the RG350M checks off a lot of the boxes I'm looking for in a device. If I can get the same form factor with a faster processor and a more seamless UI, I'm all for it.

[@DiacloneFx]

Very nice and informative review. A couple of corrections: Street Fighter Alpha III is a CPS2 game, not CPS3. And there is something wrong with your RetroArch arcade settings. CPS2 games run perfectly well on my Vita in RetroArch, as they do in the stand alone emulators for PSP, stable 60fps. They run perfectly even on a PSP. So honestly it's unfair to say the emulation is not great on Vita. As long you play up to 16bit games, it offers the same emulation quality of the RG351p.

[@jhonlloydlabarento910]

You answer all my questions i watch start to end

[@TheFrogInYourClosetWatchingYou]

I miss my Vita it was such an amazing device.... I sold mine at an awful time too it was when the price just stopped dropping. So I sold mine years ago for what it would cost me to buy one in worse condition with no accessories today.

[@Gloryboyquan]

I did same thing:(

[@Gloryboyquan]

I have one now but I dropped it so I need a screenq

[@Unrealrainbow]

Love going back a few years before russ got his youtube voice! Just messing with you thanks for years of great content.

[@omegamanGXE]

Before he caught ligma

[@nineyt4181]

Yeah bro n64 they running good almost all the game they have release a native emu for n64 on ps vita

[@aiodensghost8645]

As someone who has owned a Vita for 4 years... YES, there IS an L3 and R3. The back touchpad is actually divided into quadrants, with the top left being L2, the top right being R2, the bottom left being L3 and the bottom right R3. That being said, they DO make special grips for the Vita for these functions to not be so finicky

[@RetroGameCorps]

Hi, yes there is an updated video on this channel where I test out some of those grips, thanks for the feedback.

[@HouselessGamer]

mGBA VPK by endrift is probly best GBA emu on Vita tbh. I covered my eyes when i saw RetroArch.

[@modmastertbk9280]

The vita is still very active in the community. One thing you didn't mention is all the plugins. For example you can add a plug-in that lets you add a controller. This solves the button problem. I know it's a little 'xtra' but still. Also the plug-in for psp that lets you add an additional stick to certain games. The problem is their I'd just soooo much with the vita, it's hard to keep track of.

[@RetroGameCorps]

I'm finding that very same problem. Comments in this video alone have pointed to me dozens of different solutions (like your plugins tip!). I really wish there was a good one-stop-shop beginner level site for all this, and for a while I was thinking about adding it to my own site -- but that's a lot of stuff to keep track of on top of my other device guides :)

[@dylanhendley5003]

I recently grabbed one of these based on your review as I pretty much exclusively want to play ps1 and psp games on it, due to the closure of the network stores. And I've found a few fixes for the issues, like you can get grips for it that give you l2 and r2 buttons and also protects it from most finger prints, and japan has a tonne of them, basically brand new, that you can import for less than 150, and the only difference is the O and X buttons are swapped for menus.

[@eaku7]

You can actually swap X and O back to the original place when you hack it

[@baccarah7010]

I still have my OLED model I got back at launch. Got a new battery a year ago and this device has been giving me everything I want out of a retro handheld. Until we aee good PS2/GC emulation in a readily available handheld this will do for me.

[@gfxartist]

I know this is an old video, but I found it very odd to keep hearing that the "device" has poor retro/emulation performance and not even question that the emulator software itself could be the problem. A big hint would be that the vita can run near PS3 quality games and somehow not be able to run a low-res old-school arcade game at a decent frame rate. How could that not be a red flag for the emulator optimization or coding quality? You can only review what you have in your hands, so I don't blame you for not recommending the Vita at the time of the video, but not once did you question the emulation software and I think that should have been part of the discussion.

[@Retrofire-47]

great point, similar thoughts here.

[@rickyiso5447]

For those who don't care about PS1 and NES games, and love the old Commodore Amiga, the Vita is a perfect machine. With the use of the WinUAE you can play nearly all the loved games (there are exceptions like the Prince of Persia and Ghosts 'n' Goblins, but I spend hours of fun with Speedball 1 & 2, Desert Strike, Jungle Strike, Stunt Car Racer and many others). Needs a little effort with the parameters, but once you find the correct ones you'll never go back. I love the Vita.

[@caesarjulius6058]

Vita plays PS1 games natively and emulates NES games perfectly with PNes (not retroarch)

[@jonasbeavis552]

Time to update this video. We have alot better N64 emulation , DC emulation , RA updated cores, brand new ports like indigo prophecy ...

[@ozaryana]

Had my Vita since 2011, bought it on launch day but I only jailbreaked it last year. I love playing retro games in Retroarch on this device, mostly Genesis, SNES & MAME. Heck I don't even play Vita games anymore! This handheld was really built to last in my opinion.

[@0525ohhwell]

One benefit of the OLED 1000 model is the black bars almost look like part of the casing when you use original aspect ratios.

[@Retrofire-47]

though, just for the sake of completeness, the OLED models had heinous abnormalities on the display front in ALL the models that i had as a kid. there was an awful graininess + embossed scan lines + degradation i feel like buying an OLED Vita is kinda like playing the silicon lottery - play at your own peril.

[@0525ohhwell]

@@Retrofire-47 I have 2 OLED models. In a VERY dark room I can make out what you are talking about I think.

[@MrTroll69onyt]

The argument of the ps vita being twice the price is false. I got a 1000 with a 8gb card and a charger for $120. With the sd2vita the total for the completely modded vita was like 130$. The vita is just so premium feeling. The display is amazing and I mainly bought it because not only can it emulate games, it also has the whole vita library

[@MiamiSunrise]

I feel like I missed out on a lot wth the Vita and didnt even really realize it until I got mine from a Pawn Shop for $135. I absolutely adore this thing and I havent hacked it yet but it feels so satisfying to play. The d pad (I am a sucker for clicky), sticks and buttons feel really nice and very responsive. I'd reccomend it to anyone. This is a fantastic video. Despite some of the emulation issues it has in not being able to run DS or N64 and such is dissapointing but I am 100% sure like you are that that gets worked out. Thanks for this video @RetroGameCorp

[@souljastation5463]

I got mine for 69 from Gamestop when it was discontinued, that's the perfect moment to buy consoles.

[@hiltsaber]

I have been into the vita since I was able to hack it. I have to say you can nearly play anything under the earth with it and its emulation is pretty fantastic. NES SNES Genesis Sega Master GBA PS1 PSP and PS Vita games. Your catalog of games is incredible. I would strongly recommend anyone to purchase a vita and hack it. It is an amazing machine by itself, unlocked is second to none in my opinion. Great review!!!!!

[@RetroGameCorps]

Thank you for watching! I am thoroughly impressed with this device and look forward to getting deeper into it.

[@Kevin-du5vf]

Hey Russ I haven't been using my vita much for retro gaming but I do mess around alot with plugins and I suggest you try installing a plug-in called PSVshell in autoplugin which over clocks your vita with the sacrifice of some battery life.. try those arcade games again with an overclock and I think you should get some different results. Been enjoying your input on all of these devices, keep it up!

[@RetroGameCorps]

I'll check this out, thanks for the tip!

[@xithus7786]

I got an used red ps vita 2000 for 120$ on japan, best purchase ever, i've been constantly playing for almost a year and my list just keeps growing haha

[@RetroGameCorps]

The red ones look NICE! I just bought a blue PCH2000 model, it should be arriving in the mail in the next couple of days. Looking forward to it!

[@WaynesWorldofEverything]

3000? 2000 was the latest I thought.

[@xithus7786]

@@WaynesWorldofEverything My bad, you are right, it was a model PCH-2000ZA26. {amazon co jp}/-/en/gp/product/B01LZ2Q8U4

[@Gintaras64]

I believe Vita - name itself was huge problem for low sales. If it was called PSP2...

[@xigbar1994]

Not to mention Sony made the console hard to develop on compared to the psp which used mini discs. No-one wanted to develop for it.

[@alex_de_tampa]

Facts. Branding is super important.

[@akimbodice6955]

The memory cards were too fucking expensive that was the problem

[@worstperson2ask]

PS Vita was a great idea with a bad execution

[@dannymoffatsimracer]

I only use my og vita for PSP and vita games. For everything retro I’m enjoying collecting the other handhelds. Interesting video, I’m surprised it isn’t better for emulation.

[@jasonshiers5771]

Gotta admit I'm shocked this struggled to play these games. I'll stick with my 350M and 351P.

[@ramonayala4726]

How long have you had them

[@jasonshiers5771]

@@ramonayala4726, the 350M about 7 months and 351P about 2 weeks.

[@nach0x]

that's why most of the vita owners use the PSP mode(adrenaline) on the vita where the emulation support is better and avoid retroarch as well.(the dedicated emulators works great) here is the list: emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Emulators_on_PSP

[@nsp6590]

Dedicated emulators work pretty well on the Vita for the most part. Retroarch is not really the best option from what I've heard (haven't actually used it myself). Where the Vita really shines is PSP and PS1 emulation since it supports them natively (there is even a new PPSSPP emulator in development that will supposedly harness the Vita's power better than adrenaline meaning PSP and PS1 emulation will improve even further). Other than that the main reason to hack a Vita is to enjoy its vast library will all the freedom of a hacked console (getting rid of Sony's underclock setting, pairing the device with a dualshock controller, English-patching Japanese exclusives, installing HD textures on some games, improving resolution and unlocking the framerate, being able to use a normal microSD card for storage rather than Sony's proprietary cash grab etc). At least that's what I do. When it comes to emulation, if you're not interested in PSP or PS1 (plus a few actual ports of retro games like SM64 and GTA III) then there are definitely better options out there. But what the Vita does it does well.

[@WaynesWorldofEverything]

@@nach0x so picodrive in adrenaline plays 32x games? It doesn’t work under vita retroarch.

[@vinceteran5309]

Super informative review/comparison! This video had all of the information I was looking for summed up perfectly.

[@RetroGameCorps]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@rickmcintosh3570]

First time anyone has ever loved 5 inches this much. Great review, will add this to my collection.

[@SoulKingBK]

Feels like a personal attack...

[@luisperez86]

Hacking/Modding the vita is the EASIEST to do, not sure why you struggled that much as you say or why you were so afraid, considering this video was uploaded just recently, there are lots of videos of how to mod the vita and very easy instructions to follow, I hack/mod mine all the time. Great video review overall, the Vita is great for playing the most popular retro games which are the SNES and NES, also, probably you missed it but I think that it was the same day you uploaded this (maybe the previous day) that a new version of N64 emulator came out and works much better from the orginal ones that were available. Also, the handheld by itself is great! Has many exclusives and also great titles, it was a shame that Sony ended up abandoning it. Now, of course, this was your personal opinion, but some of the negatives you made it look like it was a general thing, even a smartphone will have finger prints, so mentioning thaht this was a "fingerprint magnet" probably was just unnecesary IMO, I love the fact that even though the physical buttons for RL 2 and 3 are not there, they still gave an option to have them available, again, IMO they work just great for me.

[@JoshuaJUrban]

What is the best/easiest resource to help me hack/mod the PS Vita? Ive had one sitting in storage for a few years and I'd like to break it out an mod it.

[@mikepritchard87]

Mate overclock it then run the retro games it's like an entirely different beast

[@Phallica-js7ht]

What's the point when they all run just fine normally?

[@mikepritchard87]

@@Phallica-js7ht really? Did you watch the video? Around the 13:22 mark he complains about arcade games not running well which can be mostly fixed by overclocking. So no not everything runs fine for him on this video

[@Phallica-js7ht]

@@mikepritchard87 They work fine on mine...

[@mikepritchard87]

@@Phallica-js7ht how am I supposed to know that? I'm commenting on his video not if yours works

[@zcreto]

@@mikepritchard87 i also never had any problem on mine . how bout your experience with Emu on vita ?

[@rolandssavdons7993]

Quite fair review, well done. That price tag definitely is marked up due to Covid but, imo, 200$ is still worth it.

[@The104Skinney]

I bought my Vita (PCH-1000) in late 2018 off EBay with 3.60 Henkaku installed. It was $200 so I think that price is the baseline

[@rolandssavdons7993]

@@The104Skinney You bought OLED model which was more expensive at launch. Also, you probably got a beefy memory card with it, that adds value too. That's a steal, bro

[@clydefrosch]

What really hurts the vita is that the sticks make it hard to just throw it in a bag. They stick out so they can get caught and that could break them and they're also open so dust and gunk get in. So you need a case and it better be a hard case

[@Megatyler30]

My vita was like $120. Just got one from Japan on ebay since those work just fine too

[@RetroGameCorps]

That's a good price! I got my PSP from Japan, it worked fine as well.

[@kakashiLS]

Currently in retroarch, if you use the arcade emulators of each core separately it reaches 60 fps in marvel vs capcom (using fbalpha cps-2) and neo geo games (using fbalpha neo-geo). Just run away from the fbneo.

[@milkapeismilky5464]

One really cool thing is you can run a lot of PSP games with dual analog plug-in support. Not all PSP games have this, but a lot of them do. I don't have a link handy but just a quick Google search will hook you up. Lack of a second analog stick was the big failing of the PSP, it drove me nuts back in the day because I love the PSP. I still have two soft modded PSPs and play them often over local ad hoc network with my kid. PSP runs flawlessly on the Vita of course and some of the games that really needed a second analog stick now have one on the Vita

[@RetroGameCorps]

That's true, I did notice that you can map the dual analog stick to certain buttons on the device, so you can set up the camera on the analog stick. Very handy!

[@chbmckie]

Although it struggles with some GBA, some SNES games and other retro games if you run GPSP Kai or RetroArch for PSP through Adrenaline it all runs as it should at a steady 60fps! Edit: Clarity

[@RetroGameCorps]

I'll check these out, thanks!

[@chbmckie]

@@RetroGameCorps great!

[@thelthrythquezada8397]

I purchased the Vita Slim back in 2015 and I love it. It is my favorite system to hold and play. But Nintendo games are my favorite style, such as..... The Mario Bros line, and the Pokemons. I only like Rachet and Clank on PS.

[@nelsonr.9450]

If u follow the new updates/emulators i believe it can play almost anything! And bluetooth earbuds ftw! ;)

[@michaeldesrosiers2628]

There is a case with l2/r2 integrated into it for the vita.

[@Codemonkey3]

With a hacked Vita you can use a plugin called ReVita to remap the L2 and R2 to the Vita's L1 and R1 making like every PS4 100% more playable. L1, R1 and R3 and L3 can than be mapped to the front touch pad's four corners. Usually works perfectly for almost any PS4 game this way.

[@SakuraShuuichi]

I have the case, it is an okay experience. I played through Metal Gear Solid V most of the way through remote play while riding the bus to and from work.

[@xFersureMatt]

@@SakuraShuuichi wait? HOW? I thought you have to be in the same house for remote play to work??

[@SakuraShuuichi]

@@xFersureMatt remoteplay has worked over the inernet for quite a while, i want to say it wasnt available at first but has been available within the first year of ps4 remoteplay being available.

[@dnangel4277]

What's it called?

[@JohnnyPaisan]

If these are issues to you, You can: 1. Buy a grip. I always use it with a grip 2. Buy a grip with triggers and even joysticks. A bit over the top but an option. 3. Use the adrenaline emulators because Retroarch always crashes.

[@HellaEdward]

Get the PSVShell plugin and overclock your cpu to 555 mghz.

[@shabantariq5662]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/b36wp4CKj7WCnpo

[@Carbonballs84]

I own the vita and the RG350M and I have to say I enjoy them both, but for retro games I use the RG350M and vita, psp, and PlayStation games I use the vita. Both of them are awesome devices. Love the video man.

[@RetroGameCorps]

Thanks Eric! I agree, I think that's the appropriate distribution of gaming devices to hit everything!

[@noized77]

To be fair, its best if you use a standalone emulators instead of the Retroarch. For example, I was able to get Alien Vs Predator to run 60fps if I used CPS2(Capcom) emulator. Even graphic intensive arcade game like Progear and Dimahoo runs full speed. IMO I find Retroarch for VIta poorly optimized and has a lot of deal breaking bugs as you mention with some of the core that you used. I agree that it unfortunate that it can't run PS2 or Sega Saturn game. Otherwise, it would've been the ultimate Retro gaming system. At least for PS2 there are some classics that runs native at full speed such as the MGS series(1-3), GOW series (1&2), Final Fantasy 10/10-2, Odin Sphere, Persona 4 and a few others. The Vita is definitely not the best system for retro gaming...that title goes to Odin. But, the positive far outweigh its shortcoming for me to use as one of my main retro gaming needs. For one, the OLED screen is too nice to pass up. I believe the only other OLED handheld available is the latest Switch which cost $100-150 more. For me personally it already sold on me with its massive PSX/PSP/VIta native game along with the stand-alone emulator for snes, nes, genesis, neogeo, CPS2-1, sega cd and the legendary PC-Engine/CD-rom.

[@caesarjulius6058]

Agree, he needs to re-do the video and use standalone emulators, not retroarch

[@omegamanGXE]

Odin 2: Electric Boogaloo

[@coxyofnewp]

buy 2 - I paid £30 for first and £35 for 2nd ps vita Also check retro arch now - been updated ! Also you can get Hand Grip Handle Joypad Stand Shell Case Protector with L2 R2 Trigger Button and seen one with l3,l4 also.. Hacking is so simple now, also I can honestly say, I really messed up the update a couple years back (when it was a bit complicated to update) and if it didnt brick then - i dont think i could ever brick it.. lol This needs an UPDATE! Ps good vid and review

[@emptyedits.]

i recommend using dedicated emulators rather then using retroarch

[@БорисБорисов-н6у]

Ty! The best retro gaming channel on yt! Keep going!!)))

[@RyoHazuki224]

Hori has an add-on shell for the Vita that basically adds L2, L3, R2 and R3 buttons to the Vita, it basically snaps onto the system and I assume just touches the back touch-screen in order to act as a button press. Perfect for those remote-play games. Now, from what I found its only for the PSVita 2000, not sure if they make one for the original version. Saw some other weird Chinese brand one that kinda looked like it did that, but it was really janky.

[@actarus4631]

Nice video and best device ever. Once bios and/or cores updated, emulators (even gba ones) work like charm and no crashes

[@jasonjason3045]

Remake this video cause they made emulation on n64 and Dreamcast much better

[@pistolpeteypete23therapper]

There is an addition for hardware mod for the L2/R2 & L3/R3 now It’s like having an additional four triggers on the back of your PS Vita and also they come in white or black attachments I actually just ordered them they’re so awesome. It literally fixes this problem for you immediately. And not only that but the form factor attachment fits your hand so much better than without. The extra triggers are sleek and give a slight tactile feel upon depression It’s also Hardly noticeable as well as making your handheld console a very smooth feel in totality overall, Making some of those games that were hardly tolerable entirely playable now

[@Gallotti]

What is the name?