How Many Games Can PS Vita Play in 2024?

As an avid PlayStation gamer and content creator, I‘m often asked if the PS Vita is still worth buying in 2024. And my answer is a resounding yes! The Vita remains a remarkably capable handheld that can play over 1,700 digital and physical games.

PS Vita‘s Extensive Game Library Continues to Grow

According to Wikipedia‘s Lists of PlayStation Vita Games, there are currently 1,743 Vita games and counting across North America, Japan, and Europe.

While Sony ceased first-party game development for the Vita in 2015, many third-party studios continued releasing great games in recent years:

In 2022 we even saw notable indie releases like Monark and 7 Days to Die. And the first few months of 2023 brought us gems like The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie. So support persists thanks to its dedicated fan base eager for unique portable experiences.

Storage Capacity – What‘s Needed and Possible?

The majority of Vita games range from 100MB (small indie games) up to 3GB (larger titles with high-resolution textures and FMV cutscenes). As a benchmark, here‘s the install footprint for some popular Vita games:

• Uncharted Golden Abyss – 3.1GB
• God of War Collection – 2.4GB
• Persona 4 Golden – 3GB
• Killzone Mercenary – 4GB

So how much can you actually fit? Let‘s break it down:

As you can see, the Vita‘s memory card slots greatly benefit from SD2Vita adapters supporting MicroSD cards up to 256GB! This allows room for a massive library ready whenever inspiration strikes to game on the go.

Playing PlayStation Console Exclusives…With Some Catches

I‘m often asked specifically about playing PlayStation exclusives like The Last of Us or big names like Grand Theft Auto. So here are the details PlayStation fans need to know:

Unfortunately, you cannot directly play disc-based PS3, PS4, or PS5 games on your Vita. Its ARM-based architecture differs too greatly. Remote Play is an option which essentially streams gameplay video from your console to Vita. But this requires:

• A strong, low-latency WiFi connection
• Access to your home console

So while the Vita makes a superb companion device, it should not be considered a wholesale replacement for modern PlayStation consoles.

That said, thanks to ongoing ports and remakes, you CAN directly enjoy many former Sony exclusives without Remote Play, like:

• God of War 1 & 2
• Sly Cooper
• Jak and Daxter
• Metal Gear Solid 2 & 3
• Shadow of the Colossus
• The Ratchet & Clank Trilogy

For complete native compatibility details, always check the PlayStation Store listing for your game of interest before purchasing.

Beefy Hardware – But Can It Run Crysis?

Don‘t let its slim form-factor fool you – the Vita packs a surprising amount of power:

• Quad-core ARM Cortex A9 CPU
• SGX543MP4+ GPU (4 cores clocked at 166mhz-333mhz)
• 512MB RAM
• 128MB VRAM

This processing muscle combined with its 960×544 OLED display surpasses what the PSP and even PS2 could output. Combined with the ergonomic dual analog sticks, it remains a very capable portable in skilled developers‘ hands.

"The specs show it’s undeniably more powerful than PS2 was, and while it certainly doesn’t come close to PS3, reports are showing it’s no slouch."

But for clarity, can it run graphics-intensive PC games like Crysis? In a word: nope! Vita simply wasn‘t designed to run cutting-edge 3D engines built for heavy-duty GPUs. Stick to its awesome native library and PlayStation classics to avoid disappointment.

My Verdict: An Incredible Value in 2024

While I occasionally play my shinier PS5, I‘m blown away by how often my Vita still gets playtime thanks to its huge library and ultimate portability. And recent system updates add convenience like USB storage support.

For gamers craving unique mobile experiences, I can confidently recommend the PlayStation Vita in 2024. With some hunting you can grab a system bundle for under $200 – a steal given the number of games available spanning multiple PlayStation generations.

What Vita classics are still on your backlog? Let me know in the comments!