Top 5 PSN Games That Should Be On The Vita

So you’ve bought a brand new PlayStation Vita. You’ve also finished Uncharted, MGS HD Collection, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and all those fantastic Vita games available now.

So what else is there to play?

While not playable on the handheld, there are hundreds of PSN-exclusive games that would find a great home in the Vita. Games that have otherwise been overlooked on the PS3 might get a new lease on life on Sony’s sleek handheld. And with the twin sticks, touchscreen, and tilt functionalities, these PSN games would definitely bolster the Vita’s already impressive lineup.

But before we start the list, here are some honorable mentions:

• The PixelJunk Franchise
• Siren: Blood Curse
• Joe Danger
• Rochard
• Costume Quest
• Flow/Flower

These are the PSN games that we (as PlayStation fans) would love to be re-released on PS Vita.

5. Dead Nation

An addictive twin-stick shooter, Dead Nation casts players as either a male or female survivor as he/she fights to find safety after a zombie virus decimates the world. Players can upgrade their abilities, weapons, and armor to help fight against the zombie hordes that roam the post-apocalyptic world.

Developed by Housemarque, the people behind the ever-addictive Super Stardust HD, Dead Nation actually encourages players to be tactical or else be overrun by massive waves of the infected. Taking it slow will also allow players the opportunity to find the hundreds of helpful loot all of the multiple environments.

One of Dead Nation‘s more interesting features is that it uploads players scores and stats and groups it with other players from the same country. These countries can then compare and compete against other countries for bragging rights on zombie killing skills.

4. Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken

One of the PlayStation Network’s most visually stunning games of 2011, Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken, is actually arriving on the PlayStation Vita later this year. While Ratloop Asia hasn’t given much detail on what additional features the Vita version will have, we do know that RocketBirds will be a digital-only release and will support cooperative gameplay for up to two players.

If you’re one of the many who hasn’t played Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken yet, the game is an independent 2D sidescrolling action game that meshes on-foot and on-rocketpack flight gameplay.Rocketbirds casts players as Hardboiled Chicken (dubbed the original Co** of War.) as he goes on a mission to assassinate the leader of a totalitarian penguin regime.

It’s 15 chapters of total mayhem with a separate 10 chapter co-op campaign for those who want to play with their friends. It also features a badass soundtrack performed by the indie rock group New World Revolution.

3. Castle Crashers

Fans of classic beat ’em up games like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and X-Men will definitely dig Castle Crashers. Players can pick from four knights as they go on an adventure to defeat the Evil Wizard (who even had the gall to kidnap the princesses from their castle). The game features a variety of fun and colorful environments including lava fields and tundras as well as rival castles.

Castle Crashers also features some role-playing elements that will provide replayability. Players gain experience points for killing enemies and collecting orbs; once players level up, they can allocate points to increase certain attributes and buff up their knight for more killing action including attacks and combos.

The game supports four players on the PS3 so it should also feature four-player support via infrastructure/wi-fi/3G if it ever gets ported to the PlayStation Vita.

2. Choplifter HD

One of my favorite PS3 indie games of 2012, the Unreal Engine-powered Choplifter HD would be a great addition to the PlayStation Vita line-up because of it’s style of gameplay. It’s a mission-based shmup/rescue game that’s perfect for players looking for a quick fix on-the-go.

Choplifter HD casts players as an ace pilot as he is put into different missions where he must use his chopper to pick up injured soldiers, freed prisoners with the a number of upgradable choppers. From time to time, players will have to bring the hurt to the enemy using  fearsome attack choppers.

While the original game was more of a defensive game, Choplifter HD gives players a large variety of firepower to help with their missions. Players will go on over 30+ varied missions that have them going on rescue and attack missions all over the world. There are even zombie missions that have players saving people from becoming an undead delicacy.

1. Journey

The most successful PSN titles of all time, Journey is a title THAT MUST be ported to the PlayStation Vita.

In Journey, players take control of a robed figure as he/she traverses a dream-like world where the only real goal is to get to a towering mountain in the distance. Players can meet other journeymen/women online, and can help each other out in their quest, however players will not be able to converse with each other and the only way to communicate is through shouting at one another.

Since the PlayStation Vita is capable of outputting graphics that’s close to PS3 quality, Journey wouldn’t take too much of a hit graphically on the jump from PS3 to Vita. It’s a gorgeous game, featuring reactive environments including snow, sand, and water. To quote fellow Sonyrumors Writer Chris Quibol:

 “In Journey, your experience is wholly unique. You can play in complete isolation or cooperatively, you can explore every nook and cranny or you can let the game guide you, and the people that you meet can show you things you might have never seen before. And speaking of things you’ve never seen, Journey is also aesthetically a very beautiful game. The landscapes are often barren, accented with the ruins of an ancient society. The game looks like a living painting, with every moment inspiring awe. One particular moment where your character slides down glistening sand with a view of the world in the background is undisputedly the most beautiful thing I have seen in a videogame.” 

There you have it folks, the top 5 PSN games that should be on the Vita. Are there games that you want to see on the system but isn’t listed here? Let us know in the comment section below.