Sony’s Playstation Vita will hit American shores in less than a month, and expectations are understandably high for the newest handheld powerhouse. While the Vita received a strangely cold reception when it launched in Japan over a month ago, the system still tops many gamers’ most wanted lists, and it’s easy to see why: I mean, who doesn’t want something that basically amounts to a portable PS3? But while the Vita is undeniably a sexy piece of hardware, we shouldn’t forget that this isn’t Sony’s first attempt at bringing the console experience to “the handheld ghetto” (as Sony calls it.) Yes, I’m talking about Sony’s poor, oft-forgotten original PSP, and now, on the eve of the launch of it’s successor, it seems pertinent to look back on the tumultuous history of Sony’s first foray into the handheld gaming market.

read more >