PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale - PlayStation Vita

In case your wondering whether or not to get it I would say GET IT the game is very entertaining and you can play for hours because of the story mode and multiplayer this is best vita title yet and makes me want to play my vita again!!!

PROS:
Awesome online
20 cool characters to play with
Fun specials and power ups
You can also get different costumes
Many different levels

Cons
In multiplayer it is easy to get lost with everything going on
Sometimes the online disconnects and is slow

Note: To play on line you have to look on the back little paper that comes with the game and follow the instructions

I've never been able to get into Smash Brothers, so I went into this game with some skepticism. While some core mechanics and the pacing are similar to smash, I find the overall feel more technical, sharper, more mature, and more fun. It's not full-fledged street fighter/tekken/umvc3 deep, but the diverse move lists and thoughtful mechanics put this game into a different category. The online is extremely well done and easy to get into.

There have been some balance issues and scattered (minor) disconnect problems online, but the devs have been extremely quick to respond, and seem as if they're going to continue great support. Plus, we get 2 new FREE dlc characters right around the corner! No evil Capcom nickel and diming you for characters, costumes, color swaps, and other stuff that should have been included in their barebones, overpriced, budget-produced title to begin with.

And with the ps3/vita crossbuy, it's one of the best deals you'll ever find on a newly released game. The Vita version of the game is the closest match of any handheld version to its (current gen) console counterpart I've -ever- seen. Darn near identical.

It's possible it still won't be your cup of tea, so at least do yourself a favor and give it a rent if you're wary. That's what I did and ordered the game the same night I received my rental. Been playing happily ever since.

I bought the Vita the month that it came out and it has spent the majority of the time since then in a sock drawer... until now! The full console on-the-go experience has finally come to fruition.

Here's the elevator pitch: what if 20 Playstation icons (ok, like 14 + 6 meh-cons) could duke it out in 4 x 4 free for alls? No, the idea is not novel my dear Smash Bros. fans, however the formula had yet to have been duplicated properly on non-Nintendo hardware. Playstation All-Stars fills the niche nicely. Let's get to brass tacks:

Pros:
- Stages are phenomenally vibrant and alive. Each stage is a mash-up of two franchises, and as unlikely as it seems, it works! The transition between one version of a stage to the next is marked but not jarring. I enjoyed catching cameos of my favorite supporting stars (President Qwark!). The flash and flair is not done at the expense of graphics or performance. Textures and animation are exquisite through out.
- Characters look, move, and sound exactly how you dreamed they would. The textures are well done and there is an appropriate contrast between cartoony fighters like Parappa the Rapper and more realistic ones like Cole McGrath. Pretty characters are all fine and dandy, but in a fighting game, the most important thing is that they play well and are balanced. Check, and check. Even the most annoying characters have a well rounded move set; every one is a threat.
- Its fun. Somewhere around 2 hours into a game I am either playing it, or looking to trade it. I've clocked about 30 hours in PS All Stars and plan to get a few more rounds in.

Cons:
- One player is really limited. The story is paper thin, which wouldn't be an issue if there was a logical reason for everyone to be fighting, but its not clear why everyone is fighting or what there beef is with they're predetermined rival.
- Character selection is small. Fighters today have 40 characters and up. Twenty would have been enough in 1998, but today it aint 'nuff. Sony has promised two free characters as DLC, but I dont imagine that they have 20 more on their way.

This is a great buy if you are looking for a fun scrapper. I have not had a chance to play multi player yet, but as a 1 player experience it hits the spot!