Hardware Got Some Questions Before I Buy a Vita

[Steel-Winged_Pegasus]

I'm considering buying one, leaning on the Vita Slim because I don't care for the OLED screen and I like the slightly smaller form factor. However, I also wanna mod it, because of course. Is there any particular FW I should look for? Some eBay listings say "FW 3.60", so I assume that's the last FW to CFW a Vita? Also, it seems most listings on eBay usually seem to be Japanese imports or sold directly from Japan... I heard that apparently, the X and O are swapped on those ones, so X is cancel and O is confirm? Or is it the other way around? At least it's region free, according to my research.

And lastly, if I do buy one, any game recs? I was thinking of getting Ao/Zero no Kiseki, but I figured to get those games on my Switch instead, so I dunno. I already have Cold Steel I and II on my laptop and III and IV on Switch, too. I suppose there is the MGS HD collection, so I might take a look at that! It's gonna be a bit of a pain, given how expensive Vita games seem to have gotten lately. :s

 

[eyeliner]

Also, by modding it, how good are 16 bit systems emulated?
I'm mostrly interested in SNES, as GBA is covered by my DSes.
I'd like to have PS1, PSP and PSVita in one system, but having a decent enough system for SNES would be great.

 

[yuyuyup]

I'm considering buying one, leaning on the Vita Slim because I don't care for the OLED screen and I like the slightly smaller form factor. However, I also wanna mod it, because of course. Is there any particular FW I should look for? Some eBay listings say "FW 3.60", so I assume that's the last FW to CFW a Vita? Also, it seems most listings on eBay usually seem to be Japanese imports or sold directly from Japan... I heard that apparently, the X and O are swapped on those ones, so X is cancel and O is confirm? Or is it the other way around? At least it's region free, according to my research.

And lastly, if I do buy one, any game recs? I was thinking of getting Ao/Zero no Kiseki, but I figured to get those games on my Switch instead, so I dunno. I already have Cold Steel I and II on my laptop and III and IV on Switch, too. I suppose there is the MGS HD collection, so I might take a look at that! It's gonna be a bit of a pain, given how expensive Vita games seem to have gotten lately. :s

I'll let you know that I think the slim is the worse model, simply because the touchscreen input sensitivity is greatly slashed compared to the original model, and this has not been resolved with a hack, and I don't think it ever will be addressed. It's a piece of crap for all the great touch-based rhythm games, sure it's fine with single-presses, but double (or more) and it's just a joke.

 

[Steel-Winged_Pegasus]

I'll let you know that I think the slim is the worse model, simply because the touchscreen input sensitivity is greatly slashed compared to the original model, and this has not been resolved with a hack, and I don't think it ever will be addressed. It's a piece of crap for all the great touch-based rhythm games, sure it's fine with single-presses, but double (or more) and it's just a joke.

Fair enough, but I'll put up with that. I hope you know that I'm not looking for anyone to convince me to get the OG version, I've decided that I'm dead set on getting the Slim (assuming I end up buying one) because I like the slightly smaller form factor and the LCD screen, despite everyone hyping up an OLED screen.

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Also, by modding it, how good are 16 bit systems emulated?
I'm mostrly interested in SNES, as GBA is covered by my DSes.
I'd like to have PS1, PSP and PSVita in one system, but having a decent enough system for SNES would be great.

As someone who has a modded N3DS, I think it'd be neat to see for myself how performance compares between the two for that! I'd assume since the N3DS has the SNES VC, performance might be better, but IDK, since I heard once that SNES games still lag here and there on it, depending on the game. I'm kinda wanting a Vita just to spice things up a bit, since I don't have a PS4, while I have a Switch and a 3DS already.

 

[eyeliner]

Fair enough, but I'll put up with that. I hope you know that I'm not looking for anyone to convince me to get the OG version, I've decided that I'm dead set on getting the Slim (assuming I end up buying one) because I like the slightly smaller form factor and the LCD screen, despite everyone hyping up an OLED screen.

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As someone who has a modded N3DS, I think it'd be neat to see for myself how performance compares between the two for that! I'd assume since the N3DS has the SNES VC, performance might be better, but IDK, since I heard once that SNES games still lag here and there on it, depending on the game. I'm kinda wanting a Vita just to spice things up a bit, since I don't have a PS4, while I have a Switch and a 3DS already.

I'd like to get at least Snes level performance out of it, though that's not a deal breaker.

Having a PS1, PSP and vita in hand is already a great deal. It would be a great companion to the Switch that currently is on Super Mario Odyssey exclusively for the past few months.

We are rocking almost the same boat, as I have Switch and DS (my favorite handheld of all time).

 

[Jacobh]

I think 3.60 is the “best” firmware in that it can have permanently installed code and is the most compatible with various homebrew.

All vitas can be hacked though, and most can be downgraded to 3.60. I think all can be downgraded to 3.65. That technically doesn’t have permanent cfw, but it has one that can automatically run at boot, so it’s basically just as convenient. For most people there isn’t a huge difference.

RemaPSV is a plug-in that will let you remap buttons.

There’s a lot of information out there on emulation performance and I haven’t tried much snes or gba on mine. The psp was known for having some of the best gba emulation for a non-Nintendo portable, so the Vita should be usable if you didn’t want to bring two systems. Vita specific builds of snes9x should run as good if not better than n3ds builds as it’s more powerful hardware. Some emulation rundowns say it should run standard games at 50-60fps and chip games at ~50.

 

[Kur0shitsuji]

3.60 is one of two firmwares the console can be permanently hacked on, up to 3.65. If you don't want to constantly run temporary custom fw this would be ideal alongside enso which will make it permanent.

 

[eyeliner]

Well, I got one. Model 1004. 4GB Sony card included, and some finicky cabling that was quickly replaced. And the obvious SD2VITA.

Sure, the console has had a rough few days (some dents here and there, but nothing that triggers me. It was 80Euros with three games, so it was a hard pass.
Sly Cooper, Invizimals, and Lego Marvel Super Heroes Universe in Peril.

Sunday, got the console, and now it's fully modded.

But I noticed some weird issues with legit games, I HAVE to reboot the console without a gamecard installed and install it after power on in order for the Vita to detect it. I have no idea why this is. Apparently there's two schhols of thought: it's either the CFW or it's a "feature" of the Vita itself.

In Adrenaline, it was amazing to see that I could access my purchases games from 2008 and get my legit copy of Fade to Black!

I must say, it is a great system. Fingerpring magnet, but it is amazing indeed.

 

[Fugelmir]

The SNES emulation is generally good, but definitely disappointing. Can't run FF6 without major problems for example. The homebrew is amazing, though. Portable Quake 3, Diablo, GTA:VC, etc.

Plus Soul Sacrifice