Handheld gaming is in its own league. The Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck are full-blown consoles that people can carry anywhere, but they are too big to be considered handheld consoles. In fact, carrying them around can be a chore. Hence, the segment of handheld consoles has remained vacant ever since both Nintendo and Sony discontinued their respective consoles, the PlayStation Vita and Nintendo 3Ds.

But even after their discontinuation and years after their initial launch, these consoles remain relevant. Many gamers still prefer carrying one of these devices with them instead of those massive handheld PCs. And there are a bunch of reasons for this.

These consoles gave fans some unique experiences

One of the biggest reasons people still hold on to these consoles is the unique experiences they provide. These consoles had some specific features that made them stand out. And developers literally used these features to make their games stand out. And stand out, they did.

Nintendo 3DS’ special feature is in its name. It has two displays, one primary and the other secondary. The primary display allows players to view stereoscopic 3D visuals without the use of any special glasses. And what do you know? Some games actually use that 3D depth in their gameplay. The best examples of this are The Legend of Zelda: Link Between Worlds and Super Mario 3D Land.

Link Between Worlds uses that depth in various boss dungeons, where players fall from one floor to another. As shown from an overhead point of view, this game is really good that way.

Super Mario 3D Land, on the other hand, had a bunch of levels made in 3D. Players had to turn on 3D mode to be able to solve certain puzzles. Incredible level of design that used those features.

On the PlayStation Vita, there were a bunch of games that literally used pretty much every feature it offered. It had front and back touch, a gyro sensor, and dual cameras. And surprisingly, there were some games that literally used pretty much every feature that the console had.

But the best of them were Tearaway and Uncharted Golden Abyss. Tearaway is literally the game designed to take advantage of the touchscreen and the camera on the PS Vita. The camera puts players in the middle of the game. And touch is used to solve a bunch of puzzles in the game.

Uncharted Golden Abyss is a game that never ceases to blow people away. Even to this day, it has that effect on people. Nathan finds a weird carving on the wall. Take a piece of paper and rub charcoal on it to get an impression. How do you rub the charcoal? Touchscreen. Nathan finds a map that can only be seen when holding it against a light source; how does one do that? Hold the Vita in front of a light source. The camera does the job here.

These features are gimmicky to some and exciting to others. But for once, they filled everyone’s minds with wonder. Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and PlayStation Portal allow gamers to play console-level games on the go, but they do not have any innovation.

Ultimate handheld experiences

Yes, specific features made these consoles special in their own way. But what makes them even more desirable is the fact that, in their series of consoles, they might be last. And they are ultimate, for a fact.

PS Vita can play games from PlayStation One, PSP, and, of course, PS Vita. On the other hand, 3DS is backward compatible with its predecessor. If one decides to buy a 3DS or a PS Vita today, they will be able to play numerous games from multiple generations. And the homebrew community on both of these consoles are even better.

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Games that were never supposed to be on a PS Vita or a 3DS are being ported to these consoles. Someone ported the Android version of Dead Space to the PS Vita. And gamers can enjoy the original Doom, Duke Nukem, and Wolfenstein on their 3DS.

Hence, they provide their owners with the ultimate handheld experience.

Easy multiplayer access is a thing

Gamers using these consoles would be glad to know that they can just start playing with their friends instantly. There is no need for a specific online service, and sometimes there is no need for an account either. Just find each other’s device and start duking it out. These consoles are so cheap and budget-friendly that the console makers don’t even consider bringing these services to them.

PS Vita does not require PS Plus, and Nintendo 3DS does not require Switch Online either. Imagine getting to play Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros. the moment you want, just by sitting beside your pal who has the second console. These things literally make these consoles special in their own way.

if you’re thinking about buying one of these two consoles in 2023 or even 2024, they are still worth it and are full of incredible games to try.

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