PS Vita: Lowdown on Games, Release Date, Price, Hardware for Sony PlayStation Console

The PlayStation Vita--the latest handheld gaming system from Sony--will soon reach North America, and rabid gamers are geeking out while waiting for the released date, Feb. 22, unless they've pre-ordered the first edition bundle pack, in which case they'll get the device on Feb. 15.

The PlayStation Vita is the follow-up to the PlayStation Portable (PSP), Sony's first portable gaming system, which was released all the way back in the first quarter of 2005. Because of the rampant rise in mobile devices, Sony has included several pieces of hardware that are used in popular smartphones.

The PS Vita will feature a 5-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, optional 3G, a three-axis gyroscope and two cameras. Most of this technology can be found in a modern-day Android or iOS mobile phone, though the technology was missing from the now dated Sony PSP.

PlayStation Vita will build on many of the most successful aspects of the PSP including the inclusion of an analog joystick; the new device will feature two analog joysticks, which has become an almost standardized setup of the modern day game controller. Even the United States military has adopted to dual analog controller as the controller used for drones. The standard PlayStation franchise buttons (triangle, circle, X and square) will be primary function buttons as well.

Face detection, head detection and head tracking will be included in the technology available from the cameras. Such technology makes games such as Reality Fighters possible, where gamers can scan their face and their friends' faces to create a personalized character in a side-scrolling fighter game.

Since the PlayStation Vita has already been released in Japan, by the time it reaches North America, it will have an extensive catalog of games. The list of games that will be available upon release include Hustle Kings, Little Deviants, Michae Jackson: The Experience, F1 2011, ModNation Racers: Road Trip, Rayman Origins, Shinobido 2: Tales of the Ninja, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Virtua Tennis 4: World Tour Edition, Wipeout 2048, Touch My Katamari, FIFA Soccer, Lumines Electrnic Symphony, Hot Shot Golf World Invitational, Asphalt Injection, Ben 10: Galactic Racing, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend, Army Corps of Hell, Dungeon Hunter: Alliance, Dynasty Warriors Next, Escape Plan, Plants vs Zombies, Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack and Super Stardust Delta.

The consoles first edition is a package that includes a 3G and Wi-Fi equipped device, the Little Deviants game, a case and a 4GB proprietary PS Vita memory card. The pack will also include an AT&T DataConnect pass that's good for one free 250MB session.

The bundle pack has a price tag of $349.99. As an alternative, it's $249.99 for the console alone, without 3G, or $299.99 for a 3G/Wi-Fi enabled console.