PocketStation Games Coming Back in Japanese Vita App

[Michael Epstein]

PocketStation Games Coming Back in Japanese Vita App

A long-forgotten PS One peripheral is getting a new lease on life through the Vita.

Software for the PocketStation, a Japanese companion device for the original PlayStation, is coming back as a PlayStation Vita app. The announcement comes two weeks after a bizarre teaser [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL-z60gg8t4] suggested that something PocketStation-related would be coming soon.

The app, which is available today, comes free with a PlayStation Plus subscription, comes with a few of the device's original games, including Crash Bandicoot 3, Mega Man and Ape Escape. The app is currently for PS Plus members only, but will be available region-wide December 3, along with the app's first post-launch release, Dokodemo Issho.

Similar to the Sega Dreamcast VMU, the PocketStation was basically a memory card with a small screen. Its games came packed in with disc-based PS One titles. The device also featured a clock and supported wireless data-swapping via infrared. Though initially popular, the PocketStation had a relatively short lifespan: Sony shut down production in 2002, just three years after the device first launched.

Source: Polygon [http://www.jp.playstation.com/psvita/pocketstation/]

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[Eve Charm]

If they do this they need to find a way to sink it to FF9 so we can raise our Chocobo summon. It was fun tho I imported a few pocket stations a few years ago, Exactly like a VMU.

 

[Terramax]

I got a taste of this when i downloaded the PSX shmup 'Shienryu' for the PS Vita. There's a pocket station game included in that download.

It's really nothing more than a gimmick. I'm not sure why Sony would waste their time, considering you can do so much more with portables these days(?)

 

[Mahorfeus]

Shame I can't use it to get Dabas' Shiny Bag in Legend of Dragoon. :/

Pretty neat though, if not totally gimmicky.

 

[Scrythe]

If I recall correctly, the only practical use this thing had in the states was to acquire another Magic Lamp in FFVIII if you were foolish enough to sell it.

I think there was something involving Chocobos for FFIX, but honestly I think there are still people out there that bought the game on launch and are still not finished with all the side quests, so that may be unconfirmed.