Joystiq's PlayStation Vita launch guide

Today marks the actual launch date for the PlayStation Vita! Sure, you may have had one for a week, but let's act surprised nonetheless. We continue to update our launch guide, to help you find all the game reviews and features you need to know about.

Hardware

• PlayStation Vita review: "It offers the most power, the widest variety of input methods, and the most convenient method of getting new games, of any handheld system in history."

Games

• Uncharted: Golden Abyss: "... though Uncharted: Golden Abyss brings a little too much reality to Drake's day-to-day by making him polish artifacts in gimmicky touchscreen nonsense, there's still a good, if formulaic, adventure to be had." ★★★ 1/2

• Little Deviants: "So ... you get a virtual house filled with square-headed cats. You can't do anything with them. They just sit there. " ★★

• Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3: "Even with the trouble I had pulling off combos, and the frustration of feeling lost and alone in the lobby, I still think this is an amazing port in many respects. Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is a game I would consider far too flashy to fit on a handheld, and Capcom accomplished it." (no score given)

• Lumines Electronic Symphony: "I come out of a 45-minute session feeling rested and kind of euphoric. How's that for an endorsement?"★★★★ 1/2

• Touch My Katamari: "Touch My Katamari is the best portable Katamari ever made by default." (no score given)

• Shinobido 2: "I must have killed the same fat merchant hiding in the same castle half a dozen times so far. To be fair, one time the merchant was wearing glasses, so it might have been a different guy." (no score given)

• Escape Plan: "It might sound backhanded to praise the ability to skip content, but being able to get away from unpleasant situations is in the spirit of this escape-themed game." ★★★ 1/2

• Army Corps of Hell: "I actually wish I had stopped playing after about, oh, five hours. Up to that point, Army Corps of Hell is a novel experience. "★★★

Other features

• Ultimate Controller mode: Vita and PS3 team up to play Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3

• We calculate the memory card space required by the launch lineup -- or what we have of it

• Welcome Park: Vita's built-in tutorial minigame collection

• How to apply an update to a Vita game

• The Vita's AR games demonstrated on video

News

• Some American Vita games have Online Passes

• Vita deemed relatively easy to repair following teardown

• Wipeout, Ultimate MVC3, and Hustle Kings have nice cross-platform bonuses

• SF X Tekken will have 12 more characters on Vita when it launches this fall

• GAME won't carry Ubisoft Vita games at launch :(

• Retro City Rampage is going to be on Vita!

• Oh, and so is "Call of Duty," if you're familiar with whatever that is.

• Cheap games at Amazon, GameStop, and Target

• Lifestyle apps! Twitter, Flickr, Netflix