40. Severed (PS Vita)

Drinkbox Studios rarely misses, and Severed was another stunning effort from the Toronto studio. In essence, this is a dungeon crawler, but its twist is that its combat is entirely touchscreen based. While that may sound hellish for hardcore gamers, it works incredibly well, with each enemy requiring a different tactic to defeat – and the stakes really ramping up as you get surrounded by foes. With tons to discover and an attractive art style, this is another incredible effort from a team that rarely misses.

39. Undertale (PS Vita)

Undertale may look like a fairly non-descript 8-bit adventure on the surface, but it subverts expectations in interesting ways. While it has the appearance of a traditional role-playing release, the game will ultimately judge you on the actions you take, altering the outcome in unexpected ways. To delve deeper would be to spoil a magical and unexpected experience, so we’ll recommend you play it for yourself and leave our description at that.

38. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (PS Vita)

Mario Kart is in a league of its own when it comes to party racers, but Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed comes very close. In addition to being extremely entertaining, this release also has reverence for SEGA’s back catalogue, which means there’s even Burning Rangers representation here. But even if you can’t tell Ryo Hazuki from Reala, its multi-disciplined courses – spanning aerial and aquatic action, as well as the ordinary asphalt – make this one of the best racing games on the PS Vita by far.

37. Dragon's Crown (PS Vita)

Vanillaware's gorgeous action RPG is a throwback to side-scrolling arcade brawlers, taking heavy inspiration from classic Western fantasy. With or without friends, Dragon's Crown is a deeply addictive experience, complete with memorable levels, engaging character progression, and a randomised loot system that's always tempting you with upgrades. A brilliantly crafted video game.

36. Dead Nation (PS Vita)

Before it turned into a PS5 powerhouse with its exceptional roguelike release Returnal, Housemarque was churning out dependable downloadable arcade hits for a decade. Dead Nation was one such title: a release which took the team’s penchant for dual-joystick action and transformed it into a survival horror undead-‘em-up. This occasionally slow shooter presented a different change of pace to the likes of Super Stardust Delta, but it was a perfect accompaniment to the PS Vita’s portable form factor and felt great on the format’s dinky sticks.

35. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (PS Vita)

Sony’s mascot brawler PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale was supposed to rival Nintendo’s iconic Super Smash Bros, but developer SuperBot Entertainment was handicapped by a lack of budget and reluctant third-parties who failed to entrust the studio with their valuable intellectual property. It resulted in a roster including Big Daddy instead of Crash Bandicoot and the endearingly named Donte instead of Dante. Nevertheless, there were some neat ideas in this brawler, from the transitioning backdrops that brought Buzz into Craftworld to the robust team-based online play. It looked and played beautifully on the PS Vita to boot, and its short skirmishes were perfectly suited to portable play.

34. Soul Sacrifice Delta (PS Vita)

A somewhat cynical attempt to plug the chasm left behind by Monster Hunter’s exclusivity elsewhere, Soul Sacrifice Delta was a re-release of Sony’s dark fantasy demon slayer, with full online co-op and some fascinating character builds. This artistically impressive alternative saw players having to choose between saving and sacrificing allies – as alluded to in the name – in order to overcome impossible odds against grotesque, magical creatures. In the world of Monster Hunter clones, this was unquestionably one of the more creative efforts, and the expanded version added a significant array of content, including brand new boss fights and builds.

33. Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational (PS Vita)

Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational, or Everybody’s Golf as it’s known outside of the United States, tees up a refined take on Clap Hanz’s tried-and-trusted triple-click arcade golf. With a colourful cast of characters and a half-dozen deceptively difficult courses to master, there are few surprises from this entry in an ever-dependable franchise. You could say Sony served up a Links to the past.

32. Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number (PS Vita)

A little less impactful than its iconic PS Vita predecessor, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is a direct continuation of Dennaton’s intensely challenging overhead shooter. With the shock factor of the original removed, this sequel doesn’t hit quite as hard, but if you enjoyed pulsating action of the first Hotline Miami game, then you’ll feel right at home here.

31. Limbo (PS Vita)

One of the founding fathers of the indie boom on consoles, Limbo paved the way for short puzzle platformers. With its foreboding atmosphere and inventive puzzles, this macabre adventure put developer Playdead on the map. The PS Vita port is largely identical to other versions, although its greyscale colour palette makes the most out of the handheld’s OLED screen, and its grim atmosphere make it perfect for playing under the sheets.