There’s no better feeling than buying a new game console that came bundled with a free game, so that even if you couldn’t afford any games yet you could at least play something. For the Sega Genesis, this game was Sonic The Hedgehog (though not during its entire lifetime). For the Nintendo Wii it was Wii Sports, and for the Nintendo DS it was Metroid Prime Hunters: First Hunt. For the Xbox 360, it was Marble Blast Ultra and Hexxic, with were both legitimate classics.
Nowadays, some consoles are still sold in bundles with other games, but not all. Now that every console can download digital games, though, most of the free games available are ones you have to download once you’ve gotten the console. Some of these games are trash and some are mediocre, but there are usually at least a few gems. The PS Vita is no exception to this. Here are the five best free games for the PS Vita (in order, starting with the best), which you can download right from the PlayStation Store on your Vita.
No Heroes Allowed: No Puzzles Either!
My personal favorite free PS Vita game is No Heroes Allowed: No Puzzles Either. It only bears a passing resemblance to No Heroes Allowed! for the PS3, as it’s a match-3 puzzle game. Still, it is an excellent, deep puzzle game that surpasses most match-3 puzzlers, and feels almost like a combination between a match-3 puzzler and a very shallow Digimon game (since you can collect new monsters and evolve your existing ones). If you’re like me, you might end up spending a little extra money to get unlimited lives, but you certainly don’t need to.
Download No Heroes Allowed: No Puzzles Either! from the PlayStation Store
Desert Ashes
A close second on my list of my favorite free PS Vita games, Desert Ashes is basically an Advance Wars clone. The story is not nearly as extensive, but the battles are almost exactly the same. Like No Heroes Allowed: No Puzzles Either!, you might end up spending a little money to get extra chapters. You get a solid amount of replayable content completely free though, so Advance Wars and strategy game fans should give Desert Ashes a look. If you like it and quickly beat it, you can extend the fun with Pocket God vs. Desert Ashes.
Download Desert Ashes from the PlayStation Store
Run Sackboy! Run!
Next up is Run Sackboy! Run!, which is basically a Jetpack Joyride ripoff. It features Sackboy (who has become one of the most recognizable PlayStation mascots), so it makes a little more sense on the Vita than Jetpack Joyride and makes you feel less bad for playing an infinite runner. The graphics are great and the gameplay, while simple, is addicting. With all the missions to complete and costumes to buy, Run Sackboy! Run! is a great free timewaster on the Vita.
Download Run Sackboy! Run! from the PlayStation Store
Crazy Market
Crazy Market is a fast-paced arcade game where you play a checkout cashier at a grocery store. You have to scan items through as fast as you can while also making sure to give people their babies back, as well as a few other additions to the game. Crazy Market is not as good as the first three games on this list, but can be a good way to kill some more time on your Vita if you’re strapped for cash.
Download Crazy Market from the PlayStation Store
Frobisher Says!
Finally, there’s Frobisher Says!, which is something of a WarioWare ripoff. The minigames are not as good as WarioWare, but with the dual touchscreens there are a few interesting mechanics here. Since this game is completely free to play, it’s worth downloading if you want to kill some time or if you want to explore the Vita’s hardware capabilities.
Download Frobisher Says! from the PlayStation Store
Every one of those five games are worthy additions to your PS Vita library, especially if it’s looking a little thin. Start from the top (well, with the top two really) and work your way down, since I listed them in order of how much I like them starting with my favorite. If you don’t like any, just move on to the next one, because these great PS Vita games are all free!
