Handheld console for VNs and Dating sims

[MarcomiX]

Hello There!
I wanted to buy an Handheld console for a long time now, but I can't just make a decision..
I don't know if I should Buy a new Nintendo 3ds XL  or the Playstation Vita. 

-Reason to buy a New nintendo 3ds XL: New Love plus + (more on that later)
-Reason to buy a PS Vita: Kono ozora ni, Tsubasa wo Hirogete: Cruise Sign (more on that later)

Well, I might want to play other VNs or dating sims as well...I know that there's plenty of them for both of the consoles....I brought up them because they're like Halo and Kingdom Hearts: exclusives for opposite consoles.

Anyway, I've got some questions:
-Will I be able to patch those games without making a softmod? I know for a fact that exist an english patch for New love plus +...but I don't know if I can install it without softmodding the console (who   knows...maybe the same patch is on the nintendo store as well...)
-Are there a good amount of translated VNs for the PS vita?
-Is there a chance that Cruise Sign will be translated anytime soon?

If you've any advice, please tell me right away!

[Vokoca]

Don't even bother if you don't speak Japanese. I'd argue the Vita library of VNs is bigger, if you want to include the large PSP library in that as well - but only a bare minimum of these are translated, so it wouldn't really be worth it at all in your case; especially considering the ones that are translated usually have a PC port as well. On that front, the 3DS might be a better choice, as you at least have most of the Phoenix Wright franchise officially localized in English.

I haven't tried on the 3DS, but any sort of game-file manipulation usually requires you to hack your device. This is impossible both on new Vitas and 3DSs, as you can easily softmod both only on lower firmware versions. You would either have to get them used or know for a fact what FW is pre-installed on the particular device you're buying, which might again be way more trouble than it is worth.

[Kirashi]

Do you need a japanese vita to play japanese games?

[mitchhamilton]

5 minutes ago, Kirashi said:

Do you need a japanese vita to play japanese games?

you do not. its region free.

[ShinRaikdou]

 

1 hour ago, MarcomiX said:

-Is there a chance that Cruise Sign will be translated anytime soon?

Yes and No.

Guy who did a TL port Grisaia trilogy(+spinoff) right now doing same with Cruise Sign.

Spoiler

But of course, it is also a port (moenovel version, and then retranslation when it's will be released), so new content remain untranslated.

 

Vita is great for visual novels, because sound and resolution almost perfect compared to other Handheld consoles. But all(?) vn's on her also exist on PC(Grisaia(CFW only), Steins;Gate 1 and 0, Danganronpa, Zero Escape trilogy, and etc...)

 

upd: remembered two exclusive vn's on vita - utawarerumono(Itsuwari no Kamen and Futari no Hakuoro).

Edited September 25, 2017 by ShinRaikdou

[Akimoto Masato]

Get an android phone, there are a lot of options for mobile vns on it, or get like a gpd win, it can also play Skyrim and csgo so it would be more duel purpose, plus you don’t have to worry about not speaking the language as you can get a text hooking thing, or you could just play the not as good but still playable English ones

[MarcomiX]

10 minutes ago, Akimoto Masato said:

Get an android phone, there are a lot of options for mobile vns on it, or get like a gpd win, it can also play Skyrim and csgo so it would be more duel purpose, plus you don’t have to worry about not speaking the language as you can get a text hooking thing, or you could just play the not as good but still playable English ones

The problem about the GPD win is pretty simple: I can't afford to spend 400 euros...I'm a college student, y'know XD
About an android device, well..I know that there are mainly Otome or some sort of "pay to read" vns...There's even MoeNovel's KonoOozora on the playstore, but, as far as I know, you have to either spend money to read the entire VN or you have to wait for a pretty long amount of time in order to "unlock" other chapters...

[Akimoto Masato]

20 minutes ago, MarcomiX said:

The problem about the GPD win is pretty simple: I can't afford to spend 400 euros...I'm a college student, y'know XD
About an android device, well..I know that there are mainly Otome or some sort of "pay to read" vns...There's even MoeNovel's KonoOozora on the playstore, but, as far as I know, you have to either spend money to read the entire VN or you have to wait for a pretty long amount of time in order to "unlock" other chapters...

No their are emulator that are made to run windows and that works like a low grade laptop, you can probably find a few visual novel emus such as VNR (free) and then use VNDS(not free but it’s cheap for how useful it is) but here’s a guide for a couple of ways from a long time ago that should still work But idk if they do anymore

[TheUnknownMercenary]

If we are talking about you needing to have a handheld because you would rather play the VN's on a handheld instead of the PC, then go with the Vita.

Not only is it region free (in case you can actually read japanese) but it has an arguably better and bigger VN library. If you include the PSP Library in that as well there is really no need to discuss this anymore.

Add to this the fact that Steins;Gate 0, Steins;Gate, and a bunch others along with Utawarerumono first and second game (the masked series) that just came out and assuming you haven't already read the last few you have a good starting point with the console. 3DS does have a library but most of those (if i remember correctly) actually belong with the DS and as such there is no point in getting the new 3DS (excluding the new Zero Escape which I've heard isn't as great as the earlier entries in the series).

Overall as a person who has both consoles, I honestly barely play my 3DS, and I very frequently pick up my PSVita, if not for the VN's then for many of the exclusive RPGs that are some of my favourites on handheld (Soul Sacrifice Delta being one of them).

[Silvz]

huh people, just so you know, the 3DS line as well as the New 3DS (basically the same with some upgrades) were hacked a long time ago and can be 100% pirated both with a hardware and a software. There is even a thing called "Freeshop" on it.

That being said, there is almost no remarkable VNs on the 3DS, except Phoenix Wright, which is also on android, Professor Layton, Harvest December (or something like that?) and others that are already available on other consoles. For VN reading-only, I would avoid the 3DS totally. For everything else, it is the best handheld to have.

For playing VNs, the Vita has some more variety, mostly on otome games, but like people said, it is better to have a PC. You can also play VNs on Windows tablets, I guess.

[Eclipsed]

Just going off of raw number of VNs the 3DS and PSV have over on VNDB via its filter system:

3DS: 61 total, 27 that are in english
Vita: 406 total, 93 that are in english

And like others have said, Vita has access to the likes of Steins;gate, Danganronpa, otome games, Root Letter, Corpse Party, Grisaia trilogy (via patch with some Henkaku hax)...

When it comes to games since you might as well take that into consideration, 3DS of course has all the Nintendy franchise favorites like mario/zelda/smash/pokemon/firemblem/metroid/kirby whatevers

Vita have a nice library of JRPGs, there's the serious ones like Persona, Trails in the sky & Trails of cold steel, Ys, Ar Nosurge or the lighthearted glorified moe ones like Hyperdimension, Atelier series <-one of my faves

 

I have both and if i were to pick one i'd go Vita. Not really a Ninty diehard

[WinterfuryZX]

Steins Gate 0, Utawarerumono 2 and 3, Chaos;Child, Psycho Pass Mandatory Happyness and all the otomege published by aksys are console exclusives and available only on Vita.

Edited September 29, 2017 by WinterfuryZX

[MarcomiX]

So, VITA it is!

thanks, guys! I'll go and buy one ASAP

[Okarin]

What on Earth is Cruise Sign? Another Konosora spinoff?

I can't name a VN for 3DS that's not either Zero Escape or Harvest December. There are lots of similar games, such as Rune Factory, Harvest Moon, Story of Seasons (not VNs at all but with lots of text, interactions, and even romance), and the new Layton game that's pretty appealing... but that's hardly a VN.

Vita is good if only for the Utawarerumonos, and there are huge piles of VNs and animesque JRPG there. In fact it probably is the only sort of thing that comes out for Vita now anyway, since Sony called it quits early with the console.

Both are good options because they're pretty inexpensive and have pretty good libraries for us Jap lovers.