After releasing a teaser video last week promising an announcement on November 5, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan has revealed that its “PocketStation” brand is officially making a return, though it’s not quite as exciting as we had all hoped.
The original PocketStation was a tiny device released in Japan back in 1999 and very like Sega’s own Dreamcast VMU tech. Essentially a memory card “micro-console” with a simple LCD screen, when used with the original 32-bit PlayStation the device could be used to save data from games and play themed mini games on the go. PocketStation even came with infrared capabilities, meaning that saves could be passed between gamers anywhere and everywhere, which, back in the days before cloud storage, was considered pretty magical.
This new “device”, however, will be entirely for PlayStation Vita and arrive via a download from the PlayStation Store, it has been revealed.
Last week, Sony released a teaser video in the form of a rather unusual fake news report which showed a pretty young newscaster standing with a bespectacled “game industry analyst” outside one of Sony’s factories awaiting a truck thought to be containing something special. Moments later, a white truck appeared with the feline face of part-time PlayStation mascot Toro Inoue from Doko Demo Issyo on its rear.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL-z60gg8t4
The pair then gave chase in their mock news van, discussing what the strange markings on the truck could possibly mean, with the industry consultant suggesting that this could be a teaser for the reemergence of Sony’s PocketStation – a device that was available only in Japan between 1999 and 2002, and despite never seeing a release in the West was a considerable hit with Japanese gamers.
When the truck eventually came to a stop in inner-city Tokyo, Toro-kun himself hopped out and erected a large white sign before disappearing again. Running up to it, the reporters discovered that the sign was informing us of a “big announcement” regarding none other than Sony’s PocketStation device on November 5.
Today is that day, and in slightly disappointing news (you know we love getting new toys to play with!) we now know that the new PocketStation is in fact an application for PlayStation Vita. Simply called “PocketStation for PlayStation Vita”, the app will be made available as a free download for PlayStation Plus subscribers.
The app will work with saved game data, most likely also allowing developers to release old-school mini-games and the like for players of their Vita, PS3 and PS4 titles to enjoy when they’re not playing the real thing, and will recreate the LCD screen of the original PocketStation on the Vita’s shiny new one.
We wonder whether we’ll be able to share saved data with our pals via Vita like we could with the old PocketStation. That might actually be worth having, in a retro kinda way…
***UPDATE!***
According to reports from Siliconera, the free PocketStation download will include Crash Bandicoot 3, Mega Man, Ape Escape and other Playstation originals. Also, check out the latest PocketStation announcement video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKcQHpEm3tE
Source: Hachima Kikou
PocketStation image: Gamechoiceclub
Teaser trailer video: YouTube playstationjp