Hands on with PS Vita at E3 2012

Check out this selection of seven games that kept the crowds entertained at the Los Angeles Convention Centre.

There were plenty of goodies for fans of PlayStation Vita to get their hands on at E3 2012. From reinvented classics to brand new titles, here's a glimpse at just some of the games that will soon be causing a stir on the revolutionary portable gaming system.

Revolutionary gaming

One game which makes exhaustive use of the PS Vita system's unique features is Super Monkey Ball Banana Splitz. Jun Tokuhara, an 11-year veteran of the series, explained how he "wanted to make a new Monkey Ball" and SEGA is definitely shaking things up on the long-running monkey puzzler.

As well as using the PS Vita system's motion sensors to guide the cheeky simian through levels, you'll use the touchscreen and rear touch pad in a variety of mini-games. Perhaps the coolest feature though is the edit mode which lets you create your own levels based on pictures taken using the front or rear camera. Once you've taken your snap, shake the PS Vita system and your brand new level appears. You can then share and play this with friends via PlayStation Network.

Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, from Konami, features Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater enhanced with PS Vita controls. Use the touchscreen to select weapons and items, plus look around corners when in cover or creep up on enemies from behind and take them out by sliding your finger across the rear touch pad. It's a slick and engrossing experience that had gamers captivated.

Classic gaming

Fans of retro gaming can look forward to a remastered version of Jet Set Radio. Originally released by SEGA on the Dreamcast in 2000, the cel-shaded classic will be available to download from PlayStation Network and sees you join the GG crew as you look to tag a variety of locations whilst evading the attention of the police.

You can join a different type of crew in Sine Mora, a quick-fire slice of 2D side-scrolling shoot 'em up action with a twist. In a game that can often see the PS Vita system's touchscreen filled with enemy bullets, you use the R button to slow down time and dodge the menacing projectiles as you try to make it to the end of each level before time runs out.

The Game Atelier, developer of the popular Flying Hamster, delivers another slice of quirky gaming action in Sunflowers. Played in vertical format by turning the PS Vita system round, you tap the touchscreen to release sun rays as clouds pass overhead and the resultant raindrops help your seedlings grow into a collection of flowers that you can combine and trade with friends until you have them all.

Perfect companions

Cross-platform features allow PS Vita gamers to maximize their experience by sharing content and features with PlayStation 3, and two games that make great use of this are Snapshot and Foosball 2012.

Developed by Retro Affect, Snapshot is an intriguing 2D platformer in which you alter the game world by taking pictures and then using the resultant images to help you progress. So, for example, if a particular ledge is too far up, snap a block from another part of the level and then drop it back in so that you can reach your destination. And thanks to Cross-Save, you can start your adventure on PS3 and then continue on PS Vita.

Meanwhile, Foosball 2012, a fun-packed and colourful table football game which Grip Games co-founder Jan Cabuk explained had been "developed for both PS3 and PS Vita from the start", features not one but three types of cross-platform play. Fancy taking on your friends playing on PS3 with Cross-Play? Sure thing. Want to buy Foosball 2012 once and download it to your other system for free using Cross-Buy? Why not. Keen to keep your progress updated using Cross-Save? Yep, you can have that too.

Keep an eye on au.playstation.com and PlayStation.Blog for the latest on all these great titles and more in the coming months.