> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.superjumpmagazine.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The JRPG Players Guide to Handheld Game Consoles, Part 2: The Old Toys - URL: https://www.superjumpmagazine.com/the-jrpg-players-guide-to-handheld-game-consoles-part-1-2/ - Published: 2026-09-13T14:54:14.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-13T14:54:24.000Z - Description: The return of the classics. - Author: Nathan Kelly - Tags: Guide, Handheld Console, Handheld Gaming, JRPG, RPG, Nintendo, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Vita, PS2, Final Fantasy, Pokemon, Persona, Persona 4 **Welcome back to the definitive retro handheld guide for JRPG players!** This guide will help you decide which handheld you will actually use based on the popular JRPGs you want to play. In [Part 1 of the guide](https://www.superjumpmagazine.com/the-jrpg-players-guide-to-handheld-game-consoles-part-1-the-new-toys/), we found out what type of person might be interested in the brand-new devices being manufactured and sold on today's market. Now we will discover what type of gamer would want to repurpose an older device to game on nearly 10 years after their prime. The quick and dirty answer is simple. If you have an old handheld sitting in a drawer, replace the battery, mod custom firmware onto it, and love it forever. If you don't have one lying around and budget is a factor, check out Part 1 of this guide as well for your full range of options. While I talk here mainly about the PS Vita and the Nintendo 3DS, there are some other great custom firmware options entering the mainstream. The PSP and the Nintendo DSi have both been given their flowers and now see some modding support to keep them alive long past their life expectancy. These could be great options for you if the PS Vita and 3DS have become prohibitively expensive. This guide will focus on which device is right for you based on which JRPGs you want to play. I went over some shopping considerations in Part 1, so take some time to read that first. The short version is that the best handheld is the one you will use, and what you use it for is games. So it's best to quickly meditate on which games that you want to play before just buying an AYN Thor because it can play the most. Sometimes a PS Vita, for example, could be exactly what you want if you really just love Persona, and there is nothing like playing those games on native hardware. So let's take a look at our first option, the PS Vita, and who might love to own one of the most premium-feeling handhelds ever. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c0/e7/c0e78dd7-e7af-4603-8ab9-09f05cab06f3/content/images/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-25-at-17-42-32-Portable-PlayStation-Vita-with-Wifi-PS-Vita-GameStop.png) The PlayStation Vita. Source: [GameStop](https://www.gamestop.com/products/sony-playstation-vita-system--wi-fi-3g---black/909104.html?bvroute=Review%2F316955232&bvstate=pg%3A2%2Fct%3Ar). ## The PlayStation Vita What if that newfangled device they're advertising on TikTok scares you? Maybe the tinkering is too much, and getting all those emulators to work just isn't your thing. Then repurposing first-party devices might just be right for you. The PlayStation Vita is easy to mod with a guide and offers a surprisingly wonderful experience in the modern day. I still use mine as my ultimate Persona handheld, but you’ll find much more to love about it the deeper you look. The PS Vita is still a coveted device. I expect people to move to the Retroid Pocket 6 or similar as PS Vita emulation comes into its own, but right now you can’t beat original hardware for native Vita games. A PS Vita will cost a bit more than the budget options highlighted in Part 1, but a little less than a 3DS or a high-end handheld. But if you still have one sitting in your drawer since you beat Persona 4 Golden, this is all free! I won’t go into the modding process, but do your research and see if you feel comfortable doing it by yourself before buying a console off eBay. The PS Vita library is… eclectic. It’s not for everyone. There are really awesome titles to try out, but JRPG players who love anime and don’t mind a heaping handful of sexual fan-service are going to get the most out of this device. Perhaps that was a little dramatic; you can avoid the fan service with some research and a blind eye, but I would never recommend a PS Vita to someone who is resistant to watching anime if they planned to get the most out of the device. The newer JRPG’s that released on PS Vita predominantly featured an anime aesthetic and had many experimental mechanics that were generally a mixed bag. Outside the game library, the device feels premium, and every title runs awesome right from the start. No messing with settings or shaders; you download the game and they all play perfectly. A PS Vita can feel like a limited device, but it does what it does best exactly how you’d want it to. So what does the JRPG landscape look like for this console? ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c0/e7/c0e78dd7-e7af-4603-8ab9-09f05cab06f3/content/images/2026/08/IMG_5617.jpg) Ah, a place to play all of my legally backed up copies of my games. Source: Author. The PS Vita has essentially every PS1 JRPG available to play natively. If you wanted to catch up on games like Xenogears, Chrono Cross, Parasite Eve, and Legend of Dragoon, you will find them all available here. They all still show in 4:3 with black bars on the sides of the screen, but it looks great, especially if you have the PS Vita 1000 with the glass panel where those black bars fade neatly into the black console. I would be remiss not to include the incredible PSP library here. I actually believe that if you are primarily interested in playing tactical RPGs, then a modded PSP or PS Vita should be at the top of your list. Getting games like Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre while also getting underground hits like Jeanne D’ Arc and Growlanser are big reasons to get this device. If you are okay with giving up Fire Emblem, the trade-off is worth it to have a whole host of other tactics games. Well, you could emulate the GBA Fire Emblem games, but it feels so wrong on the PlayStation hardware. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c0/e7/c0e78dd7-e7af-4603-8ab9-09f05cab06f3/content/images/2026/08/IMG_5616.jpg) Gran Turismo PSP still rocks even without a career mode. Source: Author. This is also the device of choice for fans of grid-based first-person dungeon crawlers (Blobbers). You get many new options from the return of the genre before it faded from view again. While I hope that we see another resurgence of the Blobber genre, what we got here on the Vita will keep me busy for a long time. With little-known gems like Demon Gaze, Stranger of Sword City, and Ray Gigant, there are hundreds of hours of mazes and team building to do. Some of these games push the boundaries of explicit content, so viewer discretion is advised. The PS Vita is a perfect home for Final Fantasy and Persona fans. You can play the first 4 Persona titles, including the incredible Persona 4 Golden version, which you really can’t play on any other handheld this small. You also have the best versions of Persona 1 and the Persona 2 duology. For Final Fantasy, you get the best versions of every mainline game up to X-2 (excepting some subpar versions of V and VI). You also get access to World of Final Fantasy, FF Tactics, and Dissidia Duodecim, which is still stuck on the PSP. If Final Fantasy and Persona are your gaming priorities, the PS Vita is the perfect place to play. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c0/e7/c0e78dd7-e7af-4603-8ab9-09f05cab06f3/content/images/2026/08/IMG_5366.jpg) Persona 1 on the PSP. Source: Author. --- > "The best handheld is the one you will use." --- I want to mention some sleeper hits too because the Vita is brimming with stuff your average JRPG player might not have tried. On the more well-known end is the first Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth game and its sister title, Hacker’s Memory. These games are great replacements for Shin Megami Tensei, showing how much Digimon is willing to grow a little with its audience. I love these games, and even though they are available everywhere, the graphics look like they belong on a smaller screen. On the lesser-known side are the Department Heaven games, which are all represented here. Graphically, this is the best place to play these Sting Entertainment titles if you’re interested in trying out experimental titles with awesome art styles. They are not RPGs, but if you thought that Persona 4 Golden was the only reason to get a Vita, you have to play Danganronpa on here. PS Vita is the home of this series, and they are wonderful visual novels if you like murder mysteries. I love my PS Vita; unfortunately, after I went through the Persona series most recently, I never picked it back up. I’m getting into Blobbers as I grow into my 30s, so there’s a chance that the PS Vita will storm back into my life, but we have to remember our mantra: The best handheld is the one you will use. No matter how much I love the PS Vita's premium-feeling design and how good it feels in your hands, the library is not what’s calling to me right now. But it may be exactly what you love about JRPGs. Before we make a final decision, I have one more solid handheld to offer as an option. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c0/e7/c0e78dd7-e7af-4603-8ab9-09f05cab06f3/content/images/2026/08/H2x1_3DS_SystemLandingPage_v07_image1600w.jpg) The Nintendo 3DS. Source: [Nintendo](https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Hardware/Nintendo-3DS-Family/Nintendo-3DS-Family-94560.html?srsltid=AfmBOor4WFyaIrCC%5Fl4DZtUbYto853WXD2PXgE1y75aHo93xx32zXM2%5F). ## The Nintendo 3DS This is likely the most expensive option due to its rising popularity, but for good reason. The Nintendo 3DS has an impressive library, and the onboard virtual console gives you access to every past Nintendo handheld all on the same device without needing any additional emulators. Personally, if I were stranded on an island and could only have one handheld with me, the 3DS would rank just below the PS2. This one is hard to get your hands on. You have to get one second-hand, and even then your best bet financially is to get the LL version out of Japan. As much as I absolutely love the 3DS, unless you have one lying around, I have to suggest that you go for the AYN Thor instead. The AYN Thor is not cheap, but it’s available at consistent prices and plays all the same games, albeit with a little more tinkering and setup. But if you shell out the money or find one hiding in that old plastic bin in your garage, replace the battery, mod it, and never let it go. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c0/e7/c0e78dd7-e7af-4603-8ab9-09f05cab06f3/content/images/2026/08/IMG_5319.jpg) Shin Megami Tensei Strange Journey Redux on 3DS. Source: Author. This is a great device if your main priority is Shin Megami Tensei and Dragon Quest. You will have the best version of every Dragon Quest game up until the 9th entry. Getting the Game Boy Color versions of the first few games converted to the 3DS-compatible .cia file requires only a few additional steps, but it's worth it when you see how easy the virtual console makes dual-screen emulation. The 3DS has half of the popular Shin Megami Tensei games in the West; titles like Strange Journey, Devil Survivor, and SMT IV have tons of content. I’m almost done with Strange Journey Redux, and after 60 hours it’s still a great companion for lunch breaks and hanging on the couch. The Blobber genre is also well represented on the 3DS. Atlus is the only creator of 3DS blobbers, but they made enough that the number of games is comparable to the PS Vita. For Persona players, the Persona Q games are neat crossovers that are fun to adventure through. The story is sure to be a little disappointing for fans of the mainline games, but creating teams of your favorite characters is a blast if you can set your expectations down and know that filler is on the menu. Etrian Odyssey is the other big Blobber series on the 3DS. With 6 games, you will be busy for a long time if you like the series' formula. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c0/e7/c0e78dd7-e7af-4603-8ab9-09f05cab06f3/content/images/2026/08/IMG_5095.jpg) Bravely Default is still incredible alone. Source: Author. This is surely not the console that I would recommend if you enjoy Final Fantasy. But if you like a challenge, you have popular versions of the first 6 games, including the divisive DS versions of Final Fantasy III and IV. The first two Bravely Default games are on 3DS, and they use the classic Final Fantasy job-based combat system minus ATB (Active Time Battle). The Bravely Default games also look gorgeous with the 3D effect, and you can’t get that anywhere else. Of course, if your goal is to play first-party Nintendo games like Pokémon and Fire Emblem, you can’t find a better handheld. With few home console exceptions, you get the entire back catalog of these famous series. They are not my cup of tea, but I appreciate a device that lets mega fans have one place to play all of their favorite games. This system also has a ton of brilliant one-off titles. Radiant Historia, Miitopia, and The Alliance Alive are a few games that are well-loved as great dual-screen RPGs. The PS Vita and the 3DS both used new hardware to innovate in the JRPG genre, but you see a lot more success with the 3DS than the Vita. Nintendo's handheld features parallel genres that JRPG players tend to enjoy as well, including life sims and story-based puzzle games. If you came for the JRPGs, I almost guarantee you will find something different to enjoy as well. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/c0/e7/c0e78dd7-e7af-4603-8ab9-09f05cab06f3/content/images/2026/08/IMG_5322.jpg) The 3DS is not that great in direct sunlight I found out. Source: Author. ## Tough Choices I was lucky enough to have both my old 3DS XL and my PS Vita 1000 lying around; otherwise I’d most likely have just bought an AYN Thor. Finding the perfect handheld has caused (more than a few times) buyer's remorse and confusion as to what I really wanted. “The best handheld is the one that you use.” Hardware is the beautiful vehicle that lets us experience JRPGs, and having that in our pockets makes this a wonderful time to be a gamer. Prioritize your favorite games. If you love the way the AYN Thor looks but really only want to play Super Nintendo games, you’ll likely switch down to a Miyoo Mini anyway later on. Knowing yourself and your needs is a key ingredient to not wasting money in this hobby. I’ve made those mistakes, and hopefully my lessons and research help you decide what fits best into your lifestyle. But more than worrying, have fun. When you buy your second or third console, don’t feel stressed that you have devices you likely won’t use anymore. Build them for friends, give them to people as gifts, use them as an opportunity to curate your game collection, and find out exactly what games you want to spend your free time playing. It’s all about the games, and the process of finding yours and the hardware that you want to play them on can be just as fun if you dive headfirst into the world of retro handhelds.