A difficult choice

[Violetta19]

I want to buy a console. Which one do you recommend, a PS Vita or a Nintendo Switch?

 

[tsuki09_]

I think a Nintendo Switch is better :O many of the PSVita otome games got ported to it as far as I know (like Reine des Fleurs and Black Wolves Saga), many of the new localizations are also on Switch (and we have even more incoming, if you're interested OverRequiemZ comes around august! this is one of the localized ones I'm interested the most).
The eshop for the switch is still active, so you'll also have a better time getting digital games if you want to buy them!
I have a modded switch and I can still use the eshop, and the US side of the eshop often tends to have discounts for localized otome games. You can also buy japanese only otome through eshop.
Shipping of physical games can often be complicated by a lot of factors, be it the price itself or maybe stuff that I have seen around (I have seen stuff happen through third party sellers on Amazon with some otome games, such as missing cartridges from the inside of the box. In my country, sending back defective items to USA is very difficult and expensive, so it gets risky ), so having the option to get digital games is good
on another hand, if you intend on using the emummc more (the modded side of the console) finding otome online is very easy (even more easy than older PC otome often).
I personally chose the OLED Switch to share the console with my family, but any Switch is fine for otome games :) I reeeeally had doubts about the console initially, but I ended up very happy with it and I don't intend on selling it soon
good luck with everything!

 

[enren]

Nintendo Switch would be a better choice just like @tsuki09_ already explained.

If you'll decide to get a PS Vita instead though, you can check a PS TV too.
PS TV is compatible with PS Vita games (maybe not all of them, but I've played all of my otomes on it instead of my PS Vita). PS Vita is a handheld console, while PS TV name says it all on its own, it's plugged into a TV with HDMI.

However if I remember right PS Vita and PS TV no longer support PS Store.

 

[fr4pp3cinn]

I have both, and even though I love my Vita, the Switch it's definitely the best choice! There's way more titles localised for it, easier to repair if you ever need to, physical games are easier to come by if you'd like to collect. Depending on the model you choose, you can even dock it to play games on your TV (which it's not as easy on a Vita)
Unless you're specifically interested in PSP/Vita exclusive titles (and there's not that many by now), and you have a good grasp on Japanese, the Switch is the better choice. Many Vita games that get ported to Switch end up getting some new scenarios as well!
I do enjoy that the Vita is smaller and more portable, but it's not a device I'd recommend for someone who wants to play casually

However if I remember right PS Vita and PS TV no longer support PS Store.

You can still buy games there (for now), but you need to add money to the account wallet from another device, and you need a one-time password to login lol it's quite troublesome

 

[Naonao02]

No new games will be released for the PS Vita. Thinking about the future, I think I should buy a Nintendo Switch. That said, if there's a game you want to play on the PS Vita, I think it's worth buying one. Used PS Vita aren't that expensive, after all.
It costs more than a PS Vita or Nintendo Switch, but if you buy a used Steam Deck, you might be able to play older games on it.

 

[YummyYum]

I would suggest the Switch, like everyone else has said. There isn't going to be any more otome games released for the Vita, aside from fan patches and in that case you would need a homebrewed Vita. For this you will either have to buy an already homebrewed one, or find a seller of one with old enough hardware and risk bricking it during the process. The Switch's otome game library is already bigger than the Vita library, also having some games that are on the Vita as well, and will only continue to grow, so I think it is the better choice in terms of how much content there is/will be. If you are really interested in playing some of the games on Vita, it is easy enough to use the Vita emulator and download the games from NoPayStation. Yes you miss out on the handheld aspect if that's big for you, but once again there's more content on the Switch and thus would lead to more handheld playing anyway.

Like someone else said, too, you could potentially get a Steam Deck, and run emulators for Switch and Vita, but I do not have a Steam Deck nor have I tried it, so I can't say how well it works for both.

 

[tsuki09_]

Like someone else said, too, you could potentially get a Steam Deck, and run emulators for Switch and Vita, but I do not have a Steam Deck nor have I tried it, so I can't say how well it works for both.

I don't have a Steam deck but I have tried Switch and PSVita emulation on Linux, Windows and mobile.
I have played a big portion of Steins; Gate with Android PSVita emulation (only Makise route and last route left to do), it works very well and only issue is random crashing during time machine animations.
Steam deck should be similar to my Linux setup as both are x86_64 ones, except the Steam deck is more powerful than my laptop jdlkghs
Switch Otomate games often run perfectly in my experience, but non Otomate games may struggle. Past year Even if Tempest didn't work on all emulators I've tested (Eden, Sudachi, Yuzu, Ryujinx), the music is there and the speed is normal, but character sprites and backgrounds are gone and all black. Additionally, Idk if the Steam deck handles 3D well, my laptop tends to struggle with 3D Switch games.
On another hand, I had bad luck emulating Switch on Android. The Virche FD runs normally for like, 10-15 minutes and then crashes.
I imagine PSVita PC/Steam deck emulation would be pretty fine compared to mobile one, specially because it is more up to date than the mobile releases.
In terms of emulation inside a Switch console, it tends to be hit or miss (I was surprised to find out back then that Wii titles didn't work often). Didn't test PSVita nor PSP titles on Switch yet...

 

[tsuki09_]

As extra info dkfjgdsg
if you do end up interested in having the option of playing PC otome handheld, the Steam deck is, indeed, a good option
I have also tested PC otome games inside Switch through Linux Switchroot and... they really don't run well emulation from ARM Linux still has a long path to go compared to x86_64 Linux
not even Stardew Valley ran in it properly >.<
I like to experiment around even if it takes hours, but I felt like my many hours spent around Linux inside Switch didn't really give results
the specific otome I used to test this was Princess Britania, as eroge titles are PC exclusives and there are probably still non eroge titles without console ports
The game boots normally, as with every Linux setup you have to disable the effects thing inside the game or it crashes, kinda slow too. Stardew Valley (I tried because I wanted my PC mods kdgjldsh) takes a veery long time to boot and has a tendency to crash.

 

[miwette]

I have both and only now started collecting more Vita games, while there are a few interesting Vita only titles, I do believe Switch is best because: they keep making new titles as of now, not limited to Switch 2 and I genuinely don't know whether you can read jp (I don't know if there are translators for Vita) or not, but transalted Vita works are extremely expensive as I believe not many copies were made?

Could be wrong on that part, but I've seen english titles prices skyrocket for Vita, while as they're currently being made, Switch titles tend to be much more affordable!

 

[PatrickStar]

I love the classic PS Vita games but it's not supported now and the switch is still being supported with a ton of VN games to this day. Also, because of what's been brought up above is that a lot of the VN games are not translated on the PS Vita or would require a patch so if you would have to do some bit of work to play the ones you want IF they even have a translation and those physical copies can cost MAJOR bucks nowadays. However, if you can read JP that shouldn't be a problem. If you believe in emulation to play a certain Vita game, you can try Vita3K! If you are new to the genre or are just looking at VNs that are currently releasing and picking which ones interest you, go for the Switch!