The Impact Of Flash Player Compatibility On The PS Vita As A Portable Device For Online Gaming

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As we all know, the PS Vita is an exceptional console whether we’re getting a AAA experience of some of the best that the indie gaming scene has to offer. Despite many Vita owners using the system at home on its own or more recently for Remote Play in conjunction with the PS4, at it’s heart it’s still a portable system where devoted PlayStation fans can enjoy games at a time most convenient and in a location most suitable for their individual requirements.

Ever since the original GameBoy, mobile gaming has taken off remarkably but admittedly even more so since the increase in power of Android and iOS devices over the last few years. We can all access mobile versions of most of our favourite games from almost whatever device we want taking full control of their own gaming experience. Similarly, we have seen this trend follow the same patterns in the online gambling market. Players are thrilled that they are able to enjoy casinos and betting sites from their mobile phones, tablets and other devices.

Well, most mobile devices anyway and this is one of the downfalls of the PS Vita. While we may have an integral web browser with the console, it still doesn’t have any form of Flash playback capabilities. There are countless websites out there that make use of Flash for media playback, online games and other functionality and the lack of any form of Flash compatability leaves Vita owners out in the cold.

The Vita has the potential to be a fantastic media player but we’ve been provided with a limited number of media apps to date and even fewer with the PlayStation TV. This wouldn’t be a major issue if we were able to use the web-based version of many of these service providers but as so many of these websites are Flash-dependent we are continually denied the same opportunities afforded by owners of other mobile devices. To-date, the only mainstream service that we are able to access is YouTube which has it’s own native Vita app anyway.

On the online gaming front, things are even more depressing. Since its launch, I was a regular player of the National Lottery moving onto purchasing tickets online as well as spending money on its Instant Win games. It was through one of these where I was fortunate enough to win enough to buy my PSP a few years ago but as for using the site on the Vita… no luck apart from purchasing “regular lottery” tickets.

So where do Vita owners stand when it comes to any sort of casino, gambling or other games of this nature? For now we just have to settle for digital games from the PSN Store and frankly this isn’t going to satify many of the more mature gamers out there.

These games that are available do not offer any real money rewards and lack the adrenaline rush you’d get playing online so we’re left looking to a limited choice. There are no native PS Vita releases so we’re left with looking to older PSP and Minis and we’re left with Card Shark (Minis) – a selection of five games – you can Play Dota 2 Online, Blackjack, Five Card Draw, Texas Hold’em, Higher or Lower and Solitaire. Payout Poker & Casino (PSP), this includes games like Baccarat, Craps and a number of slot machines. Hard Rock Casino (PSP) includes over 20 casino themed games including; BlackJack, Video Poker and Slots. Not the most inspiring choice and even then the World Series Poker games are missing – some of my personal favourites.

Really, the only choice we have right now is to look to using Android or iOS for gaming on the move or sticking to playing online using the PC for those feeling the need for games with any sort of real money rewards. A few leading Microgaming casinos offer some of the best mobile gambling platforms, along with real money payouts. To find out more about Microgaming casinos visit vegasmaster.com. For those who wish to win real money whilst playing casino games, they can do so by playing on their preferred mobile devices at a wide selection of top mobile casinos. Microgaming casinos like William Hill, Unibet, 32 Red Casino and others have made it onto the list of some of the best mobile casinos.

As for the PS Vita…? All we can do is hope that Adobe can be persuaded in the future to provide us with Flash support to allow us to enjoy a greater range of websites, gaming and a better online experience all round.

Source: DX Racer Canada

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About Simon Plumbe 1052 Articles
Husband, father and lifelong geek. Originally from the West Midlands, now spending my days in South Wales with my family and a house full of animals. Passionate about video games, especially retro gaming, the Commodore 64 and PlayStation Vita. Love pro wrestling, sci-fi and I'm an animal lover and vegetarian. Enjoyed this and my other articles? Why not buy me a coffee: http://ko-fi.com/simonplumbe

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