I've got a Vita and while it's an excellent piece of kit, Sony and third-party publishers have basically been too stupid to support it properly. The launch titles were alright, and there have been a few stand-out ports and franchise titles since, but by and large it's suffering from the same problems as the PSP - being flooded with substandard ports of console games.

Still, if it's MGS3 you're after, you may do well to get a Vita and buy the MGS HD collection, which also has MGS2 and the original MSX Metal Gear games.

That is true. I doubt there's a bundle that includes it in Japan. I don't like the attachment to be honest. It's the only big reason I'm staying away from the 3DS (the other one was the screen size which the XL solved).

But the 3DS version has one crucial new feature that changes everything:

The ability to aim in third person like metal gear 4, moving and shooting, and the ability to crouch walk makes it more stealthy.

That advantage is still available, you can still buy older gen games and a few new games so you can play with a lot of friends and know what the hell everyone is talking about.

I have scooped up quite a few cheap PS2 games, sure, but I love playing Halo 4 when everyone is actually playing it. I suppose there's less multiplayer in handheld land, but the community aspect actually does matter a bit, even for single player games.
The 3DS has been a clusterfuck for "portable" anyway, short battery life, games like Kid Icarus that require some fucked up stand, etc.

There's nothing wrong with the attachment, but I would factor it into the total cost of me buying the system. I'd rather have it in the 3DS itself (have you seen the size of those things? I'm not sure I buy the idea that there's no room in the machine for it). The real problem with the 3DS is the game quality. People can talk about how grand the new "fuck this I've played this Mario game like 20 times" game is, but I really couldn't give a flying fuck about most of Nintendo's tired ass franchises these days. Pokemon I love (a 3DS only Pokemon game would guarantee the 3DS' success, odd that they haven't tried to force Game Freak to do it), Metroid I sorta love, Zelda.. fuck Zelda, yeah, gimme some third party titles. Oh that's right, Nintendo hates 3rd party developers. They also hate the concept of online, or they must as their implementation is so fucking stupid.

Dammit, I swear to Odin, Nintendo could fix online and quit being fuckwads to 3rd party devs and they'd pretty much seal the success of their hardware and brand. They look to be heading Sega's way instead.
That would be awful unless you could switch the buttons as well. Games are designed with the function of the right analog stick being less important for a reason, essentially because you have to punch a button from time to time.

I don't know anyone who needs the stand to play Kid Icarus. In fact, I don't know anyone who has even bothered to try the stand, I certainly haven't.

I only countered that bit because it was the only bit I really disagreed with. ;)

EDIT: Also just noticed my typo in that post. It's a bit "I accidentally my hard drive" isn't it?

Hmm I like the 3DS, I played an entire gaming generation with just one joystick so a handheld opting on alternate control schemes doesn't worry me so much.

I think some people just can't accept they aren't the target audience of something: with PS3, 360, PC, VITA, 3DS, iPad, Wii-U there's plenty of systems to meet different interests. I only wish SEGA came back, I loved the Dreamcast :(

The DS Lite is the best pound for pound video game console ever.

Kind of silly. The two games I am most excited for the 3ds are both from Atlus.

And both are the fourth entry in their series.
Etrian Odyssey 4 and Shin Megami Tensei 4. Too bad the latter does not have the staple artist doing character designs. Or the regular series's composer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXH5WRP36fA

Still, pretty excited about it.

If you haven't played Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked, you should consider doing so. Of my 3DS collection it's the one that has gripped me the best.

I finished all seven paths in the DS version of Overclocked. I will never again touch Devil Survivor (and maybe its sequel, the character designs are EVEN WORSE) again. Maybe I will wait for a screenshot Let's Play on somethingAwful for the last day. And voice acting would probably make it even worse.

For reference, I have played through Strange Journey twice, 80 and then 60 hours, and am in the middle of a long ass screenshot LP and do not have an animosity towards it. I don't know why, but I started liking Devil Survivor and ended hating it hard.

Then again, completionism is punished in SMT for the most part.

Edit: Another one I liked but will never touch again is the second Raidou Kuzunoha game. 3 playthroughs, 2 for a Let's Play. Particularly for the last dungeon since it is horrible and eye searing. The last dungeon (particularly the last floor) of Digital Devil Saga 2 is also extremely horrible but I wouldn't mind eventually replaying that.
http://lparchive.org/Shin-Megami-Tensei-Digital-Devil-Saga/Update%20131/46-dds058.jpg
http://lparchive.org/Shin-Megami-Tensei-Digital-Devil-Saga/Update%20131/

Strangely I loved the Amala Network in Nocturne.

Well, I loved Devil Survivor Overclocked to bits... But then again I didn't play it seven times :P Still haven't played #2, have it on my shelf waiting until there's a hole in my backlog it can fit itself in.