Four free games celebrate Vita's birthday

The PlayStation Vita launched in North America not much more than a year ago, and to celebrate, PlayStation is giving away "Wild Arms," "Patapon," "Piyotama," and "Patchwork Heroes."

The PlayStation Vita launched in North America not much more than a year ago, and to celebrate, PlayStation is giving away 'Wild Arms,' 'Patapon,' 'Piyotama,' and 'Patchwork Heroes.'

The quartet is being made available for free via the PlayStation Vita's North American download store until March 11.

Role-playing adventure 'Wild Arms' was an extremely well-received PlayStation One game, while the other three were PSP titles: 'Patapon,' a rhythm action game with distinctive, quasi-Hellenistic art style, 'Piyotama,' an egg-themed color-matching puzzle, and 'Patchwork Heroes,' a mischevious, inventive update of timeless territorial diversion and 'Wreck-It Ralph' cameo game 'Qix.'

March marks the start of a new financial year for Sony PlayStation, one in which a new PlayStation 4 home console will launch, promoting the Vita's importance as a second or even primary screen.

Sony Computer Entertainment America president Jack Tretton had said in August 2012 that Vita sales were at an 'acceptable' level, but February 2013's quarterly financial report identified 'slow penetration of the PlayStation Vita portable entertainment platform' as one of several 'particularly important issues' for the Sony Corporation.