Are there any other essential games you folks recommend that I pick up?
"Abso-tively Poso-lutely!"
Here are a selection of other games I would recommend on Vita in addition to the games you already got on Plus:
- Rayman Origins (currently free on PS+) and Rayman Legends (2D platformers)
- Killzone Mercenary (FPS)
- Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (3D platformer. Also Cross-Buy if you get the PS3 version)
- LittleBigPlanet Vita (2D platformer)
- PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale (Smash Bros.-style brawler. Also Cross-Buy if you get the PS3 version)
- Soul Sacrifice (Monster Hunter-style game, but more accessible)
- Lumines: Electronic Symphony (Tetris-style musical puzzle game)
- Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Mario Kart-style racing game)
- Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward (PSN - Visual Novel)
- Pinball Arcade (PSN)
- Zen Pinball 2 (PSN)
- Dokuro (PSN - platformer/puzzle game)
- Guacamelee! (PSN - Metroid-style game)
- Thomas was Alone (PSN - Indie 2D platformer of sorts)
- DJMAX Technika Tune (PSN - Korean music/rhythm game)
- Escape Plan (PSN - puzzle game)
- Resistance: Retribution (PSP 3rd person shooter)
- Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (PSP strategy game)
- Valkyria Chronicles 2 (PSP strategy game)
There. That should keep you busy.
: There are more games, but those are the ones I can more easily recommend.