The Therapist Gamer

I originally played Joe Danger on the PS3 in 2010, but it came out about 4 years later on the Vita.  The game is fun on both platforms, but seems especially perfect for the Vita as you often play in short bursts.  

 

You play as a stuntman named Joe.  Though it is technically a game where you are racing to the finish, it plays more like a platformer where you maneuver your bike around the environment.  The game is lighthearted and has a silly sense of humor, with severe accidents played for laughs.

 

Each course has a variety of tasks you can complete.  These range from racing through the level quickly, to picking up all of the stars, to holding a combo throughout the entire level.  Completing tasks unlocks more levels.

 

There is a point system that basically works off of how spectacular you can make your stunts.  Standard fare is to flip when you go off a jump, but the big points come when you can do a special move while flipping, land on one wheel, and hold it until you can go off another jump.  It's possible to continue a combo throughout an entire level!

 

The game mechanics work perfectly and the overall game is designed quite well.  The variety of tasks are suitable for players of all skill levels, with later "bonus" levels offering intense challenge.  I spent an unreasonable amount of time trying to fully master the second-to-last level, but the sense of accomplishment was immense.  

 

Another very fun feature of this game is that you can create and share your own courses.  Back in 2010 my brother was visiting for Thanksgiving and we made several courses for each other in the most challenging ways we could think of.  It was a blast!  I remember doodling obstacles in notebooks (during boring meetings) that I would later put into a level - watching my brother trying to get past some insane situations was priceless!

 

Amazingly, the entire game was created by just four gentlemen who put a lot on the line to develop it.  Unsurprisingly, Joe Danger was met with critical and commercial success and a sequel was created.  Their team has now expanded to more than ten individuals and they are making perhaps the biggest video game (area-wise) ever created - No Man's Sky!