6 Vita games I'm looking forward to playing in 2016

Along with the handful of Vita games mentioned in my recent pair of "5 games I bought in 2015 that I've regrettably (and embarrassingly) failed to play" posts, I'm also looking forward to spending time with the following titles between now and the end of this year:

Airship Q--A Terraria clone made by a Japanese indie developer and filled with feline characters? Put me down for at least one copy, and maybe two. Seriously, though, what's not to like about such a scenario? OK, so the language barrier could prove to be a problem if I go with the physical Japanese release (which is the current plan). I'm willing to risk it, though, for the fabulous box art and actual, I-can-sell-it-down-the-road-if-I-want-to-do-so cartridge.

Alone With You--This upcoming digital offering captured my attention for two reasons when its release was announced a few months back. One is that it brings to mind some of the great PC games I enjoyed whenI was younger. Another is that it includes a romance element--which I pretty much always consider to be a welcome addition to any title that's caught my eye.

Crypt of the NecroDancer--I've wanted to play this wonderfully weird digital title, which dares to combine elements of the rhythm and rogulike genres, since the PC version was unveiled a couple of years ago. Because I hate playing games on my Mac (or any computer, for that matter), though, I dragged my feet on buying it. Which is great, as developer Brace Yourself Games revealed this past fall that a Vita version is in the works. Here's hoping it comes out sooner rather than later, as I really want to see if this is the video game equivalent of a Reese's peanut butter cup--an example of a wonderful combo, in my opinion--or if it's more like a Necco Wafer wrapped in a Tootsie Roll.

Ikenie to Yuki no Setsuna--The timing of this Square Enix-made game's release (next month--in Japan, at least) is just about perfect, if you ask me. I'm currently working my way through the DS version of the title (Chrono Trigger) that inspired it, and I should wrap up its adventure just before my boxed copy of Ikenie to Yuki no Setsuna makes its way across the pond to my welcome mat. Will it live up to its pedigree? I have no idea, but I certainly hope that'll be the case--and then some.

SaGa Scarlet Grace--I've made no secret over the years of the fact that I'm a huge fan of Square's SaGa series. The second GameBoy title is one of my favorite games for that handheld, while SaGa Frontier is among my all-time favorite games for any system. As a result, I'm chomping at the bit to get my hands on this latest entry in the series. Fingers crossed Scarlet Grace stays far away from the hideous art style of the PS2 Romancing SaGa remake or the hair-pullingly obtuse gameplay of Unlimited SaGa for the same console.

Zero Time Dilemma--Why am I buying the Vita version of this third entry in the thrilling Zero Escape series instesd of the 3DS iteration? Because I'm going to start playing the second game, Virtue's Last Reward, on Sony's handheld shortly, and I figure I'll want to follow it up by playing its sequel on the same mschine. Also, I have so many 3DS titles at this point that I figure I should show my Vita a bit more love.

Are there any in-the-works Vita games that are causing you to salivate in anticipation of their impending (in 2016) release? If so, let me know about them in the comments section that follows.