Sly Cooper - Thieves In Time -pcsa00068- -ntsc- Access
Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PCSA00068 - NTSC) Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
is the fourth major installment in the celebrated stealth-platforming series, marking a significant transition as the first core entry developed by Sanzaru Games instead of original creators Sucker Punch Productions. Released on February 5, 2013, for the North American (NTSC) region, this version specifically identified by the product ID PCSA00068 refers to the digital PlayStation Vita release available via the PlayStation Store. Game Overview and Narrative
Picking up immediately after the events of Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves, the story begins when Bentley, the gang's resident genius, notices that the pages of the Thievius Raccoonus—the ancient book of Cooper family secrets—are physically vanishing. To save his family legacy, Sly Cooper must come out of his "retirement" (and leave behind his feigned amnesia) to reunite with Bentley and Murray for a humorous time-traveling adventure. Players travel to various historical eras, including: Feudal Japan: Encountering Riichi Cooper. The Wild West: Meeting Tennessee Kid Cooper. Prehistoric Times: Rescuing the brute-force ancestor "Bob". Gameplay Mechanics on PS Vita
The Vita version of Thieves in Time is notable for its use of the handheld's unique hardware features and its seamless integration with the PlayStation 3 version: Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time - PS Vita Demo Version
Based on the specific code , you are looking for the Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time cover art or "paper" insert specifically for the PlayStation Vita NTSC (North American) release. en.wikipedia.org Item Details Game Title Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time Product ID : PCSA-00068 : NTSC (North America) : PlayStation Vita Resources for Paper Art
If you are looking to download or print a replacement for your case, you can often find high-quality scans on enthusiast sites: The Cover Project
: This is the primary community resource for high-resolution, printable game covers. You can search by the PCSA-00068 code to find the exact match.
: A database that often hosts scans of the front, back, and full wrap for various regional releases, including PS Vita titles.
Released in 2013, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PCSA00068) is the first title in the series developed by Sanzaru Games Sly Cooper - Thieves in Time -PCSA00068- -NTSC-
rather than Sucker Punch Productions. This NTSC version for the PlayStation Vita serves as a direct sequel to Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves
, bringing the iconic Cooper Gang back together after pages of the Thievius Raccoonus begin to disappear. Key Features and Gameplay
The game builds on the series' classic stealth-platforming mechanics with several modern additions: Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time | Sly Cooper Wiki | Fandom
Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, developed by Sanzaru Games and released in 2013, stands as a fascinating case study in franchise revival. As the fourth installment in a series originally defined by Sucker Punch Productions, the game faced the monumental task of honoring a beloved trilogy while introducing the stealth-platformer genre to a new generation on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. While it successfully modernized the series' visuals and expanded its scope, it remains a point of contention for long-time fans due to its narrative choices and shift in character dynamics.
The most immediate triumph of Thieves in Time is its technical ambition. By leveraging the "Cross-Buy" and "Cross-Save" features of the era, Sanzaru Games created a seamless bridge between home console and handheld play. Visually, the game translated the series’ signature "noir-cartoon" aesthetic into high definition with vibrant colors and fluid animations. The core gameplay loop—sneaking through hub worlds, pickpocketing guards, and completing themed missions—felt more polished than ever. The introduction of Sly’s ancestors as playable characters provided much-needed mechanical variety, giving players access to unique abilities like Rioichi Cooper’s "Leaping Dragon" or "Tennessee Kid" Cooper’s specialized rail-sliding and shooting.
However, the game’s narrative direction is where the "Sanzaru era" distinguishes itself most sharply from the Sucker Punch originals. The plot centers on the Thievius Morbus—the Cooper family history book—literally fading away as a new villain, Le Paradox, attempts to rewrite history. This premise allows for a globetrotting adventure through time, visiting Feudal Japan, the Wild West, and Ancient Arabia. While the setting variety is a strength, critics and fans often point to a softening of the writing. The sharp, witty dialogue of the original trilogy was occasionally replaced by broader, more slapstick humor. Furthermore, the handling of Penelope’s character arc remains one of the most controversial writing decisions in the franchise, often cited as a betrayal of the character development established in Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves.
From a design perspective, Thieves in Time is a maximalist experience. Each episode is packed with collectibles, including clue bottles, masks, and treasures. The addition of "costumes" for Sly—such as the Robin Hood-esque archer outfit or the heavy armor—added a layer of environmental puzzle-solving that the series previously lacked. Yet, this abundance of features sometimes diluted the focus. The mandatory motion-control segments and various hacking minigames, while varied, occasionally interrupted the flow of the high-stakes thievery that defines the character of Sly Cooper.
Ultimately, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time is a gorgeous, mechanically sound tribute to a classic series that struggles slightly with its own identity. It succeeded in proving that the Cooper Gang’s brand of stealth-platforming still had a place in the modern gaming landscape, even if it couldn't quite capture the lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry of the original developers. For many, it remains a "bittersweet" finale, especially given the cliffhanger ending that has left the master thief stranded in time for over a decade. It is a testament to the enduring charm of the characters that, despite its flaws, fans still look back on this fourth entry as a high-effort labor of love. Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PCSA00068 - NTSC)
If you'd like to dive deeper into this title, I can help you with:
A complete guide to finding all 60 Secret Masks or Clue Bottles
A breakdown of the best costumes and abilities for each ancestor
A comparison of the PS3 vs. Vita versions to see which holds up better today
An analysis of the ending and the "secret" cliffhanger scene
4. Gameplay Systems: The Master Thief
Thieves in Time retains the "cell-shaded" stealth action gameplay but introduces two major systemic expansions:
A. Costume Mechanics: Each historical era provides Sly with a specific costume that alters his traversal capabilities. This adds a Metroidvania-style progression layer where new abilities unlock previously inaccessible areas. Examples include the Samurai Armor (blocking attacks) and the Archer costume (rope traversal).
B. Ancestors and Playable Characters: The game expands the roster beyond the core trio (Sly, Bentley, Murray). Players control Sly’s ancestors, each with unique mechanics (e.g., Rioichi’s Leaping Dragon technique). However, the implementation of these characters occasionally leads to pacing issues, as the control schemes change frequently between chapters. Episode 3: Guts and Gears (Medieval England) The
**C. The Treasure
Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PCSA00068) is the fourth installment in the beloved stealth-platformer series, released in 2013 for the PlayStation Vita
and PS3. This NTSC-U version brings the classic cel-shaded adventures of the Cooper Gang to a handheld format with full cross-save support. Key Game Information Release Date: February 5, 2013 (North America). Developer: Sanzaru Games (taking over from Sucker Punch). Stealth and Action-Adventure. Story Arc: Following the events of Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves , the gang reunites when pages from the Thievius Raccoonus begin to disappear. Gameplay Features & Mechanics
The game expands on the series' core stealth mechanics by introducing time travel
, allowing you to visit various historical eras and meet Sly's legendary ancestors. Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PS Vita) Review - COGconnected
Episode 3: Guts and Gears (Medieval England)
The team jumps to Medieval England, home of Sir Galleth Cooper, a knight who wielded a lance and fought dragons. The villain here is The Black Knight—a mysterious, hulking ironclad figure who has declared all thievery a sin and rules with religious zeal.
Bentley, Murray, and Sly infiltrate a castle under siege. They discover the Black Knight’s true identity: Penelope, Bentley’s former love and the team’s previous ally. Jealous of Bentley’s intellect and bitter about being “retired” as a criminal mastermind, she has turned villain. She now controls a massive, fire-breathing mechanical dragon. Bentley is heartbroken. Murray defeats Penelope’s armor in a joust (using a go-kart-like chariot), and Sly recovers the page. Penelope escapes, vowing revenge.
Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (PCSA00068) – The Complete NTSC PlayStation Vita Retrospective
Overview
Thieves in Time marks the return of the Cooper gang after a seven-year hiatus, this time without original developer Sucker Punch. Sanzaru Games takes the helm, sending Sly, Bentley, Murray, and ancestors through time to recover stolen pages of the Thievius Raccoonus. While the core charm and platforming survive the transition, the Vita version suffers from technical compromises that hold it back from greatness.
The Game: A Worthy Successor or a Stumble?
Thieves in Time picks up with Sly, Bentley, and Murray enjoying retirement. Using the "Thievius Raccoonus," Bentley has built a time machine. The core plot: Sly’s ancestors are being erased from history, and the Cooper Gang must travel to different eras to restore the family legacy.
