The platformer has been one of the most stagnant genres during this generation of consoles. Aside from the occasional gem – namely Super Mario Galaxy — no real attempts have been made to take the platformer to the ‘next level,’ with concepts and functionality that could never have existed in previous hardware generations. Media Molecule’s LittleBigPlanet does exactly that. It elevates the genre to new heights with its innovative game design and introduces exciting new features that would have never been possible before on consoles, but it does so in a way that is familiar enough to be playable by anyone.
At its core, LittleBigPlanet is a side-scrolling platformer that can be played cooperatively with up to 4 players, online or locally. You play as Sackboy, an eternally happy character who can be customized at any time using the in-game character creator. You move your Sackperson across the screen, jumping over endless chasms, bopping enemies on the head, and collecting hidden items, which include stickers, costumes, and level pieces for use in a level editor. All of these should sound familiar, as every platform game since Super Mario Bros. has used these simple mechanics, but LittleBigPlanet adds three key innovations onto these standards.
The grab, mapped to the R1 button, allows you to pull switches, move jumping blocks, drag friends to safety, swing from ropes, control simple vehicles, and even hang on to rotating platforms until you have reached the area that you need to land on. Over the course of the game, you will hold onto a rocket as it propels you to safety, grab a block-man and bring him back to his house in exchange for a key, and even pull levers that control whether your coop buddy lives or dies. The puzzles and platforming segments utilizing the grab add thought and timing to the game, and keep it from resorting to the standard “jump … walk … jump” gameplay flow exhibited by others in the genre.
Another innovation comes from the ability to walk into and out of the background at will. By tapping up on the analog stick, you can take a step backwards in the environment, and pressing down moves you one step frontward. This ability is used to its fullest potential, as items are hidden behind certain objects and platforms can exist in front of and behind other platforms. There is a slight problem with the depth in LittleBigPlanet, as it can sometimes be tough to judge what plane your Sackperson is on. This can occasionally lead to a mistimed jump or inadvertent landing in the wrong spot, but you do adjust to this mechanic rather quickly.
Finally, the Popit menu allows you to access some of the game’s overwhelming customization options on the fly. Discover a new costume in the middle of a level? Open the Popit menu and immediately change your character’s look. Find some new stickers? Use Popit to stamp those stickers all over the background of the level you are currently on, wherever you want. These freedoms have never been available in a game of this type before, and it opens up the gameplay experience to exciting new possibilities and a constant feeling of discovery as you play.
This feeling is consistent through the main campaign of LittleBigPlanet, where you can find a number of different premade chapters, each with three main levels and several challenge missions. Every chapter adds a new visual theme and fresh gameplay elements — including racecars, hot air balloons, and jetpacks — that bring some much needed variety to the well-worn platforming design. Unlike some platformers, where the different level themes are strictly visual differences, each new theme here reinforces a different style of play. The Haunted House levels have a creepy vibe that encourages running more than fighting, while the City levels have you bouncing off of taxi-hoods as you climb buildings and overcome industrial hazards. The game also has a steady difficulty progression to it, as the platforming, puzzles, and enemies all get much trickier as you advance.
Fun Factor Great by yourself and a blast in coop, LBP is constantly entertaining.
9.5
Graphics Expressive characters and incredible design highlight this amazing visual package.
9.5
Sound Hilarious narration, nice sound effects, and music that easily gets stuck in your head.
9.5
Multiplayer Every aspect of the game can be played with friends, and the experience is much better for it. Cooperative challenges sprinkled throughout the game add to the fun.
8.0
Single Player Plenty of unique levels to play both online and off, but some of LBP’s charm is lost when platforming solo. The level editor is deep but daunting.
8.5
Controls Depth takes some getting used to, and the jumping does not feel as accurate as some other 2D platformers, but the innovative grabbing and Popit mechanics make up for this.
9.2
Overall Whether you plan on playing through the campaign, downloading people’s work, or creating the next online masterpiece, LittleBigPlanet offers unlimited possibilities and a tremendous amount of fun to people of all ages.
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