LittleBigPlanet – Review – Playstation 3
When I first saw this video introducing an obscure game called LittleBigPlanet, my brain imploded. I lost all cognitive thought as I stared at what appeared to be a video demonstrating a game that was literally a blank digital canvas where gamers could go crazy and create whatever their devious little minds could conjure. And not only that, but you could share your levels by posting them, free of charge, on the game’s servers so that your creation, your very own level, can be played by the masses.
Of course, after seeing the trailer, I was “lost in the moment” and too far gone to realize exactly what that would mean:
Tools for Creative Freedom + Audience + Being Anonymous =
It’s not exactly the Eiffel Tower…
Moving on.
LittleBigPlanet for the Playstation 3, like Seinfeld and this very site, has no premise. It’s pretty much about nothing. It’s a video game with no plot or story elements. You run, you jump, you grab on to physics-enabled objects and you collect tidbits like stickers, textures, and the object/machines that you encounter on your adventure to use in the levels you create.
And that’s what makes it so great!
LittleBigPlanet has taken video games back to their bare roots. I’m talking the simple run and jump mechanics of the first Super Mario Brothers game that most of us have enjoyed as kids. There’s no button combinations to do special moves, there’s no complex riddles or puzzles, there’s no CGI cutscenes to bore you to death, there’s no ‘amazing graphics’ to overshadow mediocre gameplay. Aside from the REALLY ‘Old School’ (ala Space Invaders and PacMan) LittleBigPlanet is gaming at its purest. And because of its simplicity, this is one of the few games that is easily approachable by anyone.
You are introduced to a character called Sackboy (or Sackgirl), which looks like a patchwork doll made from burlap. However, you can customize the look of your Sackboy with items like Pirate Hats, Dresses, Elk Horns, Devil Horns, Clown Makeup, Cat Eyes, Zebra Heads, different Materials (leather, tweed, cotton, etc) and the list goes on and on. Even cooler is that you can download new accessories and items from the Playstation Network (both for free and for a small fee). The ‘premium’ sackboy accessories are often outfits and items to make your Sackboy look like Ryu from Street Fighter, Santa Clause, Snake form Metal Gear Solid 4, and so on.
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