''LittleBigPlanet'' (stylized as ''LittleBIGPlanet''; abbreviated ''LBP'') is a
puzzle
A puzzle is a game, Problem solving, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together (Disentanglement puzzle, or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to arrive at th ...
platform video game
A platform game (often simplified as platformer and sometimes called a jump 'n' run game) is a sub-genre of action video games in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are charac ...
series created and produced by British developer
Media Molecule
Media Molecule Ltd. is a British video game developer based in Guildford, Surrey. Founded in 2006 by Mark Healey, Alex Evans, David Smith, and Kareem Ettouney, Sony Computer Entertainment acquired the firm in 2010. It became part of SCE Worldw ...
and published by
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), formerly known as Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), is a multinational video game industry, video game and digital entertainment company wholly owned by multinational conglomerate Sony. The SIE Group is ma ...
. Most games in the series put a strong emphasis on
user-generated content
User-generated content (UGC), alternatively known as user-created content (UCC), is any form of content, such as images, videos, text, testimonials, and audio, that has been posted by users on online platforms such as social media, discussion f ...
and are based on the series' tagline "Play, Create, Share". The tagline represents the three core elements of the series: playing alone or with others locally (on the same console) or online, creating new content using the in-game creation tools, and sharing creations and discoveries online with other players.
Tarsier Studios
Tarsier Studios is a Swedish video game developer based in Malmö.
History
Nine developers, including Andreas Johnsson and Björn Sunesson, founded Tarsier Studios in 2004. Johnsson had been a traditional programmer in the 1990s but wished t ...
,
Fireproof Games
Fireproof Studios Ltd is a British video game art studio based in Guildford, England, and founded in September 2008. Fireproof Games, a division of the company, acts as video game developer. The company is best known for its ''The Room'' series ...
and
Supermassive Games
Supermassive Games Ltd is a British video game developer based in Guildford, Surrey. The studio is best known for developing horror games such as ''Until Dawn'' for the PlayStation 4, ''The Dark Pictures Anthology'' for Bandai Namco Entertainme ...
also contribute to the development of the PlayStation 3 games, creating in-game assets (
DLC) including costumes, backgrounds, objects, and stickers. Some of these assets will also provide the player more tools and gadgets to use in the level editor.
The series comprises six games across five gaming platforms. The series was launched in 2008 with the
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
game ''
LittleBigPlanet
''LittleBigPlanet'' (stylized as ''LittleBIGPlanet''; abbreviated ''LBP'') is a puzzle platform video game series created and produced by British developer Media Molecule and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Most games in the seri ...
'', which was followed in 2009 by a
PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...
version of the
same name, initially developed by
Studio Liverpool
Psygnosis Limited (known as SCE Studio Liverpool or simply Studio Liverpool from 1999) was a British video game developer and publisher headquartered at Wavertree Technology Park in Liverpool. Founded in 1984 by Ian Hetherington, Jonathan Ell ...
and later handed to
SCE Cambridge Studio
Guerrilla Cambridge (formerly SCE Studio Cambridge) was a British video game developer based in Cambridge, England. The studio was founded under Sony Computer Entertainment in July 1997 through the buyout of the game development division of Cyb ...
. The sequel to the PlayStation 3 version, ''
LittleBigPlanet 2
''LittleBigPlanet 2'' is a puzzle-platform game that features user-generated content. The game is developed by Media Molecule, published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3. It was released in January 2011. The game was released in ...
'', was released in January 2011 alongside a smaller spin-off title called ''
Sackboy's Prehistoric Moves
''LittleBigPlanet 2'' is a puzzle-platform game that features user-generated content. The game is developed by Media Molecule, published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3. It was released in January 2011. The game was released in ...
''. ''
LittleBigPlanet PS Vita
''LittleBigPlanet PS Vita'' is a puzzle platform video game developed by Double Eleven, Tarsier Studios and XDev Studio Europe for the PlayStation Vita handheld game console. It is the fourth game of the ''LittleBigPlanet'' franchise; a serie ...
'' was developed by
Tarsier Studios
Tarsier Studios is a Swedish video game developer based in Malmö.
History
Nine developers, including Andreas Johnsson and Björn Sunesson, founded Tarsier Studios in 2004. Johnsson had been a traditional programmer in the 1990s but wished t ...
and
Double Eleven, released in September 2012 for the
PlayStation Vita
The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita, or Vita) is a handheld video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, and in North America, Europe, and other international territo ...
. At
E3 2014
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2014 (E3 2014) was the 20th E3 held. The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. It began on June 10, 2014, and ended on June 12, 2014, with 48,900 total attendees.
Ma ...
, Sony announced ''
LittleBigPlanet 3
''LittleBigPlanet 3'' is a puzzle-platform game developed by Sumo Digital for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. It was released worldwide through November and December 2014, and it is the third entry in the main ''LittleBigPlanet'' series, ...
'', a
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
installment that was developed by
Sumo Digital
is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by thr ...
and released in November 2014. The games are all published by
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), formerly known as Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), is a multinational video game and digital entertainment company wholly owned by multinational conglomerate Sony. The SIE Group is made up of two legal co ...
. The latest installment for the ''LittleBigPlanet'' franchise titled ''
Sackboy: A Big Adventure'' was revealed during the PS5 live event and released on the PlayStation 4 and
PlayStation 5
The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, it was launched on November 12, 2020, in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North Ame ...
in November 2020. A Windows version was released on 27 October 2022.
On 17 January 2015, it was announced that all LittleBigPlanet servers in Japan would shut down on 31 July, along with the
PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...
version and ''
LittleBigPlanet Karting
''LittleBigPlanet Karting'' is a kart racing video game developed by United Front Games and San Diego Studio, in conjunction with series creators Media Molecule for the PlayStation 3. It is the fifth game of the ''LittleBigPlanet'' franchise, a ...
'' in late August in all regions. Due to attacks on the online servers, all LittleBigPlanet servers were taken down in May 2021 (the Vita version remained closed since March). The servers for the PS4 version of ''LittleBigPlanet 3'' were brought back up on 13 September 2021, however, in the same announcement, it mentioned that the servers for ''LittleBigPlanet'', ''LittleBigPlanet 2'', ''LittleBigPlanet PS Vita'' and the PS3 version of ''LittleBigPlanet 3'' will remain closed permanently.
Gameplay
The core mechanics of the series revolve around its tagline "Play, Create, Share".
Play
In the first two installments of the series, gameplay consist primarily of traditional two-dimensional
platforming like jumping and avoiding obstacles to successfully navigate to the end of a level to win.
Since ''LittleBigPlanet 2'', the series has included mini-games, including ones that do not follow the platformer genre. Most ''LittleBigPlanet'' games involve a player playing solo or co-operatively with friends to navigate through a level whilst collecting various "bubbles" along the way, which can take the form of either points or collectibles. In-game collectibles can be used in level creation or to customise
Sackboy
Sackboy is a fictional character and main protagonist of the ''LittleBigPlanet'' video game series published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Introduced in the 2008 video game ''LittleBigPlanet'', Sackboy is a small, anthropomorphic, humanoi ...
, the
player character
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not control ...
. There are also numerous co-operative parts of levels whereby certain prize bubbles can be earned. In ''LittleBigPlanet 3'' and ''Sackboy: A Big Adventure'' Collectabells are also present, being used in various shops to purchase more costumes.
Create
The Create component primarily refers to level creation in the game, along with other features like character customisation. Players can create their own levels with the built-in level creator. Many items that are collected while playing through the story mode and from ''LittleBigPlanet''s community can be used to help with level creation. These levels can remain as the original ''LittleBigPlanet'' platforming gameplay, or they can include other game types, such as racing, fighting, shooting and sports.
The player can also make non-gaming creations such as music and films (commonly known in-game as cut-scenes).
In ''LittleBigPlanet 2'', Sackbots were introduced to give players more control over
non-player character
A non-player character (NPC), or non-playable character, is any character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster o ...
s in their levels as well as make the levels in their entirety more intelligent. The creation technique introduced on the game gave the possibility for logic, and it gave the ability to build sets of machines and complex contraptions.
Share
Lastly, the Share component relates to sharing creations with the game's community by uploading levels to the
PlayStation Network
PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...
. To-date there are in excess of ten million user-created levels available to play on the LittleBigPlanet server in the PlayStation 3 games. Since the release of ''LittleBigPlanet 2'' and the LBP.me community website, the Share component has also had a strong emphasis sharing discoveries. Players are encouraged to share levels they find with other players by writing reviews and comments in-game and by sharing links to creations' LBP.me pages via
social networks
A social network is a social structure made up of a set of social actors (such as individuals or organizations), sets of dyadic ties, and other social interactions between actors. The social network perspective provides a set of methods for a ...
.
Overview
The series takes place in a world known as LittleBigPlanet. Each curator is in charge of a part of LittleBigPlanet and they govern them independently. LittleBigPlanet has geography inspired by the real-life
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
. All games in the series follow the main protagonist
Sackboy
Sackboy is a fictional character and main protagonist of the ''LittleBigPlanet'' video game series published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Introduced in the 2008 video game ''LittleBigPlanet'', Sackboy is a small, anthropomorphic, humanoi ...
, a small anthropomorphic creature made of brown fabric with a zip fastener and button eyes. He can be customised to the player's liking using costumes that are either unlocked in the game, or bought as
downloadable content
Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enablin ...
from the
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store (PS Store) is a digital media store available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 game consoles via the PlayStation Network.
The store offers a range of downloadable content ...
. The player can control Sackboy's four emotions; happiness, sadness, worry and anger, each of which has three levels of intensity. The
English language
English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the is ...
version of each game is narrated by
Stephen Fry
Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director and writer. He first came to prominence in the 1980s as one half of the comic double act Fry and Laurie, alongside Hugh Laurie, with the two starring ...
and in all formats Fry's scripts are written by
Dean Wilkinson
Dean Earle Wilkinson (born 18 April 1967) is an English comedy writer. He wrote the multi-award-winning ''SMTV Live and Chums'' for Ant & Dec, and scripted the Sony console game series LittleBigPlanet.
Early life
Dean Earle Wilkinson was born i ...
.
Games
Main series
''LittleBigPlanet''
The first game in the series was released on the PlayStation 3 platform in 2008 and was the first title developed by Media Molecule, under the name ''The Next Big Thing''. The player controls Sackboy as he travels around the titular LittleBigPlanet, helping the eight creator curators of LittleBigPlanet with their problems in their own respective realms. Throughout the story, Sackboy tries to stop The Collector, one of the eight creator curators who has gone rogue, kidnapping the creations of LittleBigPlanet. The game received widespread acclaim for its design, gameplay, and customization afforded to the player, particularly the built-in level editor. After its release, it received numerous industry awards.
''LittleBigPlanet 2''
The second game in the series is a direct sequel to the first ''LittleBigPlanet'' and was developed by Media Molecule for the PlayStation 3 for a release in 2011. The sequel saw a major shift in the direction of the series, going from a primarily traditional platform game in the first two entries to a more varied style of gameplay called a "platform for games". The second game gave players a wider variety of options when it came to level design, which saw the creation of levels other than platforming such as racing, puzzles, and fighting games.
Following the events of the first two entries in the series, the game takes place when an antagonist known as the Negativitron invades LittleBigPlanet and begins to suck up all its inhabitants. Sackboy must team up with a secret organisation known as "The Alliance", led by Larry Da Vinci, to save LittleBigPlanet from the Negativitron. The game also supported the
PlayStation Move
is a motion game controller developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Initially released in 2010 for use with the PlayStation 3 home video game console, its compatibility was later expanded to its successor, the PlayStation 4 in 2013, its Pla ...
, with an update post-launch.
''LittleBigPlanet 3''
''LittleBigPlanet 3'' is a game for the
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
and
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
. Announced at E3 2014, it was developed by
Sumo Digital
is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by thr ...
and
released in November 2014. In the game, Sackboy is transported to another world, Bunkum, where he has to awaken its three missing heroes, OddSock, Toggle and Swoop, who are new playable characters.
Handheld
''LittleBigPlanet'' (PlayStation Portable)
A portable entry of the series was developed primarily by
SCE Cambridge Studio
Guerrilla Cambridge (formerly SCE Studio Cambridge) was a British video game developer based in Cambridge, England. The studio was founded under Sony Computer Entertainment in July 1997 through the buyout of the game development division of Cyb ...
in association with Media Molecule for the
PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...
. The game, released in 2009, shared the same name as the original game; however, it was not a port of the PlayStation 3 game, but rather a new entry in the series. It has a story-mode with levels and features many of the same mechanics of its PlayStation 3 counterpart, such as customisations, albeit without the multiplayer component of the game. The game takes place after the events of the PlayStation 3 version of ''LittleBigPlanet'', in which The Collector has been defeated. A carnival is being held and Sackboy decides to go around the world to invite the eight curators of LittleBigPlanet to the carnival whilst finding materials for his own carnival float.
''LittleBigPlanet PS Vita''
The fourth game in the series was developed by
Tarsier Studios
Tarsier Studios is a Swedish video game developer based in Malmö.
History
Nine developers, including Andreas Johnsson and Björn Sunesson, founded Tarsier Studios in 2004. Johnsson had been a traditional programmer in the 1990s but wished t ...
,
Double Eleven, and
XDev
PlayStation Studios (formerly SCE Worldwide Studios and SIE Worldwide Studios) is a Division (business), division of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) that oversees the video game development at the studios owned by SIE. The division was est ...
for the
PlayStation Vita
The PlayStation Vita (PS Vita, or Vita) is a handheld video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 17, 2011, and in North America, Europe, and other international territo ...
handheld and had a 2012 release. The game features the same core mechanics from ''LittleBigPlanet 2'', with the focus being on a "platform for games" rather than a platformer like previous entries in the series before ''LittleBigPlanet 2''. The game utilises the unique controls of the PlayStation Vita by using its multi-touch touchscreen and its rear touchpad to navigate through various obstacles in stages as well as for level creation by users. The game supports
cross-buy
Cross-buy is a feature of some digital distribution systems available across multiple device platforms, where users who purchase a license to a specific piece of software are able to use the versions of the software for different device classes at ...
of
DLC costume packs between ''LittleBigPlanet 2'', as well as ''LittleBigPlanet Karting''.
Spinoff games
''LittleBigPlanet Karting''
''LittleBigPlanet Karting'' is a
kart racing game developed by United Front and
San Diego Studio
San Diego Studio is an American video game developer based in Sorrento Valley, San Diego. A first-party studio for Sony Interactive Entertainment, it is responsible for '' MLB: The Show'' games. The studio also developed the '' NBA'' series, ' ...
in conjunction with series creator Media Molecule for the PlayStation 3. In its story mode, the player ventures through LittleBigPlanet, Monster Islands, Victoria's Laboratory, The Progress Emporium, Eve's Asylum, Avalonia/The Space Bass, and Hoard, Sweet Hoard, to put an end to the greedy, grabbing Hoard racers, who snatch many pieces of the different planets to stash them in the Garage at the End of the Universe. Sony Entertainment America shut down the North American ''LittleBigPlanet Karting'' online servers on 31 August 2016.
''Sackboy's Prehistoric Moves''
The game was developed by XDev as a spin-off from the ''LittleBigPlanet'' series utilising the
PlayStation Move
is a motion game controller developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Initially released in 2010 for use with the PlayStation 3 home video game console, its compatibility was later expanded to its successor, the PlayStation 4 in 2013, its Pla ...
on the PlayStation 3. It was released in December 2010, as a downloadable title from the PlayStation Store and was later bundled with ''LittleBigPlanet 2''. The game was described as a "demo" and featured 10 prehistoric inspired story levels. In the game, Sackboy must save Little Big Planet from the T-Rex. Unlike the main games, which can be played as a single-player experience, the game required a minimum of two players to work. This was due to the main mechanics of the spin-off whereby one player would control Sackboy traditionally using the gamepad for platforming while a second player had to use a PlayStation Move similar to a pointer to move obstacles and objects out of the way in order to successfully navigate a level.
''Run Sackboy! Run!''
''Run Sackboy! Run!'' is a
free-to-play
Free-to-play (F2P or FtP) video games are games that give players access to a significant portion of their content without paying or do not require paying to continue playing. Free-to-play is distinct from traditional commercial software, which ...
endless running game
Endless runner or infinite runner is a subgenre of platform game in which the player character runs for an infinite amount of time while avoiding obstacles. The player's objective is to reach a high score by surviving for as long as possible. The ...
developed by
Firesprite
Firesprite is a British video game developer formed in 2012 by former members of the Studio Liverpool based in Liverpool.
History
Firesprite was founded in 2012 by Graeme Ankers as Managing Director, Lee Carus as Art Director, Chris Roberts as ...
and published by
PlayStation Mobile
PlayStation Mobile (formerly PlayStation SuiteHinkle, David. (2012-06-04 HTC is first partner for 'PlayStation Mobile,' the new name for PlayStation Suite _that_was_released_on_iOS">pdate:_Press_release_added_Joystiq._Retrieved_on_2013-08-23.)_was_a_software_framework_us_...