''LittleBigPlanet'' (sometimes referred to as ''LittleBigPlanet PSP'' to differentiate it from the
PlayStation 3 game of the same name) is a
puzzle-platform 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 ...
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, ...
developed 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 conjunction with
Media Molecule
Media Molecule Ltd. is a British video game developer based in Guildford, 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 S ...
and 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 ...
. An addition to the ''
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 series ...
'' franchise made for the PSP, featuring a brand new story mode.
It was released on 17 November 2009 in North America
and 20 November 2009 in
PAL
Phase Alternating Line (PAL) is a colour encoding system for analogue television. It was one of three major analogue colour television standards, the others being NTSC and SECAM. In most countries it was broadcast at 625 lines, 50 fields (25 ...
regions.
The game's servers have been shut down since July 30, 2016, the game surprisingly does not have any private servers nor public servers in that matter.
Gameplay
The game's gameplay is the same as the original PlayStation 3 version, albeit without the co-operative multiplayer aspect and one of the 'layers' in which the level 'set' is created within. The PlayStation 3 version has three 'thick' layers and four 'thin' layers, however ''LittleBigPlanet'' PSP only has two 'thick' layers and three 'thin' layers. The game consists of an introduction, 23 main levels, and 14 mini levels, 2 of which are "Mini Games".
These levels were created by SCE Studio Cambridge, and are based around seven different themes that draw inspiration from real-world locations including Chinese gardens, dry Australian deserts and icy Alpine stages.
Though most of these levels look similar to their PlayStation 3 counterpart they are, in fact, newly designed levels. Players must traverse complicated mazes during levels using devices including switches, rotating platforms and floating lanterns that can be ridden or grabbed. The main objective of each level is to move from one side of the stage to the other, dodging deadly contraptions such as electric snakes shooting out and trying to kill your sackperson.
The game also features
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 ...
similar to the PlayStation 3 original.
The game's overall goal is to capture prize bubbles which include stickers, costumes, materials, and objects players may use to customize their own
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, humanoid ...
and levels. Players can create their own levels from a blank slate or template using various items gained in the game and items ready-made by the game's developers. These levels can be uploaded to the game's online servers to be shared among the community.
Plot
The game's story is a sequel to the original PlayStation 3 version.
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, humanoid ...
, the main character, decides to take a holiday walkabout around the world. The player starts in Down Under, a theme based on Australia, where they meet Bruce, a helpful character who gets the player started in the game. The player climbs to the Cave of Dreams where they meet the Mystic. It is revealed that there is to be a massive carnival in Brazil, and the player needs to go around the world to find the various creator curators and get them to go to the carnival. The player goes to The Orient in China and meets the Emperor, who has a dragon's egg in his treasure room. The player retrieves it and gives it to the dragon with the Emperor's apologies. The Emperor decides to go to the carnival.
The player travels to the Genie's realm, The Bazaar, set in Persia. The monkey thief king steals the Genie lamp from its owner. The player travels through the realm to retrieve it. It is returned to the owner after the player wins in a game of "Monkey Swing." The Genie helps them travel to Golden Sands (located in Arabia) on a magic carpet where a prince is building an amusement park and needs the player to build and test its safety features. Once they have that accomplished, the prince wants to go to the carnival.
The player travels to the Alpine Mountains where Clock Hans meets them when part of the roof is destroyed. He promises to go to the carnival if the player finds his children when they are lost while he repairs the roof. The player does so and Clock Hans gives permission to use his teleportation device, and the player ends up in Tinsel Town, which is based on Hollywood. The director has the player act as a stunt-man in his movies: ''LittleBugPlanet'' and ''The Sewn Identity''. Once the movies are tested, they are both hits and the director comes to the carnival.
Once in Brazil, the player walks throughout other creators floats and helps them with getting them working. The Director needs a photo with them, Leading Lady and Big Ron. On Clock Hans' float the player helps to fix the clock on the lower deck of the float. Prince Funubis needs to start an oil well on his float. The Genie gets stuck inside his lamp and needs sackboy to get him out. Emperor Sario needs to set some fireworks off on his float. The Mystic gives the player a final object for his float inside Big Croc. Finally, the player adds the finishing touches to their parade float, and rides throughout Brazil on it as the end credits roll.
Development
In a February 2009 press release, Sony announced a version of ''LittleBigPlanet'' for the PlayStation Portable was being developed by SCE Studio Cambridge in conjunction with Media Molecule. The game was tentatively referred to as ''LittleBigPlanet PSP'' and was first shown publicly at
E3 2009
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009 (E3 2009) was the 15th E3 held. The event took place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. It began on June 2, 2009, and ended on June 4, 2009, with 41,000 total attendees.
Majo ...
where two Australian-themed levels from the Story Mode were available to play. One of these was a
surfing
Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitabl ...
minigame where the goal was to keep Sackboy on a moving surfboard for as long as possible and the other was a full, platforming level. The game's aesthetics are very similar to those of the PlayStation 3 version and many similar gameplay mechanics, such as sticker switches, feature in the PSP game. As with the PlayStation 3 game,
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 ...
provides voice overs for the English-language version of the game. Also, as with the PlayStation 3 game, comedy writer
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 ...
provided the script for Fry, as well as writing in-game dialogue and characters. Unlike its PlayStation 3 counterpart, multiplayer gameplay does not feature in ''LittleBigPlanet'' on the PSP. However, the creation and sharing of levels has been carried over.
Downloadable content
SCE Cambridge Studio has released several packs of paid-for or free
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 ...
(DLC), including items such as materials, stickers and costumes, some being ports from the original PS3 version of the game. The free kits are all a single costume with the exception being the Savannah costumes, which include both of the costumes that are given to the player in the 'Savannah' section of the original PlayStation 3 game. In the PlayStation Store; SCE Cambridge Studio released a set of "Purchasable Levels" called the Turbo! Pack
[Turbo! Pack](_blank)
Turbo! Level Kit for LBP PSP of 6 Levels, 121 Objects, 28 Materials, 112 Stickers, 20 Sounds Objects, 6 Music files, and 1 Background.
Reception
The game has received generally positive reviews from most critics, both
Eurogamer
''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson.
Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EGX ...
and
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
gave ''LittleBigPlanet'' a score of 9/10 commenting that the PSP version was just as good as the PlayStation 3 version and went on to say that the title was "one of the stand-out titles" for the console,
while IGN commented that "The platforming's fun, the create tools are solid, and online's undoubtedly impressive – especially considering that these upload/download features are on the PSP."
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
scored it an 8 out of 10 criticising the short storyline, the limited Sackboy manipulation, and the lack of multiplayer, but they praised the fact that almost everything else was intact from the PlayStation 3 version.
References
{{Authority control
2009 video games
Guerrilla Cambridge games
Platform games
PlayStation Portable games
PlayStation Portable-only games
Puzzle video games
Science fantasy video games
Side-scrolling video games
Sony Interactive Entertainment games
Video games developed in the United Kingdom
Video games with 2.5D graphics
LittleBigPlanet
Video games with user-generated gameplay content
Video games set in Australia
Video games set in Brazil
Video games set in Iran
Video games set in Europe
Video games set in the Middle East
Video games set on fictional planets
BAFTA winners (video games)
Products and services discontinued in 2016
Inactive online games