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SackBoy, the cute knitted protagonist from LittleBigPlanet (LBP), has become something of an icon for Sony's gaming platforms in the same way Mario symbolizes Nintendo. It was not much of a surprise, when LBP headed to Sony's PSP.
Ever since the PSP version was announced, gamers have wondered what sacrifices might be made in squeezing the huge, ambitious, often delayed, customizable platformer down to handheld size. After having a few weeks with Little Big Planet on the PSP, the answer is, not much at all.
The portable version of the game even performs better than the original. This is noticeable when it comes to the controls. Some gamers had a hard time with how floaty SackBoy controlled in the original game. Studio Cambridge has done a great job of tweaking the controls just enough to not only create a more streamlined experience, but to accommodate for the analog nub on the PSP. Controlling SackBoy has never been more precise or more comfortable than it is on the PSP.
At its core, LBP is a traditional platformer that uses creation tools, customization and puzzles to create a unique gaming experience. The best part is that all the included levels are made using the same level editor that the game comes with. You can collect new stickers to decorate levels or even your SackBoy at will using the pop it menu.
The pop it menu is what makes LBP tick. Hitting a single button causes the system menu to appear and it allows you to customize your creations on the fly, as well as control and add items in the level creator. With the portable version the standard problems can persist when creating a level. Since things are much smaller now the system can feel a bit clunky at times. Still the amount of depth in the creator is impressive and you can really do some amazing things if you are creative enough. In addition once you complete the first few levels of the single player you open up the Community Moon which allows you to download more levels from the community. As you can imagine playing this game prior to release really limited the amount of creations, but once the game gets into more people's hands I imagine the level of creativity will be on par with the console offering.
In addition to other tweaks made to the core mechanic to make it more user friendly for the portable market Studio Cambridge has also made some adjustments to the checkpoint system. It is much more forgiving this time around also allowing for an unlimited number of lives to be used so starting over is never an issue. This doesn't mean the game is a cake walk by any means; there are levels later in the game that will test even the most patient of players. Some of the creativity spawned from the original game has definitely spilled over into the creation of this portable outing.
As a whole LittleBigPlanet on PSP is by far one of the more impressive achievements on the system. Delivering most of what made the original so charming and addictive and even tweaking some of its problems definitely makes for a unique experience for PSP owners. Of course everything comes with a price and this time out it comes in the form of no online co-op for this pint-sized version. One of the best parts about the original game was completing levels designed with multiple players in mind. It made going back through previous levels more interesting when new pathways opened up depending on how many partners you had with you. It is a small concern, but one that could have greatly helped the longevity and replay value of the title.
Visually I am stunned at how much Studio Cambridge was able to squeeze into this tiny UMD (or digital download if you prefer). The game looks fantastic and the only real difference now is instead of three planes of depth the game only has two, but you rarely ever notice. Sound is also once again a standout as Stephen Fry reprises his role as the saucy narrator and the music fits with every change in level and scenario.
LittleBigPlanet remains one of Sony's most innovative franchises and the PSP version lives up to the standard set by its PS3 big brother. If you loved the original and you want a portable vesion of SackBoy, this is worth a purchase. I am hopeful that in a future update, we will be able to share levels between the two versions but for now we will have to be satisfied that LittleBigPlanet for the PSP is worth the price of admission and is arguably the best game to date for the PSP.
Final Score: A
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