LittleBigPlanet
© 2008 Sony Computer Entertainment America
See also LittleBigPlanet 2 (February 2011). There are a few games that make the purchase of a new game system worth the price. This is one of them. Just make sure you note the tester comments, below. Designed specifically for the PS3, LittleBigPlanet is best described as a side-scrolling game editor with state-of-the-art 720p graphics for one to four players either locally or remotely via the PlayStation Network. You freely move a rag-doll-like character through a series of worlds where any object or background can be modified. The game comes with 50 mission-based challenges. Imagine the Incredible Machine set in an endless side-scrolling world that can be shared, and you get the idea. You start by moving Sackboy, a rag-doll-like character through the first level of the game, as a witty narrator explains the basics of the game. There are obstacles to explore, bits and pieces to collect, and puzzles to solve that requiring problem solving and, at times, collaborative teamwork. As your operation skills grow, you can start modifying the environments by stamping backgrounds or placing objects in the scene. Anything you see is fair game for painting, dragging, dropping or deleting. In addition, if you have a PlayStation Eye camera plugged in, you could put your own face on items, such as a billboard. Levels can be saved and posted online for others to try — creating a nice shared community aspect to the game. After all, it's a lot more fun to create something if there are others to see it. Note that games can be played together online with an open chat system and a reporting system for inappropriate content that we did not test. So keep your eye on the screen. Our testers loved the concept and graphics, but found the PS3 controls to be complicated -- especially when entering text. Fortunately, you can use a USB computer keyboard if you have a spare. It would certainly be fun to see this game made with a Wii-like interface. Finally, early versions of this game were recalled because of the inclusion of the song "Tapha Niang" found in one of the levels, which includes some lyrics that some found to be offensive. Any title released after Nov. 1, 2008 will not have this music included. Other content includes 60 tutorials, and a shared community that Sony hopes will create an "endless game" (similar to the Spore concept). It is rare to find a game that can both teachers and gamers like. This is one of them. Developed in the UK by Media Molecule Ltd. for Sony Computer Entertainment America. See LittleBigPlanet: Game of the Year Edition.
$60, PlayStation 3
Teaches: creativity, logic, physics
CTR Rating: 90%