LocoRoco 2

$20, PSP

Teaches: logic, problem solving, spatial relations, mechanics, art, creativity

CTR Rating: 96%

CTR Review

It's been nearly three years since Tsutomu Kouno, a Japanese game designer first tilted the video game landscape, proving that aesthetics and fun can go hand-in-hand and fit in your pocket. If you're familiar (and liked) the first edition of LocoRoco, you'll appreciate Part 2 more.The control mechanism -- unique to the PSP's trigger keys -- hasn't changed. You use the LEFT or RIGHT trigger buttons to "tilt" the screen landscape, causing the blob-like creatures (called LocoRoco) to roll. When you snap, or release the triggers, the critters hop. Because they resemble balls of mercury, they can break into smaller parts, or merge back into one large blob depending on the maze requirements. The goal is to jostle your way through 12 worlds as fast as you can to see how many blobs you can save.Additional content includes six mini-games, including a multiplayer (up to four player) battle experience that uses the PSPs ad hoc, or local wireless connection. Note that the other player needs to have a copy of the game for this feature.So what else is new? These mazes are more interesting, and challenging. Sometimes you have to match a beat. Other levels require swimming underwater, jumping between blades of grass, uncoiling springs, and leaping inside a shell to sled safely across spikes and burrs. Unlockable quests and zany Japanese pop music give this game a flavor spice that stays with you, long after you've turned off your PSP.The good news for kids is that the first levels seem easier to master than the first edition -- making this the kind of game you can pass to a child for a long car ride. There's also a well designed "no-fail" tutorial, making this a game for all ages -- even Grandma.