Sony unveils cooperative platformer, LittleBigPlanet

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Mar 7th 2007 at 1:31PM }

Sony today announced a rather unexpected and terrifyingly adorable new game, LittleBigPlanet. Officially labeled as a "community-based" game, LittleBigPlanet is essentially a physics-based platformer, though such a description fails miserably at capturing the sheer amount of scrambling, swinging and holding-on-for-dear-life going on in the gameplay footage. Developed by Rag Doll Kung Fu masters, Media Molecule, the game encourages players to help each other over obstacles, interact with objects (often fruit-like in nature) and grab onto everything -- including each other.

Four-player pushing and pulling aside, LittleBigPlanet also highlights user-created content, allowing players to design characters, objects and levels to share online. Given the grab-happy, emergent gameplay, downloadable custom levels should enable players to constantly discover new ways to aid or injure their pudgy little avatars. An earlier Sony presentation demonstrated some intuitive controls, with the manipulation of analog sticks and motion controls resulting in all manner of jumping, wiggling and waving.

"Quirky" and "endearing" are not two adjectives that have recently been linked to Sony, but it's good to see the opportunity to do so finally presenting itself. LittleBigPlanet's stunning graphics, charming characters and strong online component make it a great example of what the PS3 is really capable of. And it's got a 2-D perspective (that's half the Ds the system is capable of) to boot!

A trial version of LittleBigPlanet is expected to arrive on the PlayStation Network this fall, with the full version following in early 2008.

Gallery: LittleBigPlanet

Tags: breakingnews, GDC07, LittleBigPlanet, MediaMolecule

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Jack of No Trades @ Mar 7th 2007 1:38PM

That looks neat!

Vidikron @ Mar 7th 2007 1:48PM

That games looks really good... but I don't expect all fanboys of the Sony hate bandwagon to admit that.

hohoho @ Mar 7th 2007 1:53PM

nice. very family friendly. haha.

john @ Mar 7th 2007 1:53PM

reminds me of locoroco but with better graphics

Stewwo @ Mar 7th 2007 1:55PM

WTF!!!

too kiddie!!!!!!!!

where Killzone?????????

quazi @ Mar 7th 2007 1:56PM

sooo cute @_@ my eyes hurt.this looks fun and new though i want!

LunarDuality @ Mar 7th 2007 1:56PM

This reminds me of the good times I had playing 4 player co-op in Cloning Clyde on XBLA. I assume this is gonna be a full-release $60 title. Not sure I'd be down for that price despite the production values being awesome and the style very cool. If it's destined to be an inexpensive download, then it's pretty amazing.

_spike @ Mar 7th 2007 2:00PM

very nice. the gameplay looks like a lot of fun. i imagine it being chaotic but fun just like Four Swords with the ability of playing with your friends/family....unlike Viva Pinata -_-

i'm looking forward to this.

REUYL @ Mar 7th 2007 2:01PM

Uh... no thanks.

F1ghter @ Mar 7th 2007 2:07PM

"Those creatures are cute - horrifyingly cute!"

Seriously, looks really fun. I don't understand how it is a "community-based" game, though.

kokernutz @ Mar 7th 2007 2:12PM

i only own a wii. this looks maddeningly cute. i want a ps3 now.

Benny @ Mar 7th 2007 2:16PM

Looks great, I like the coop aspect of it.

by @ Mar 7th 2007 2:15PM

Wheres the blood at?? I hate things that arent based on real life, like gore, death, and dismemberment. Way to waste some creative juices Sony.

4cr JaXs @ Mar 7th 2007 2:40PM

Finely, something worth playing on the PoS3.

roflcopter @ Mar 7th 2007 2:19PM

this is the first game that really makes me want to buy a ps3...and i'm dead serious.

"cute and endearing" is one thing, but this is a really neat gameplay idea.

cooperative platformer with physics based puzzle elements? count me in!

Aex @ Mar 7th 2007 2:22PM

Holy crap, that game looks awesome! XD

Aex @ Mar 7th 2007 2:26PM

The music reminds me of Vib Ribbon o.O Man, I love this gameplay video XD

by @ Mar 7th 2007 2:28PM

"this is the first game that really makes me want to buy a ps3...and i'm dead serious."

thats what Im talking about... but Im still waiting for a good price drop...

Panadero @ Mar 7th 2007 2:29PM

@Vidikron:

I've been DRIVING the Sony hate bandwagon for the last ten years, since when it was just a normal car. Yet I still think this looks neat.

Aex @ Mar 7th 2007 2:30PM

Haha, now I know where that song is from... and why I thought it sounded like Vib Ribbon. It is a song by "The Go! Team" called "Get it together". I don't know how the circuits in my head got crossed, but it probably has to do with the fact the Go! team cd was the last one I used with vib ribbon o.o

roflcopter @ Mar 7th 2007 2:36PM

@17

"thats what Im talking about... but Im still waiting for a good price drop..."

true...but by the look of things we will probably see one before this gets released

hegemonyhog @ Mar 7th 2007 2:37PM

Sony only makes games for the kiddies. This is why I have a system for grownups, that's got games like No More Heroes on it, and Mario Party 8, where Donkey Kong finally ODs on Toadstool.

Stupid $600 kiddie crap.

rshwayder @ Mar 9th 2007 10:11PM

This looks like serious fun.

JodyAnthony @ Mar 7th 2007 2:45PM

this game looks killer.

Looks like PSWii for Mii

F1ghter @ Mar 7th 2007 2:46PM

@hegemonyhog #21

Actually, the Wii *does* have a surprising number of graphically violent titles coming out on it this year. While I read the sarcasm in your post, I just thought that I'd comment that coming this year are Scarface, Manhunt 2, No More Heroes (which is supposed to be the most violent game on Wii), Disaster: DoC. While that isn't *exactly* what the hardcore gamers are looking for when they think "mature" games, it still does show a major mindshift in Nintendo.

Also, sadly nobody got my reference :(

Evan @ Mar 7th 2007 2:47PM

Four player online cooperative? If you can't get four close friends together at the exact same time (which is inevitable since you and your buddies probably aren't all buy this game at the same time), and are forced to play with strangers, you are practically guaranteed to end up with some kid purposely trying to be annoying! And it looks like it would be very easy for one player to impede the whole group's progress.

TarikB @ Mar 7th 2007 2:49PM

Dammit there goes my land of the giants game idea I have been kicking around for ages, physics based cooperative gameplay with a strongly emergent theme and a quirky licence you could have some fun with. Dammit. Foiled again!!!! Curse you Sony!!!!

Sean @ Mar 7th 2007 2:53PM

Evan: sadly, yes. Another theoretically great game, ruined by the realities of the average gamer's immaturity.

psfan @ Mar 7th 2007 2:59PM

""Quirky" and "endearing" are not two adjectives that have recently been linked to Sony"

Says who?

Ratchet & Clank, Jak & Daxter, Sly Cooper, Ape Escape, Katamari Damacy... Sony has lots of quirky, endearing, and popular exclusives.

Crono @ Mar 7th 2007 3:01PM

The saddest thing about this amazing game is that nobody will buy it because the Playstation demographic hates these kinds of games.

Marty @ Mar 7th 2007 3:06PM

I this stuff is funny... Sony causes a big stink about how their console is only for serious gamers, and all the others are for kids, and then, the only stuff they make that people seem to like is aimed at the casual / younger crowd... the same type of people who don't want / can't afford the cost of the system.

Three cheers for having your software and hardware departments have a good conversation going.

djmg82 @ Mar 7th 2007 3:12PM

Wow... I'm sad that I won't be able to buy this for my Wii. Especially since I've been SCREAMING for more good 2D console platformers. Paper Mario will be a start I suppose.

samfish @ Mar 7th 2007 3:15PM

Yup. I've gotta say, this looks pretty neat. Sony finally has something that doesn't blow and looks really original.
This actually looks really cool.

...it's a damn shame that Crono is right, though.

sheppy @ Mar 7th 2007 3:17PM

Because you can make videos and such, I fully expect to see the first Leeroy Jenkins incident within a week. Hell, everytime I play Crackdown, Co-Op turns to versus. So can you imagine the fun of four player, physics based versus? Why yes, yes I will kick this orange down the hill you're trying to climb up...

dave @ Mar 7th 2007 3:45PM

NOW WE'RE TALKIN'!!!

Give me a few more reasons like this and i'll buy a ps3 in a heartbeat.

Leshrac @ Mar 7th 2007 3:23PM

Looks like it could be fun, although I'm interested to see the game in motion and to hear some impressions from people once they're able to play it. I'm interested to see how a 4-player platformer will work, and if the game could also be good single-player. It would actually sort of be interesting to see a game that worked almost exclusively as a co-op multiplayer game, although the game's value would obviously die once it was a little older.

-Leshrac
http://alinktothefuture.com

Strangler @ Mar 7th 2007 3:25PM

why dont they port ragdoll kung fu or this game to the psp?

Vegan @ Mar 7th 2007 3:29PM

I'll give credit where credit is due. This looks fun, and the music is catchy. Sony will still never get me to spend $600 on a game console, but this does look like fun if I ever get a chance to play it. Maybe 15 years from now or something.

Paul @ Mar 7th 2007 3:33PM

Wow this is such a GREAT concept. This coupled with Home is the first smart thing sony has done with the PS3. I actually want one now. Hopefully the price comes down so I can afford one without getting two jobs!

FrankTheCrank @ Mar 7th 2007 3:35PM

This is like Paper Mario to the next level...

See Nintendo, it's nice when you upgrade your graphics sub system, dumb, dumbs!

I'm still laughing about 480P on my gamecube 1.5.

LanceVDZ @ Mar 7th 2007 3:39PM

I've been praaaying for an online coop platformer for years, so I hope this one is all it can be.
Too bad I don't really plan on ever getting a PS3... I guess I can hope this game becomes popular and spawns a copycat game for Live.

0ldb0y @ Mar 7th 2007 3:46PM

The PS3's must-own "killer app."

No, seriously.

Alecks @ Mar 7th 2007 3:42PM

Lol man! it's funny how all that hate went into " ..

Leshrac @ Mar 7th 2007 3:44PM

Ok, just found a clip (over at Kotaku) and it does actually look pretty fun. I'm hoping that it's a bit more than just "single-player" game that just happens to let you share the experience with another 3 people. It should include real puzzles and tasks that require all 4 people in order to advance. If it does this, it will be a lot more rewarding, but then goes back to my original concern regarding how single player would really work then (hopefully letting you somehow control the other 3 characters yourself a la 4-swords, or giving them AI a la Gears of War, would be nice)

If it is basically just a single player game that lets 3 other people join in, it could still be a blast, but would still be somewhat disappointing from a co-op perspective. Hear's hoping this turns out as good as it looks right now!

-Leshrac
http://alinktothefuture.com

Vidikron @ Mar 7th 2007 3:46PM

@34

There is a video of the game being played right in the article! Click on it. It's very impressive in motion. I don't know if it will work in single player though... or at least the single player levels would have to have adjustments. At one point the four players have to join together to lift a rock up and put it on a lever when then opens a door. It doesn't look one of them would have been able to lift it alone... or maybe a single player could pile multiple smaller objects on the lever?

Dave @ Mar 7th 2007 3:50PM

I just watched the video. You can't really appreciate this game until you see it in action. As "cute" as this game may be, the fluid motion and amazingly realistic physics make this the first game that make me feel truly impressed with the PS3. I want it. If this is what the system is capable of, then perhaps the PS3 isn't doomed after all.

john @ Mar 8th 2007 2:43PM

The music is by Go! Team. I didn't realize what great video game music is was until now. You may have heard them before in a Honda ad.

FrankTheCrank @ Mar 7th 2007 4:08PM

PS3=PHYSICS MONSTER!!!!

Ever since I laid my eyes on Motorstorm, I noticed that the PS3 is a physics beast. Just watch this movie of LBP and some Motorstorm, the PS3 has no problems throwing a ton of crap around the screen. NICE!!!

Nice Job Sony!!!! I think you just sold some more systems.