ModNation Racers, like LittleBigPlanet on wheels

by Jason Dobson { Jun 2nd 2009 at 3:52PM }

It wasn't all sequels and plugged leaks at Sony's E3 press conference. Sony also announced a new PlayStation 3 franchise called ModNation Racers, the latest in the company's Play.Create.Share lineup popularized by LittleBigPlanet. The game looks to strap LBP's overcute style and love of physics into kart racing that, according to Sony, will let players express themselves and become "superstar designers" by sharing tracks, karts and characters over the PlayStation Network.

Tags: e3-2009, little-big-planet, littlebigplanet, modnation-racers, sony, user-generated-content

Related From Joystiq

God of War Collection porting 'lasted 15 weeks'
5 days ago
Insomniac says PS3 won't be maxed at least another two years
11 days ago
Need for Speed series sells 100m copies, earns $2.7b life-to-date
17 days ago

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Jun 2nd 2009 3:59PM

This is the kind of boost Mario Kart needs.

Petebot330 @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:05PM

Seriously. The week after i buy mario kart, two kart racers are announced? ugh.

Shadow Hog @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:08PM

This was pretty kickass, honestly. Level designer was awesome. It's, like TrackMania, but more kart-racer-y.

Rhamsey @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:08PM

Honestly, i just finnished the ps3 conference, and wasnt that impressed. One thing that blew me away though was this. how quick it was, how nice, and simple. A must have for any ps3 owner.

KarlW @ Jun 2nd 2009 5:23PM

I thought this was a highlight of a pretty kick-ass Sony conference. They're trying a mini re-launch of the PSP, with the new hardware and co-ordinated big software releases. Things on that side look good, with great first- and third- party titles compatible with a hardware base of over 50 million consoles. On the PS3 side, they've got loads of exciting IPs that largely make up for platform-defining IPs they've lost exclusivity on.

Also, since the PSN is free on every console, you're seeing user-content oriented games sprout up on the PS3 rather than the 360. The same is true for online games like Agent, MAG and FF14. If user-created content becomes as big in the gaming industry as it has in the rest of the media industry, then Sony are in a prime position. That's thanks to games like this.

Definitely a good conference for Sony. Their platforms looked static as Microsoft announced MGS was coming to the 360, but they've managed to rebound and add a feeling of dynamism and new experiences to the platforms.

KarlW @ Jun 2nd 2009 5:27PM

Also - everyone knows Mario Kart is awesome. It looks like Sony have a great competitor that plays to their individual strengths. Better graphics than MK because the PS3 has that advantage over the Wii, and better online services because Nintendo's services are pretty poor compared to the PSN.

If Sony can capture some of the fun from MK, they'll have a great game and it'll be hard for Nintendo to respond without launching a vastly more powerful console and sweeping online infrastructure.

jahd5000 @ Jun 2nd 2009 7:44PM

@KarrwL
who told you Agent was an online game?

Kevin @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:11PM

Looks good. Unfortunately it's not LittleBigRacers. Ah well.

samik @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:16PM

Was this the secret BBC game? Pretty impressive stuff. This is probably more powerful than LBP imho, dont we all dream of creating our own racetrack

PSN: John-Paul-Jones @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:19PM

LET'S PRAY TO GOD IT'S NOT! Sony didn't even announce the "secret" game and we have to wait for another year, but Is it the Last Guardian?

ZENegade @ Jun 2nd 2009 7:27PM

I want to know what that damn BBC game was... 2 years...!

deathxrebirth @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:18PM

Looks fun. Not for me, though. I was soooo hoping they would release a 2D only (not multi-plane like LBP) sprite based editor. :/

jahd5000 @ Jun 2nd 2009 7:42PM

Try Luna project or something with luna. it is kind of a level editor for the Super Mario World ROM. It works great, for what ive heard.

geoffrey @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:23PM

This is the only game they showed that I am stoked for. I will be getting this; that track editor is amazing.

I'm sure consencus will be MS first, Sony second, Nintendo third, but I think Nintendo did better than Sony. Sony basically showed games they already had previously, and the few new ones I don't care about (except this). FF14 being online makes me sad (I assume it'll be FF11 2.0). And their motion controller is a Wiimote with a glowing orb that needs a separate camera to do anything (it appears). Once again, Sony just rips off everybody else. At least MS rethought the whole motion play thing.

required @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:48PM

The playstation eye already does what Microsoft's new camera will attempt to do, in fact you could say that the old ps2 eyetoy already did what Microsoft is just now trying to do.

Martin @ Jun 2nd 2009 5:39PM

Not without two wands. So you need a camera AND wands. They took the best from Nintendo and Microsoft.

PedoJokerBear (aka Deeznuts) @ Jun 2nd 2009 6:44PM

you could say all of that, now whether youd be right or not is another question.

BananaBoat @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:42PM

The Playstation Eye is a complete sales disaster, and the motion controller could be next. Natal could be a disaster as well, but not requiring a camera and a wand (which I'd assume lets them sell it at a lower price point) could be its saving grace.

I think Sony had the best conference, followed by Microsoft, and with Nintendo lagging far behind.

I find it comical that the flamewar erupting is which motion control tech is better than the others. All three consoles having motion controls coming means that the fanboys of all three consoles have a stake in the flame war, and as such, it is burning brightly. My position remains the same as it was pre-E3; I don't care about motion controls, and I never have.

Orex @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:00PM

@ Geoffrey

You say sony only announced things we already knew previosly...so i take it you didnt know about Halo ODST already?
And i take it you knew about MGS Peace walker?

Dno what E3 you were watching but you got your facts Wrong!

Miguel @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:23PM

Looks awesome in my opinion.

Mr Khan @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:25PM

That track editor is really, really slick

samik @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:29PM

I am already dreaming of the tracks I am going to design on this thing!

jeff Kasanoff @ Jun 2nd 2009 4:34PM

Anyone have a vid of this up yet?

jahd5000 @ Jun 2nd 2009 7:45PM

also looking for it, did not watch live the conference, instead a i just read it, and im lazy to watch it and randomly clicking to skip boring parts in a sluggish streaming player.

oldgamer @ Jun 2nd 2009 5:11PM

For me, this was by far the best thing that Sony showed today. In fact, it was the best racing game (and one of the best overall games) of the whole conference (and I'm a Nintendo fanboy).
I've never gotten much into editing my own tracks / levels / scenarios simply because I never felt it was worth the amount of time and hassle required to do so. This thing looks extremely easy and user friendly. I could actually imagine quite a few tracks that I would like to design on this.
I don't know if I'll ever get a PS3, but if I do, I can tell you one thing, this will be the first game I would get for it. For the first time in quite a while, I'm rather jealous of the PlayStation.

Any chance this game might make it to the PC?

deanb @ Jun 2nd 2009 5:39PM

http://store.steampowered.com/app/11020/ - the PC version, Trackmania Nations Forever. Lets you make your own tracks n stuff n free on Steam

Martin @ Jun 2nd 2009 5:40PM

This game is nearly compelling enough on its own to get me to pick up a PS3. I was a huge MK: DD fan (not Wii), and if the gameplay is good on this, then that track creator is just icing on the cake.

hunter2223 @ Jun 2nd 2009 5:42PM

TTP for this game will be under 3 minutes

Rollo Tomasi @ Jun 2nd 2009 6:36PM

this blows Joy Ride out of the water.

Bobby Gonzales @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:18PM

The level creator isn't all THAT amazing. Far Cry 2 had a near identical editor, this one's just a little simpler.

Dudeman (psn: Jballboy88) @ Jun 2nd 2009 8:27PM

definitely. buying. now.

geoffrey @ Jun 2nd 2009 9:12PM

@ Orex:

It's a good thing you're doing my fact checking for me, or I'd have never known that Sony is publishing a Halo game. Oh, wait a sec...

Oh, and I also said "Sony basically showed games they already had previously, and the few new ones I don't care about," and MGS:PW would be one of those new that I don't care about.

It boggles my mind how many people that comment here can't read.

DjFIL @ Jun 3rd 2009 2:16AM

this track editor concept must be stolen and put in to other racing games ASAP. that is just awesome... one more item towards the short list of why i could get a PS3 (but haven't yet, as there's not enough on this list).

nimer_55 @ Jun 3rd 2009 4:29PM

I hate how games like this are going to be 6o dollars, I mean, i'll buy cause it looks really fun, but it dosen't feel like a 60 dollar game. But if they price it for less then 60 then people think it's not a fun game, and get something more expensive.