Sackboy is making his PlayStation Vita debut this week, as LittleBigPlanet for PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) is now available with all the same online functionality that’s made the franchise a hit on the PS3 console. We’re working through the game’s intricacies now and will post a review within the next week. LittleBigPlanet for PS Vita brings the “Play, Create, Share” franchise to the handheld with an all-new adventure for Sackboy and new tools to Create any type of game imaginable.
With more than 45 new story levels and games to play across six themes, LittleBigPlanet for PS Vita features a host of new characters, all set on the fairground planet of Carnivalia, where a mysterious Puppeteer is stealing all of the joy from Craftworld. Players must travel through a series of themed levels in a storyline driven adventure packed with thrills, spills, and hilarious moments to foil the Puppeteer’s evil plans and bring fun and laughter back to Carnivalia.
Through the power of PlayStation Vita, users now have brand new ways to interact with the world of LitleBigPlanet using the touch (front, rear, multi-touch) and tilt features, as well as the location-based “near” functionality to find other players in your vicinity and challenge them to beat your score for a particular level or game. You can also share the fun with friends through new multiplayer modes, including local same screen versus and online multiplayer for up to four players.
Using the power of PS Vita’s touch controls, players can now Create any kind of game they can imagine in a more natural and fun way. They will have access to tools from LittleBigPlanet, LittleBigPlanet™ 2, LittleBigPlanet™ for PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), existing DLC packs, plus new tools specific to PS Vita. Creators can manipulate multiple objects at once by using the new lasso select feature and quickly pan and zoom the camera through the rear touch screen. Using the front touch screen, players can quickly navigate Popit pages, access tools, costumes, and stickers in Popit, and expand Popit so it can cover the whole screen, allowing easier navigation and viewing of the inventory.
Users also have access to touch material that, when used, allows the object to automatically be interacted with through the front and rear touch panels, a built-in microphone to record sound effects or voice over for levels and games, and front or rear cameras to create their own stickers.
New and powerful tools such as a Memorizer enables creators to save pieces of data that will allow them to create experiences that have been unachievable on any previous LittleBigPlanet games! Examples of such creations include: custom save points for players to continue a level without losing progress, level select menus where the next level is only unlocked if the previous level was completed, mini-games that can display a new map every time the level restarts, RPG’s complete with inventories that are persistent between levels, and more.
Lastly, LittleBigPlanet for PS Vita provides access to what promises to be endless levels and games created and shared online by the community so fans can enjoy new gaming experiences every day. No matter where they are, users can browse and download created levels for offline play. Players can also access previously purchased DLC costumes. Through Cross-Goods, you only need to purchase a costume once to wear it across LittleBigPlanet, LittleBigPlanet 2, and LittleBigPlanet for PS Vita.