We remember all the games featuring the friendly Sackboy, an icon of the PlayStation brand for years thanks to LittleBigPlanet.
We have already talked at length about some of the games that will accompany PS5 at its launch, such as the remake of Demon’s Souls, Godfall or Spider-Man: Miles Morales, of which we have even published their pertinent Reviews. Also the console, how could it be otherwise, has been the protagonist, but we should not forget a title that has not been missing on a PlayStation console since its premiere back in 2008, when a mere rag doll managed to penetrate deep into fans of the Japanese brand. Through two generations of desktops and two laptops, Sackboy has not missed his appointment, and obviously, this new generation that is to arrive in just two weeks could not be an exception.
In charge of Sackboy: An adventure in a big way is Sumo Digital, which although they are not original creators of the franchise – an honor that corresponds to the British of Media Molecule – it is not the first time they take command. It is time to remember how Sackboy has prevailed for so long thanks to the hallmarks that both studios have managed to instill in him.
A trilogy for an entire generation
The first three installments of LittleBigPlanet appeared only on PlayStation 3, dating the first, as we said in 2008. Now we are very used to this type of proposal, but the novelty of being able to edit levels in a 2.5 D platform video game, Adding enemies, obstacles, stickers, and more, he wowed a community large enough to continue providing content to the game for three years, just until his successor arrived. Media Molecule was aware that not all players were used to messing with various creation tools, so one of the most applauded features was the Undo option, in order to rewind to a point where we were satisfied with our creation.
As we say, already in 2011 LittleBigPlanet 2 the formula was polished much more, since the possibility of taking advantage of the peculiarities of the PlayStation 3 Sixaxis to overcome some game situations added an even more revolutionary feature in the saga, such as being able to create minigames from other genres beyond platforms. Probably not even at Media Molecule would they think that players would be able to develop small shooters, RPGs, racing games … However, they did see the potential of the idea, since long before the launch of the game they opened the LBP.me platform for a easiest way to share creations.
With a year already on the market, PlayStation 4 received LittleBigPlanet 3, this already in charge of Sumo Digital and with Media Molecule locked in Tearaway, for the ill-fated PS Vita. This third installment was the first to add new playable characters, with OddSock being able to run faster and even through walls, Swoop being able to fly, and Toggle being able to change his size. With the arrival of a new generation, obviously his level editor had to improve exponentially, and boy did it, going from 3 layers deep to no less than 16. However, that was not enough to reap the expected criticism, being the worst rated of the 3 in Metacritic, mainly for wasting the potential of its four different characters, but recognizing in practically all the analyzes that the possibilities to create were multiple. Many years later, in this 2020 that we will all take to forget, if we ever do, Media Molecule would exploit all those possibilities in Dreams, an almost infinite set of tools that has led to the most amazing creations.
Also in notebooks and other genres
As is often the case in these cases of growing popularity, Sackboy’s adventures were not limited to the main installments. Thus, both PSP in 2009 and PS Vita in 2012 received two iterations of LittleBigPlanet, this second version being really remarkable, with online cooperative and competitive modes passing the console. It also had absolutely all the LittleBigPlanet 2 creation tools, making use of the functions that made this console different, such as the touch screen, the rear touch panel … This yes, it was able to catch the criticism until it reached a note average of 88, speaking of him like “the game that needed PS Vita” (Gamespot) or placing it even above its version of PS3, “thanks to the unique control of PS Vita”. Without a doubt, one of the great games of the latest Sony handheld console.
But our protagonist has also made an appearance in other genres, and it is that not happy with an appearance in PlayStation All Stars Battle Royale – along with Sackgirl -, he even starred in his own kart game. Emulating the formula of the unattainable Mario Kart, in 2012 LittleBigPlanet Karting would arrive in stores, by the hand of Sony San Diego, which already had experience in the genre, having also focused on the creation of content by the player with ModNation Racers. Obviously, this feature was what made the game differentiate itself from others in the competition, given the absence, as is evident, of characters of the charisma that other franchises do have. It was not an excessively well-received title by critics, but despite this, it lasted with its servers open for a considerable six years, until exactly 2018.
Meanwhile, Sackboy’s Prehistoric Moves would serve to take advantage of the use of the PlayStation Move, motion capture controllers with which Sony wanted to emulate the success of the Wii, although it could not even come close. Fortunately, many years later these controllers have been able to get out of the depth of some cabinets thanks to their compatibility with PlayStation VR. Also one of Sony’s few forays into the mobile market with its exclusive franchises comes from the hand of our rag doll with Run Sackboy! Run !, a free to play only for iOS devices that would pass without pain or glory since it lacked all those hallmarks of the brand, limiting itself to offering a mere infinite runner.
All in all, Sackboy has a new opportunity to shine thanks to a studio that has always known how to make the most of it, and that with all the functions not only of the PS5, but also of the DualSense, its new controller, we can expect very imaginative tools.
Sackboy: An adventure in a big way arrives this coming November 19 to PS5 and PS4, coinciding with the launch of the new console.
