Remembering LittleBigPlanet

As the new month begins, so does the Summer Third. The Winter Third is over, so by now, we should be further into 2026. At the same time, I’m starting a new mini-series of blog entries. And this one goes to a Sony franchise that mostly stayed on the PlayStation 3.

LittleBigPlanet is a 2D platformer game where the focus is on creating levels and sharing them to the world. As the tagline is “Play, Create, Share”, you can play the levels created by Media Molecule (the Story Levels), create your own levels, publish your levels, and play others’ levels online. From 2008 to 2014, there were a total of six games under the name LittleBigPlanet. They are:

• LittleBigPlanet – Sackboy’s adventures begin
• LittleBigPlanet PSP – the PSP-exclusive game
• LittleBigPlanet 2 – Best LBP game
• LittleBigPlanet Vita – the Vita-exclusive game
• LittleBigPlanet Karting – creating and karting in one
• LittleBigPlanet 3 – Sackboy’s expanded adventure

Of the six games, the only game I haven’t played was the PSP version, while the ones I have played were the ones I finished Story Mode. Here’s what I think of each game:

• I enjoyed the first LittleBigPlanet. While the game is cringeworthy compared to the second game, it was pretty good. I have some nostalgia for that game as it did have the better story levels and simpler gameplay. This is a good game to start with. Sure it’s hard, but it’s not that complicated.
• LittleBigPlanet 2 was not only the best game, but it was also my most-played game. Back in my LBP days, I was too focused on collecting all of the pins, including the Mm Picked! pin (which requires getting an Mm Pick). But it had the two best DLC packs to the LittleBigPlanet series and a simpler way of making levels with more logic.
• LittleBigPlanet Vita was awesome too. It even came with the Memorizer, which allows you to create saved data within levels. It also had an interesting plot. But I didn’t play much since I was used to the many content provided by the second game.
• LittleBigPlanet Karting was a rather weak game. It’s not that good of a combat-racing game, and creating levels are a pain in the neck. The story also wasn’t that good.
• LittleBigPlanet 3 may been good on paper, but it didn’t work as well in practice. The story was at least interesting, but creating levels gets overwhelming. The fact that the Move Pack content didn’t carry over to LBP3, and the fact the Move Pack was removed from the PlayStation Store was what got me quitting the game. I have not played any LittleBigPlanet game since, and it’s been over 10 years since I last played it.

As time went on since the last time I played a LittleBigPlanet game and since the servers shut down, I’m starting to feel more nostalgic towards LBP1 and LBP2. So today’s entry will be about LBP1 and LBP2.

LBP1 vs LBP2:

Between LBP1 and LBP2, here’s what both games did right and what they had better than the other.

• Play:
  • When it comes to the Story Mode, LittleBigPlanet 1 was the better game. Even though LBP2 had more memorable characters and a better plot, the levels from LBP1 were better. They had more variety of themes rather than just vintage-tech and retro sci-fi, the levels were simpler, multiplayer prizes were easier to obtain and less complicated, you don’t have to use gadgets all the time, and levels had more replay value. Plus, I really liked the Canyons levels and Savannah levels.
  • However, LittleBigPlanet 2 was better on the Community Levels. In particular, the fansite-spotlighted levels and the Mm Picks. The early Mm Picks in LBP1 were pretty atrocious compared to the Mm Picks in LBP2. Granted, there were too many holiday-based levels and too much focus on two creators, but the LBP2 Mm Picks were better than the LBP1 Mm Picks.
  • Overall, both games are tied in terms of what had a better story.
• Create:
  • If there’s anything LBP1 holds over LBP2, it’s that creating levels is a lot simpler. You still had your pistons, rotating bolts, wobble bolts, switches, and lights, while you don’t have to put in too much logic. Even for the most intricate levels, you can finish them sooner than the levels in LBP2.
  • On the other hand, LBP2 has a lot more tools. You can put all logic into one space via microchip instead of having it all over the level, there are more logic pieces like gates, counter, and timer, you can make cutscenes and custom soundtrack, and you can make not just levels, but also games.
  • Overall, LittleBigPlanet 2 wins in a landslide.
• Share:
  • In terms of sharing, LBP1 had better share tools than LBP2. Browsing levels was better, you had more tags, and you have a star rating system, where you can rate levels between one star and five stars.
  • If LBP2 had anything better, it was the fact you can review levels and decorate your planet. The like/dislike system isn’t as good, especially when the dislike option was removed due to abuse of the rating. I could also go over other problems with the community, but I’m going to stop.
  • Overall, LittleBigPlanet 1 wins.
• DLC:
  • While it took two DLC kits to prove that LBP2 was better than LBP1, LBP1 had better licensed level packs. I liked the Metal Gear Solid pack and Pirates of the Caribbean pack, not just for adding more tools, but also for changing the overall gameplay. Plus, there was the creator’s pack (which had both the infinite checkpoint and tetherless jetpack), the Monsters Kit, the History Kit, the Incredibles Kit, and the Marvel Kit (which wasn’t as good due to its absurdly high difficulty). Talk about LBP2’s licensed kits, the Toy Story one was atrocious, as it would be better off if skipped entirely. The Muppets kit was lame, and their gimmick is practically needless. And the DC Comics kit, despite the wall jumps and memorizer, is too complicated.
  • While LBP2 isn’t as good on the licensed packs, it has the two best level packs of all level packs in the game – the Move Pack and the Cross-Controller Pack. Even if you ignore the PlayStation Move and PlayStation Vita (both of which you’ll need), they have a whole bunch of sound effects and music, not to mention, but all the materials, that were actually good. Besides, even if LittleBigPlanet 1 had better licensed packs, the features brought by the Metal Gear Solid and Pirates of the Caribbean were made obsolete by LBP2’s creation tools.
  • Overall, LittleBigPlanet 2 wins.

If I played LittleBigPlanet again:

At a little over 11 years ago, I have not played LBP. But if I ever got back into playing LBP and LBP2 again, I would play differently than I previously did. Here’s how it would go:

• I would have to do it on a retro console that allows emulated versions. I’ve became a handheld gamer over the years to the point I no longer play on the big screen.
• While I download LBP1 on an emulator, I would specifically put the Game of the Year edition if available, while also adding Pirates of the Caribbean, the costumes of Pirates of the Caribbean, the crown (if available), and the space suit. No other DLC would be added.
• As for LBP2, I would only get the base game, while also adding the Move Pack, the Cross-Controller Pack, both Tron costume packs, and maybe even the DC Comics pack. No other DLC would be added.
• I would need to play on an unofficial server to get the 2-player prizes, 3-player prizes, and the 4-player prizes, while also needing help from others to get the Cross-Controller items.
• I will not focus too much on collecting the pins.
• I would probably give LBP1 more attention for a while before jumping to LBP2.
• I’ll still focus on acing every level (except for survival levels) and collecting all of the prize bubbles. That is a must.
• I will get better at level creation.
• I won’t even bother playing the Vita version, PSP version, LBPK, or LBP3.

Now I don’t know if I’ll ever play again. I will have to say, although I made a few levels that were actually good, my loss of patience in designing most levels is kinda the reason why I never succeeded. For one, even though I got spotlighted by LBPC, I never got an Mm Pick. Never. And even if I got an Mm Pick now (which will never happen), it’s already too late because an award is no longer worth getting when so many people get it.

If you want to know why I got involved in LittleBigPlanet in the first place, it’s because I wanted to play another game like Animal Crossing. While it’s nothing like Animal Crossing, it was a very creative game with several opportunities. But after the problems with LBP3, the failure of the Move Pack items’ transfer to LBP3 and the removal of the Move Pack, and the release of Animal Crossing: New Leaf, I gave up on LBP completely and went back to Animal Crossing. After all, ACNL was the game I’ve been looking for, which I have for years. But I will never forget my LittleBigPlanet days, and even if I don’t play it again, I have considered playing it again.