GDC 07: What's next for LocoRoco?

Director Tsutomo Kouno talks about his goals for the sequel to last year's pastel PSP platformer.

SAN FRANCISCO--LocoRoco director Tsutomo Kouno's Thursday presentation at the Game Developers Conference was billed as a postmortem on the development of his colorful PlayStation Portable offering, but the developer knew he wouldn't be able to make it through the event without talking about the sequel.

After recapping the game's creation from a single concept sketch on his PDA in the spring of 2004 to a finished game in June of 2006, Kouno turned to a list of things he'd like to do for the next LocoRoco. Speaking through a translator, Kouno said he wanted to use physical calculations for drawing characters in the next game, as well as incorporate advanced crowd artificial intelligence. The change in AI would be used in every aspect of the game, from the way the LocoRoco blobs walk together to ways they could dodge various environmental dangers.

Other areas that Kouno said he wanted to improve on included the use of music in the game and the visual effects. But perhaps most interestingly, he teased, "I'd like to use a new way of playing the game for the next version of LocoRoco."

He wouldn't talk about it during the session, but he did promise attendees "a new and pleasant surprise."

Sony Worldwide Studios president Phil Harrison first confirmed the LocoRoco sequel's existence in a question-and-answer session at last month's D.I.C.E. Summit. It came up again in Harrison's GDC keynote speech earlier this week. In showing off the trophy room of the PlayStation Home service, Harrison's in-game avatar/tour guide paused in front of a giant LocoRoco trophy. However, there was no mention of trophies being made available for anything but PlayStation 3 games.

When a member of the audience asked Kouno whether the next LocoRoco would be a PSP game or a PS3 game, he said he knew the question was coming, but couldn't answer it. Instead, he promised, "I'm not going to betray your expectations. You can count on this."

76 Comments

  • Bart247

    Posted May 6, 2007 11:10 am PT

    I wish it was on the PS2...

  • raziel_george

    Posted Mar 30, 2007 6:30 am PT

    Whatever the case, I hope the next Loco Roco still makes me happy when I play it

  • Trathen

    Posted Mar 29, 2007 5:33 pm PT

    Look out Gears of War... this game's gonna be a force of masculinity like you've never seen! LOL PSP is the only good thing sony has done in awhile so it better stay there im not getting a ps3 no way. although sixxaxis would be cool on psp.

  • blancobo

    Posted Mar 25, 2007 7:00 pm PT

    The first LocoRoco was probably the first best Demo for a PSP game. I can only hope there are more options in the next one. I never bought the game because it did seem quite repetitive, and standard in its own nature. It seemed that the only other challenge was to find all the mui muis and little dudes but the levels did seem straight in escence... Probably will buy it when it drops price and depending on Kouno's promises may be consider the sequel. A demo to the sequel could only mean total icing on a cake.

  • kemar7856

    Posted Mar 25, 2007 12:20 pm PT

    NO MORE LOCO......lol

  • BajenVaNamnet

    Posted Mar 21, 2007 11:44 am PT

    Loco Roco rocks!

  • b1ackader

    Posted Mar 21, 2007 3:02 am PT

    PS2 stuck-in-the-muds aside (and yeah, you guys should get a simple port of the PSP original), this seems the obvious PS3 sixaxis game, doesn't it? Even before you add fancy graphics then tilting the remote - well, it'd be great, wouldn't it? And on that subject, perhaps a function to add to the PSP refresh would be sixaxis? My girlfriend shakes the thing when she plays it anyway - why not make it part of the game?

  • the__vagrant

    Posted Mar 18, 2007 9:25 am PT

    noobymon. attack!

  • SSJ_GOTENKS

    Posted Mar 16, 2007 11:54 am PT

    loco roco is wack

  • Winner555

    Posted Mar 16, 2007 8:56 am PT

    I would really love it if LocoRoco would come out on PS3/2, and may have 3D levels as well, where you can shake the ground in 3D. Putting it on PS2 would be very smart due to the 2D levels that PS2 can handle well, but on 3D, PS2 can still handle it, unless the makers want full HD. I think LocoRoco 2 should come out on both PS2 and PSP, and LocoRoco 3 (I'm thinking ahead) should come out on PS3, and will have wireless communication with PSP on LR2. (LocoRoco2) Still, it's all up to Sony. I would hate it if they just leave the PS2. Even though games will still come out on it, it's a great console that isn't even close to death. Back to Roco, it's all up to Sony...

  • The_Weekend

    Posted Mar 15, 2007 8:21 am PT

    Locoroco PS3 .... shake the controller and make them fly?

  • Comduter

    Posted Mar 14, 2007 6:25 pm PT

    You're not psychic pal. I have no interest in buying this system. I still believe that it would be an incredibly stupid move on Sony's part to release a Loco Roco game EXCLUSIVELY for the PS3 when so few people own this system, and it already has a large fanbase with the PSP owners. Doing this would alienate the game's core audience. I could careless about how good this game would look in HD, and how well it would play on the PS3. PS. I HATE FANBOYS!!!!!!

  • redgopher

    Posted Mar 13, 2007 11:42 am PT

    comduter: Loco Roco 2 on PS3 EDI would be a very smart move, actually. It would add more reasons for people to purchase a PS3, it would add more value to the PSN store. It would look fantastic in HD, the game could be bigger or possibly in 3D... who knows? Don't slam the developer just because you don't own the system *yet* because you know you'll buy one eventually, no matter how much you complain about it's cost.

  • Comduter

    Posted Mar 12, 2007 8:38 pm PT

    Making Loco Roco 2 a PS3 exclusive would be an incredibly stupid move in Sony's part. There's no way that a game like this would be a system seller, especially a $600 one. Not only that, but they would alienate all of the Loco Roco fans who don't own PS3's (which is like 99.9999999% of all of us).

  • The_Exculpator

    Posted Mar 12, 2007 3:06 am PT

    OMG!
    LOCOROCO SEQUEL!!!!!111!!1!11!1

  • kriptonzz

    Posted Mar 11, 2007 10:27 pm PT

    it would be easier to do on the PS3 would it not?

  • zxcvmnb

    Posted Mar 11, 2007 5:42 pm PT

    I loved the first one, but it sold really poorly, as did every 2D game on the PSP.

    I hate to say it, but most of the Loco Roco audience is buying Nintendo consoles. I don't see most 2D gamers picking up a PS3 just for two games.

    Loco Roco 2 would likely sell better on the PSP than the PS3, but on either system it will likely sell more poorly then it would on the Wii or the DS.

  • Reetesh

    Posted Mar 11, 2007 11:44 am PT

    LoCoRoCo with SiXAiXis Will be awesome !

  • SonyGameHolder7

    Posted Mar 11, 2007 6:43 am PT

    well, it would be really fun if it used the SIXAXIS. That could be the first game to really make good use of the SIXAXIS. But they really should think of putting more variation in to the game.

  • theKSMM

    Posted Mar 10, 2007 6:09 pm PT

    I don't doubt that the sequel will be on the PSP, but I could imagine that if a downloadable version were available from the PlayStation Store at a bargain price, it could be a fun acquisition to the library. It could even make use of the Sixaxis tilt support.

    I still think this game is more suited to the portable screen, but it could also be good (maybe even bigger) on the home console too.

  • bihboy69

    Posted Mar 10, 2007 2:36 pm PT

    loco roco and lilbigplanet go hand in hand. hopefully we can make our own levels like in littlebigplanet plus sixaxis!!

  • mingfu

    Posted Mar 10, 2007 12:14 pm PT

    forget about this game !!!

  • rbranma

    Posted Mar 10, 2007 11:00 am PT

    great!
    I liked locoroco demo!

  • Newave

    Posted Mar 10, 2007 12:35 am PT

    I'm counting on a PSP sequel because of the fact that I won't be buying that lousy european PS3 that SONY is soon going to vomit all over Europe.. but knowing SONY they will without any doubt dissapoint me again and only make a PS3 sequel leaving me with having to only get the first LocoRoco and then never to experience that series again, nice way to kill a good thing SONY, really nice.

  • BettyBot

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 10:20 pm PT

    I don't think any information was shared about the actual game, why even have a talk about Loco Roco 2 if there is nothing you will say about it?

  • Gigatron

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 8:19 pm PT

    Look out Gears of War... this game's gonna be a force of masculinity like you've never seen!

  • mcheva

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 8:00 pm PT

    LocoRoco is the bomb its one of the most interesting ideas to come along in gaming in a long time, and usually interesting ideas suck but not this one.

  • mingfu

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 6:07 pm PT

    I hate the first one

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 5:58 pm PT

    LocoRoco would be a great addition to both the PSP and the PS3.

  • lew_0911

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 4:48 pm PT

    I do hope they don't botch up the whole Loco-Roco feeling...thing.

  • colindr

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 2:10 pm PT

    Locoroco and the Sixaxis would be an interesting combination. $5 would be amazing!

  • coolasj19

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 1:18 pm PT

    sixaxis + locoroco = great $4.99$ on playstation store

  • Stammalamma

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 1:13 pm PT

    LocoRoco would be an AMAZING downloadable PS3 game! (i.e. SIXAXIS!)

  • PantsOfFury

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 12:00 pm PT

    LocoRoco would be the thing that would actually push me over the edge to buy a PS3.

  • nuck44

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 11:50 am PT

    LocoRoco SIXAXIS FTW!!!

  • wolfboy20

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 11:42 am PT

    sounds awsome!!!!!

  • thewolf619

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 11:38 am PT

    Loco Roco using the SixAxis?? Oh Hell Yeah!!

  • hbnmrsmiley

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 11:32 am PT

    w00t! i love that game!

  • Anubis-Exile

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 10:41 am PT

    LocoRoco for PS3 will be amazing!

  • Paul_TheGreat

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 10:00 am PT

    I hope they do make a LocoRoco game for PS3.

  • ihatebugers

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 9:42 am PT

    I love how when somPS3 hater goes: "It's good but not worth $600." What's great is that l bet they'll end up saying that a good 20 times over the cours of the year and not add them all up.

  • TintedChimes

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 9:11 am PT

    I need to get the first one. It will probably warm the PSP up with my girlfriend as she hates video games.

  • diablobasher

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 8:49 am PT

    See now i can seriously contemplate buying a PSP again jusr for Locoroco, but a PS3? Well.... No.

  • bob_dartagnan

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 8:19 am PT

    You know they have to use the SixAxis for this game it just begs for it.

  • nevereathim

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 7:28 am PT

    Lol, why does loco roco need graphics

  • KingKobe08

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 7:07 am PT

    a loco roco with next gen graphics (a la LittleBigPlanet but more cartoony) would be awesome

  • GFofgaming

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 5:30 am PT

    Yeah Rocco is ok

  • jonnyjd

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 5:20 am PT

    I have fun with Loco Roco. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

  • Jon-The-God

    Posted Mar 9, 2007 5:20 am PT

    @sarges24 "Loco Roco!! Best PSP game made to date.... the Sequel should be for PS3 and PSP. A game downloadable via the PS Store for play on the PS3 w/ SixAxis control, or transfered over to the PSP for regular play. A far fetched idea, but let's hope it's not that far out there. "

    That's EXACTLY what I was thinking!!

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