A creative heart embiggens the smallest game - the official LBP Vita thread

The reviews are (mostly) in and confirm my very positive impressions of the beta. By all accounts this is the best LBP yet, in part because LBP makes such excellent use of the Vita's touchscreens and camera. Reviewers are divided over whether LBP Vita looks just as good as its PS2 brethren or merely almost as good :).

The most common criticism is the load times, though a couple of reviews also mentioned difficulty spikes. Of course, the reviewers point out that this LBP wouldn't convert those who dislike the physics.

In the short term, I'll add more reviews (GS's review isn't up yet) and screenshots, though LBP Vita is still two weeks away in the States (its hitting Europe next week) so it will be a bit of time before I am able to post personal impressions (and of course, recommendations of user created levels).

Points worth noting? LBP Vita can only play levels made using LBP Vita, but costumes one purchased for LBP1 and 2 (and down the line LBP Karting) are wearable in LBP Vita (and vice versa). Also, there are two sets of preorder bonus costumes (which store you preorder from determines which set you get) and it still hasn't been announced if those who download their Vita games (like me) will get one of the sets.

Edge - 9

http://www.edge-online.com/reviews/littlebigplanet-vita-review

All of which ensures that, as a platformer, the franchise has lost none of its hand-made ingenuity, despite a shift in development duties to Tarsier Studios and the team at Double Eleven. If anything, this is the most inventive LittleBigPlanet campaign yet, in fact, with each level throwing in a new twist or an unexpected gimmick as you catch trains across an endless junkyard or move through haunted houses leaping from one dumb waiter to the next. The environments keep pace with the mechanics, shifting from clutters of dusty books to stacks of videotape, glossy telephone handsets, and mansions built from time-weathered driftwood, and theres a hint of Super Mario Galaxys scattershot creativity in the way new ideas, and new scenarios, are cast aside after a single dazzling outing.

IGN - 9

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/09/12/littlebigplanet-ps-vita-review

LittleBigPlanet PS Vita is LittleBigPlanet in your pocket. The importance of this cannot be overstated. From now on, whenever you're bored or in transit, you'll have story levels to beat for special prizes, versus games like air hockey for you and the person next to you to play on the same touch screen, and -- potentially -- a nearly infinite supply of user-created games unlike anything this franchise has ever seen. Saying LittleBigPlanet works quite well as a PlayStation Vita game is an understatement.

Destructoid 8.5

http://www.destructoid.com/review-littlebigplanet-ps-vita-234613.phtml

LittleBigPlanet PS Vita is the definitive LittleBigPlanet. The new interface options work splendidly, the extra toys are fun to play with, and the portable format simply works best for such a creative and laid-back venture. It's not as visually attractive as its bigger brothers, and it does little to move the series forward in any meaningful way, but it's by far the most earnest fun I've had with a LittleBigPlanet game to date, and something I feel belongs in the library of any PS Vita owner. I certainly hope it finds its way to many players, as the community will need a lot of support to keep it going.

1up - B+

For those without the creative itch, there's a wonderfully imaginative single-player campaign to tackle that features some of the best platforming of the year. Each of the game's four major worlds revolve around an intriguing motif far removed from genre norms of the past three decades. You won't find any lava worlds, ice caverns, or sky zones. Instead, LBPV carries a tone that can be most aptly compared to a twisted fantasy from the mind of someone like Lewis Carroll or Neil Gaiman. The latter especially feels right, as many of the worlds play out as if ripped from the pages of Gaiman's fantastic book/equally fantastic film Coraline . From gypsy caravans and haunted forests to a decrepit mansion that feels like a place where puppets go to die, there's a sort of whimsical horror present throughout the game's DNA. Mind you, nothing ever gets too scary, but the mood set and maintained throughout the game is a pleasant reprieve from the norm. And though the campaign ended quicker than I'd wanted it to, there's no denying that what's there is a blast to go through.

Joystiq - 8

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/12/littlebigplanet-vita-review/

The culmination of these disparate parts is a game that stands on the shoulders of those that came before it. LittleBigPlanet Vita's level design boasts creativity unseen since the series' inception, while benefitting from years of lessons learned from sequels and the community. As a result, LittleBigPlanet Vita positively bursts with charm and cleverness. It's more refinement than revolution, but that also makes it the purest distillation of the concept's potential. Don't let franchise fatigue keep you from this latest incarnation; it's the best yet.

Polygon - 9

http://www.theverge.com/gaming/2012/9/12/3319640/littlebigplanet-vita-review

The occasional technical hiccups don't derail the madcap delight of playing and shaping LittleBigPlanet Vita. It's an experience tailored for handheld play: an engrossing, rewarding Create mode for longer trips and bite-sized Community levels for five-minute breaks. They can even be downloaded to your Vita for future play in Wi-Fi dead zones.

LittleBigPlanet Vita is the best thing on the Vita to date, a perfect fit formed between the hardware and the franchise. But it doesn't just succeed on a conceptual level; it's polished, addictive, and precious. In every imaginable way, LittleBigPlanet Vita is a knockout.

Wired -

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/09/little-big-planet-vita-review/

The kids have had hours of fun, often in hysterics, jumping on and off our makeshift jet-kart and driving it into various other objects or making jumps. Its the sort of messing around you can do in your backyard, just less dangerous and much cleaner although in fact this inspired me and my kids to try out a series of bottle-rocket experiments out back that got us all covered in mud and soda before too long.

The main game itself benefits from these interactive elements as well. Although the younger children found reaching round to the rear touchscreen a bit of a stretch, once they realized you need to touch it only in one place they got on much better. The mechanics of popping elements in with the front screen and out with the rear screen soon gets embedded in your psyche and makes a lot of sense. It reminded me of the pinching action in Escape Plan that worked equally well.

Forbes -

http://www.forbes.com/sites/games/2012/09/12/littlebigplanet-vita-review/

LittleBigPlanet, once again, proves itself one of the most endearing, complete experiences on the market theres something bold about this series humble honestly. Sackboys adventures through miniaturized mechanical playscapes feel familiar but well suited to the precision of the Vitas small screen touch-screen controls are at times brilliant, at times excessive, but just making their addition something more than distracting constitutes a minor victory.

Dallas Morning News -

http://popcultureblog.dallasnews.com/2012/09/littlebigplanet-vita-review-its-the-lbp-youd-expect-but-it-may-be-the-best-one-yet.html/

In some ways this feels like the best LittleBigPlanet yet, primarily due to how good of a fit the Vita hardware is to the experience. At face value it might look like the same game all over again, but it really does feel like it was made for a touch screen, and the possibilities it opens up really do make for a game that has more potential than its predecessors. The longevity and quality of the post-story experience will depend entirely on players making and sharing levels, but if they latch onto it and start creating cool things, this might be a game youll want to keep in your Vita for awhile.

Playstation Lifestyle

http://www.playstationlifestyle.net/2012/09/12/littlebigplanet-review-vita/

While LBP2 allowed players to expand their imaginations into the genres and mechanics the NES was known for, LBPV turns anyone into an iOS and Android developer. Some of the developer-created minigames mimic touch versions of Super Conductor, Bust-A-Move, or Whack-a-Sack.

The best part? None of these will cost you an easily regrettable 99 cents. Users will crank out tons and tons of the games, further fulfilling the promise of LBP and the imagination.

Gamesbeat - 93

http://venturebeat.com/2012/09/12/touch-controls-make-littlebigplanet-vita-the-delightful-seriess-definitive-entry/

Full disclosure: Im a LittleBigPlanet fan. Ive played both LBP entries on the PlayStation 3 as well as the PSP version, and Ive most recently played LittleBigPlanet Karting for a preview. I enjoy the platforming style (just a little bit floaty) and the joyous, warm, cuddly vibe of the LBP universe. My children and I thrill to the local multiplayer in LBP 2, and I frequently find my son searching through the community tags to find some odd versus level that he can jump around in, even to this day.

Its with that in mind that I say that LittleBigPlanet Vita may be the best version of the game yet. Of course, the flip side is that it isnt any great leap forward in LBP gaming design, but rather a strong iteration that makes use of the Sony PlayStation Vita hardware in brilliant and definitive ways.

I've already preordered from Amazon. I never played 2, but I loved LBP. Can't wait to make some more levels.

i cancelled my newegg preorder because i have way too many games in my backlog thanks to steam and bestbuy sales over the summer.

Will definitely pick this up in a couple of months. It looks to be the best LBP yet, which is exciting because LBP2 was a masterpiece.

Definitely getting this once I own a Vita. Can never go wrong with LittleBigPlanet.

According to IGN, the street date for LBP Vita has broken in the US. Its not clear if this has the blessing of Sony, but in my experience, street dates are normally broken by independent retailers (my brother goes to this place where if you pay an extra $10 you can get a game before the street date) not Gamestop. I'm still holding out for the digital version because I love the convenience (I have north of 20 games on my Vita, including PSV, PSP, PS1 and indie games).

http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/09/14/littlebigplanet-vitas-street-date-broken

Tweets are currently raging around the net concerning LittleBigPlanet Vita, and how its release date September 25 in North America has apparently been moved up. Whether or not this move has been authorized by Sony remains to be seen, but the game is currently in the hands of players well ahead of its release date.

On Twitter, users like MyVitaFeed have pictures of the game in their possession. Likewise, NKilburne has also posted a picture of his Vitas screen playing the game. IGN reader Vargeth has also provided photographic proof. These copies were apparently purchased from various GameStop outlets.

Anyone here get it early? First impressions?

I heard on another forum that Gamestop is selling the game early. Don't know whether it was just the one shop (posted the receipt- he got his in Montclair, CA) or if you can do it anywhere. If I was in the US now, I'd try. I loved the first LBP, but the second one just kind of fell flat for me. I feel like they got too far into the whole creation aspect and the platforming was lacking. But I'm willing to give the series one more chance, especially since I'm starting to prefer portables to consoles.LongZhiZi

Its true that in LBP2 a smaller percentage of the MM created levels were focused on traditional platforming, but it should also be kept in mind that those which did introduced a lot of cool toys and tools (think bouncepads, the creatinator, sackbots, power gloves, grappling hooks and gravity tweaking). Also, the DLC packs which gave creators the ability to paint textures with a Move controller and which introduced attract-o-gel (which can either cause sackboy to stick like glue or push him away) are two tools that really positively impacted level design. Below are 11 of my favorite levels (I tried for 10, but went one over). Also, its worth noting that the LBP2 thread is still going strong.

http://www.gamespot.com/forums/topic/27544744/official-littlebigplanet-2-thread-of-dreaming-a-little-bigger-darling.?page=42

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Littlebigcollector is a really brilliant platformer in which you play through multiple (short levels) in which you gather up more characters, each with their own special ability. The level design is a homage to LBP1 (though you have a much wider range of abilities than LBP1's Sackboy). You can freely switch between your characters at any time using a poppit type menu. The impressive soundtrack is composed of remixes of LBP1 as well as other popular music. Highly recommended.

http://lbp.me/v/cgc991

Space Police: Landfills of Mars is a beautiful (often cell shaded), well crafted but extremely tough platformer. Its amazing that this has so few plays, but this guy that is going to become a phenomena when the community discovers him (and get an MM Pick when MM comes across him). You are a space cop who moves certain platforms with the touch of a button. He seeks to go through a level eating the tasty hogs he finds and capturing the criminals he comes across. What makes it so difficult is getting the timing of the moving platforms right. Often one has to avoid a hazard and trigger a platform at the same time. Highly recommended.

http://lbp.me/v/c4gb4p

The Lost World is a platformer set in the (sadly, nonexistent) time when cavemen and dinosaurs wandered the world. A giant dinosaur has consumed a group of cavemen and you have to track it down and free them. The level design is relatively simple, but its clever and varied. For example, there is a bit where you have to jump into a dinosaur's mouth, then jump out before it closes its mouth to get to a higher platform. There is another bit where two dinosaurs are butting heads, and every collision causes the screen to shake and rocks to fall. There is another scene where one hitches a ride with a pterodactyl. I could go on, but this is filled with good stuff. The Lost World is quite long because its actually a couple levels strung together. That gives me a good reason to post multiple shots of the stunning original artwork that fills the level (yes, the creatures are animated). I'll stop raving and just say that this has my highest recommendation.

http://lbp.me/v/f76-4g

Deep Sea Country is an astoundingly beautiful platformer with great game design and really varied original music. Its one of those water levels which doesn't actually use water (though the gravity is set to lowish, so one has more hops than one normally does). I don't know how popular LBP is in Japan but a lot of great LBP levels come out of Japan.

http://lbp.me/v/-yz5q9

Hydrochloric is a brilliant example of what I like to call a clockwork level. It boasts incredibly intricate design (the level unlocks and unfolds in impressive ways as you progress) and makes clever use of bouncepads the attract material. The music is also exceptional and perfectly fits the level. Moderately challenging, but completely fair. Highly recommended.

http://lbp.me/v/-wepz-

The Red Knight Part 1 is pure awesome. There are two more parts I haven't played, but I will review them soon (I'll probably just edit them into this review. Its 8 bit style action game (boasting original, fully animated sprites) where one plays a knight with a sword and a shield who must fight his way through various ghouls in order to get to the dragon and kill it. The hero can jump, block, hop back and of course swing his sword. This level is filled with nice touches (there are monsters trapped in cages you can free and fight if so inclined) and was clearly a labour of love. Quality original music is the icing on the cake. Highly recommended.

Part 2 gives you new enemies (including a final boss) and starts you off with fire magic you won when you defeated the dragon. Part 3 gives you new enemies (including a final boss) and starts you off with not only the aforementioned fire magic, but also the magic sword you won at the end of part 2. I'm eagerly awaiting Part 4 (there is a princess to be rescued and an evil sorcerer to overcome).

http://lbp.me/v/8pgxk3

Megachimia is a really brilliant platformer which makes excellent use of attract-o-gel (also, the art direction is pretty good). One has to tilt vials and ride bubbles and suchlike to change the properties of various parts of the level in order to progress (an alternate title could have have been 'Fun with Chemicals'). The last boss is really clever and makes excellent use of the tools introduced in the level. Highly recommended.

http://lbp.me/v/b-9n-5

In the Nick of Time is one of those levels where you can (and must) briefly slow down time in order to get past certain obstacles. This is really well done. One touch I love is that the timestop freezes water. So you can freeze time and run across the surface of a body of water you would otherwise sink to the bottom of (though sometimes you want to let yourself sink in order to see what is down there). Highly recommended.

http://lbp.me/v/6d9-s6

Natural Sky is as an extremely well done platformer which is as pretty a game as you will find in LBP. Lots of lovely animated bits (birds, bees, grass swaying in the wind, an erupting volcano) and it ends with the opportunity to play a round of Duck Hunt. Completely random (my youngest had been charmed by this game and she was appalled when I started shooted the ducks) but totally awesome. Once again, very highly recommended.

http://lbp.me/v/e59xtm

Starlight Isles is stunning. Its perfectly designed and boasts an incredible original song which perfectly supports the mood of the game. Screenshots do not do this game justice because they don't capture the rotation of the stars. This is a brilliant (tragically underplayed) level which I highly recommend to platforming fans. I there is any justice in the world this will get MM picked.

Aura: Visionless Dreaming is a really original game in which you play the spirit who is guiding a blind girl through an dangerous world by setting waypoints. You tell her to walk to the right by setting a waypoint to the right of her and tell her to jump by setting a waypoint at whatever point you want her to jump. Things get a lot more complicated than that because she does everything a sackperson can do (including pushing, pulling, grabbing, swing and throwing). The art direction is really good and the original music is beautiful and haunting. There is a lot of variety so while this level never gets too hard (though I regret to say my incompetence killed the blind girl several times) its always fascinating and I look forward to the promised sequel.

http://lbp.me/v/ebkd2y

Its been officially confirmed that the street date of LBP Vita has been lifted, but its still not on PSN. If I have only one physical game, swapping games out won't be an issue, so today I'll hunt for it.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/09/14/littlebigplanet-vita-street-date-lifted.aspx

LittleBigPlanet Vita's North American street date of September 25 has been lifted. Sony says retailers can begin selling the game once they receive copies.

"Production on LittleBigPlanet PlayStation Vita was completed earlier than expected and due to the excitement from our retail partners, we have moved from a street date to a launch date, which means that retailers can sell the game once they receive product," a representative told Game Informer.

Also, here is Game Informer's review of LBP Vita (for the numerically fixated, they gave it a 9).

http://www.gameinformer.com/games/littlebigplanet_vita/b/playstation_vita/archive/2012/09/12/sackboy-conquers-another-sony-system.aspx

On any platform, LittleBigPlanet is a hell of a platformer. However, game was made specifically with the Vita in mind. The game makes the best use of the touchscreen Ive seen yet; it doesnt force you into wonky control schemes. Instead, you can use it to quickly hit switches or poke out platforms for Sackboy to jump on using the rear touch panel. The developers consistently find novel uses for the touchscreen that feel organic. That's not even counting the myriad extra minigames that put the touchscreen to good use. This was the most Ive actively used the touchscreen in quick-action sequences, which had the unfortunate side effect of pointing out that the Vitas touchscreen is not nearly as accurate or sensitive as those of most smartphones. The lack of responsiveness led to a few unnecessary deaths.

Here are a couple more reviews.

G4TV - 4.5/5

http://www.g4tv.com/games/psv/65411/littlebigplanet/review/

Perhaps the best part about the creation tool in LittleBigPlanet PS Vita is the addition of save states within user-created levels. This isnt just checkpoints mid-level either, but rather an actual save state that allows players to leave the level and resume their progress at a later point. This means that games dont have to be played in a single sitting anymore and gives the LBP community the chance to create some truly amazing levels.

Saves can be handled in a variety of ways too, so you can use them however you wish. If you want to create a puzzle game, you can save progress and award stars after each level, creating an Angry Birds-type game within LittleBigPlanet. Allowing players to manually save whenever they like, you could theoretically create a twenty-hour RPG and have players pick it up whenever they want. It really does allow players to spend more time with the complex user-created levels and not have to worry about finishing them in one sitting.

The Guardian 4/5

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2012/sep/13/littlebigplanet-ps-vita-review?INTCMP=SRCH

Happily, the conventional game side of LittleBigPlanet for the PS Vita massively outshines its equivalents in the two PS3 games. Taken merely as a standalone platform game, you'd have to say that it's up there with the very best; it's so wildly inventive and shot through with humour that you could imagine that Miyamoto himself might have created it.

As ever, Sackboy has to save the world, which he achieves by flitting from area to area, meeting a bunch of deliciously unhinged characters and supplementing his familiar running, jumping, grabbing and swinging gameplay with driving, strategic bomb-chucking, rocket-firing and loads more.

Apart from the great characterisations (Mrs Sunshine, for example, is strangely reminiscent of Jo Brand at her most lugubrious) and a storyline that manages to be madcap but surprisingly coherent, much of the pleasure in the conventional-game side of LittleBigPlanet emerges from the PS Vita's unique capabilities.

PS Universe - 9.5/10

http://www.psu.com/a016899/LittleBigPlanet-PS-Vita-Review?page=1

Instead, it becomes MORE fun. Touch is not a replacement, it's a supplement to make level designs more creative, boss fights more thrilling, and puzzles more challenging. Each element is aided by new ways to interact. Consequently, there's simply more gameplay to love. You're not just bouncing between platforms -you're creating a path for your high-flying sackperson by pushing platforms in and out of the screen. You're not just hitting a switch to call down an elevator - you're freely moving that elevator with your finger, and flicking it upwards to launch Sackboy to unseen heights where secrets await. Touch and tilt, once a cause for hesitation, blend so well with traditional button-based platforming that I'm always eagerly awaiting their next appearance. And, with a few rare exceptions, the responsiveness of each left me totally satisfied. Because these mechanics work exactly how I expect them to, I'm free to enjoy the fun they provide. It's liberating, and a revolution for PlayStation gaming.

I picked up an early copy this morning. Even though I didn't preorder, the preorder code/online activation code is one in the same (at this point) and comes inside every box. Unfortunately the online isn't up yet, so there is no way to play with others online, no way to compare scores and no community levels (also, the preorder bonus is available yet).

I've played through the first two series of levels. Very good stuff. With the exception of one flying stage, the first two series are all platforming stages, one of which puts you on a giant moving platform and gives you lots of opportunities to find bonus items if you risk your life by wandering far afield. At one point you get a helment that can rapidly fire a missile at whatever place you tap (it easy to continue platforming and shoot enemies out of the air at the same time) or you can fire a very slow missile you can guide to whatever target you like (it follows your finger). Also, there is some pink goo which behaves a bit like a rubber band (though its a lot more interesting to look at) but it lethal and destructible (with explosives). The first two (multistage) bosses aren't exactly tough, but especially with the second one, you know you've been in fight and they and their arenas are very well done. I've played most of the levels repeatedly in an attempt to win without dying and hoover up all of the items I can (with is the tradition in LBP, most of the objects are in plain sight, but some are hidden, hard to get to, require multiple players working in concert, or require keys you only get later).

The touch controls are perfectly integrated. Its always clear what can and can't be manipulated and how it can be manipulated (there are visual symbols including color coding depending on what layer something is in). They quickly become something you do without thinking about it.

I've played a few of the side missions, which include standards like whack-a-mole and block stacking as well as a variant of Tetris where you fling objects upwards at a steadily descending mass of objects (three of the same objects touching makes them and anything the is only touching them disappear). You can not only fling objects directly at your target, but bounce them off of walls.

My only issue thus far is that Sony has approved the sale of LBP Vita but hasn't enabled the online. Hopefully that will happen no later than the middle of next week (when LBP Vita formally launches in Europe).

The first seven of the photos below are of the intro/proper levels, the last three are of minigames (which require you to hold the Vita upwards).

I finished LBP Vita (meant missing the Redskins game, but they lost, so it was for the best). Best campaign in the series. My favorite thing about it is the work put into the enemies. There are a lot of really cool enemy types one runs into only once or twice. On a related note, it has some great bosses (though the very last boss is a pushover compared to some of what preceded it). Also, this LBP is the darkest in the series (though its not as dark as The Nightmare Before Christmas, that is the only comparison that springs to mind) though it mines the darkness for humor (the most hilarious character in the game is the depressed, crazy clown though I confess she doesn't look hilarious).

Without going into spoilers, the ending is glorious. My Vita (which I recharged twice during my playthrough of LBP though some of the playthrough consisted of me replaying levels in order to pick up items I saw only after passing them) was on its lest legs in terms of charge, so now I'm recharging it again, at which point I will dive into the creation tutorials (and post impressions).

Odds are I won't create anything I'd want anyone else to play (though I have read a couple books on game design and have a sketchbook of ideas), but my daughters (both of whom have gotten pretty good at making dollhouses and playgrounds in the context of LBP2) might.

The online will go up on Tuesday. The digital version won't release until the 25th (no way I could have waited that long).

Also, there are minigames I haven't even tried, so I will probably post impressions about them as well as the tutorials/level creation tools.

Littlebigplanet PS Vita's Arcade section consists of five different games. There is a platformer named Stratosphere (10 levels) in which you have no control of the ball, but push pieces of the level in and out to make sure it goes where you want it to go (there are bonus items which are hard to get to).

There is a series of ten levels named Orb-it where you guide a ball of light around dangerous levels with a fingertip on the rear touchscreen.

There are a series of 20 levels named Super Conductor where you try to power up generators by properly routing, rerouting and switching the charge of electric bolts.

There is a gravity space spooter named Retro Vector (more forgiving than most, you have a button which allows you to hover in place, though it won't bring you immediately to a dead stop and also while you only have one life and have to replay a level if you die, you can take three hits and the longer levels have stations where you can recharge your fuel and health. In case you are wondering, you want to save the little guys and kill the big machine with the pink eye (only halfway visible in the shot).

My favorite of the arcade levels is a platformer named Tapling, in which you control a glowing blob who has to bounce through ten levels (there are three compatriots one can free from each level though they are bonus objectives and not something that is required. You don't have direct control, you tap and your blob jumps or rolls there. There are hazards which can kill your blob, stuff he sticks too and stuff he bounces off of.

All of the arcade games are fun but very challenging and none of them look, feel or sound (all the music is original) anything like LBP. Also, all of the games have at least one set of collectibles and all of the remember all of your progress. So if you get frustrated at level 6 of Super Conductor, you can stop and play something else, then resume exactly where you left off.

So I just saw an LBP Vita ad on TV. What's that, a Vita advertisement on TV? This can't be. Sony is actually bothering to advertise something on the Vita. Mind blowing!

So far I've found two really great user made games. The first is named Textventure. It is an incredibly funny text adventure (sometimes one has one choice, sometimes one has five) in which you play a local hero (a drunken womanizer and a bit of an idiot) who the king has asked to rescue one of his daughters from a dragon. I don't know if anyone reading this remembers choose your own adventure books, but that is pretty much what this is (5-10 minutes to play through).

I won't spoil all of the jokes, but I'll spoil one of them. in a conversation the other princess states its unfair that her sister got kidnapped and has a handsome guy going to save her. The king tells her 'You're adopted, the dragon could probably smell it on you' which is just so random and f*cked up I had to laugh. There's a joke on every page, a good number of them pop culture references (including but not limited to Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Fable and Skyrim). If you are planning on getting a Vita, que this game and thank me later. Highly recommended. No screenshots because for some reason the text doesn't show up.

I really hope this level triggers a bunch of text adventures. Creative writing was my major for my first two years as an undergrad so I am going to start add branching stories to my notebook of game design ideas that I'll probably never see through :P.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/wxnf

The other 'game' is a music synthesizer (6 different instruments) named Piano App (your Vita's screen becomes a keyboard). Its really fun to mess around in.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/x3gh

This early in the game there aren't many quality LBPV levels, but I've come across a few more gems.

Lovesick is a level in which you fly through the galaxy riding a big dragon that eats hearts and also spits out hearts to knock obstacles out of his way (also, the player taps meteors to get them out of the dragon's way. The gameplay is kind of basic, but this is a well designed, pretty level which the creator clearly put a lot of thought into. It reminded me of the old movie The Neverending Story.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/--j

Cows on a Biplane is an awesome minigame in which one must balance a sackboy atop a plane (you control the sackboy with normal controls and the plane's tilting with the tilt sensor of the Vita) in a thunderstorm while cows rain from the sky (tipping the plane and possibly pushing sackboy over the edge). Very challenging but very fun.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/0gj3

Game is great, going to start creating levels as soon as I get all of the tutorials done.

Bound Platformer Vita: Platformer Hack and Slasher Shooter RPG is a terrible name but is fascinating. Its the training level for an action rpg the creator is working on. Your character can pick up one weapon (sword or a gun) and one magic spell (fire, ice lightening, which can set enemies on fire, freeze them in blocks of ice and stun them respectively) and freely aim them until he gets tired or his magic power runs out (though recharges are quick). You collect gold from fallen enemies and by opening up treasure chests. You practice everything on a training dummy, then you go into a cave and fight (and hopefully kill) a live orc, then its mission over, but I love the concept and the execution, so this is highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/607d

LBP State Prison Escape - Futureal is a really impressive platformer which as one might expect mixes together platforming and some light stealth. You're in jail, your friends shut down a few key systems, then you make your own way out, evading somewhat deadly security cameras (and some incredibly deadly lasers) and of course hop onto a vehicle (a jetski in the sewer) at one point. Very varied, moderately challenging in spots and very polished.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/3y9-

Say Cheese! is a cheese themed platformer which is well designed but not remotely challenging (which is fine, I like levels that want to kick my teeth in as much as I like those that want to give me a hug). As one might expect in a world made of cheese, the rats are bloated monstrosities (that is me on its shoulder).

http://vita.lbp.me/v/90z9

Tarsier Studios (one of the two makers of LBP Vita) is going to award a month long internship in Sweden (they pay for travel and all the expenses) to the person who makes the best minigame. During the internship they will polish the product and then release it as DLC.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-09-25-littlebigplanet-playstation-vita-dev-offering-months-internship

You'll have until 19th October to build and submit your finished project. Sony teams across Europe will then judge the mini-game on its originality, gameplay and commercial appeal.

If successful, Sony will fly you to Sweden to spend a month polishing your creation, which will be released as a fully-fledged slice of DLC.

Wooden Crown is a fun, beautiful masterpiece boasting intricate yet elegant level design. Unlike the other games I've named here, this hasn't been Team Picked (the equivalent of an MM Pick) but its only a matter of time. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/bfzv

Honey Village is a beautiful platformer set in the world of bees (the creator's specialty is games set in the worlds on insects). Lots of nice touches in this (hold up a tiny piece of honey and catch a ride from a bee). Highly recommended.

There is a minigame whose name is entirely Japanese which I recommend for those looking for a good minigame. This fun and fast (one tries to wipe out ever increasingly numbers of bomb wielding enemies as they seek to take down a castle) and boasts a lovely soundtrack (as one expects of the creator, one of LBP's most talented musicians). Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/-9sd

Shapely is a really brilliant puzzle game. You are given an odd empty shape and a bunch of shapes you need to fill it completely with. There is no rotating of the shapes and it starts off easy (though the difficulty slowly ramps up) and one can stop at any level and continue later so this is friendly even for puzzle novices like me (I've played my fair share, I just suck at them). Highly recommnded.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/9t48

Lights Out is a puzzle game in which touching a square reverses the color of that square and the squares directly adjacent. Brilliant but hard as heck (I couldn't beat it). Its also worth noting the high quality original soundtrack (there are a couple songs you can select with the touch of a finger).

http://vita.lbp.me/v/wssf

Lights out isn't very good imo. No reset option completely breaks it. This is the kind of game that NEEDS a reset option. It's just frustrating otherwise because when you mess up(and you will), you're forced to pause and hit replay level and you have to wait for it to load up again. Add a reset button and I'll consider it a good puzzler.

I actually used to have Lights out when I was a kid on this little handheld. It was pretty much the same thing as the one on Vita but it had a reset option. It was a nice time killer. The Vita one would be a nice time killer without being annoying if it added a reset.

Lights out isn't very good imo. No reset option completely breaks it. This is the kind of game that NEEDS a reset option. It's just frustrating otherwise because when you mess up(and you will), you're forced to pause and hit replay level and you have to wait for it to load up again. Add a reset button and I'll consider it a good puzzler.

I actually used to have Lights out when I was a kid on this little handheld. It was pretty much the same thing as the one on Vita but it had a reset option. It was a nice time killer. The Vita one would be a nice time killer without being annoying if it added a reset.

burgeg

Here's an interesting interview with Tarsier Studios (one of the two involved in the making of LBPV and apparently the principle designers).

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/178344/How_did_a_relatively_unknown_studio_take_the_LittleBigPlanet_reins.php

Tarsier's first smart move was to seek out some help, hiring up more experienced staff suitable to a project of that scale. Importantly, Nygren says with the help of Media Molecule and Sony, they also looked to the LittleBigPlanet content creation community.

When a game thrives on user-generated content, your most active players understand your game much better than the most seasoned developer. Community hires would be able to recommend experienced and innovative content creators and level designers they themselves admired.

"It says a lot about the game that there's a lot of different kinds of people," says Nygren. Two math teachers from the U.S. for whom the game had just been a pretty intense hobby were able to make it a job. "They had the really complex logic, and super-optimized levels. We had people from Germany, France, Holland, Spain and the UK. It was a big change, and we grew a lot as a company as well."

Sally Shipment's Sticker Shenanigans is a well polished but short platformer which put the Vita's touch features to interesting use.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/7dh

Construction Trouble is a polished platformer which is short and easy but has a good amount of variety.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/w9mt

Space Corp: ReVITAlized is superb across the board. There are platforming challenges, a minigame and even a segment where one controls a spaceship (the spaceship bit is easy, everything else is moderately challenging). The writing is sharp and funny. This isn't a short level, but its so good one wishes it (and its various parts) were longer. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/ht5h

Shadows Vita is a sequel to one of the more creative and unique LBP2 levels (one I've previously covered in this thread). You shift light sources to shift shadows, which you interact with (most of the time) rather than the objects themselves. Extremely clever level design. Highly recommended.

Batman: LBP Gotham is well done but its kind of odd. The creator clearly put a lot of effort into crafting Gotham, but the gameplay, while well done, doesn't really have anything to do Batman. However, the platforming/level design in this is strong enough to stand up on its own.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/mc9-

I think we have a system seller

A level with a Japanese title which is never translated is an easy, short but fun mech level in which you control a mech that lumbers forward and blast enemy laser turrents and elevator switches. I hope the mech stars in a longer level down the line because the level really left me wanting more.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/8v5kn

Pipe Splash is a puzzle game in which one needs to assemble pipe pieces which appear randomly (getting them from point A to point B). You can 'spin the wheel' on an individual piece if it doesn't fit your plan. My big knock against this is not so much that it is challenging (which it is) but that you have to restart from the beginning when you fail. Still, this is worth playing at least once even if the creator doesn't tweak it in response to suggestions (which some do).

http://vita.lbp.me/v/8yck0

The Pirate minipack hits tomorrow. As the father of two LBP loving daughters, I am obligated to buy this due to the inclusion of a female character.

Carnage on the vita you can access every LBP2 user level as well right?dvader654

So I think I actually am going to bother creating a level in LBP Vita. My only previous LBP game was LBP1 and I just found the level creation very intimidating at first and too difficult to create anything worthwhile. I figured if I'm not going to make a level worth playing, I wouldn't make one at all. But I've taken the time to go through every single LBP Vita tutorial this time and I think I've got a better grip on the creation tools now. I spent a good amount of time starting making my first level today. It's not close to done and I don't know how long it's going to take, but I will upload a level when I'm done creating a worthwhile level. I've been having loads of with the level creator today.

So...yeah. Just thought I'd come in here and say that. I'll be sure to return to this thread and shamelessly plug my level once it's done. I hope people will enjoy it.

Frozen Castle is a conventional but very beautiful and very polished platformer which mixes traditional LBP gaming and touchscreen play quite well. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/8027-

White Snow is an easy, simple (in terms of level design) but lovely platformer in which the story of Snow White plays out as you journey through it (influencing the nature of the challenges you face). The platforming is merely good, but the art direction is very strong.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/mt3j

Feeding Squid is a clever minigame in which one has to take care of an squid which is in a very polluted ocean (you play with the Vita tilted upwards). You guide the edible stuff to him and push away the lethal stuff which kills him (he eats anything that comes within range of his mouth). Stuff like French fries and grapes are good, stuff like gasoline cans and syringes are bad. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/jkeg

Drawing Pad is a drawing/sticker app which imitates the functionality of LBP2' PS Move pack. Its limited (you can't draw too much) but fun to mess around in for a bit.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/dmhm

Multicolor is a 'fast tap' minigame in which one tries to tap the highlighted colors as fast as possible (for example, the player in the screenshot below wants to tap green, red, pink and blue in that order). This is well done twist on one of LBP2's popular minigames (except LBP2 did it with the face buttons). Not deep, but a fun timewaster. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/80bt8

Pet Sackboy is a masterpiece. IIRC the creator made some similar levels in LBP2, but while this features the same 'escape from the cage and wander around the giant house theme', the house and the objects in it are completely different. Alongside standard (but well done) platforming, one controls a vacuum and a remote controlled truck. Word to the wise: stay out of the microwave :P. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/qv2n

Thief's Chronicles Part 1A: A Ruined Castle in the Forest is a polished platformer with decent level of challenge and a very distinct art style. The only knock against it is that sometimes it can be a little unclear what one is supposed to do next. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/891kz

Green Woods Hill is a conventional but very very beautiful and very well crafted platformer boasting lovely original music. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/8bq7b

Minecraft Adventure is a platformer which pays homage to Minecraft (but doesn't really play too much like it since there is no building component). You start off and you find a couple trees and chop them down (by moving close to them and tapping them repeatedly) to make a pickaxe, then you use the pickaxe to dig up diamonds, then you use the diamonds to buy a better pickaxe...

http://vita.lbp.me/v/88zek

Tower of Whoop is near perfect reproduction of LBP2's Tower of Whoop (the big difference is in the distribution of prizes, stickers and orbs, not the level layout).

http://vita.lbp.me/v/869k4

Neon Land is an easy but well designed platformer which is varied, fun and very pretty (as you might have gathered, everything is made of neon).

http://vita.lbp.me/v/80y--

Take everything I said about Neon Land, substitute cake for neon and you understand Cake Land.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/8d1r9

Crush is a well done minigame (in which you crush certain objects between two fingers using the front and back screens and try to avoid crushing others) with a couple modes (30 second time limit or two lives, which expire when you crush the wrong object) and different options for visuals.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/8y9pz

I wonder if my level will get plugged by Carnageheart when I upload it. A man can dream...

I bought LBP Vita yesterday, and so far, I think the game is pretty good. I really like the touch screen interactivity, with the game.

Bon Appetite is a well designed food themed platformer. What stands out in my mind is the enormous fat guy that is part of the back ground of the level. There have been lots of food themed levels in LBP, now we know who is eating all the food. Also disturbing is the fact that the eyes of the pig (who is clearly about to be cooked) move. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/tccn

Okami is a homage to the classic game which perfectly captures the visuals and at times nods in the direction of the gameplay (most things aren't slashable, but there is stuff you cut in half with a slash of your finger) though most of the gameplay is conventional (but well designed) platformer. Very fun and very beautiful. Highly recommended.

Sackzilla is a short, jokey homage to Godzilla. Not laugh out loud funny, but clever and cute.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/0v62

Frogger is a great rendition of the arcade classic.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/89hyt

Real Big Planet is wildly cool, the most exciting and surprising LBPV level I have played since Textventure. Sackboy wanders through a series of photos taken in what appears to be the creator's home. He walks across objects and some of them (such as the computer below) react to his passage (the computer turns on as sackboy walks across it and the message below is spelled out with each step sackboy takes on the keyboard's keys). Another cool bit of itneractivity is how Sackboy leaves the level. He comes upon a PS3 controller and my grabbing it he turns on the poppit and creates a rocket, which he then flies off in. I cannot praise this level enough, if you have LBPV, play this. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/9xfq6

Ninja Island is hard and there are spots which require a bit of trial and error (not my favorite method of challenge) but its really well constructed, really long and fun enough so that one never grows frustrated even as the level kicks your teeth in :P. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/84hrf

My Little Platformer is a fun, well designed platformer whose only real flaw is that it is short (it is also a bit too easy).

http://vita.lbp.me/v/8mw-x

Emotionally Unstable is a revamped versions of a puzzle game originally developed for LBP2 but the LBPV version plays even better because of the touchscreen controls. This game is pretty, clever, fast moving and fun. It will take a minute to wrap your head around the rules, but once you get it it becomes addicting. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/9254d

Clutch is a really brilliant minigame. A bunch of rods protrude from the wall (retracting if they are in your way) and you have to grab the blue ones (most of them are white). For the first 15 seconds I thought 'Interesting, but too easy' then the homing missiles were fired. As you make your way through the level you have to avoid multiple homing missiles (which you can misdirect into each other) so the challenge ramps up quickly. Very fun and highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/96zqz

Rock Mountain is a lengthy (too many LBP platformers err on the side of shortness) platformer which puts the touchscreen to good use but doesn't overuse it and boasts a lot of variety.

Ice Caverns shares the same strengths as Rock Mountain but incorporates the creatinator (shooting icicles to knock down stalactites, stuff like that).

Night's Bright Sides is a really polished, really atmospheric (horror, but not gory) platformer which boasts a lot of variety throughout. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/e4xdk

Plumber is a polished platformer which ends in a strong boss fight. Highly recommended.

The Old Factory is a fun, varied platformer which is set in a factory which makes sackbots (the sackbot making machine is very cool). Part one of the series and I can't wait for the sequel.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/ez82c

The Blank Zone is a platformer which makes excellent use of the touchscreen controls. This level was built using suggestions from the community. I'm a little hazy on who built it (perhaps the official team?) but whoever did knows their stuff. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/e00kq

Shadowtrain is a really polished platformer designed by one of the LBP universe's more skilled veterans (Snakeowl). Highly recommended.

Don't let the screenshot fool you, Korokoro isn't a pinball level. Yes, it has pinball bits (and those are quite good) but its mostly a very platformer/puzzler, albeit one with an extraordinary amount of variety and polish. Sometimes it takes a bit of experimentation to see what needs to be done next, but surprise and a lack of handholding are welcome now and again. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/9yng6

2D/3D is a puzzler/plfatformer in which one switches inbetween flat and isometric cameras at the point of a button. Perception is reality so often flat things are out of the way. The art direction won't win any awards, but the level design is clever, varied and often challenging but never frustrating. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/edb20

Noctural is a great level which makes excellent use of silhouettes. Its pretty easy, but well worth playing. Think of it as a stroll through a gorgeous garden. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/9kkx6

Butterfly Forest is a lovely platformer with a lot of game variety. Doesn't do anything groundbreaking, but does everything really well. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/e41t3

God Gift is a nature themed level which boasts good level design and strong art direction. The platforming is fun and the vehicle segments are generally well done, and the level is long and varied. The only complaint I have about this is that last boss is bad mix of cheap and easy but bosses are hard to get right so its an understandable failure. No good screenshots, but I'll take some and post them today (hopefully).

http://vita.lbp.me/v/e8d4y

Gravity Rush costumes and stickers are finally hitting LBP this week (LBP2 and LBPV share costumes, a feature that will enabled down the line in LBK) :D. No word on pricing, but based on past pricing, I'd say 4-6 bucks. I've a huge fan of Gravity Rush and LBP, so they have my money.

Skanda Heaven is a masterpiece, a ninja level where everything (including the main character) was made by hand. Your ninja is the true heir to Joe Musashi, using a sword which can chop through steel (see the newly bisected steel door below) as well as shuriken, rescuing hostaging and fighting evil ninjas, gunman and of course, a giant robot final boss. This needs a sequel. Its MM pick is well earned. The first link is to the intro, the second is to the level. One wants to que them both up since the intro doesn't link directly to the level (one could skip the intro if so inclined and jump right to the level). It even makes good use of the touchscreen (you have to swipe in different directions in order to take out certain obstacles and enemies). Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/ekj9j

http://vita.lbp.me/v/ekj8h

Intertia is a brilliant bouncing ball platformer. You control the left and right motion of your ball, but the height it gets is contingent upon how high it falls from and what surface it struck. There are ten or so one screen levels in this, with a nice progressions of difficulty (starts off easy, ends hard, though its never unfair). The flatulent sounds the ball makes when it pops are such that you want to play with either headphones on or the sounds down, though :P. Highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/ejy-z

Sackship Enterprise is a two part level. The first is a walk through the Enterprise (you are a lowly crewmember assigned by the captain to explore an unknown planet). All true Star Trek fans know that in Star Trek captains don't send people to unknown planets alone, they go along and then hide behind the red shirts once the shooting starts, but I digress. Anyway, the planet one explores is a well done but easy platformer.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/ehgfm

Neon Heights is a fun, pretty level which is plagued by bouts of slowdown. The slowdown won't get you killed, but it keeps this otherwise impressive level from being highly recommended.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/eecys

A Tower to Heaven is an interesting experiment, a game which conveys the illusion of hopping up and around a round tower as you (a frog) seeks to stay above an ever rising flood of water. Could use a bit of polish in terms of the controls, but worth playing for those looking for something different. No decent photos, but I'll upload one myself later.

http://vita.lbp.me/v/eqz71

I have this now!!!!!

Thank you Carnage for doing all the work for me of finding awesome levels.

dvader654

Cool. If you come across any quality levels not in this thread (my que of levels is well over 200 because I've been wrapped up in Persona 4: The Golden lately) please post them.