About the game
LittleBigPlanet 2 is a 2011 puzzle-platform video game developed by Media Molecule and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the second main installment in the LittleBigPlanet series and a direct sequel to LittleBigPlanet. Most of the more than 3 million levels made by players in the first game can be played and edited in LittleBigPlanet 2.
Where the first game was sold as a platform game, LittleBigPlanet 2 was sold as a 'platform for games', with more focus on what players build. It keeps the three layer, 2.5D look and the Sackboy characters, but players can now make racing, puzzle and role-playing levels as well as platformers. New tools include the Controlinator, which lets creators assign actions to button presses or Sixaxis motion, a grappling hook, the Creatinator hat that fires any object, the Grabinators, and Sackbots, which are characters whose behaviour the creator programs. Creators can also record cut-scenes, move the camera and make their own sound effects. All downloadable content from the first game works in the sequel.
The story mode has six themed worlds. Sackboy helps a group of Creator Curators, the Alliance, while they fight the Negativitron, a giant vacuum cleaner that is sucking up Craftworld and its people. The worlds are Da Vinci's Hideout, Victoria's Laboratory, The Factory Of A Better Tomorrow, Avalonia, Eve's Asylum and The Cosmos. Stephen Fry narrates, as in the first game.
The game was revealed by Game Informer in its June 2010 issue and was officially confirmed on 10 May 2010. It was first planned for November 2010, then moved to January 2011. A story mode demo with three levels came out on 21 December 2010. The music comes from seven composers, including Paul Thomson, Richard Jacques, Winifred Phillips, Baiyon, Keith Tenniswood, Daniel Pemberton and Media Molecule's audio designer Kenneth Young. PlayStation Move support came through a software update on 7 September 2011.
It was released in North America on 18 January 2011, in mainland Europe on 19 January, in Australia and New Zealand on 20 January and in the UK and Ireland on 21 January. Retail versions include a North American Collector's Edition with a 7 inch Sackboy plush, a European Collector's Edition in a SteelBook, a Special Edition in November 2011 and an Extras Edition in Europe in March 2013.
Reviews were very strong. Metacritic lists the PS3 version at 91 out of 100. Critics praised the creation tools, the art direction and the soundtrack, and some noted that the jumping still felt floaty. It won Family and Game Innovation at the 2011 BAFTA Video Games Awards and Family Game of the Year at the Interactive Achievement Awards. Online services for the game were officially discontinued on 13 September 2021.
The text above is adapted from Wikipedia and licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What critics said
Metacritic 91 out of 100 from 86 reviews (PS3). GameRankings 92 out of 100 (PS3). Individual reviews: IGN 9/10, Eurogamer 9/10, Computer and Video Games 9.4/10, PlayStation Official Magazine UK 10/10, GamesTM 10/10.
Extra content
Media Molecule kept adding level kits, costume packs and tools to the game. The online features that go with the packs were switched off in 2021.
- Toy Story Level Kit: Nine Toy Story levels, 5 materials, 10 decorations, 6 objects, 149 stickers and the Toy Story Alien costume.
- Move Pack: Rise of the Cakeling: New story levels and tools for making PlayStation Move levels. Arrived shortly after the Move update (7 September 2011).
- Muppets Premium Level Kit: Five Muppets story levels.
- DC Comics Premium Level Pack: Story levels, a Hero Cape and a Lex Luthor boss fight.
- Cross-Controller Pack: Story levels that use a second controller, plus tutorials.
- The Nightmare Before Christmas Level Kit: A Nightmare Before Christmas themed level kit.
Good to know
- A one-week-only launch bonus gave a Launch Day space suit costume and a rare T-shirt to players who had the game in its first week.
- Pre-order costumes depended on the shop: Ratchet and Clank, a Toy Story Alien, a Tron suit or The Great Gonzo.
- Sackboy's Prehistoric Moves, a ten level Move spin-off, was bundled with the game at release.
- Keyboard and mouse support in Create mode was announced early but was not in the game at launch.
- In January 2011 Sony handed the game to players trying for a Guinness World Record for 50 hours of consecutive play.
- The online servers closed on 13 September 2021, so community levels, leaderboards and online trophies are no longer reachable.
Made by
Developer Media Molecule, Composer Kenneth C M Young, Composer Paul Thomson, Composer Richard Jacques, Composer Winifred Phillips, Composer Baiyon, Composer Keith Tenniswood, Composer Daniel Pemberton, Narrator Stephen Fry.
