In a nutshell, LittleBigPlanet on the PSP is LittleBigPlanet (LBP) on the go. The developers have managed to put the whole LBP experience onto a handheld which was pretty amazing at the time of its release way back in 2009. That's right, you get all the platforming goodness in addition to user generated content and the ability to make your own levels. If you've played the PS3 version, you'll be right at home with the platforming levels here. There are some concessions made due to the drop in hardware power. Instead of having three "planes" which Sackboy can jump between, there are only two now. This actually makes it slightly less confusing when you're traversing the levels as you either go up to the back plane or down to the forefront plane. However, the control scheme weaknesses still remains. The game guesses and automatically adjusts the plane you want to go to, this doesn't always work when you're trying to go to a particular plane in order to get a collectible. It's a bit frustrating really.
The other slight annoyance is the jumping mechanics. Sackboy can get stuck in areas and his jumping can feel off if you're not used to it. Since the game is physics based, Sackboy can feel "floaty". Other than these two minor flaws, it plays perfectly and is a bundle of fun. The PS3 mechanics all lend well to the PSP's control scheme, you can still jump, grab hold of things and run around. The platforming is fun and revolves around solving puzzles which aren't really hard but are clever and intuitive. Puzzles can involve pulling levers or dropping specific objects in specific places. Of course, you will have to dodge obstacles such as rolling fire cylinders or fire pits. From time to time, there will also be some enemies which you eliminate by jumping onto their weakpoint. The story levels have a lot of variety and doesn't feel dumb down. SCE Cambridge Studio did a great job at creating these new levels for the game, perfecting the aesthetics and difficulty. There are what you could consider to be boss battles but they're fairly short and easy.
On the whole, at least there aren't any super annoying levels that the original LBP had. That being said, there were a few slightly frsutrating parts near the end where it was just the physics and crazy swinging of the platform that Sackboy is holding onto that causes you to die often. Nothing that made you get stuck for like 15 minutes though. The story is about Sackboy helping out inhabitants in other countries, solving their problems such that they can attend the Carnival. It is supposed to be a direct sequel to the PS3 game but you don't need to play that first to understand the story. While it's simple, it does what it needs to do and that's to provide an excuse for the platforming. The ending was pretty cool and it wrapped up the game nicely when the Carnival ended up happening. This is a PSP game, so the graphics are a step down and lack some detail. Generally, it is very decent considering the hardware and still looks great. They've managed to pack a lot of detail into the levels, enough that it doesn't feel sparse or lacking.
The music is one of the highlights, I especially liked the ones with vocals as it was soothing and gelled well with the level. Each level is themed around a country (roughly speaking), you'll traverse through Australia to China to Persia. These different locales produce difference environments which mean LittleBigPlanet doesn't get boring, at least, not visually. In addition to the story platforming levels, there are minigames. These mingames range from a platforming race to a surfing level with the objective to collect as many prize bubbles as you can. They extend the game's longevity but how long they'll keep your interest is another story. In total, there are 23 story levels which will take you somewhere between five to six hours to finish and that's without getting all the prize bubbles. Yes, it is a short game but there's plenty of other stuff to do. Collectibles are a huge thing in this game. In each level, there are prize bubbles containing stickers or other gear which you can use to add to your own level creations, making collectibles much more meaningful.
Most of the collectibles are easy to collect and out in the open but a fair few are hidden well and will take multiple tries, even restarting the level. You will also get bonuses if you complete a level without dying or collected all the collectibles. Once again, this adds to the game's replayability. You can create your own levels to play yourself or upload to the PSN for other plays to download and play. Creating good levels are hardand you will need to put in a lot of effect to learn the tools, effort that most players are not willing to invest in. Nevertheless, you can just be on the receiving end and download some user generated content. There are heaps of levels although you will have to sift through the more... lazy/boring ones. LittleBigPlanet on the PSP is a great game and definitely recommended for LBP fans. It managed to transfer the PS3 gameplay onto a handheld, including all the level creation and user generated content. It is impressive at what the game managed to achieve but most importantly, it is a fun game to play.
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