LittleBigPlanet 3

The most polished, versatile platformer I've had the joy of playing.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is the greatest installment in the series so far, bringing not just a complex toolbox for imaginative players but also a great story campaign that delights and amuses practically all the time.

Judging by its content alone, LittleBigPlanet 3 is easily the greatest value for your money this year. But beyond that, it’s a fun, deep, and endlessly charming experience that has plenty of ways to entertain and amuse you. This is the PlayStation 4’s first must-buy title.

It's a genuine joy to bounce, swoop, and peg it across the levels, even more so when you're rewarded with a new way of doing so. [Issue#251, p.68]

Overall, LittleBigPlanet 3 is more of the same, but it mixes things up more then LBP 2 did thanks to the additional characters.

With the challenge of bringing such a distinct franchise to a brand new platform while retaining all of the things that have made it great, including the hard work of the community, all things really were considered.

Pure offline gamers might want to exercise some caution here, but, if you’re in a position to download the patch that irons out the creases, LittleBigPlanet 3 is one irresistible imagisphere. [January 2015, p74]

As an accessible, powerful game-building tool, LBP 3 is remarkable, and offers more scope than we dared to expect. [Christmas 2014, p.108]

It’s charming, fun, lighthearted and has a plethora of content to play and create. It’s a shame that the experience of LBP 3 couldn’t be a little more polished or the story mode just a little longer, because these are the only two blemishes on an otherwise excellent addition to the series.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is not a perfect by any means, and since it is a platformer at heart it may not appeal to those who are not a fan of that particular genre. However, it is a well-designed game that lacks some polish but at the same time presents a world of possibilities.

Whether you just want to play or want to prove you’re a top-notch designer, LittleBigPlanet 3 should have what you’re looking for.

Despite the backward compatibility, which allows you to import all your hard-won (or purchased) objects from the previous two entries, LittleBigPlanet 3 does more than merely upgrade the graphics—pushing the boundary of layers, for instance, from three to 16.

The Adventure mode at the center of LittleBigPlanet 3 is a grand showcase of bold imagination like nothing else out there, with a wellspring of charm and warm-natured humor at its heart. Even so, Sumo Digital's brief 4-5 hours of polished, pre-made contributions pale in comparison to what could be – but that's essentially the point.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is by far the best in the series. It is the breath of fresh air the franchise needed going into the next-gen cycle.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is a quite short, but very nice and pretty multiplayer platformer, one of the very best on its multiplayer niche. Competent and easy level editor rounds up the package nicely. [Dec 2014]

Presentation of the story isn’t the best the series has done, but instead lies in the hands of the community with their creations. Regardless, they’ve made the endless amount of fun and creativity even more endless.

If you have the time to learn it, this is a game that makes it feel like almost anything is possible. [Jan 2015, p.74]

The addition of many new tools is a giant step forward for creative minds. The story mode is short but sweet and we had a good time exploring the new characters. Too bad the cute little friends seem to attract a lot of bugs.

Quotation forthcoming.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is one of the biggest surprises of 2014 due to its great visuals, magnificent level design and excellent soundtrack. The creation mode keeps you busy for hours and provides countless new levels. More than a sequel, LBP 3 reimagines what the series can be and represents a good jump into the new console generation.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is worthy successor to the LBP series and a solid continuation of what made the first and second games such a hit with critics and gamers alike.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is a strong showing for Sackboy and company, but one that points to the fact that - unlike Nintendo's Mario, who's been reinvented many times over the years - this series' future is likely to follow the arc of another Sony platformer, Ratchet & Clank, by settling into a comfortable groove.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is a nice platform game for PS4 and PS3. If you say co-op you say LittleBigPlanet.

Although not as tightly refined as some other 2D platformers, like Puppeteer, for instance, Little Big Planet 3 offers up tons of fun for those willing to seek it and, with the promised patches on their way and a creative community that’s growing by the day, hopefully it won’t be long before this is the ultimate Little Big Planet experience.

Sumo Digital has done a great job with the franchise, taking a big step forward in the right direction. A game any LBP fan should play.

It still is a charming mix of Jump’N’Run and editor. But while Sumo Digital managed to enhance the latter, the light footed magical approach to the Story of the first got lost – obviously that was one of Media Molecule's specialties.

LittleBigPlanet is a rather unique game: beneath the bright cover of “platformer for children” there’s a complicated tool for game development, one that doesn’t require special knowledge – just a modicum of good taste and desire to create. [Feb 2015]

Super fun on your own, but needs more freedom in co-op. [Issue#257, p.72]

LittleBigPlanet 3 wasn't an easy legacy to take on, but Sumo Digital made a good job and released the best entry in the franchise to date... but also the most controversial with lots of bugs and missed opportunities.

Less a game, more an endlessly inventive creator kit, LBP3 will disappoint fans looking for ready-made adventure but thrill those looking to craft their own Sackboy saga. [Jan 2015, p.81]

We’ve seen enough to know that LBP3 will have tons of inventive experiences in the coming months – but as a core game outside of its ‘Share’ functionality, well that’s just not different enough to make it truly stand out as did its brethren.

It is the best Little Big Planet yet, but some of those minor issues still exist. But that should stop you enjoying it overall.

We expected more from the first step of this beloved franchise to the PS4. Nevertheless, LBP3 is a charming platformer, that offers the best level creator yet and millions of user generated stages to play.

LittleBigPlanet 3 doesn't care if you just want to experience the steady stream of community creations or strive to become a creator yourself. It's just a fantastic, welcoming place where you can have fun with the simplest of things.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is the most complete game in the franchise, and will delight the most creative minds with many new mechanics at their grasps. However, we would like some of them to be polished and, on top of that, fixes for some strange bugs.

The handover took place the best way between Media Molecule and Sumo Digital: LittleBigPlanet 3 is more satisfying than ever with its strong story mode, its smart gameplay additions and its fantastic creation mode.

Quotation forthcoming.

The new playable characters refresh the gameplay in a way that puts the series back on the map. A map it never left in the first place, we might add.

We don’t know if this is no longer Media Molecule’s LittleBigPlanet series, but Sumo Digital has done a nice job with its third iteration. There’s also no doubt that the game will be supported with awesome and limitless user generated content.

LBP3 reaches new highs for the series by delivering some of the best levels and gameplay yet seen, but also disappoints with a fleeting campaign.

Nevertheless, these new elements have been seamlessly integrated into the recognizable LittleBigPlanet foundation, and as a consequence never feel like the source of drastic change. What they offer instead is rejuvenation: a jolt of exhilaration—of imagination—from a series whose novelty had perhaps begun to wane.

Like a fine wine, LBP3 has aged rather well, though it has picked up a few odd notes along the way. It performs exactly like its predecessor, only improved upon.

In some regards, LittleBigPlanet 3 isn't the giant leap forward it could have been. The floaty physics that hampered the core platforming in previous games have not been addressed, and it doesn't feel like a significant technological advancement, even with the raw power of the PS4 on its side.

With a string of new tools on offer, creator curators will have a blast exploring all of the possibilities available here – and while you’ll certainly need dedication to get the best out of them, the lazy among you will more than get your fill via the output of more industrious players over time.

A whimsical and charming adventure, LittleBigPlanet 3 makes a few welcome changes to the core game; namely new characters and new powerups four our old knitted chum, Sackboy. With an even more robust set of creation tools, it's a game of limitless possibilities.

Beautiful, creative and filled with knitted joy, LittleBigPlanet 3 does however disappoint in its Adventure mode’s comparatively sparse content. Nonetheless, it hands over an impressive array of exceptional design tools for budding creators.

The story might not explore all of the potential, but briefly shines a light on what the new possibilities might be for those making their own levels. The wide array of new tools, the removal of limitations and addition of new characters and power-ups will all serve to empower the community to reach new heights.

With the best level design yet, this is more LittleBigPlanet, but the new characters help keep it fresh.

LittleBigPlanet's enjoyable playstyle gets even better with new characters and new objects. The level creator screen has been improved with many new features as well. However, there are some bugs in online mode, which renders the player unable to complete levels.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is the best and worst LittleBigPlanet until now. Bugs and other technical issues keep on annoying us during our play through. It is a pity, because the single-player experience is really convincing and the creative possibilities seem endless.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is not a revolution, rather an evolution. Sumo Digital gives its contribution to the series with three new and really different characters and brings the players more naturally to the Creation workshop. Fine, but we're expecting something deeper now.

With all of the innovations LittleBigPlanet 3 brings with Toggle, Oddsock, and Swoop, it's a shame they aren't allowed to show off their stuff on a regular basis, because they are the best thing to happen to the series in years. It would be nice to see them return in a big way in a potential sequel, but for now hardcore LBP fans should have enough creation options to last them until that point.

LittleBigPlanet 3 boasts more creative capabilities than its predecessors and tutorial levels for teaching the basics to patient newcomers. Adventure mode fails to innovate in the same way, relegating the most interesting additions--playable heroes OddSock, Toggle, and Swoop--to a small handful of levels.

As usual I had fun with LBP – it’s hard not to love sackboys and sackgirls – but I expected something fresher and more polished from the series’ debut on PS4. [01/2015, p.44]

Exciting and fun, with brand new experiences. At this moment it's just fat too short and has too many technical flaws.

Ultimately, LittleBigPlanet 3 is a pretty decent effort which lamentably hamstrings itself. It’s charming, aesthetically pleasing, and a lot of fun when it works – but various bugs and glitches, long load times, and a lacklustre story mode really drag it down.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is a great game for those who will dedicate themselves to the production of content and want to experience the creations of others.

Despite three all-new playable characters, the campaign fails to deliver and is far more restricted than expected. Instead it is thanks to a brilliant original concept and the creative users all over the world that make Little Big Planet 3 shine. With more tools and new characters there is no limit to how grand the world of Little Big Planet 3 will evolve.

Sackboy is as charming as ever, and his new friends aren't half bad either. The only problem is that you don't get to see a lot of them, and despite huge amounts of creativity, the story is simply too short.

We are confident that in a few months Little Big Planet 3 will dramatically grow, but at the moment the product that is about to arrive in stores does not have the amount of content we hoped for. If, then, you are one of those players who always preferred the puzzles instead of mere exploration, you will be almost certainly be disappointed.

In the end, given the lack of content, it's more a tool than a fully accomplished game. And that's a shame, because the new focus on platforming would've been really welcome if supported with more levels from the devs.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is not that evolution everybody was waiting for. The new characters are interesting and funny, but the level design looks like they’re not part of the overall experience. The gorgeous editor is still there, and it’s (again) the best part of the experience.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is a good game, but stops short of being a great one.

LittleBigPlanet is once again its own worst enemy, as it fails to make the best use of its own fun new characters. Although the creation tools are the most accessible they’ve ever been.

Held together by Sellotape rather than superglue, LittleBigPlanet 3 is in constant danger of falling apart.

In its third mainline iteration, LittleBigPlanet's momentum shifts from a bastion of adaptive entertainment to a lightning rod of tailored inspiration. It's a logical progression, one that sacrifices personal moments of professionally crafted clarity, but in their place is a tidy collection of tools and concepts masquerading as purpose-driven levels – and the hope that talented players will embrace enough of them to fill in LittleBigPlanet 3's considerable gaps in content.

This is the most daring the series has been so far, but it's still very much cut in the cloth of Media Molecule's pre-made pattern.

The push for creativity is limited in the way you play the campaign, but it’s an overwhelming presence within creation mode, offering boundless ways to leave your own mark on Craftworld.

LittleBigPlanet 3's devoted fans will surely craft some excellent levels in the months to come, but mostly this feels like a proof of concept for a much better LittleBigPlanet 4.

It’s Adventure mode is beautifully designed, and new power-ups and character abilities switch up the usual bread-and-butter platforming gameplay, but it’s let down by limited options for co-operative play and most significantly, a number of game-breaking bugs on the PlayStation 4.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is a shallow platform game that has lost its magic and is short of content. A vibrant community and a powerful editor help to keep it afloat.

Still a decent and fun platformer, but definitely the weakest part of the series. Developers count on the large amounts - both characters and effects - and especially on player creativity. [Issue#248]

Another episode of the great LittleBigPlanet arcade series was created by different dev team which failed to maintain the high quality of the previous episodes. Don't expect any next-gen gameplay the result is barely above average arcade game. We beg for different and better approach next time so rag heroes won't be forgotten.

There are a lot of good ideas here, but they haven't found a way of comfortably sharing a bed together.

After seven years, with myriad studios steering the ship in different directions, LittleBigPlanet 3 feels torn between wanting to be a toolbox and a colorful little platformer. If it wants to just be a platformer, it needs to think bigger and expand what it lets you play with. And if it wants to just be a toolbox, it needs to either think of a better way to teach how to use those tools or stop breathing so hard down the player’s neck.

LittleBigPlanet 3 is a great creative experience packaged with an unfortunate single-player experience as its forward-facing section and buggy co-op play, both which significantly hamper what is otherwise an excellent creative experience and game-design as play.