why you need to play little big planet or at least why you should give some props to it

I try not to classify myself as any type of gamer, but if I were to name the two stereotypes that games filter themselves and each other into, it would be casual and core. The core gamers playing games like Call of Duty 4 and the casual gamers playing Cooking Mama. You could say those are two gaming extremes, but the problem is not with the games themselves, it’s how most gamers approach the games as if they have to continually identify themselves with games instead of just identifying themselves as an individual who happens to prefer one set of game genres to the other. It’d be nice if things worked that way, but all too often we let products, ideals, and stereotypes define who were are.

As a child when I started playing video games I remember a certain innocence that typically only a child could possibly retain before being exposed to criticism and cynicism. Gaming was different back then obviously but for me it was just that; simply gaming. I’m not even sure if gaming was a verb yet but you get the point. I fondly remember the Mario games, the Sonic games, and then the epic Playstation RPGs. I played ever yone of them I could and at the time I didn’t know the difference between Mario 64 and Final Fantasy VII. They were both great games and that’s all that mattered. Now I would choose Mario 64 over Final Fantasy VII because it’s reward system is much faster than Final Fantasy’s and because you could say I’ve become more of a fan of casual games but I still have a place on my shelf for favorites such as the Team Ico games, the Zelda series, and so on.

Time is precious these days so if I’m going to be entertained, it needs to be worth my time and so I’ve become pickier about what I play and how much time I spend playing it. As a result, I’m always on the look out for short great titles, along with good co-op games to play with my girlfriend. Again, I can’t really classify myself or my girlfriend as a core or casual gamer. We both play games from Planet Puzzle League to Marvel Ultimate: Alliance. I know we’re unique, but everyone else doesn’t have to fall into the stereotypes, especially if they’re stereotyping themselves!

Case in point. Not one core or casual gamer can honestly say they don’t like Little Big Planet without trying it out. My girlfriend and I spent a weekend “in” Little Big Planet and we had an absolute blast. The game is absolutely incredible and while still buggy because of it’s beta state, really really fun to play. While particularly not fond of meeting people online, we found a new friend and ended up playing various levels with him as his laughed over his headset with us. We played Sonic level remakes and ridiculous levels with rockets. We raced, jumped, swung and vandalized every thing we possibly could and then we would get bored with that we’d try our hand at creating things. Which was extremely difficult and frustrating at times but often the end results were hilarious.

I haven’t smiled more at a game in a long time and I can see myself smiling at it for quite a while. If you enjoy pasting flowers on everything you see or just sitting death traps for fellow sack people, you can, and the game wants you to. I’m sure Media Molecule is constantly excited about the ideas that us and other people are sure to cook up and upload to Little Big Planet.

The game simply breaks down the walls of genre and if you were to ask me to reluctantly classify it, I’d call it a platformer, or would I call it a racing game, or would I call it an adventure game, or would I call it a shooter, or would a call it a level builder, or would I call it an art game, or would I call it a music game, or would I call it an alternative to Power Point?

Or maybe, just maybe I’d hand you a PS3 controller and say decide for yourself.