LittleBigPlanet Karting Creates First Game Details

Karts and levels just part of the creative karting experience.

Back in February Sony Computer Entertainment of America admitted that there was a LittleBigPlanet kart racing game in the works and that they would reveal further details down the line. It seems that “down the line” has come as Sony has unleashed the below announcement trailer as well as some other morsels.

Sackboy’s first official foray into the karting realm will occur sometime this year exclusively on the PlayStation 3. The press release issued by Sony indicates that the game will focus on a “competitive and cooperative karting adventure based in expansive 3D environments.”

In addition to the assumed racing aspect of the game, players will also be able to compete in arena battles. Online play will feature heavily in both the racing and arena modes. Additionally, as one would expect, LittleBigPlanet Karting will be heavy on the user generated content – allowing players to customize and create their Sackboys and karts. A level editor tool will allow not only the creation of tracks and arenas, but rules, weapons and more.

“Since the launch of LittleBigPlanet, our community has provided incredible support, which can be seen in the more than six million levels and games that have been created and shared online through PlayStation Network, a truly wonderful accomplishment, ” said Guy Longworth, Senior Vice President of PlayStation Brand Marketing, SCEA.

Mario Kart has faced some competition in the karting circle before, but the new set of elements that LittleBigPlanet brings to the table offer a very different challenge than those of the past. How do you think this will shake out? Let us know in the comments section below.

Press Release

SACKBOY™ GETS BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL IN THE FASTEST LITTLEBIGPLANET
ADVENTURE YET, LITTLEBIGPLANET™ KARTING, EXCLUSIVELY
FOR THE PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) SYSTEM
Award-Winning Franchise Revolutionizes The Karting Genre, Allowing Fans To Play, Create, Share
In An Expansive 3D World Like Never Before

FOSTER CITY, Calif., March 22, 2012 – Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC. (SCEA)

announced today plans to release LittleBigPlanet™ Karting, the newest adventure in the award-winning

LittleBigPlanet™ franchise, exclusively for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) system. Scheduled to launch

in 2012, LittleBigPlanet Karting will provide fans a new means to Play, Create, Share in the form of a

competitive and cooperative karting adventure based in expansive 3D environments for the first time and

one that is unmistakably LittleBigPlanet.

The franchise that has seen more than six million user-generated levels and games shared online

via PlayStation®Network is now revving the engine once again as Sackboy™ returns in a completely

new, fast-paced karting campaign to save the Craftworld universe. In LittleBigPlanet Karting, players can

jump into vibrant 3D game worlds with Sackboy for intense classic kart racing and ultra-competitive arena

battles. More adventurous karting expeditions are just as accessible, including objective-based missions,

boss battles, and mini-games. On the create side, players can customize their Sackboy, karts, and much

more. The new level editor tools will allow players to construct far more than just kart racing games, as

they can design their own karting experiences with the ability to make their own game rules, weapons, and

tracks that break free from the constraints of a traditional racetrack allowing the imagination to run wild in

a completely open environment. Players will also be fully able to share this content with others around the

world through PlayStation Network providing access to what promises to be millions of LittleBigPlanet

Karting experiences created by the community.

“Since the launch of LittleBigPlanet, our community has provided incredible support, which can

be seen in the more than six million levels and games that have been created and shared online through

PlayStation Network, a truly wonderful accomplishment,” said Guy Longworth, Senior Vice President,

PlayStation Brand Marketing, SCEA. “Now, we’re thrilled to bring PlayStation 3 owners the next Play,

Create, Share experience, LittleBigPlanet Karting, a brand new competitive karting adventure that is sure

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA INC. ? 919 EAST HILLSDALE BOULEVARD ? FOSTER CITY, CA 94404 ? 650-655-8000

SCEA – LittleBigPlanet™ Karting Announced for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) System
3-3-3-3

to move this genre forward, providing endless entertainment for fans and newcomers, while resonating with

every member of the family, young and old.”

Developed by United Front Games, in conjunction with Media Molecule, LittleBigPlanet Karting

is a single or multiplayer creative gaming experience that has an ESRB rating of “RP” for Rating Pending.

For more information about the ESRB, visit www.esrb.org. For more information about the LittleBigPlanet

franchise, visit www.littlebigplanet.com.

About the LittleBigPlanet Franchise

Since its launch in October 2008, LittleBigPlanet has been widely praised and critically acclaimed

with more than 80 industry awards worldwide, 15 of which have been for Game of the Year categories,

with awards ranging from the top gaming critics to prestigious organizations such as the Academy of

Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) and The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

The franchise has sold more than four million units in North America alone and has been credited with

establishing the Play, Create, Share creative gaming genre by putting the powers of creation firmly in the

players’ hands. The game’s stitched-together mascot, Sackboy, has broken through as the industry’s newest

star—one that has resonated with every member of the family, young and old. LittleBigPlanet is a unique

experience that provides developer and user-generated levels and an engaging story to explore and Play, a

huge host of materials, tools, stickers, and more to Create, and a robust set of online features for everyone

to Share these creations with each other as part of the LittleBigPlanet community. In fact, the sharing

nature of the game has become so embraced, it has attracted fans to publish more than six million levels to

PlayStation Network since the award-winning game was released.

In 2009, the LittleBigPlanet Game of the Year edition was introduced to celebrate these

achievements, featuring 18 never-before-seen bonus levels created by members of the community. Hand-

picked by the development team, these fans were rewarded with the opportunity to become actual level

designers, a notion that all LittleBigPlanet devotees can relate to. Later in 2009, LittleBigPlanet moved to

the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) and PSPgo systems allowing players to bring the beloved Sackboy with

them on the go. This was followed by the release of LittleBigPlanet™ 2 for the PS3 system providing fans

a new means to Play, Create, and Share, allowing users to not only make better levels, but completely new

games across multiple genres. Later this year, LittleBigPlanet will be coming to PlayStation®Vita allowing

users to customize Sackboy and the world around you with unique touch and camera create tools that let

you play with more freedom that ever before—a miniature development kit in the palm of your hand!

About Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC

Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle

SCEA – LittleBigPlanet™ Karting Announced for the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) System
3-3-3-3

with its PlayStation® and PS one® systems, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, the PSP®

(PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system, the ground-breaking PlayStation®3 (PS3™)

computer entertainment system, PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) system, and its online and network services,

the PlayStation®Network and PlayStation®Store. Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony

Computer Entertainment America LLC markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes,

markets and distributes software for the PS one, PlayStation 2, PSP, PSPgo and PS3 systems for the North

American market. Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC serves as

headquarters for all North American operations.

#Kart #Racing #Editing #Creative #Sackboy

Our Take

Mike Wall Staff Alumnus

03/22/2012 at 01:08 PM

This seems interesting, and the level editor is a great idea. However, there lack of notable characters might make it difficult for LBP to compete with Mario for kart racing supremacy.

Nick DiMola Director

03/22/2012 at 01:28 PM

I'm sure people will be creating some amazing content for this, but like LittleBigPlanet, I'm assuming the actual engine driving the whole experience won't be all that great.

PixlBit