It wasn’t until that last hour of the show that I figured out there was PSP Go on the floor. I burned all my time on PS3 games during my Sony appointment, and I totally overlooked the handheld lounge beneath Sony’s balcony showing. Inside I located a handful of PSP Go’s, and one running the E3 build of the recently announced LittleBigPlanet PSP installment.
The PSP Go, if nothing else, felt remarkably lighter than any of its predecessors. Much to my surprise, the reduced statute didn’t make it hard to grip (I have considerably large hands), but I would imagine that, if you’re Shaq, it might be a problem. The smaller size also affected the view, with a screen that (I would guess), is at least 15% smaller and, by default, a little more crisp with the output. By far the biggest difference, however, was in the size of the analog nub. Though reduced to a mere pin alongside the original, I failed to detect any difference in functionality or ease of use. If anything, the smaller surface on top of a larger “area” provided more freedom.
LittleBigPlanet also appeared to fit quite comfortably on a PSP. The demo contained just one fully developed level, an Australian themed escapade, called Gift of the Grab, which was more basic and demonstrative than adventurous. It reminded me of one of the earlier levels in the retail PS3 game, with not much challenge (for veterans) outside of a tricky windmill sequence at the end.
If nothing else, it was a fine proof of concept. Though absent of the high res gloss, the game still looked aesthetically please and as charming as ever. The geometry was a little simpler and I’m not sure what they’re going to do about Sackboy’s emotive hand gestures, but the endearing and inviting qualities of LBP remained wonderfully intact.
