Locoroco

LocoRoco was one of Sony's most original moves in the early PSP days. When the company launched its first portable it seemed like it was meant for a more teen audience. In contrast to Nintendo's portable at the time, the Nintendo DS, the PSP was light years ahead from a technical point of view. Not only could the console support ports from home-console games, but it was overall more "mature".

That's why LocoRoco was a much-needed touch of color into the console's library. And it remains to be one of the most colorful games the PSP has to offer. So, let's see what all these colors and smiling faces are about.

About the game

We control smiling, colorful beings called Loco Roco, hence the title of the game, and we're going to rescue all of them in each level. Fusing together and solving small puzzles. As a platformer, the game couldn't be more simple. Using the shoulder buttons on the PSP to move forward and backward, jumping with the circle button, you control the happy ball through the levels.

That's about all there is to the game actually. It-s simple, comfy and colorful, and it was a complete change of pace compared to most PSP games at that time. There aren't many enemies in the game, and the main challenge is to find all the flowers and bugs in each level.

Is it too simple?

Even though the game may sound too simple to be any good, it's actually a great title. Sure, as time passed there were more and more colorful games for the PSP. It was always a more "mature" option than the Nintendo DS though.

Other cartoony games like Prinny: Can I Really Be The Hero? are intensively tough to beat. Games like those are punishing and plagued with enemies and life-threatening obstacles. LocoRoco, on the other hand, is a cheerful experience, with colorful levels and funny happy characters.

Review

What probably started as just a simple title for the PSP became an emblematic game for the console. There are 40 levels in the game, each with excellent design and all of them full of color and joy. It's relaxing, but it isn't really boring. Definitely, a game you'd see today on a smartphone. There are plenty of extras and collectibles that add great replay value to the game. It's a fun, enjoyable experience, the type of game we don't see on Sony consoles nowadays.

• Graphics and visuals: The whole game looks like a cartoon, so it doesn't get outdated easily. The simple and colorful designs are incredible. Less means more is truer than ever in this game, with great animations and art direction.

• Gameplay: As we mentioned earlier, the levels can be challenging, especially if you're looking to get all the collectibles. The mechanics are simple, but going through all the different levels feels great. Simplicity shines in this game in every aspect, and that turns out to be a great thing. Fighting enemies will require you to fuse yourself with different Loco Roco, and there's nothing much to it than that. Overall it's a great experience.

• Sound: The soundtrack is excellent. There are points in each level where you must wake up some sleeping beings with fun and cartoonish songs. The sound uses the high quality of the PSP in a simple yet excellent way.

The PSP's first super-qiirky game, ball-rolling rollick Me & MyKatamari, didn't work so well with the portable system's single-analog-nub layout (the PS2 incarnations were designed for the DualShock 2's two analog sticks). LocoRoco, made for the PSP from the ground up, fares better while also going all weird on us. You control a gelatinous entity that can break down into smaller blobs to pass through obstacles. Even stranger: Ybu control this bulbous hero by tilting the world with the two shoulder buttons. The graphics, the music, the rolly-polly gameplay--it's all so bizarre that you really need to experience it for yourself.