We couldn’t get LittleBigPlanet Karting’s online mode working last week, so our review had a few shortcomings. Don’t worry, though, we’ve tried the retail version since and it’s all good – but should you buy it? Well, in the first of a new series of features here on TheSixthAxis, we’ll give you the tools to decide for yourself.
Should I Buy… guides are straightforward. Start at ‘5’ (the average score) and add or subtract points depending on how relevant they are to you. When you reach the end you’ll have a score out of 10 – or thereabouts – and you’ll be able to decide for yourself. Easy, right?
Do you like LittleBigPlanet? If yes: +3, if no: -3
Daft question? Not really. Karting takes pretty much everything about LittleBigPlanet and then wraps four wheels around it. The menus, the interface, the voiceover, the graphic style, the characters – it’s all here, except you’re not platforming, you’re racing.
Do you like Kart racing games? If yes: +2, if no: -4
LBPK isn’t the best karting game on the planet, it’s not, but it’s far from the worse. Karting games normally sacrifice detailed physics and handling for arcade fun and plenty of weapons, and in the large LBPK actually does this pretty well – it’s not a patch on Mario Kart’s finesse but given the IP it’s actually pretty capable.
[drop2]Do you have lots of friends who are also buying it? If yes: +3, if no: -2LittleBigPlanet Karting has a decent single player – lots of levels across lots of worlds, and although you’re unlikely to want to play them over and over again there’s still the online community levels to try too. But, if you’ve got mates who play this sort of game a lot, the game is instantly much, much better. It also supports up to four players split-screen!
Is your PS3 connected online? If yes: +3, if no: -2
Slightly different to the above question, but a lot of LBPK’s long term qualities come from comparing your times and scores with others, and downloading all the community levels. If you don’t have online, you’ll be limited to the core tracks and offline split-screen.
Are you creative? If yes: +2, if no: -1
You don’t need to make your own tracks in LBPK if you don’t want to, but if you do the track editor is massively impressive, and almost limitless in scope. It takes the best bits of ModNation Racers and couples them with those in previous LittleBigPlanet games, giving you quick track layouts but complex, detailed surroundings. If you like making your own stuff, this is great.
Did you like ModNation Racers? If yes: +1, if no: -3
LBPK is made by the same folk that made ModNation Racers, and as a result feels similar in terms of handling and controls. It’s not identical, but there’s definitely the same familiarity here. That’s either a good thing or a (very) bad thing, and that extends to the Create mode in some respects too.
Hopefully you’ll have arrived at a score. Let us know what it is, and whether you plan to get the game today, in the comments.
LTG Davey
Hmmm, -9/10….
dude90
I got 11 so I should in theory buy it.
Carl
11/10
Guess that means i need to buy it then
Mundham
11/10 for me.
And for those who said they’re mates aren’t buying it…. isn’t that what Meets are for? Seems there’s enough ppl on here interested.
dave87fez
My “score” was 11.
I really like the concept of the new “Should I Buy” series, but suspect some tweaking is in order, to use LBP terms :o)
A maximum score of 19 out 10 suggests something’s not quite right with the maths somewhere along the line!
Peter Chapman
I wonder if it would be better worded as simply “the higher your total, the more you’re likely to enjoy it” and “anything over 10 means you’ll probably love it”?
Criteria might be different for every game, though, so it might be tricky to find a constant usable scale. I do love the concept to this series though.
cc_star
5 criteria, each of them plus or minus 1pt
Michael
Boom! CC with the win.
Nifty idea. Make it a form so it auto-calcs everything for us too :-)
Alex C
Each + or – 1 is a bit limiting. Some things are more important.
cc_star
Just interested in how it compares directly to F1 Race Stars & Sonic Transformed.
miffi-lou
With a score of 10 looks like it should be promising, but still not sold on it. I only seem to like karting games with Mario and co in them…
hazelam
i ended up with 11, i think, unfortunately, i just can’t afford it right now, Mod Nation Racers is an option though, and that’s going for less than 6 quid in the psn sale right now.
i might have to buy that.
i’ll give the full game trial a go first i think, but i’ve got enough to buy it if i enjoy it enough.
Erroneus
Lol this is great, I’m back at five, but not liking cart racers does hurt the score a lot, which off course makes sense :P
TSBonyman
I got -1, no surprise there but a fun idea for an article all the same.