LittleBigPlanet Karting beta hands-on

"We check out United Front's latest kart racing forray"

 

Developer: United Front
Publisher: Sony
Release Date: Q4 2012
Platform(s): PS3
Genre: Racing

LittleBigPlanet Karting is a strange game, because its existence is somewhat shadowed by developer United Front's last game, Mod Nation Racers. Both games are essentially the same -- kart racers with robust creation tools -- but with different coats of paint and a few mechanical changes. It brings the purpose of LittleBigPlanet Karting into question, but damn if it isn't fun so far.

The public beta is underway as I write this, only accessable to those with a code, unfortunately (not very public, huh?). Daav and I both got in, however, and have been playing a good deal. Here's what we think.



Daav Valentan
It’s essentially what United Front Games should’ve done with ModNation Racers in the first place: A world blasted with colors, cute textures and motives, with the sounds to accompany it. The levels shown so far already offer a nice amount of variety, not to mention rather exquisite designs (Space level foremost). Haven’t figured out how to make tracks, but if that is but a taste, it should spawn yet more community made genius.

Racing on the other hand is the minor element of it all, with a sluggish speed and large sweeping turns that drag down the pace. A nice variation of weapons is offered, with some original items to boot, but the prompts for them are vague. Not all perspectives are equally adequate for the controls. The top down mini-game suffers greatly from this. Also, turning in a tight situation is nearly impossible due to aforementioned issues.

The game needs balancing and possible replacement of weapon locations, as some levels can be determined within the very last turn, making everything luck based. No idea what the dots are for, but I imagine it has something to do with the end score.



Me
In some ways, LittleBigPlanet Karting is better than Mario Kart.

Most notable: items. There's an actual randomness to them, meaning there isn't a guarantee that somebody in last place is getting the blue shell equivalent. Useful offense weapons appear just as frequently when you’re in the front of the pack as they do when you’re in last place. Plus, you can easily use them for defense. Just tap the button to use them as the shield icon pops up at the bottom of the screen and you're good to go. And that goes for all items, not just specific ones.

The aesthetic of LittleBigPlanet works here splendidly as well. Far more character than what Mod Nation Racers had. Suits the creation aspect better, the tools of which are as robust here as they were in Mod Nation, and continue to be unable to wrap my head around. What the community is doing with them is nothing short of amazing, though. From first-person shooters and third-person platformers to your average tracks and arenas, there's a lot of creativity on display. Be interesting to see what they do with the full suite of tools.

Driving feels good, if a touch slow. It lacks a sense of speed, that feeling you're moving at some blistering, nigh-uncontrollable pace. Boosts lend a brief glimpse, but it’s not long before you're back to moving at a leisurely clip. Should feel faster.

Overall, I've enjoyed what I've seen. I think United Front's got something good on their hands. Frankly should have gone with this in the first place. Look forward to playing the full game.

Callum Rakestraw, NoobFeed.