Sony's answer to a quirky game that will make a mark on its handheld is creative and unique, though a little repetitive.
As with most other platformers, the story is very simple. One day, the evil Moja swarm a quiet little planet, devouring all of its LocoRoco inhabitants. These LocoRoco are little sentient blobs, not much unlike hairless Tribbles. But since they're cute and like to sing, it seems we are obligated to help them out. Here's the problem though - they're pretty helpless. What else would you expect from carefree little blobs? Thus it is up to the player to help these little LocoRoco increase their numbers and rediscover their friends.
The big twist on this game is that you don't directly control the LocoRoco; instead you are literally the planet itself. The shoulder buttons tilt the land from side to side, letting gravity propel the LocoRoco downhill. Releasing both shoulder buttons at the same time gives the land a little jolt, bumping the LocoRoco into the air. That right there is essentially all the movement controls in the entire game, all mapped to two single buttons. The simplicity of these controls makes the game very easy to pick up and learn, no matter what your skill level at games.
Each of the 40 levels has 19 berries scattered throughout, some in the wide open and the rest hidden. Each berry will increase your LocoRoco by one, giving a maximum of 20 in each stage. Each new LocoRoco merges into your existing one, causing your LocoRoco to grow bigger. The use of the O button can split the large LocoRoco into a number of individual ones, or remerge them. However, you'll almost always stay in the giant LocoRoco form, as the small ones are only used when there is a very narrow passage to navigate; otherwise it's simply too unwieldy to control a dozen little blobs at once.
In terms of actually progressing through the game, finishing each of the 40 levels is very easy. There are very few enemies in each level, and running into the hazards will cause you to lose a couple of LocoRoco from your total, many of which you can recover if you can reabsorb them within a couple of seconds. As such, in order to actually die in a level you'll almost have to intentionally attempt to do so.
The difficulty of the game lies in attempting to collect all of the items. You get a score after each level based on the number of LocoRoco you finished with, the number of Mui Mui found (each level has 3), the number of pickories (hundreds of little bugs scattered throughout), and the time taken to finish. Also while the levels are pretty easy and almost play themselves in a number of areas (some of the more nifty obstacles are essentially just eye candy, as the LocoRoco automatically moves through it), the difficulty comes in attempting to find all the hidden items in each level. Portions of the collectibles are tucked away behind hidden passages, breakable walls, or behind difficult jumps. If you are the kind of player that beats each level once then stop playing, then LocoRoco will give you a maximum of eight or so hours of play. However these levels are designed to be replayed and the hidden items found, which can add quite a few hours on to the game, as completing these levels with every single item can be rather challenging. This is especially true in the later levels, in which your LocoRoco must hop between narrow platforms. Given the size of your blob, timing the jumps, and the fact that the LocoRoco has a mind of its own and occasionally randomly rolls to get right-side up, some of these sequences can be an exercise in frustration. Still, this game gives an almost perfect combination between ease for beginners, and a little more challenge for everyone wanting to collect everything. The pacing of the game is also perfect for a handheld, as each level takes between five and ten minutes on average to complete.
The one big knock about LocoRoco is that the last level isn't too different from the first one. The levels change in design, but all the tricks remain the same. There isn't too much variation as you move along, and some of the unique obstacles all introduced in the first few levels and then get recycled through the rest of the game. Some may appreciate that the game is "figured out" very early on and then can cruise through the rest, while others will feel a little sense of frustration that you are not so much as progressing as you are just moving along.
What really keeps you playing, then? The presentation. The visuals are simple 2D, but are extremely sharp, colorful, and vibrant. The graphics go for a totally 2D feel, with solid-filled objects even lacking shading to give them a 3D feel. Everything just has a cute design intended to suck you in and transfix you, which is certainly accomplished. Throughout you explore vibrant green plains, slick snowy fields, giant trees, inside giant hungry creatures, and quickly flowing rivers. The music is similarly charming, with a quirky and very unique feel to it. Most of the lyrics are intentionally unintelligible, and are very lively and upbeat. Adding to the cuteness is that the LocoRoco themselves can sing along with some of the tunes, and actually form their own chorus when there are multiple individual LocoRoco's in a group. The music will simply consume you and have you humming along even hours after you stop playing.
Other than the 40 main levels themselves, there's a little bit more to do in LocoRoco. Most of the Mui Mui found throughout the levels give you pieces for the LocoRoco House. You can use these pieces to make fun little obstacles for your LocoRoco to move through and occasionally gain more house parts. However, there's not much practical use for this feature, it's more of a fun little diversion to eat up a little bit of time. There are also two minigames that you can play, plus a level editor. Those that are very skilled may find the level editor to be interesting, though it can be rather difficult to make levels that can compare with the existing ones, plus it highlights how few tricks there are overall in the game itself.
All told, LocoRoco was a wise move on Sony's part, and largely accomplished what it set out to do. It's nothing short of a unique, enthralling experience that draws you in from the first time you set eyes on it. The variable difficulty caters to a number of different players, and is laid out perfectly for a handheld. The main drawback is the repetitiveness, as it will likely grow old very fast if you play it in long stretches. However, if you play it in short bursts as most handheld games are intended, then this big drawback is overcome and leaves a very positive impression. In the end, this game is recommendable to pretty much every PSP owner who doesn't mind the jovial atmosphere, as it simply stands out among the library of console ports and console-style games.