LocoRoco makes the PSP huggable again

Directly controlling your game character is something that most people take for granted when they sit down to have a nice play session. The LocoRoco franchise for the PlayStation Portable throws that convention almost completely out the window, opting instead for an experience where the player has more control over the game world itself than the lovable creatures that share the game's name. 

It's up to you, Mother Nature!
As the legend goes, the blob-like LocoRoco lived peacefully on a their home planet for many years. Along with the planet's other main inhabitants, the helpful Mui Mui, the LocoRoco happily chomped on fruits, played around, and just generally looked adorable. That is, until the evil Moja Troop appeared one day and went about messing with the landscape. Unfortunately, the LocoRoco aren't exactly well-equipped to deal with an invading hoard of evil aliens, and all hope seems lost.

The plot may remind some diligent Gaming On The Go readers of Patapon, a previously-featured title, and with good reason — at their core, they're both simple good vs. evil scenarios, and you already know what side you're going to be fighting on.

Luckily for the LocoRoco, the planet seems to have a mind of its own, and that's where you come in. Using the PSP's shoulder buttons to control the tilt of the screen (and thereby, the planet), you use the LocoRoco as tools to rid the planet of the Moja.

Under your wing
At the start of each level, you'll have a single LocoRoco under your wing. Guiding the little guy through the stage, you'll come across plants which produce berries. When eaten, these berries raise your LocoRoco count by one. In most levels, it's possible to raise a total of 20, by which point your hands will be well and truly full.

As I said earlier, the franchise almost throws direct control out the window. You still have the ability to command the LocoRoco to perform actions such as hopping up and down and to change between a single huge LocoRoco and many smaller ones. These moves are integral to your success, as the game world is littered with dangerous pits and tiny holes to squeeze through. 

And it's not just levels that provide variety; the LocoRoco you encounter will change frequently, as well. The oft-seen yellow blobs are but one of a half-dozen varieties, and each one has its own unique voice and personality. 

Did he say "voice"?
Yes, the LocoRoco aren't just adorable eye-candy; they're talented singers as well. Their pleasant melodies, which they sing at various points throughout each level, will stick with you long after you hit the power button. 

This is where LocoRoco truly shines — its charm. The LocoRoco always seem to be in a fantastic mood, whatever the circumstance. They sing, and jiggle, and have smiles and smirks plastered on their faces the entire time. This makes for a perfect game to dip into on your lunch break or whenever the daily grind has got you down.

As both LocoRoco and LocoRoco 2 are near mirror images of each other, with just a few new locales added to LocoRoco 2, recommending one goes hand in hand with recommending the other. Add to that the fact that you can likely pick up both titles for less than the price of a single, new PSP game, and you've got a real value proposition on your hands.

It's games like LocoRoco that make the PSP worth owning. Sure, if you want to play an intense shooter or a high-octane racing game, you can do that too — but totally unique experiences like the time you'll spend with the LocoRoco are something to be treasured. Now, go! Treasure it!

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