Sackboy: A Big Adventure was a launch title for the PS5 back in 2020 and saw a PC release more recently at the end of 2022. It’s a spin-off of the beloved LittleBigPlanet franchise, taking the series into full 3D platforming for the first time, with a focus on pure gameplay instead of the creation elements that defined the main series. While the decision to strip out the creative aspects of the series proved controversial to some fans, the game itself is a solid platformer which brings a lot of interesting ideas to the table.
However, it didn’t forget where it came from, as Sackboy: A Big Adventure features a few cheeky little nods to LittleBigPlanet throughout its levels, some of which are easy to miss for those who weren’t already hooked into the adorable craft-based world.
5 Sackboy’s Rocket
Sackboy: A Big Adventure sees its titular character hopping across a number of worlds, using a special rocket ship made from cardboard that he uses to get from place to place. While it’s a cute form of transport that fits the setting, it’s also an object that should be familiar to long-time fans of the franchise.
The rocket is actually a modified version of the Pod, a hub area found in the mainline LittleBigPlanet games. In those games, Sackboy floats above the world in this rocket, steered by a DualShock controller that allows him to travel to Craftworld (for story mode) or its moon (where the level creator suite can be found). Players can also cover the Pod in stickers to make it their own, which sadly can’t be done in Sackboy: A Big Adventure due to how little players see the inside of it.
4 Destination Board in "This Way Up"
One easily missed Easter egg referencing the past games can be found in a later level of the game, This Way Up, which is part of The Interstellar Junction, a sci-fi themed group of levels. This Way Up is presented as a spaceport, where visitors can hop onto spaceships to take them where they need to go. Naturally, this means destination boards can be found throughout the level, one of them prominently at the start. These boards contain destinations such as Carnivalia and Bunkum.
Long-time fans should recognize these names. Bunkum is the setting for LittleBigPlanet 3’s story mode, a second Craftworld born from an abundance of creativity and home to not just that game’s villain but also three additional playable friends – Oddsock, Toggle and Swoop. Meanwhile, Carnivalia is a reference only hardcore fans would recognize as it’s the setting for LittleBigPlanet on the Vita.
3 The Secret Garden
Throughout Sackboy: A Big Adventure, players can find secret areas tucked away in the levels, usually containing small sublevels, some of which are unique mini-games. One of these in the level Monkey Business is also a sneaky reference to the original LittleBigPlanet. Hidden away in a potting shed behind a giant plant, players can find a room labeled the “Secret Garden” where Sackboy can play whack-a-mole with some enemies to unlock a collectible. However, in addition to the collectible, several cardboard cutouts drop from the ceiling with different designs on them.
Players of the original game will recognize this, as the designs are all stickers taken from that game. Even the name "Secret Garden" is a reference to that game, as the original area, where the stickers were found, was called The Gardens and took on the appearance of a typical English garden.
2 Musical References
The hidden room in Monkey Business isn’t the only reference to The Gardens from LittleBigPlanet. After the player defeats the villain of the game, Vex, there is still more to find. There is a whole extra world with levels locked behind high orb counts, meaning only the most dedicated players can access them. The first of these levels features a music track by indie musician Tokyo Machine, which is an electronic remix of the original game’s first main level theme.
It's not the only musical reference to previous games either, as its licensed soundtrack features several artists who’ve had music featured in other LittleBigPlanet titles. These include The Go! Team and Anamanaguchi who were previously heard in the first LittleBigPlanet and Karting respectively.
1 Returning Costumes
One of the few elements of customization that survived the switch from LittleBigPlanet to Sackboy: A Big Adventure was costumes. Much like in previous games, Sackboy can unlock and wear a variety of different costumes. Some of these can be found in levels are based on themes found in those worlds, while others are downloadable and tend to reference other PlayStation games such as God of War or Ratchet & Clank.
However, some of the costumes in the game are taken from earlier LittleBigPlanet titles. For example, the Console Kitty outfit, a futuristic robot outfit with cat ears, was originally found in LittleBigPlanet 2. Similarly, other outfits such as the lion appear to be heavily modified versions of those found in previous titles. While most of the outfits are unique to the game, it’s nice to see a few nods to past outfits here and there.
Sackboy: A Big Adventure is available now for PS4, PS5 and Steam.