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PSP Fan Art Fridays: LocoRoco
Do you want to share your PSP-related fan art? Send us an e-mail. A new piece of fan art will be shared every Friday. LocoRoco may be getting a bit old, but love for the title certainly hasn't diminished. With new demos constantly coming out as well, new fans are always coming into the fray. Because of this, I've chosen the above LocoRoco fan art that was made by Blackmago. I've always appreciated illustration that uses clay, and so that makes me doubly enjoy Blackmago's work. The image looks good enough to be official game art and Blackmago certainly captured the playful innocence of LocoRoco. Hit up his deviantART account to see his other amazing gaming influenced art. %Gallery-3450%
New LocoRoco downloadable demo
What? Another LocoRoco demo? You bet! We're certainly not going to complain. Fresh from the Japanese website, this demo boosts the number of playable LocoRoco demos up to five. (Check out previous demos here, here, here, and here.)1. Download the demo EBOOT file.2. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable. 3. Go to the PSP/GAME folder.4. Create NPJG90002 folder.5. Copy EBOOT file into the NPJG90002 directory. Check out our new demos site:demos.pspfanboy.com
PSP price drop extends to Europe on May 4th
The price of a PSP in Europe is set to be violently assaulted with a sharp object next month, when Sony plans to slash at it wildly in the hopes of trimming a few pounds. And Euros, obviously, but as with the US price drop earlier this month, that particular currency simply doesn't suit the rapid weight loss imagery we're going for.A report on GamesIndustry.Biz indicates that the retail price of the PlayStation puny will drop by £20 in the UK to £129.99 on 4 May. The rest of the continent will pay €169.99 following a drop of €30. The change in price will be accompanied by a cheaper £14.99 tag for Platinum titles, with Ridge Racer 2, Tekken: Dark Resurrection, Killzone: Liberation, LocoRoco and Moto GP all being included in the range and fighting against the argument that the system doesn't have any games.
Loco Roco developer reveals cheats, answers questions
Loco Roco is easily one of the happiest games ever made, and it stands as the most critically acclaimed on PSP. Beyond Loco, a fan site dedicated entirely to the blubbery wonders, has somehow managed to capture Greg Tavares for a fan-driven Q&A session. This man clearly knows his stuff: one look at his blog will unveil a plethora of secrets that have remained hidden since the game's release. Codes for the game, such as how to unlock all levels, can be found at his blog.Members of the Beyond Loco fan site are free to submit questions at their message board. Certainly, the Loco Roco hardcore now have no choice but to register and bombard the site. Get your thinking caps on soon, as your burning questions won't be accepted after next Wednesday, the 18th.
Yes, LocoRoco gets another award nomination
You're probably tired of these stories. We are too. LocoRoco continues to receive praise from critics around the world, and it's nominated (yet again) for a new award. This time, educational charity D&AD has nominated the happiest PSP title for a Yellow Pencil award. Yellow Pencil awards aren't just for kids games, though. Previous winners include Resident Evil 4, and other fare, like Nintendogs.LocoRoco joins Shadow of the Colossus, Buzz!, Brain Training and Wii Sports in this year's nominations. Hopefully, next time Sony gets nominated, it'll be for a new game.
PSM3 to reveal Loco Roco 2 details?
Thank you, babelfish and your ability to translate Jeux-France for those of us who took 11 years of Spanish through their school-lives. Anyway, the latest issue of EGM had an advertisement for PSM3, the British monthly magazine, stating there was an article devoted to Loco Roco on PlayStation 3.What they didn't say was whether or not this was going to be a PS-Store port of the PSP title, a PS3 re-imagining of the PSP title, or a sequel to the original, making full use of the SIXAXIS. In any case, we'll soon have news about more cutesy blob-moving action akin to all those weird lava-lamp-like devices that were such a big deal ten years ago. Keep your eyes open when you snag that PSM3, Europe, and let us know what's inside!
Deal of the Day: LocoRoco for $15
Surprisingly, LocoRoco wasn't included in today's Greatest Hits update. Maybe it didn't sell enough copies? Regardless, import retailer Play-Asia is offering the blubbery platform game for cheap: only $14.90, plus shipping. Although this is an import version, this package offers English text ... even though of all games, this probably doesn't need it.[Via CAG]
LocoRoco earns more nominations, from NAViGaTR
There are way too many awards ceremonies for the video game industry. Thankfully, PSP's darling platformer LocoRoco is always there to represent the system. This year, LocoRoco has earned a Game of the Year nomination from NAViGaTR (National Academy of Video Game Testers and Reviewers). With 1,150 videogame critics, analysts, and journalists on the voting board, it's clear that LocoRoco's quality has impacted quite a lot of people.Feel free to watch the hilarious embedded video, which shows off an empty audience as the award nominations are announced. Something tells me they should've simply stuck to a press release instead of a video.[Via IGN]
GDC 07: LocoRoco makes people smile
Tsutomu Kouno, director of the beloved LocoRoco PSP game, told to an enthralled GDC audience: "I wanted to make a game that was easy to play, so that women and children, and people who have never played games before would be interested in playing it. ... I wanted to use AI to make people laugh. That's why I included actions like the LocoRoco stacking up."Many of the inspirations for LocoRoco's craziest moments come from observing Discovery Channel-like programming. One character, the Musukusu (pictured), came from watching the antics of one of his tropical fish. He knew that his game was a success when he saw children playing the game, laughing and moving their bodies. Undoubtedly, a PS3 version of the game will meet much success: "I can't tell you now [about a possible PS3 version]. [But] I'm not going to betray your expectations, so you can count on us." See also: Joystiq: Making LocoRoco players smile Gallery: LocoRoco (PSP) design process
Making LocoRoco players smile
A GDC seminar given by Tsutomu Kouno, director or LocoRoco, explored his process and goals in creating that PSP game. Like Miyamoto said earlier that day, Kouno wanted to make people smile. Speaking in Japanese, with us listening to a group of translators over a set of headphones, Kouno began with a personal history.He described growing up making toys, saying he would show them to people to make them laugh. He felt that LocoRoco came from that history. He said, "I wanted to make a game that was easy to play, so that women and children, and people who have never played games before would be interested in playing it. ... I wanted to use AI to make people laugh. That's why I included actions like the LocoRoco stacking up."See our gallery of LocoRoco design slides from the seminar.%Gallery-2050%
LocoRoco wins two AIAS awards
If LocoRoco's soundtrack doesn't get you smiling, then clearly you've been born without a heart. Sony's heavily promoted platformer got two wins at the AIAS awards, one for original soundtrack, and the other for "Best Children's Game." Congrats to Sony, and everyone at the LocoRoco team. [Via Joystiq] See also: LocoRoco wins two awards at BAFTA LocoRoco theme song karaoke!
Gears of War wins big at Interactive Achievement Awards
The 10th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards have at long last confirmed a growing, industry-wide suspicion: Gears of War is pretty good. In a ceremony held last night at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences bestowed eight shiny statuettes upon Epic Games' monsters vs. testosterone epic. In addition to winning overall Game of the Year, it picked up gongs for Console Game of the Year, Online Game Play, Animation, Art Design, Visual Engineering, Outstanding Character Performance and Action/Adventure Game of the Year.Wii Sports waggled three awards out of the academy, including ones for Outstanding Innovation, Gameplay Engineering and Game Design. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Guitar Hero II and Loco Roco all came away with double wins, whereas The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess made off with a single prize for Outstanding Story and Character Development (in your face, Saint's Row!). Inaugural Lifetime Achievement awards went to Minoru Arakawa and Howard Lincoln, for their involvement with the NES and the rebuilding of a shattered games industry during the 1980's.Check out the full list of winners after the break.Read -- AIAS press release [PDF]
LocoRoco joins The Best in Japan
Sony loves promoting the friendly blobs of LocoRoco. Although the game a lot of critical acclaim, it still hasn't garnered the sales warranted by such quality. Well, Sony's not giving up yet. Sony has announced that the game has entered "The Best" status in Japan, which is similar to America's Greatest Hits program. The game will be reissued as a budget title on February 22nd for the low price of 2800 yen. LocoRoco joins other recent additions to "The Best" series, such as: Initial D: Street Stage, We Love Katamari, Metal Gear Acid 2, and Bleach: Heat the Soul 2. Hopefully, we'll see our American version reach budget status soon.
Best of the rest: Zack's picks
Tetris DS (DS)Nintendo is guilty of shoveling franchises at its fans; did we need another Tetris? Does the NEStalgia design make the game more fun? Probably not. (And I think the pixelated graphics on the top screen detract from the game; I'd rather have the classic Russian graphics and music.) But this game with just adequate art direction excels in its online match-ups. I just keep coming back to Tetris DS to battle other action-puzzle dorks online.
Complete Loco Roco guide for download
Sony's official PlayStation website now has a complete, downloadable strategy guide for Loco Roco, which reveals the locations of every MuiMui, Pikorie, berry, and yes, Loco Roco. Think of it as a holiday gift from the kind folks at Sony.
What end of year awards did PSP earn?
Every major video game site loves to do an end-of-year "Best of" awards feature (something we'll undoubtedly lash out at you, PSP Fanboy reader). Contrary to popular belief, the PSP has done quite well for itself, and some of the awards its received may surprise you. Here's a run-down of everything I've seen across the Internet:GamespotBest Platformer: DaxterDaxter beat out three Nintendo DS games, including New Super Mario Bros, thanks to its incredible technology, great personality and fantastic gameplay. "The gorgeous visuals and sound are wrapped in gameplay that is as polished and enjoyable as any full-fledged PlayStation 2 game. While not wholly original, Daxter sacrifices nothing and is simply an all-around amazing game."Best PSP Game: Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops"Portable Ops not only delivers some of the best presentation quality to date on the PSP, but makes some meaningful, interesting changes to the MGS formula. The resulting game is very well suited to playing on the go and also achieves a better balance of gameplay and storytelling than previous Metal Gear Solid games."IGNPSP Game of the Year: Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror"What's most impressive is the depth of the action -- no second analog stick required! The control scheme enables you to do everything from operate a set of gadgets and diffuse bombs to snipe enemies and sift through different enemy types, all without slowing down the pace of the action."Games RadarWTF Award: LocoRocoGames Radar certainly took a non-traditional approach to awards this year. "We also loved that you couldn't play this game without cracking a smile - the nonsense songs were insanely catchy, the bright colors and curvy shapes were captivating and the overall theme was almost relentlessly happy and fun. By forcing our jaded, stone-like faces to grin once again, LocoRoco earns its Platinum Chalice like few other games on this list."The "It Doesn't Actually Suck" Award: PSPGames Radar understands what we've known all the time: PSP is a great system. The plethora of excellent exclusive titles and fantastic PS2 ports has Games Radar and PSP fanboys everywhere asking "this is a bad system?"Next Generation23rd Best Game: LocoRocoIn its top 50 list, LocoRoco managed to break into 23rd place. "Eminently cute and weird as a $3 bill, LocoRoco had players controlling a world and tilting it in order for a smiling blobbish thing to collect goodies, get fatter, and eventually roll or drop past a finishing point. It was as if someone's strange drug-induced hallucination had come to life on the PSP, complete with a dandy soundtrack and a punishing difficulty factor."
Associated Press' top handheld choice? LocoRoco
The Associated Press is one of the world's leading providers of news and opinion in the world. So, when such a huge mainstream press outlet says something good about the PSP, I take note. AP chose Oblivion as their Overall Game of the Year, and gave LocoRoco the award for Portable Game of the Year. "Sony's PlayStation Portable finally received a great, original game this summer with LocoRoco. Heaps of cuteness, creativity and charm made what could have been another boring platformer into one of the year's most original and irresistible video games." Surely, this comes as a surprise to those that expected a DS game to win. However, it's not all roses in Sony-land. The PLAYSTATION 3 got the dubious award of "Worst Console Launch." [Via Online Athens]
Loco Roco sequel confirmed
Sony Computer Entertainment President Phil Harrison recently spoke to MTV News, and made a startling revelation about the PSP exclusive LocoRoco. "It was a very successful game for us and we're continuing to evolve the franchise," he said. "We're going to bring 'LocoRoco' back in a couple of new ways with some new friends in the future." LocoRoco and Friends. Sounds like a sequel to me. Considering how many new levels the development team has created for the holidays, it seems like there's still a lot more LocoRoco to come.
Loco Roco Christmas downloadable demo
Get in the holiday spirit with Loco Roco. It appears, as promised, a Christmas themed version of Loco Roco has hit the net for your downloading pleasure. If you've downloaded demos before, you know what to do:1. Download the demo ZIP file.2. Extract the contents of the ZIP file.3. Connect your PSP to your computer using a USB cable.4. Go to the PSP/GAME folder.5. Copy NPJG90001 folder into directory. Check out our new demos site:demos.pspfanboy.com
Loco Roco ranks in top 100 memorable moments
Games Radar decided to go through the annals of their video game memory, and search for the 100 most memorable gaming moments they could think of. The PSP managed to get a measly two games on the list: Loco Roco and Lumines. Apparently, the moment when all the Loco Rocos get together to sing was memorable enough to mark it the 60th most memorable gaming moment of all time.Do you agree that these games deserve to be on this list? Or, do you think any other PSP games should make the cut?
