Today is a grand day in Loco history as LocoRoco Midnight Carnival hits the PSN! As I’ve stated in my last few blog posts, Midnight Carnival is full of great new features to satisfy your “tilt and roll” needs! But one of the biggest things this game brings is….competition. Now I’m not just talking about the multiplayer feature we went over on Monday where I took Kumi out. :) I’m talking about competition on a global scale! With Midnight Carnival, you can finally test your skills against the best in the world via the new online Global Leaderboard.

For those of you who can’t find a LocoRoco opponents locally, check out the Global Leaderboard (accessible via Infrastructure mode) to compete with the top players from around the globe. The top five players will be given the option to upload their replay save for bragging rights. Those who don’t rank in the top 5 can download those replays for possible tips on improving their game. Talk about showing your LocoRoco supremacy!

For those of you who are sitting the fence, not to worry. We are releasing a Demo today, and a new PSP Wallpaper next week to further wet your appetite! If you don’t pick up LocoRoco Midnight Carnival after that, well I just don’t know what else I can do….

Oh wait! How about these?

Now you can celebrate LocoRoco Midnight Carnival Day AND Halloween together!

Merry Trick or Treating!

Have you all decided on your Halloween costumes yet?
Have you stocked up on candy for the Trick or Treating kids in the neighborhood?
Have you charged your wallets up in preparation for LocoRoco Midnight Carnival for PSP, available this Thursday on PSN for $14.99?

Well, thankfully you have a few more days to get ready! In this week’s blog post, we’d like to share a little more on the features, specifically multiplayer!

For the first time in Loco history, you can now race friends through levels! Via Ad Hoc, connect with up to four players and see who can get to the end first. Each player controls their own tilt and bounce action, but you can see their position on your screen so you know when you are neck and neck. To show you how this works, I challenged Kumi, my LocoRoco partner-in-crime here, to a race and we recorded it.

Many of you regular readers may recall a blog post for LocoRoco 2 when we first introduced Ad Hoc competition LocoRoco Minigame called LocoRider. Kumi and I played head to head and she ended up beating me. So this is our rematch!

(She is the pink LocoRoco on the screen, and you will see my yellow avatar, which will indicate my position on the map.)

Well folks, I have good news! (for me at least)

I WON! YAY!!!

Free Loco-Goodness on PSN
If you didn’t catch them last week, we put up some special FREE LocoRoco PSN items!

A LocoRoco Midnight Carnival theme and spooky wallpaper! Make sure to swing by and grab them to get into the spirit!

Catch you again soon with more Loco-goodness!

Halloween is just around the corner, but wait, so is LocoRoco Midnight Carnival! I’m happy to announce LocoRoco Midnight Carnival hits the PlayStation Network for PSP on October 29 for $14.99!

So that means in two short weeks you’ll finally be able to get your LocoRoco fix, complete with 16 brand new stages, full competitive and co-op modes, two mini games, and three additional bonus stages! On top of that, we are very eager for LocoRoco fans old and new to try out the new “Boing” mechanism which adds even more fun and challenge to the game. It will keep you on your toes and keep your palms pretty sweaty…please wipe hands clean once in a while!

As we get ready for the LocoRoco Midnight Carnival launch and before we all go “Trick or Treating,” we’d love to highlight some other cool features of the game…like new LocoRoco accessories!

Gandalf the Yellow?

Harry Potter Who?

Just like you would wear masks and costumes to dress up for Halloween, LocoRoco now has the ability to dress up for a variety of added features.

As you play and collect pickories, you can go the Bui Bui store and purchase accessories for LocoRoco, some of which can give you special abilities! Check some of them out!

Helper’s Mask

Having trouble getting through a certain area? Do you wish you had someone carry you over and bypass that area? Yes, your wish can be granted! Ask your friend to wear “Helper’s Mask” and play the level together. Then you will be able to hold onto your friend and bypass the area!

Heart Glasses

Some accessories are meant for certain LocoRoco! Find out what happens when each LocoRoco wears their own accessories.

These chic and sleep specs would look just dazzling on Viole! She certainly looks happy when she wears them. Her boings turn into her color and she starts singing!

Stay tuned to the Blog next week as we cover how multiplayer works!

Till then, have a great weekend!

As you’ll notice in the trailer, LocoRoco Midnight Carnival features a super enhanced high bounce called “Boing!” You can navigate the LocoRoco by bouncing even higher off the walls and throughout the levels. It changes the gameplay dynamic and we think you’ll have a lot of fun with it.

Check out the trailer from the European PlayStation Blog, embedded below, and let us know what you think!

Long time no speak, Tsubasa here with breaking news!

We have a spin off of our favorite LocoRoco franchise coming down the pipe real fast! LocoRoco Midnight Carnival just made its world premier at gamescom going on in Cologne, Germany this week. The product will be for the PSP platform via the PSN.

We’re making sure our fans States-side are not left out on the news.

The mischievous BuiBui woke LocoRoco up from beauty sleep. It seems BuiBui have gone and built some challenging levels for LocoRoco to tackle. Help LocoRoco conquer the levels in hope to get back to bed!

This time around, LocoRoco has a super enhanced bounce called “Boing!” Use this to your advantage and literally bounce off walls, find LocoRoco’s friend MuiMui, and go for the goal!

LocoRoco Midnight Carnival comes with:

• 16 standard stages
• 2 mini games
• 3 bonus stages

Use the Ad hoc feature to either compete with friends, or to play co-op. We will also have leaderboards prepared for you, to compete with your LocoRoco friends worldwide!

We’re very excited to be bringing LocoRoco Midnight Carnival to you. Stay tuned for more details!

Here is a quick run down on the new features being added as of June 18.

Cloud:
This is a game mode that allows players to upload levels they have created, and also download levels that others have posted. We have added a simple search function to go with it. For example, if you find someone whose works you like, you can search for their levels by ID.

Our Picks:
For those of you who do not want to search through the sea of user-generated content, we have weekly updates of 8 recommended levels for you to enjoy.

YouTube Uploader/PlayStation EYE support:
Another great feature update is the YouTube uploader. Once players have played through a level successfully, they have the option to upload the replay to YouTube (you will need a YouTube account of course, but the process is very straightforward).

Even better, if you have the PlayStation Eye peripheral, you will be enabled to capture yourself playing the game. This capture will appear as a “picture-in-picture” image, that you can also upload to YouTube. Capture that moment of successfully solving that mind breaking puzzle and share with friends!

There are a bunch of smaller but important additional updates as well, such as DTS Sound Support, custom soundtrack support (play back your own music in-game, from your XMB playlist), and updated Trophy Icons. So yes, we do listen to comments or feedback from our dear users.

We are very happy to continue support on this project, and hope you enjoy the added value!

And if you haven’t seen it yet, check out the trailer for the echochrome spin-off for PSP that was announced at E3 last week — “echochrono (working title).”

The first true online-enabled RPG on the PS3, White Knight Chronicles provides fans with visually stunning backdrops, a unique active turn-based battle system, and robust online gameplay rooted in an unforgettable adventure.

Today, we are excited to bring to you a sneak peek of our E3 trailer.

What is the story behind the transformation into the White Knight?
Is it as simple as it sounds?
Are you ready for an adventure?

Keep an eye out for additional White Knight Chronicles coverage at this year’s E3!

No.. I’m not back to make excuses for losing to Kumi the other day in that mini-game…

The new LocoRoco 2 Planet theme for both PSP and PS3!

Yes, okay, I admit, that was pretty pathetic. However, I would like to share how excited we are on how LocoRoco 2 was reviewed this week!

“LocoRoco 2 is the most uplifting game available…” – Videogamer.com Score: 9/10

With comments like this, I’d say it’s a no-brainer to go out and get your copy! I mean, really…20 bucks doesn’t get you very far these days.

I have worked here at SCE for 12 years on excellent franchises and I have to say LocoRoco 2 was one of the most enjoyable titles I’ve been on. Those of you who have played the first LocoRoco will immediately notice the improvements to the core physics or A.I., let alone the newly added features. For those new to the LocoRoco franchise, you have joined in at the right time regardless (the first one was great fun too though!). Just ask GameInformer:

“Newcomers should jump right into the sequel despite the “2” on the box…PSP owners would be crazy to pass this one by.” – Game Informer Score: 9.25/10

Whether you are a constantly moving jet setter or if you are a parent who just wants to keep the little ones in the back seat of your car happy…(or busy), LocoRoco 2 is a perfect game for those on the go. It doesn’t take heavy mental investment to play. It’s fun, casual, and just makes you smile. During rough times like this, I think anybody can use a smile booster. LocoRoco 2 will certainly help you out!

“…just the kind of game you want in your pocket.” – IGN Score: 9.1/10 (Editor’s Choice Award)

I also had the chance to hook up with the original creator of the LocoRoco franchise, Tsutomu Kouno, 2 weeks ago when I flew out to Tokyo for some meetings. Tsutomu and I actually joined the force together in 1997, back in the time when our Tokyo office had less than 400 employees (!). Below is a quick hello to you all from Tsutomu:

LocoRoco is a solid cluster of my favorite elements; play, music and representation.
This time, we were able to add more elements to the rolling snowball to make the cluster into a snowman.
I truly hope you will enjoy your LocoRoco 2 experience!

As I mentioned above, it was so much fun working on this project. Now that LocoRoco 2 is in stores, I’m hoping we can extend the joy and excitement to as many people out there as possible. Coupled with the sweepstakes and the many goodies we have for you on the PSN (check out the New LocoRoco 2 Planet theme for both your PSP and PS3!), I think you’re in for a good ride!

To close this post, we would like to share with you the launch trailer for LocoRoco 2. I think this summarizes the colorful, playful and cheerful excitement that is jam packed into this $20 UMD.

If this great video hasn’t convinced you, I hope the rest of these awesome reviews will help!

“LocoRoco 2’s fantastic level designs, addicting mini-games and gameplay left a smile on my face a mile long.” – GamePro.com Score: 4/5

“Still hands-down the cutest franchise on the PSP.” – GameSpot Score: 8.5/10

“Crazy, slaphappy jubilance.” – GameRevolution Score: 83% (B+)

“A great sequel to one of the PSP’s best franchises, LocoRoco 2 is definitely a game fans of the original will want in their collection.” – Gamezone Score: 8.2 / 10

“It’s one of the best experiences for the PSP.” – Gamer2.0 Score: 8.6/10

“LocoRoco 2 is a great title at a great price point.” – Destructoid Review 8.5/10

“There is no better game if you are feeling down or only have a few minutes to play.” – Kombo Review: 9.0/10

“Loco Roco 2 is a refreshing, deep and thoroughly enjoyable breath of fresh air.” – Joystiq

“The kind of game you can pass to a child for a long car ride” – Children’s Technology Review Editor’s Choice Award – 4.8 stars (out of five)

Enjoy LocoRoco 2 y’all, and thanks for the support!

-Tsubasa

You might be wondering…”Tsubasa? Why so sad in the picture?”

“…and who is your friend?”

Read on to find out.

Now that America is ready for some change with President Obama, we too are ready to bring some change to one of our favorite franchises in LocoRoco 2. Question is, will we be able to improve on the beloved original? Say it with me people…”Yes We Can!”

Most of you may already recognize the basic controls of tilt, roll or jump in LocoRoco. I’m sure it has left an impression with you with its unique and colorful art style, gameplay, and of course the music that sticks in your head like bubble gum on your sneakers – but enough of the intro stuff…what’s new?

Let’s start with the music.

Not only does it stick in your minds for the whole day, but once you start playing, you will immediately notice the music building up (more instruments, more liveliness) as you make progress through the stages. The Moja appear and even their gloomy voices create great fusion with their themed music. You are even challenged to play a musical mini-game during the adventure to earn notes (See above screen)! It’s like being in an interactive musical.

LocoRoco’s New Tricks
Music is clearly not the only change we bring to you with LocoRoco 2. The LocoRoco are not going to sit back and let the Moja wither their cheerful world. Even though new obstacles are in place such as water, huge gaps or boulders to block their way, don’t you worry! The LocoRoco have taken swimming lessons from Michael Phelps, and survival swinging lessons from Indiana Jones.

They can also hop into objects such as shells, and plow through enemies or obstacles to proceed. Later on you learn the super jump too, which is really cool (It just might take you to places you couldn’t explore previously).

Deeper Levels
But wait, don’t be intimidated by all the new moves that LocoRoco 2 brings. This doesn’t mean the game is too difficult. All newbies are welcome to join us in helping the LocoRoco bring color back to their world. At the same time, we haven’t forgot about the loyal supporters out there. The more experienced veterans are sure to be pleased with the depth and replay value that LocoRoco 2 has. Some skills are not obtained until a certain level of progress is made in the game. You might want to play back some of the levels again, to go back and visit unexplored areas within the stages, or perhaps pick up some additional items!

The Stamps
One example of the items collected through gameplay are stamps and stamp sheets. I’m not sure if all of you can relate to this, but remember the collectable sticker books they used to have for baseball or football? It kind of works like that. Stamp sheets have been left blank with areas to fill in. Players will review the stamp sheets and do their best to fill in the empty artwork spaces with their stamps. Trust me, there are a lot of stamps to collect!

(Oh…I almost forgot to mention there is a small reward for any stamp sheet that is completed. Happy stamping!)

The MuiMui House
Another good reason for you to keep playing is the great MuiMui House. This is the happy home of the MuiMui that you will or have safely recovered from their captivity. The player will start with the shell of the MuiMui house. They will need a combination of various items they collect during their journeys across the LocoRoco 2 stages.

As your game play progresses, you will (hopefully!) have more MuiMui to house and feed. Keep going back to collect the items you need to build rooms, furniture, and toys for the MuiMui to live another happy day. Don’t worry, the MuiMui will assist you in letting you know which items are in need. Although this will require some additional gaming on your part, we have prepared a special surprise for those of you who fully complete the MuiMui House. MuiMui!

New Mini Games and the Mystery of my Sad Face
There are six new mini-games to discover in LocoRoco 2, and since I don’t want to kill any surprises, I’ll just tell you about a few.

A shooter type game within the world of LocoRoco? (Yes We Can!) BuiBui BoooooN! is a mini game in LocoRoco 2, where your objective is to shoot down enemy BuiBui (imagine super mean MuiMui), rescue the MuiMui, and collect the LocoRoco bringing them to the end of each stage. You are rewarded for you performance with items that can be used to create something back at the MuiMui House. Make sure to massage your right thumb before playing!

You know when you always seem to choose the wrong line at a toll booth or a cash register? That’s me with the Loco Race mini game. Loco Race is basically – Guess which LocoRoco can get to the finish line first. Your chances are one out of four. This is good fun. At the end you even receive a prize, hopefully an item you are looking for to build something at the MuiMui House? I’m terrible with this one…but that’s not why I’m sad.

The girl in the photo earlier is Kumi Yuasa, the AP on LocoRoco 2, and my partner in LocoRoco crime. I recently challenged Kumi in my favorite mini-game, Loco Rider, the mini-game that brings multiplayer to LocoRoco (Yes We Can!). I can’t tell you how fun challenging friends on LR2 is, so I’ll just show you. Kumi is “I love LocoRoco,” the Yellow LocoRoco, I am logged in as “NewRing,” the Red One…

The answer to the mystery is all in this video.

Want more LocoRoco goodness? Stay tuned!

No question, times are tough these days, all you need to do is turn on the news. As promised in my last LocoRoco 2 post, I’m back to finally deliver some *good* news…specifically about the release of LocoRoco 2 next month. Well, I kind of gave it away in this post’s headline, but here it is anyway-

On February 10, LocoRoco 2 will be on store shelves for only $19.99!

In a time where it can be tough to spend money on games, we’re definitely excited to bring PSP players the world of LocoRoco for this super-low price. I mean, what else can you get these days for only $20, besides LocoRoco 2 and a Barack Obama Action Figure?

The answer is: not much!

Even our friends at IGN are excited. In case you haven’t watched it yet, please check out IGN’s video preview of LocoRoco 2 HERE. IGN Editor Jeff Haynes does a great job featuring some of the new gameplay elements that we’re introducing to the LocoRoco world.

MORE GOOD NEWS!

If you can’t wait to get your hands on our favorite yellow blob, you can be one of the first to get you hands on the demo! Pre-order the game through one of our participating retailers like Amazon, GameCrazy or GameStop and you will be awarded a voucher you can redeem on the PlayStation Network for the LocoRoco 2 demo weeks before the game releases!

We can’t wait for you to get your hands on it. Filled with contagious giggling, funky music and big, bright smiles everywhere, LocoRoco 2 is sure to take you to your “happy” place instantly!

Keep your eyes on the PlayStation.Blog for much more on LocoRoco 2 between now and February 10th.