In hoping to improve on some of the shortcomings present in the first game, LittleBigPlanet 2 includes a new device referred to as the Controlinator that gives the player more direct control over object movement than they were ever given before. A new trailer vignette for the game gives a brief overview as to how the Controlinator works and showcases some of its varied applications.

One of the bigger struggles with LittleBigPlanet was the way in which the player’s Sackboy interacted with objects in each stage. Many players and even the geniuses at Media Molecule had placed within the game some unique vehicles which ended up as a continual source of frustration rather than providing a wow factor.

With the Controlinator, players can soar, drive, dig, and climb better than they ever could before. The idea is simple: the level creator places a Controlinator on an object/vehicle of their choosing and is thereby able to manipulate it in a myriad of ways. Some prime examples in the trailer include piloting a spitting camel and traversing up the side of a level on the back of a worm.

Check out the Controlinator in action:

Beta access for the game has shown that one of the simpler, but nonetheless brilliant applications of the Controlinator is its ability to manipulate objects in a way to create a game within a game. Seen briefly in the trailer, the Controlinator allows the player to partake in a bare bones game of the popular game Breakout. Other highlights seen in the beta include similar recreations of an Asteriod-esque game and a more streamlined version of Tetris.

The Controlinator is only one of the new additions making Media Molecule’s sequel feel like a completely new game. On the surface the setting feels familiar, but the depth of the mechanics this time around seem even more endless than before. Media Molecule isn’t merely creating an experience for the player, they are giving them the tools to become their own developer.

What applications can you see making great use of the Controlinator? Is there anything that you are hoping LittleBigPlanet 2 can do that you have yet to see?

LittleBigPlanet 2 releases January 18th, 2011 for the PS3.

Source: PlayStation Blog