LittleBigPlanet Vs Astro Bot

Gloss over the poster children of the PlayStation brand and you'll likely find two names sewn into the tapestry: Sackboy of LittleBigPlanet, and Astro Bot of The Playroom. Like Xbox's Master Chief of Halo, Sony's kin have the common goal of upholding the brand's identity, and are often the first to trial new innovations, such as the PlayStation VR, for example. And while Sackboy has since fallen from the radar, there is still a lot of confusion over which of the two is the all-round GOAT.

There's a lot of confusion, too, primarily because of the similarities between the two, and how the gameplay is arguably identical to that of the other. When all's said and done, though, there really is only one question that remains to be answered, and that is which of the two is better, visually, mechanically, and aurally?

What Is LittleBigPlanet?

LittleBigPlanet is a third-person action-adventure platforming series by Media Molecule, a British studio most recently known for creating Dreams. Developed in 2008, the newly appointed breakout hit eventually went on to become the poster child for the PlayStation 3, with its protagonist, Sackboy, transitioning into an ambassador for the gaming brand.

Since 2008, LittleBigPlanet has spanned a multitude of platforms and a number of major instalments and spin-offs, with the most recent coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in 2020, Sackboy: A Big Adventure. 

What Is Astro Bot?

Astro Bot is a third-person platforming series by Team ASOBI, a firm known for developing exclusive titles under the PlayStation brand. Its first entry, The Playroom, was developed back in 2013 to showcase the features on the DualShock 4 and the PlayStation Camera. Since then, The Playroom has branched out to Astro's Playroom, an all-new IP that Sony favors for showing off its latest features, including new DualShock controllers, hardware, and its very own PlayStation VR tech.

Since 2013, Astro Bot has only pumped out four titles under Sony's wing. It's unclear whether or not Team ASOBI will be bringing any new entries to the series, or if, like LittleBigPlanet, it's being shelved for the foreseeable future.

Sackboy Vs Astro Bot

On paper, both Sackboy and Astro Bot are leaps and bounds apart; one is a ragdoll with a cheeky grin, and the other is an eccentric robot with a heroic cape, neither of whom have any similarities appearance-wise. And don't get me wrong, they're both equally as loveable and an overall pleasure to journey with. But analysing the designs, strictly speaking, Sackboy is arguably the more appealing choice of character here, mostly because, you know—who doesn't love a knitted doll made of burlap sack and polkadot-shaped button eyes?

And there's history, too. Let's not forget the fact that Sony actually started out with LittleBigPlanet, what with its first entry coming to PlayStation 3 back in 2008, whereas Astro Bot didn't make an appearance until 2013 on base PlayStation 4 consoles. But as far as character models go, the anthropomorphic human-like hand-me-down sack brings a lot more to the table; being fully customizable and with countless distinctive personality traits, for example. Astro Bot, on the other hand, isn't anything beyond aesthetically appealing, and is, when all's said and done, an android-sporting robot with a cape and little to no definable powers.

Gameplay

Both LittleBigPlanet and Astro Bot: Rescue Mission share a lot of similarities—especially in the gameplay department. As platformers at heart, the two franchises mostly opt for creative, vibrant, and overzealous level designs with plenty of obstacles courses for the player to navigate and earn points and rewards from. What the two also share is tokens, an in-game currency that allows for players to purchase perks and cosmetics between levels and worlds. As far as these things go, a lot is the same—identical, even, and all the more reason to entertain the idea of playing both whenever the time arises.

Still, what truly sets the two games apart is LittleBigPlanet's option to create custom levels by utilizing an enormous collection of unlockable cosmetics, set pieces, and household items. Unlike Astro Boy, which favors the premade levels and features, LittleBigPlanet offers plenty more bang for your buck, and comes loaded with not only a Create Mode for you to toy around with, but a slew of other modes including a campaign and an online multiplayer mode.

Of course, it all boils down to personal preference, as one IP favors classic platforming, and the other prefers to involve and parade PlayStation's latest innovations, which includes the well-known PS VR headset. But if it's the former you want, then LittleBigPlanet is hands down the best thing you could possibly swing for. If it's the latter, and you're wanting to experiment with your new PS5 or PS VR, then honestly, you shouldn't turn your nose up at Astro Bot: Rescue Mission or Astro's Playroom, either.

Verdict

Evidently, PlayStation has two iconic franchises on its hand, and can no doubt take either in any direction and still retain each of their sky-high popularities without risking a stain on the default tapestry. But if we still had to answer the question over which one is the better choice, then we'd definitely have to swing for LittleBigPlanet over Astro Bot. While still giving the latter the benefit of the doubt for being a much younger franchise, we can't help but argue that Sackboy is the all-round better poster child for PlayStation, in general.

If it's an immersive VR experience you want, then definitely consider picking up Astro Bot: Rescue Mission. But if you're a die-hard platforming fan and love the idea of creating your own levels and engaging in a slew of timeless worlds, then aim to slug through just about every LittleBigPlanet game on the slate—right up to Sackboy: A Big Adventure. Or better yet, just pick up both collections; they're all relatively cheap and effortlessly hearty and memorable.

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our decision? Which of the two do you prefer? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.