Sackboy: A Big Adventure

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is a 3D platformer by studio Sumo Digital that brings the beloved character from the LittleBigPlanet series into a full-fledged jumping adventure without an emphasis on creating your own content. Sackboy sets out to save his friends and home island from the villain Vex, who has kidnapped the inhabitants of Craftworld using a giant machine. The player makes their way through dozens of vibrant levels split into themed worlds, from snowy plains to underwater scenery, collecting bubbles and cosmetic items to customize their character. Besides linear jumping levels, the game also offers special musical passages where the character's movement is synced to the rhythm of the track, plus bonus challenges focused on the fastest possible run-through or maximum bubble collection.

The game was designed as one of the showcase titles for the launch of PlayStation 5 and fully exploits its technical capabilities — fast loading between levels, adaptive triggers, and DualSense haptic feedback that responds to surfaces and in-game actions. The graphics are colorful, plush, and full of detail, which combined with a smooth frame rate makes every level a visually rich experience. Many passages are also designed for up to four players in local co-op, where teamwork and dividing tasks become a key part of progression. The sound design relies on energetic, cinematically composed music that accompanies nearly every level and helps create the celebratory, festive tone of the whole game.

At launch, the game was praised for the precision of its controls, clever level design, and skillful use of rhythmic musical passages where jumping syncs with the music. Although not a revolutionary breakthrough for the genre, it proved that a traditional 3D platformer can work as dignified fun for the whole family on a new console. It remains a popular choice today for players of all ages looking for an undemanding yet honestly well-crafted platformer, whether in single-player or shared family play.

Why play: For families looking for an undemanding yet honestly well-crafted platformer with precise controls and rhythm-synced musical passages, it's a popular choice for players of all ages.