The sequel to one of the most beloved PSP games is finally here! The blobby Loco Rocos’ planet is being invaded yet again by those nasty Mojas. But this time, the Mojas have a new weapon: a special song that, when sung, puts everyone into a deep blue funk. Now it’s up to the Loco Roco blobs to beat those mean ol’ Mojas again and make the planet happy once more. The Loco Roco can chase away your blues, too! Just read the review:

Just as in the first game, you don’t directly control the Loco Roco. Tilt the whole world left and right by pressing the L and R buttons to send the Loco Roco rolling in that direction. Press both at the same time and the Loco Roco will jump. Press the circle button to make your Loco Roco split up into tiny blobs to fit into small spaces, and hold the circle button down to make them join into one big blob again.

The Loco Roco have learned a few new tricks in the sequel, like the ability to swim. At certain times, play a simple music mini-game when the Loco Roco want to sing. Use these simple controls to navigate tricky mazes, secret passages, and avoid spikes and other dangerous obstacles. Find and eat as much fruit as you can along the way to make your Loco Roco grow bigger.

By exploring hidden areas in the first game, you could find items to build a house for your Loco Roco. But in the sequel, you find secret items to build a Mui Mui house. The Mui Mui are those little blue critters that you find hidden in each stage. Replaying stages to find materials for the Mui Mui house is strangely addicting. A few new and old mini-games round out the Loco Roco 2 package.

If there is any problem with Loco Roco 2, it’s that it is a little too much like the first game. Same gameplay, same graphics, same music, etc. It almost feels more like an expansion pack than a sequel. But, it’s still a worthy addition to one of the best PSP games out there (at least I think so), and it’s a good deal at only 20 bucks, too.

Kid Factor:
Loco Roco 2 is rated E for Everyone with an ESRB descriptor of Mild Cartoon Violence. The Loco Roco can get hurt by spikes and eaten by Mojas, but other than that, it’s a pretty non-violent game. People say it’s the happiest game ever, and I like to call it the best game Nintendo never made. A definite must-buy for PSP owners with kids.

I will say one thing, though. I’ve kid-tested this game with my little brothers and their friends and found that it’s not as kid-friendly as I would have initially thought. Some kids I’ve seen play it have trouble with the simple controls, and want to tilt the whole PSP left and right. Others find the stages too challenging (there are a couple tough areas here and there). And some kids said it made them dizzy! Your mileage may vary, but I thought I’d let you all know what I’ve observed.

Tags: Game Reviews