LocoRoco (PSP)

LOCOROCO lets you control the fate of little 2-D blobs as they roll through perilous environments. While the obscure story is hard to follow, it involves space creatures called Moja, who have come to take the LocoRoco from their peaceful planet. The LocoRoco fluidly roll around, jump over obstacles, eat fruit to grow, and can temporarily break into smaller LocoRoco to squeeze through nooks and crevices. You must also find hidden areas to rescue spiky-haired friends, called MuiMuis.

You do not control the six protagonists -- instead, you manipulate their world, which causes them to move. Specifically, you must tilt the planet so your LocoRoco rolls in a certain direction. Most of the game is played with just two buttons; pressing the left and right shoulder buttons on the PSP tilts the world left or right, respectively. A few times throughout each of the 40 levels, you must tap the O (circle) button to break the LocoRoco into smaller critters; holding down the O button again regroups them.

Complementing its colorful and simple graphics and smooth animation, LocoRoco excels in its catchy soundtrack. In fact, the LocoRoco seem to like it, too, as they sing along with every song. Along with the single-player adventure, LocoRoco includes three Mini games. You can even build a custom LocoHouse by collecting pieces, such as a teeter-totter for stairs.

Good news for parents: the E-rated LocoRoco doesn't contain any inappropriate content. Even the occasional "combat" elements in the game are simply one blob bumping into another. LocoRoco is a refreshingly charming, fun and original game for players of all ages. Run, walk or roll to the store to see for yourself.