From the moment Sackboy pokes his tongue out and Stephen Fry's dulcet tones caress the speakers, you know this game is going to be LittleBigPlanet through and through.
But what makes LittleBigPlanet Karting worth looking at over the likes of the excellent ModNation Racers? Well, not much.
There is thenicely put-together Level Creator and the ability to play on tracks made by fans around the world. The multiplayer modes are great fun, especially the battle arenas where victory is based on kill count, reminiscent of the good old days of Crash Team Racing.
However, not everybody indulges in multiplayer mode, and those gamers are well and truly let down by the lacklustre single-player gameplay.
Did I say lacklustre? I meant infuriating, rage-inducing and overwhelmingly frustrating.
You see, amongst the gadgets you pick up around the tracks are countering weapons called "Weaponators", used to fire backwards and destroy missiles that are zeroing in on your kart.
It's not difficult to get into first place when racing, which means that the rest of the field has every weapon they pick up aimed at bringing you down.
You can only carry one weapon at a time, and once you use a Weaponator to stop a missile you need to pick up another. Problem is, no sooner have you shot one down when another is on its way. One hit and you'll find yourself in last place.
