Sackboy hopes to give gamers a merry Christmas

HE is just a few inches high, and made of discarded sack.

Yet Sony hopes Sackboy, pictured below, the star of its new computer game Little Big Planet, could help the firm win the games console war.

Experts say the game, one of the most eagerly awaited for Sony's Playstation console, could see the company taking a lead over rival Microsoft who make the Xbox.

"This is a hugely important game for Sony, and is crucial to their future success," said Katherine Hannaford, of gadget magazine T3. "However, it does seem that the game will appeal to both hardcore games players and families, and looks set to do very well.

"I certainly don't see that Microsoft has anything similar, and it could even see Sony winning players from Nintendo, whose Wii console has traditionally been a favourite for non-gamers."

Sony is already preparing a host of Sackboy merchandise amid plans to make the character as recognisable as Mario and Sonic. "We know Sony have big plans for Sackboy, and even we have been amazed by how popular he seems to be becoming," said David Smith, one of the games programmers.

A team of 30 programmers at Guildford-based company Media Molecule have been working on LBP for two and a half years.

Little Big Planet is, at its heart, a simple platform/puzzle game, which sees players controlling the very cute Sackboy. However, this is all done with some of the most impressive graphics and programming you're likely to see. The key to the game is its physics programming everything works exactly, and looks exactly as it would in the real world. The cartoon characters really do appear to be made of fabric, and items in the world react as they would jump on a skateboard, for instance, and it will move, grab onto a spinning gear and it will throw you into the air.

The animation is superb, and captures the cartoon, yet strangely organic feel of the game perfectly.

Control is easy, and once you've completed beginner levels, complete with Stephen Fry voiceover, there are thousands of online levels.

And it is the online capabilities that really set LBP apart. Players can build levels and upload them. It's quite complicated, but you can simply play the thousands of levels others have uploaded.

You can also play online with other people. Some multiplayer levels require one player to stand on a button, while another pulls a lever, so teamwork is essential.

Overall, LBP is a huge step forward and really does live up to the hype. Sony has created a game that will sell consoles and appeal to people who don't usually play games.

Little Big Planet is released 24 October, priced £44.99.