No sooner do we say that aloud, though, and Sony go and drop this on us. The LocoRoco 2 sweepstakes, which is offering LocoRoco stuff as part of the prize package. Sure, at the moment these are relegated to "prizes", but there's always the chance they'll later be offered to those who just want to pay money for them.

First is this novelty pen, which blends the pen of the 80's with the Sony handheld mascot of the 00's. Watch as, when you tilt the pen, the LocoRoco float around in their little plastic, fluid-filled prison world!

Following the pen is this stress toy. Which is really a balloon with a LocoRoco's face on it. Sounds tempting, but why would we want to squeeze a LocoRoco, Sony? They're the good guys. You should have made the stress toy one of the bad guys and...oh, right, Legal probably put a stop to that one.

LocoRoco 2: Don't Worry, Get Loco! Sweepstakes [PlayStation]

Following a PSP pricing strategy similar to the one SCEA used with the original Patapon, the sub-twenty dollar scheme may simply be a "please, please, please don't pirate this game." LocoRoco 2 lands in the United States and maybe even Canada on February 10 at that low, low price. Luke loved it, maybe you will too.

If you need any further incentives to pick up the game, Sony's also giving away demo vouchers at select retailers if you pre-order. What else can these people possibly do to get you to love them, already?

Get LocoRoco 2 for the Cost of Just Two Movie Tickets! [PlayStation.blog]

Kotakuite Nathan sends us pictures of his v8-bit gingerbread creations, featuring Mario, Mega Man, and LocoRoco - which isn't technically 8-bit. I suppose that explains why Mega Man is shooting at them in one of the pics below, but why the Mario hostility? Is it because the clean-shaven plumber is obviously an imposter, or did Mega Man actually shave off Mario's trademark mustache before taking him out, execution style? The world may never know.

If you don't agree and think that this rainbow of Sackboy get ups is worth your $2.99, they'll be yours for the garish taking starting this Thursday in North America. That's when the five-piece combo meal of brightly colored Sackboys hit the PlayStation Store.

A second option is the Sack-in-the-Box costume, a free, television be-headed alternative. It's creepy enough to get some hard drive space.

LittleBigPlanet Weekly Download Update [PlayStation.blog]

"......"

So...yeah, LocoRoco 2 looks pretty neat, and...uh, Mr. Kouno? Hello?

"......"

So went some parts of today's interview with Tsutomu Kouno. Just a few. And the guy wasn't being rude at all. He's a really sharp, really nice guy. He was just totally into LocoRoco 2. Couldn't stop tapping his feet during the new rhythm-action sections, couldn't stop humming along to the new character's songs.

It's great to see that, despite having done nothing but work on LocoRoco for the past 3-4 years, Kouno can still completely lose himself in the game. It's definitely a lot more encouraging sign for the game than any bullet point or press release could ever manage.

According to details translated by 1UP, LocoRoco 2 looks to stick to the formula of the first pretty closely, with new music, new bosses and the ability to bite more things — that's a bullet point, for sure — topping the list of new features. Following sequel evolution tradition, your Locos can now swim. Amazing how that always seems to take an iteration or two.

LocoRoco 2 Confirmed, Detailed [1UP]

The good news is that it's due this year, at least according to Claire Backhouse, a product manager for Sony Computer Entertainment UK. It was casually mentioned as one of the games that will inspire PSP owners to think "Oh yeah, I own a PSP" in a recent chat with MCV.

With the PlayStation 3 entry in the series, LocoRoco Cocoreccho, little more than a glorified screen saver, we hope that Kouno and team have something interesting planned for the PSP sequel. Perhaps something that takes advantage of all those new PSP accessories?

PS we love you [MCV]

Man, CES isn't for another two weeks and yet here we are with our first trailer for the upcoming rhythm game Patapon. A certain luck Editor got a preview copy that he is even now probably playing on his way to his festive holiday festivities. The design on this one looks great and ties in very nicely with Japan Studios' highly addictive and eternally cheerful Loco Roco. You can definitely tell they are part of the same family yet completely different in their gameplay. Considering how much I loved Loco Roco, this will be a must-have for my PSP.

So make with the puns and emo imagery, kids, and let's do this.

E For All Loves Threadless [Threadless]

To start off with, the upper management didn't understand the idea. It was hard to communicate, so I tried to show them what it would be like moving — I created the demo and then they went for it... They liked the concept of rotating the world to move the LocoRocos to the goal, but they didn't understand what I meant when I said I wanted to apply AI to the LocoRoco and put other AI creatures in it — they couldn't see how that would be interesting or fun.

Yes, players will use the SIXAXIS tilt controls. And over 200 characters [read: circles] will be playable in the game. All joking aside, I'll download Buu Buu just to check out the clean animation style on bigscreen HDTV...and to convince my wife that I play something more than games involving headshots. LocoRoco Confirmed for PS3 [PSU]

There are things we want to know about game creators. In a recent interview, LocoRoco Tsutomu Kouno tells us those things we want to know. Things like how he broke into the industry or the kinds of games he wants to make. What's more, he talks about how attitudes among Japanese and Western gamers are changing. We wants a global group of gamers! He also tells us other stuff. Lots and lots of it.

At nine-minutes long, it's fairly in-depth for a Tsutomu Kouno interview. What we learned: His favorite movies are the Back to the Future series ("they're just well thought out!), Kouno's secret dream is to make a Back to the Futureeque anti-gravity bike, snowboarding and drinking are fun, he got glass embedded in his ears as a kid, he likes tribal music, his blood type is A and he plays Capcom games in his free time. Think that about covers it. Next! Brian Ashcraft

Kouno Interview [Gamespot via GayGamer]

So Tsutomu Kouno is working on a LocoRoco sequel. The game isn't too difficult from the original, save for new AI and physic calculations. But will it be for the PSP or the PS3? Kouno says:

I can't really say anything official right now, but... As you'd expect [laughs].

Hilarious. Let's say for a moment that LocoRoco 2 was coming to the PS3. Would it use SIXAXIS motion controls?

I actually tried that, and learned that it's quite tiring physically to do this [mimes twisting a SIXAXIS left and right] all the time. So I'm brainstorming how to use that feature in a different way, I'm still thinking about it.

I think I'll be able to release that [information] soon; I really want to talk about it, but I can't say yet.

Glad Kouno has enough sense not to include standard motion controls. Brian Ashcraft

Kouno Interview [Games Industry]

LocoRoco creator Tsutomo Kouno is only one man. Ask him, he'll tell you. So, even if he wanted to make all the ideas he has for new games, Kouno couldn't. He tells Games Industry:

I have many ideas, but I can't make them all because I am only one person. I have five or six new game ideas either for PSP or PS3, but I actually want to make them for PSP — for the people who bought LocoRoco, or bought a PSP because of LocoRoco, and like casual games... There are too many sequels for PSP, only sequels, so I want to make a new game for PSP.

Kouno is hard at work on LocoRoco 2 for the PSP. Brian Ashcraft

Loco for Originality [Games Industry]

LocoRoco creator Tsutomu Kouno dropped a few sequel hints at the Nordic Game Conference. While saying he was going to get "scolded" if he offered too much info, Kouno promised LocoRoco 2 would have:

...new gameplay based on physical calculation and crowd AI as well as a few surprises.

I just love the idea of some Sony suit telling off Kouno for divulging his plans. Brian Ashcraft

Kouno Drops Hints [Next-Gen]