If you haven't heard of Media Molecule's Little Big Planet by now, I want to be you. I've spent the last 72 hours holed up in my imaginary cubicle with nothing but the PlayStation 3's holiday savior, completing creatively designed levels with dragon bosses, Silent Hill pyramid heads (think SH 2; you know what I'm talking about), rockets, ghosts, dinosaurs, Mario (sorry Luigi), Indiana Jones (I kid you not!), Nathan Drake, and--of course--the deliciously adorable sackboy. Or sackgirl. As Media Molecule would probably interrupt right now, it's all up to you.

I don't want to be too cruel to those of you unfortunate enough to not receive a highly coveted invitation to join the beta, (okay, maybe a little cruel), but really, you're not missing too much--only one of the most interesting, thought-provoking, heartwarming, sweetest masterpieces we've seen from this console generation the likes of which may actually put Fable II in its place, and yes, Mr. Molyneux, I did just say that. Possibly I'm over-exaggerating, but after spending significant time delightfully chained to the sackboys and sackgirls in the beta (community hug!), Little Big Planet may just convince you that your PlayStation 3 purchase was worth it after all.

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At the heart of LBP lies its undeniable, addicting charm. A tiny, plain sackboy might not look like much--just a little creature your grandmother could have knitted for you eons ago, you know, when you still played with dolls--but herein you'll find that its stark simplicity is what is most endearing: a trite, but almost loving creature operates as your mirror self, full of limitless potential and impossible to measure possibilities, complete with a witty British narrator who would have made your childhood so much easier when he wasn't drowning you in tea.

And if painting your own canvas is your thing, you're in luck--you'll have ample opportunity to turn your sack-self into something truly dashing, like an Elizabethan housewife, a bunny-eared cowpoke, a pirate with a savvy polkadotted dress, or even Kratos if you're all smash and no class. Name a customization option and it's here; change eyes, material color, throw in some teeth, maybe a disgusting mustache or a miscellaneous animal part to let everyone know you walk on the wild side, and viola--instant sack-asso. Your mum would be proud.

After you've completed your "look", you'll want to stroll through the enchanting levels designed by MM in the game's story mode. LBP's stages contain the whole package; you'll listen to infectious music and great sound effects, swing from giant sponges, watch a little tutorial tv, hop a ride on a bird, and, most importantly, sticker the place up with collectible items. And here we find the magic of LBP: at its core half of the game is about getting your grubby sack-paws on every single item, object, sticker, material, or decoration you can spot. The other half is about using those items to create a living world.

This dynamic universe is the epitome of videogame self-expression. If you ever wanted to design a level in which Solid Snake fought off Metal Gear Rex with snazzy cardboard boxes, you can do it. If you've dreamed of Mega Man racing your friends in the latest WipeOut, you can do it. And if you've fantasized about recreating every single level from the original Mario Brothers, you can do that, too--with some obvious caveats, the point being that if you're creative enough, the game gives you the tools with which to realize your fun delusions.

And everything is easy to master. The level design tools offer tutorials for every aspect, from placing an object or using a template to covering the world with bright purple flowers or coating the walls with blood (hey, this makes for a great aesthetic effect). Your only real limit is a bar that lets you know much room is left in your stage to fill with objects, and if you're not using a template that's a lot of space to test your imagination in.

Once you're creation is set to rock the sack-world, it becomes available for you and all your sack friends to play through together, including newbie strangers who operate as fantastic q/a testers and leave great comments like "SNAAAAAAKE!" and "needs more Mario". Anyone who plays through your level can rate it with a tag, from "awesome" and "fun" to "short" and "stupid", and those who love what you've done with the place can mark the stage with a heart so they always have immediate access to the thrill-zone that is your creative genius. At this point there is some lag when you're playing online with your fellow sack-peoples, but how much of this is relegated to the final product is impossible to tell yet, so cross your delicately stitched fingers and remember that a little lag is worth the chance to show off your sack-casa to your buddy list.

If you're as enthusiastic about Little Big Planet as the rest of the world, you can join the pre-order gig by clicking on one of my handy links below, where I've noted what pre-order goody goes with which retailer to save you some googling. Meanwhile you'll find me in LBP, robbing banks and rescuing sack-peoples from ferocious red-ringed Xbox 360s. Here's hoping I see you there on October 21.

• Best Buy: Nariko (Heavenly Sword)
• EBGames/Gamestop: Kratos, Medusa, Minotaur (God of War pack)
• Amazon: Downloadable level design guide, sometimes a free $10 gift card as well
  
• GameCrazy: Adorable knitted zipper pouch
• Circuit City: Free $10 gift card
• ALL: Space Suit Sackboy Costume (free from MM/PSN)

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