LittleBigPlanet is a puzzle platformer where the player controls sackboys, taking them on an adventure through levels with different themes and settings, trying to reach the end of each level alive. The platforming is based entirely on physics, allowing the sackboys to push or pull items, manipulate them with their movement or weight.
The gameplay involves running, jumping, pushing, pulling, grabbing dangling objects, and swinging from them to get over obstacles and traps. Players can work together with up to four players simultaneously, solving puzzles that require cooperation. The levels are designed with three planes: foreground, middle, and background, which can be traversed.
Alongside the main game with 50 levels, a significant portion of the content is devoted to creating user-generated levels. Players can design their own levels, devising custom rules, using objects based on real-world materials emulated by the physics engine. Stickers can be collected for decorative purposes or used to customize sackboys and include in player-created levels.
User-created content can be shared through the PlayStation Network, allowing players to showcase their creations and play others' levels created by the community.