'LittleBigPlanet' wins BAFTA Children's Award

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LittleBigPlanet has scooped a special award in the video games category at the Children's BAFTAs on November 29, part of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' awards, and the UK equivalent of the Academy Awards.

Famously voiced by British comedian Stephen Fry and entertainingly brought to life by the chaps at software house Media Molecule, LittleBigPlanet has caused a bit of a stir since its release a year ago, with a major emphasis on community play and user-designed levels, picking up half a dozen end-of-year awards in 2008 and continuing to recieve professional plaudits in 2009. It has also been recently released for the Sony PSP.

Its three fellow videogame nominees have all been noted for their strong design and accesibility as well. Boom Blox is a jenga-esque brick toppling game for the Nintendo Wii, de Blob is a joyful color-me-in action game also on the Wii, and Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise on Nintendo's handheld console, the DS.

Mark Healy, one of the founders of Media Molecule, told GamesIndustry.biz afterwards that it was "always an early ambition to make something that appeals to adults and kids, specifically that adults and kids could play together."

Nintendo's Wii Sports Resort was another winner on the night, as it came through with the highest percentage of votes from participants in the Kid's Vote.

Other winners at the awards were the Hannah Montana movie and TV series, Disney's Club Penguin website, the animations Lost and Found and Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom, the factual series Serious Ocean, and Nick Jr as best TV channel.

More information: bafta.org/awards/childrens/awards-2009,879,BA.html