The platform game has fallen on hard times. Maybe it’s that name, which came about in the 1980s when Mario was actually jumping on moving platforms in Super Mario Bros. But the genre needs a catchier title, like running-jumping-bouncing-

super-fun-action-adventure. There has to be a Japanese word that encompasses all that.

Platform games used to represent a huge chunk of the video-game market, but now they’re largely restricted to the kiddie market. There’s the occasional gem like Nintendo’s Super Mario Galaxy, but platformer addicts usually have to settle for media tie-ins like the new Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa game.

But Sony’s LittleBigPlanet (Sony, for the PlayStation 3, $59.99) could inspire a rush of fresh, creative approaches to the genre.

The most innovative game to appear yet on the PS3 is an old-school, 2D platformer at heart. Just about anyone who’s played a video game will understand that the goal is to move its hero left to right (and occasionally up and down) from the beginning to the end of each level.

That hero, Sackboy, is one of the most endearing game characters in recent memory. He looks like a doll that’s been sewn from a burlap sack, but developer Media Molecule has created a delightfully expressive character from limited facial features and body language. You accumulate more wardrobe options along the way, and can even make a Sackgirl if you like.

Sackboy’s universe is equally appealing. The levels in LBP are built from 3D objects that appear to have real texture; for example, Sackboy can grab onto cloth objects but slides right across glass. The settings are drawn from around the world, from the jungles of Africa to a metropolitan subway, and there are plenty of devious puzzles to work through.

Once you’ve conquered a few levels, LBP allows you to start creating your own, which you can then upload to Sony’s PlayStation Network. I’m still working on my first masterpiece — the full-bodied collection of design tools is a little overwhelming — but I’m very impressed with the level of creativity I’ve seen from amateur developers.