How to make the perfect Sackboy

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INTERVIEW: Join us as we investigate the mysterious art of crocheting game characters

Meet Nikki. She’s been busy sharing videos of her growing collection of handmade Sackboys with the world on YouTube. Her how-to videos don’t just show you how to crotchet these amazing dolls; they also reveal an impressive talent with a needle and a passion for getting all the details just right. We wanted to find out more about the artist responsible for these amazing creations, so we’re pleased to present you with an interview with the crochet master.


Above: Part one of Nikki’s detailed tutorial on how to crochet the perfect Sackboy. You can see more tutorials on herYouTube channel

GamesRadar: How long have you been into crafting? What was your first project?

Nikki: I have been into crafting on an off now for most of my life. My first project was a wall hanging with pockets in it. It was a fourth grade cross stitch project and I was in Singapore at the time. We also had to make a pencil case. They looked pretty good actually. My mom helped my sister and I with them. =) Sometime later we had to move here to the US and this is where I learned to knit and crochet. My mom had learned it and she in turn taught my sister and I. Crafting has somewhat been a passion of mine. I even made a quilt for my senior project in high school.


Above: The cutest collection of Sackboys

GR: What was your first videogame system? What are your favorite games?

Nikki: The very first video game system I owned was a white DS. I had gotten this as a birthday present along with Brain Age and Cooking Mama. Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time was actually the first game I finished all the way through. I remember playing it non-stop until my fingers hurt. It was such a fun game and it was the start of my fondness for gaming.

Two other games I’d like to mention are Final Fantasy X and XII. FFX was really memorable. I remember feeling so sad about one of the characters in the game. I don’t want to mention it because there might be those who haven’t played it yet, but I felt connected to the characters somehow. The story was beautifully written and the character development, at least for the main characters, was pretty deep.

I wasn’t fond of the gameplay, but the story was what kept me playing. FFXII was really different from any FF game I’ve played. Some gamers didn’t like it because it felt as if the game just played itself, which made you the spectator. I thought that it was brilliant because of how different it was and the story was so complicated. I admit that the story did bore me, but I was immersed in the game. I spent over 100 hours exploring and I tried to get all the Espers. I even did most of the side quests. I was obsessed with it, to say the least.


Above: Our favorite crocheted creation: a Vivi Sackboy!

GR: What are you playing these days?

Nikki: With school and everything that’s going on in my life I don’t get to play as often as I’d like. I don’t own any of the other consoles so I have mostly DS games. Right now I have Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box in my DS. I had played the first one and I grew to love it so I had to get the second one. I believe that was a gift as well. I also started to play Scribblenauts and Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story. Both are exceptional games.

GR: What game are you most looking forward to?

Nikki: I’ve been so behind on my games that I’m a little bit out of loop when it comes to new games. I do hear about certain games that currently popular and those that are coming up. I can't really pick just one. I have a few games I'd really like to play. Even though I don’t have a 360 or a PS3, I really want to play Bioshock 2, Heavy Rain, Final Fantasy XIII, Fable, and L.A. Noire. I would also love to play Super Scribblenauts and Okamiden for the DS. I’ve also been curious about the game called Naughty Bear. I’d be interested to play that game too.


Above: Nikki’s crocheted Ezio. Finally, an assassin you can safely hug


Above: A closer look at Ezio