LittleBigPlanet Challenge Key Location Guide

So you're looking for those elusive Challenge Keys huh?

Well you've come to the right place, this guide will list the names of all the Challenge Mini-Levels along with where to find their associated Challenge Key to give you access to them.

Anyone interested in gaining the Play Trophy, should know that to get the trophy that you must Ace the secret Score Challenge levels. That's the mini-levels that can be completed without dying.

Obviously you can't Ace the Survival Challenge levels, since you need to die to reach the checkpoint.

Ready to explore the hidden levels of LittleBigPlanet?

The Gardens

Tie Skipping

Key Found In: Get A Grip

This should hopefully be the first key that you find, it's hanging clearly by LittleXim as he explains to you what Challenge Keys are. Just use the seesaw to jump onto the hanging sponge, so that you can swing over and collect the key.

Castle Climb Challenge
Key Found In: Skate to Victory

As you're going through the castle, it's just before the 2x player area.
You should be able to see it hanging rather close to a dangerous ghost, to reach it use the elevating shoe to give you a little extra bounce in your jump. Try to jump at the right time to give yourself maximum height and just aim for the key, be careful of the ghost though as it can kill you.

Skateboard Freefall

Key Found In: Skate to Victory

Once you've rode the giant skateboard to the end of the level, grab the back of it and keep dragging it back until you can see the key, then just use the skateboard as a platform to give you the extra height to be able to reach the key when you jump.

The Savannah

Flaming Seesaws - Easy

Key Found In: Burning Forest

Right at the very start of this level, walk forwards a little and then jump onto the rocks into the background. Walk along these rocks to the left so that you can get past the monkey that was originally blocking your route, then just carry on over the seesaw and onto a lone platform to find the key.

Flaming Seesaws - Medium

Key Found In: N/A

This level is unlocked upon completion of 'Flaming Seesaws - Easy'.

Flaming Seesaws - Hard

Key Found In: N/A
This level is unlocked upon completion of 'Flaming Seesaws - Medium'.

Tunnel Plunge

Key Found In: The Meerkat Kingdom

Near the end of the level, after Meerkat Mom lets you pass for returning Stripey Tail, when using the meerkat heads to bounce upwards, be sure to keep to the left most route and one of the meerkat heads should conveniently bounce you right into the key.

Meerkat Bounce

Key Found In: The Meerkat Kingdom

When you enter the room with the first bouncing Meerkat heads, you should see that to the right of all the hanging bubbles is the key. Simply use of the heads to bounce up onto the platform and collect the key.

The Wedding

The Dangerous Descent
Key Found In: The Wedding Reception
Right near the end of the level before the scoreboard, instead of heading right, use the bouncing skulls to get onto the platform to the left. Then head left to reach the head of the giant waving skeleton that you passed earlier, you should be able to see the key on his hat, so just jump onto his hat to collect the key.

Wobble Poles

Key Found In: The Wedding Reception

Get to the big waving skeleton behind the bridge, close to the end of the level, then just go back to the last springy platform before the skeleton and keep bouncing in time with it until you're jumping as high as you can, it's a little tricky but if you can jump high enough you'll be able to reach the key.

Bubble Labyrinth

Key Found In: The Darkness

After losing Don Lu's dog to The Collector, work your way up the moving skull mouths until you reach the very top. Once in the top skull's mouth, wait for it to lift up and walk over onto the top of the left skull head. Don't jump otherwise you'll hit the spiked mouth and die. Once on top of the skull head, jump to your left and grab the swinging skull to help carry you to a platform to the left which holds the challenge key and a prize bubble.

The Canyons

Wrestler's Drag
Key Found In: Boom Town

It's inside the big red piñata, just before the bank.
Simply break open the piñata to receive the key.

Cowabunga

Key Found In: Boom Town

It's attached to the neck of a cow at the top of the first set of hills that you climb up, avoiding the rolling flaming boulders. To get the key either push the cow over the cliff and follow him or pull him away from the cliff edge, either will give you easier access to the key.

Roller Run - Easy

Key Found In: The Mines

After going past the 2x player area, you'll be in another area of rotating sponge wheels with a couple of metal ones that you can't grab hold of. The challenge key should be in clear view next to the 3rd sponge wheel down, just hold onto the sponge until you've touched the score challenge key.

Roller Run - Medium

Key Found In: N/A

This level is unlocked upon completion of 'Roller Run - Easy'.

Roller Run - Hard

Key Found In: N/A

This level is unlocked upon completion of 'Roller Run - Medium'.

Puzzle Wheel

Key Found In: The Mines

During your minecart journey a little while after the timed explosives section, you should see the key hanging up in the air. Simply jump up to collect.

The Metropolis

The Drag Race

Key Found In: Lowrider

This challenge key should be in clear view above the starting position of the car that you use to drive yourself to junkyard, using the bonnet to reach the switch to open the door.
Before you begin to drive though, just use the bonnet to bounce up and collect the key.

Elevation

Key Found In: Subway

During the race portion through the air vents, keep to the most upper right path that you can and you will reach the key. If you fall down by mistake though, it's easier to just pop your Sackboy to restart that section, rather than repeating the level from the beginning.

The Discombobulator

Key Found In: The Construction Site
This key is in an area just past the 2x player area.
As you head right, you will notice an enemy moving left to right with a hanging sponge just above it. Make sure to jump on the enemy as it's underneath the sponge to bounce up high enough to grab the sponge.
You will then notice three hanging girders in the background behind you with a few prize bubbles on, the key itself is on the very top girder. The trick here is to use your weight by jumping on the girders, to lower one side, so that you can then quickly run across to the other side and jump up thanks to the extra height you gained from shifting the weight to one side. Reach the top girder and you'll be able to collect this key.


The Islands

Daruma Sun
Key Found In: Endurance Dojo
This key is located towards the end of the level, after using the switch operated wooden lift and crossing the bridge. You can backtrack over the bridge by jumping right on a number of small platforms, success will give you access to a number of prize bubbles and this challenge key.

Wheel of Misfortune
Key Found In: Sensei's Lost Castle
After using a balloon to float down to the ground, you should see the key hanging up above the first rotating sponge to your right. To get the key, you have to hold onto the sponge and try to stand up and jump to reach the key. If you get the timing right, the sponge will help give you some extra bounce in your jump so that you can reach the key easier.

Roller Castle
Key Found In: Sensei's Lost Castle
Before you enter the room containing the two smaller sumos before Big Sumo himself, you should be able to see the score challenge key. Here you'll have to carefully use the fast spinning sponge wheel that's heading into the fiery coals to give you the elevation required to land on top of the hanging sponge, so that you can jump off of it and acquire the key.


The Temples

The Shifting Temple
Key Found In: Elephant Temple
Just before the 2x player area, step back onto one of the last two shifting platforms before the checkpoint. Wait for the platform you're on to lower and walk right into a small hidden alcove below the checkpoint that contains among other things, the challenge key.

Pillar Jumping
Key Found In: Elephant Temple
Towards the end of the level, when you first get onto the back of a walking elephant, you should be able to see the key on a platform to your right. Simply perform the few jumps across the required platforms to reach the key.

Fire Pits
Key Found In: Great Magician's Palace
This key is on a platform right next to the Great Magician himself near the end of the level, when he's showing you his magic trick of making different items appear from underneath his box. Just wait for him to lift up his box to reveal a small block and then quickly push that block to the right, so that you can use it as a platform to help you jump up and reach the key.


The Wilderness

Spline Rider
Key Found In: The Frozen Tundra
After chasing the jeep across the bridge, where the icicles fall down. When you reach the next checkpoint, backtrack on yourself and go down the steps. From here continue left past the fallen icicles and bridge debris until you reach some prize bubbles and the challenge key.

Rotor Tubes
Key Found In: The Bunker
It's in the middle of the two large rotating wheels, as you step outside for the first time.
Wait for the first wheel to finish rotating clockwise and run to the right-hand edge of it, then when it begins to rotate anti-clockwise, use the extra height you've been given by the small rotation to help you reach the key with a jump.

Jetpack Tunnel
Key Found In: The Collector's Lair
After getting through the upper layer of the moving L-shaped platforms, drop down to the lower layer of platforms and quickly grab the hanging sponge to your left. Once safely holding onto the sponge, wait for the L-shape platforms to create a higher platform to walk on and run quickly left, timing your jumps carefully to reach the challenge key in the top left-hand corner.


Metal Gear Solid Pack

Metal Gear Solid VR Survival Challenge
Key Found In: Metal Gear Solid Act 4: The Level Factory
To get this challenge key, with paintinator in hand, you must shoot the very first diamond target that can be clearly seen upon entering the level. Afterwards get to the end of the level and you will find that because you shot the diamond, the appropriate door has opened up to give you access to the key.