Video Game: Katamari Damacy (PS2)

[Jamshyd]

How can you not like Katamari Damaci??

Perhaps the best thing to come out of Japan after Engrish and Sushi, this incredibly simple game is both ingenious and addictive. The king of all cosmos (pictured below), who is notable for his knowledge of Esperanto and incredibly large package (as any google search would let you know), got drunk one day and destroyed all the stars in the sky. It is your job as the Prince to go down to earth and roll useless things into balls (Katamari) which are then launched into the heavens by the king to restore the stars.

What's so interesting about that? As you roll small objects, your Katamari starts growing in size, and the more you grow, the larger the objects you can pick up. Remember that girl into whose leg you bumped a few minutes ago? Now you can roll her up! An elephant? Sure! A school? Go right ahead!

The game is incredibly psychedelic friendly, right from the baffling intro (MUST SEE! Especially if you're high!) which features rainbows, mushrooms, and dancing red pandas, amongst other things. The game engine itself is quite random in the objects it produces (adding a bit to the replayability factor), so its not unlikely to see things such as a schoolgirl-pyramid riding a giraffe in the middle of a city. Yet, the world remains interestingly coherent. To top things up, most of the cut scenes feature cubical kids saying things along the lines of, "I feel the cosmos! It's talking to me!"

If you've never played this (or its sequels, which all get the same admiration since they are just what the fans wanted: more of the same), you're seriously missing out on a very important life-changing experience.

Sound: 5/5 - Fantastic soundtrack! Probably the best songs about rolling things up that you'll ever hear in your lifetime.

Here is my favourite track from the original game.. This stuff is good for general chilling out to!

Here is my favourite track - from the sequel, we Katamari. Please note that this Japanese person is singing about the dilemmas and joys of rolling things. I have no idea what the video is about, though .

Story: 4/5 - Genius! See above.

Graphics: 4/5 - Cute, wacky artwork. There isn't much flashy about the graphics, they are adequate and unobjectionable.

Gameplay: 5/5 - Really, it just doesn't get more original than this!

5/5. One of my favourite games, ever.

 

[eDDe9]

I played the demo of Beautiful Katamari on the 360.. Since its only a demo you just had the task of rolling up a list of objects in 3 minutes or so, not enough to do the game justice, but then again, I don't know if it deserves more.

What is the point/objective?

 

[Jamshyd]

^ To have fun . There is no real point to it, and that's part of the charm.

Still, that sounds like a boring demo. The normal gameplay doesn't specify a list of objects (but then again I've never played Beautiful Katamari).

 

[Portillo]

Yes i have we love damacy, but i want to know, does it ever finish? I played it till i got bored and nothing ever finished.

 

[Jamshyd]

^ Me too actually. Maybe it never does

I'm currently playing Me and My Katamari for PSP. The controls are very awkward but its still a great game.

ps. Thanks for the polls IP, you're a sweetheart!

 

[Portillo]

On another note, how do you make a poll on this forum?

 

[L2R]

^just ask me

weird game. never played it but watched a 10 minute clip on youtube last night. will prolly check out the 360 demo.

 

[Portillo]

Ok, but why isnt there a option for polls?

 

[happyus]

i looooove it! especially when you get to roll up houses and cars, so much fun for the lazy morning afters. though my partner and i realised it is slightly mean because no matter how great your katamari is the king always says it's rubbish and that you could do better=(

everlasting love katamari damacy

 

[L2R]

Ok, but why isnt there a option for polls?

staff only, buddy. otherwise the lounge would be full of polls about how one uses the toilet.

 

[Indo]

I have the 360 version, Beautiful Katamari, and it really is a great game. All you do is run around rolling things up onto your ball. The music is awesome enough to keep you playing for a good hour longer then you would normally. It doesn't have much of a plot though, and maybe a little too simple for most people.

4/5

 

[L2R]

i didn't like the two stick control scheme inthe BK dmo. cute graphics.

 

[Jamshyd]

^ The controls take a bit of getting used to, but everyone eventually does and they become a non-issue. Please don't let that spoil whatever potential fun you may have with it

That said, i really do recommend everyone to start with the original KD for the PS2.

 

[Portillo]

I only played we love damacy, and cant be bothered playing the others.

 

[QuestionEverything]

i looooove it! especially when you get to roll up houses and cars, so much fun for the lazy morning afters. though my partner and i realised it is slightly mean because no matter how great your katamari is the king always says it's rubbish and that you could do better=(

everlasting love katamari damacy

Clearly prince, you must do better to earn the king's praise! Oh! I feel it! I feel the Cosmos!

He actually *will* praise you, you just have to do well enough. The only version of this game I haven't played is the one for PSP. It's absolutely one of the best games ever made IMO.

I Katamari. It's difficult to explain the gameplay and point to anybody. You seriously just have to play it because as far as I know there has never been anything like it.

As far as an ending, iirc yes, there is an 'ending', but you can always keep playing every stage over and over again. There are enough hidden presents and cousins to keep it interesting and challenging for a long time too.

 

[Portillo]

^ Kurushi was a pretty unique game too. Remember Kurushi!

 

[Swerlz]

I have spent countless hours playing that game.... (on acid) heh

 

[Portillo]

^ I bet you did.