The intro to Katamari Damacy makes one question what sort of substances the creators may or may not have been using when designing the game. Somewhere between the peppy music, dancing panda bears, and choir of ducks, you realize that this is going to be an odd experience. Quirky and creative are the two words I feel best describe Katamari Damacy. The game has the Prince, son of the King of all Cosmos, cleaning up his father’s mess of knocking every star out of the sky. To fix this problem, the prince must roll up various items from Earth on his Katamari ball, which will in turn become a new star.
The controls are fairly simple: both analog sticks determine the speed and direction of the Katamari ball. The ball can receive a short boost of speed by spinning the ball. The player is challenged to make the ball reach a certain diameter before time runs out. While the game takes place in one single overworld the entire game, it is divided up into different sections that correspond with the size Katamari you are trying to create and the time allotted. The first few missions have the Prince scouring a house for paper clips, batteries, dominoes, and fruit. The early missions are generally set with shorter time constraints, but the objectives are more easily achieved in that time frame. Later missions will have the player picking up people, cars, airplanes, buildings, and even entire landmasses, all with tight time limits.
While the main story makes up the bulk of the game, there are other modes of play available. Players can revisit levels to try and make their star bigger than before, as well as scour levels for hidden presents from the King and Queen. These include a guitar, a camera, a chef’s hat, and even a mask of the King of all Cosmos himself. Players can also attempt to recreate the constellations by collecting more specific items. For Cancer, players must roll up as many crabs as possible. For Taurus, players must roll up the largest cow they can find into their Katamari ball. Some of these constellation challenges are much more difficult than others, and require the player to be more thorough and cautious. A multiplayer mode is also available, wherein the Prince can challenge any one of his many cousins to see who can make a larger Katamari. Though this multiplayer mode certainly could have used some polishing, it was a decent start for multiplayer modes in later Katamari games.
The art style of Katamari Damacy is full of color and meant to be appealing to a broad audience. While the character models are not very complex, their comical antics around each level and their reactions upon being picked up by the Katamari ball are very entertaining. The soundtrack is upbeat and varied, with funk, technopop, ska, and jazz all part of the ambience.
While Katamari Damacy may not be the most difficult game to master, it is a gaming experience unlike any other. The odd cast of characters coupled with catchy music and appealing visuals draw the player in. The simple yet ingenious controls allow gamers of all ages and skills to jump in and play. The culmination of all of this is where the game truly shines: being just plain fun.
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