The King is again.
Katamari Damacy is a sequence that has managed to endure regardless of a restricted variety of actually distinctive entries. The unique recreation launched on PlayStation 2 in 2004 and was adopted up by a handful of entries over the following few years. Then for greater than a decade, the one Katamari video games had been HD remasters of the primary two (and finest) Katamari video games with Katamari Damacy Reroll and We Love Katamari Reroll. Till 2025. Earlier within the yr, Katamari Damacy Rolling Stay launched on Apple Arcade. I can not converse to Rolling Stay’s high quality, however throughout the board it appeared like a welcome return, with the one disadvantage being touchscreen controls (although you possibly can join a controller to play as nicely). Very similar to numerous different Apple Arcade video games equivalent to Fantasian and Good day Kitty Island Journey, everybody anticipated Rolling Stay to make the soar to Nintendo Change. That wasn’t the case, as a result of what truly did come out is As soon as Upon a Katamari, one other model new Katamari recreation out on Change that feels just like the lengthy misplaced sequel to We Love Katamari we all the time wished.
As per Katamari sequence custom, every part goes to hell when the boisterous and rambunctious King of All Cosmos messes round and unintentionally ruins issues. The galaxy is in upheaval and it’s as much as you, because the Prince, to seize a Katamari (a bumpy little ball) and roll it round so it will get varied gadgets to stay to it because it will increase in dimension. The controls are intentionally bizarre, retaining the sequence staple twin-stick controls that have you ever throwing the sticks round to roll your ball and dart round. Easier one-stick controls are additionally current. I personally want the twin-stick controls, however I’m completely happy the one-stick controls exist as a result of they’re far much less convoluted and bizarre. Living proof: my kids (7 and 4-years-old) are delighted by the cacophony of this recreation, however the twin-stick controls had been onerous for them to wrap their minds round. The one-stick controls offered a friction-less expertise to dive into the colourful sea of mayhem that’s Katamari.
The story is foolish, with enjoyably cute writing. The hook within the new recreation includes time journey, as you undergo completely different eras in time, starting with Edo Japan and journeying to all kinds of locations together with the American wild west and the age of dinosaurs. It presents theming for the assorted ranges.
Every stage has an preliminary job that includes fulfilling somebody’s request on behalf of the King. A few of them are comparatively easy, involving rolling up a Katamari of a sure dimension in a sure period of time. Others require rolling up particular gadgets, like a western stage within the desert the place it’s essential to roll up drinks. The degrees all have a number of challenges in every, usually cut up right into a primary story mission after which more difficult timed runs. Whereas most ranges are nice enjoyable with plenty of humor, twists, and charmingly detailed scenes, a few of them run into the traps I by no means loved as a lot in some Katamari video games the place the rules are usually not conveyed as clearly and veer in direction of punishing. Nothing will get fairly as dangerous because the campfire ranges in We Love Katamari, however generally the sport feels at odds with the playful nature of the idea. I’m high-quality with effectivity in Katamari rolling resulting in S ranks and rewards, however stopping stage completion over irritating restrictions appears antithetical to the vibes.
Apart from that, the general vibes are unbelievable, actually feeling like a follow-up to the PS2 originals. The visuals retain the blocky fashion, however with refined aptitude due to the improved expertise. I did run into load occasions from time to time mid-level, particularly while you unlock a brand new space to enter. Finally they didn’t impede gameplay a lot, but it surely’s an eye-sore when the sport cuts to a loading display screen mid-level. As soon as Upon a Katamari feels janky however polished in its presentation general, but it surely provides up a number of the refinements the sequence has had alongside the way in which. You’ll be able to waddle round a map for every period if you need, but it surely’s additionally straightforward sufficient to only undergo ranges in an inventory out of your time-traveling spaceship. The persona and elegance is ever current, but it surely by no means places up a lot of a barrier to get to the gameplay.
I really like that Katamari has not one however two new video games in 2025 after greater than a decade of remakes and little hope. It’s even higher that the one on Nintendo Change feels just like the third recreation in a trilogy with the 2 unique PS2 video games (which can be additionally out there in HD remaster kind on Change). As soon as Upon a Katamari is a full-fledged recent entry in a sequence that hasn’t had this type of shot within the arm since HDTVs had been a factor. Right here’s hoping we get a extra constant drip of Katamari following this charming entry that largely understands why the primary one was such a cult hit.
