We Love Katamari
That’s it in a nut shell and it was really that simple. By using the two analog control sticks you controlled a sticky ball that sucked things up like an industrial strength Hoover. The more you collected, the bigger it got. Soon you even began rolling up people, buildings, planes and even the clouds, all in an effort to make the biggest Katamari that you could. The game was filled with odd characters, outlandish graphics and a personality that could win over even the most ridged of gamers. Fans cried out for a sequel and for more things to roll up. Fortunately Namco heard our pleas and the sequel is everything that could have been hoped for.
The King of the Cosmos and the Prince have returned and this time around the King actually doesn’t destroy the universe in a drunken stupor. Instead the father and son duo decide to assist their lowly fans on Earth however they can by using their Katamari for the purposes of good. That’s not an entirely fun back story though, so in between stages we are treated to cut scenes depicting the King’s life from youth to his rise of power and even the birth of the Prince. We Love Katamari proves in every way to be a worthy successor and in many cases, superior, to the original.
Gameplay:
Returning fans of the original are probably wondering if the sequel holds to the same value of gameplay. You’ll be happy to know that the game plays almost identical to the first Katamari Damacy in every way. The basic formula remains the same and that old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” was applied to We Love Katamari. So, if nothing is different then, what’s the point of the sequel? You see, fans didn’t want things to be shaken up. They just wanted more of the same genius design, and luckily Namco answered our calling in spades.
For those of you new to the game, let me give you a quick explanation of the control scheme so you can get an idea of how simple it is. Basically there are no buttons used in this game, while you look with the L1 button and jump with the R1 you don’t need any of the ones on the face of the controller. You control the Prince and his Katamari’s every motion by maneuvering the analog sticks. By pressing both forward the Prince will roll forward, likewise for moving backwards. To turn simply press one up and one down, to brake press both in the opposite direction you are going and to move side to side just press both in the direction you wish to go. The Prince can also charge his Katamari for a speedy roll by alternating up and down with the analogs.
The thing I loved about the first game was that thanks to the easy to get into control scheme and the ultra zaniness to the concept, it was unnaturally fun. We Love Katamari is no different, the only thing here that shakes up the game is the addition of more stages and new ideas, which is a good thing. In most levels, you still have a time clock ticking away while you try to create the biggest pile of stuff possible, but the themes have been revamped.
My favorite stages in Katamari Damacy were the ones that required you to do things a little differently. There were stages that your goal was to only pick up crabs, females or the biggest cow possible. The sequel takes that idea and improves upon it. There are still stages where you have to pick up the most amounts of origami cranes or flowers, but there are some fresh new stages here. My personal favorite involves rolling a sumo wrestler around to collect food so he can get big enough to roll over his opponent. Others include rolling a snowball to help finish off a giant snowman, collecting fireflies and even running the Katamari on a race track against a bunch of cars.
Another thing returning fans will notice is that there are a lot more missions to undertake. Instead of walking around the Earth and selecting stars to create like in the first game, the stage select screen is a giant meadow filled with “fans”. If you see a fan with an arm raised and calling for you, go talk to them because that means it’s rolling time! Once you help that person out another will appear in need of your assistance. Many stages even have alternate objectives, so just because you complete one version doesn’t mean you won’t be able to go back and try it again a different way.
Levels seem to be bigger in We Love Katamari as well and there is a lot more stuff to pick up. The world is more detailed with junk and just about every stage has another section you can get to that you didn’t even know existed. I was delighted to find that after I finished rolling up a small town that there was a city on the other side of a mountain range. I was then even more delighted to see another town on the other side of that city. Just about every environment is chock full of surprises and it’s a treat to explore each one to their fullest.
While you’re rolling around, you’ll want to keep an eye out for some presents lying around. Just like in the first game you can find different accessories for the Prince to wear while you play scattered all over the place. Several stages also have some of your cousins hidden inside of them. Once you find them, they’ll wander around the meadow and if you walk up and talk to them, you can even use them instead of the Prince if you wish. Many of them are the same cousins from the multiplayer section of the original, so if you ever had personal favorites, chances are very good that they are here.
While I’m on the subject of multiplayer, you had better hope that there is an extra controller around somewhere because anyone watching this game is going to want to give it a try. There are actually two different multiplayer modes here to try and each offering is better than the original’s. First of all, the Battle Mode makes its return with some head to head action. The nice change of pace here though is that there are more stages to select, which gives greater variety than the first game. The next addition is absolutely insane because it’s a co-op feature where two players try to control the same Katamari. If this endeavor doesn’t break out in a swearing match or a fist fight, then congratulations!
Overall the gameplay in We Love Katamari is exactly the same as in the original, though there are a lot more stages, options and things to collect. Fans of the first game will be in heaven, while newcomers will likely be enthralled by the concept and personality this title has. Either way, this “sequel” feels more like a thank you to the fans than an attempt to make money and is easily one of the best follow-up games for any franchise that I have played.
Graphics:
If you played the first game, then you will also be delighted to know that the same graphics engine has been employed here. Cities look like Lego landscapes come to life and everything is ripe with cutesy Japanese design and charm. I can’t get over how much larger the environments are this time around though and it’s good to know that there is still no slowdown, what-so-ever.
The problem of losing sight of your character has also been addressed and when something gets in the way of your view, a hole will be cut through it so you can still see, usually. There are still times when this doesn’t happen and you will have no chance or seeing where you are going, what you need to pick up or how to get unstuck. Yet again though, I’m enthralled with the graphics thanks to the creative designs. The only problem is that the game is a little “too” simplistic looking at times.
Audio:
I fell in love with the Katamari Damacy soundtrack when I first played it and I can say the exact same thing about the sequels. Every song here is catchy, well thought out and fits the ideal of the game flawlessly. Even better is once you beat the game you have access to all of the songs thanks to the Katamari Memorial, so if you want to let it run in the background you can do so to your heart’s content.
The same great sound effects make a return as well and you’ll delight in hearing people scream, animals roar and cars beep when you suck them up into your ball of junk. It’s a crazy sounding game that will appeal to young and old alike. It’s almost certain that anyone in the room watching the game will have as much fun as the person playing it, thanks to the graphics and the sound.
Conclusion:
After I beat the first Katamari game, I was dying for a sequel of equal caliber. Thankfully Namco published a great follow up and We Love Katamari is everything I could have hoped for. The world is bigger, the ideas are better and the game has the same charming personality by the boatload. This is the game that fans of the original were waiting for and has the possibility of winning over a new audience if they didn’t get the chance to try it out the first time around. Highly Recommended