Xbox One code provided by the publisher
I was a kid who grew up at the end of the 90s and mostly the early 2000s, so seeing Katamari at GameStop or in gaming magazines was a given at that time. I could never really tell what it was or who those crazy characters were supposed to be. None of its entries ever seemed to make their way into my collection either as I was more focused on games like the original Star Wars: Battlefront II and Barnyard. Luckily, folks like myself have been given a second chance to play the original game in the series on current consoles with Katamari Damacy Reroll! This game both surprised me and left me hungry for more. These are the types of remasters that we should be getting nowadays!
Story
For folks unaware of the story; it surrounds the King of the Cosmos and his son, the Prince. The King decided to blow up the stars in the solar system and now it’s the Prince’s duty to go to earth, collect some junk, and put it up into the atmosphere to create new stars. Along the way, you’ll meet a Japanese family that catches glimpses of the Prince and King’s wacky escapades. The story really doesn’t take the wheel away from the gameplay which really worked for me.
Gameplay
Katamari Damacy Reroll is one of the most unique games I’ve ever played. Most of the gameplay is tedious and monotonous but luckily, that’s part of what makes the game so amazingly fun. You play as the Prince and are tasked with creating these new stars. The way to make said stars is to roll your magic ball called a “Katamari” and pick up everything you can in the given amount of time that the King allows you. You’ll start off small and as you start to accumulate more objects, your Katamari will grow bigger thus allowing you to pick up bigger objects as you move along.
Now, it’s extremely important to talk about the interesting set of controls that this game implements to make the gameplay just a little more difficult. To move the Prince around with the Katamari is a lot easier said than done. Most of the time you’ll be moving him around the areas of these massive levels by pushing both thumbsticks in the same direction. Moving one thumbstick will move him around the ball and you can rev him up to speed off quickly if you move the thumbsticks back and forth very vigorously.
Levels throughout this title are extremely immersive in how small they can make you feel. Most times you’ll feel like you’re in a Toy Story game as you roll the Katamari past mice and chewing gum then up a take-out menu to a night-table. It’s actually pretty amazing how much detail has been put into each location. The levels will feel completely different depending on how large your Katamari is at the start. Sometimes it’s small and other times it isn’t. Eventually, you go from it being the size of a bug up to the size of the moon.
One of the coolest things that I learned in playing further is that there are a ton of awesome little areas that are hidden throughout the maps. You may not see them in certain playthroughs depending on how big you are but they’re extremely pleasing to find when you finally discover them. Other things you’ll want to look for around these levels are the presents that the King has spread out for the Prince to find. These all offer different cosmetic options for him and they’re pretty cool looking.
Besides the main stars that you’ll create to disperse throughout the solar system, you can help create the constellations too. These will send you back to the levels but now have a new little spin. You’ll have to roll the Katamari around picking up as many of the items that match the constellation’s sign, as quickly as possible. It helps to add some more variety to the gameplay and this at times can be even more stressful than the actual main game levels.
Visuals
This Reroll version of the original game has been fitted with newly enhanced visuals to make it look the best that it can. I personally love the art design of everything because it’s pretty timeless. When I’m playing, it doesn’t feel like I’m playing a game that’s almost 20 years old. The art-style combined with the enhanced graphics makes this thing look fantastic!
Audio
The soundtrack in Katamari Damacy Reroll is nothing sort of superb. The buzzing electronic instrumentals and catchy pop songs had me and everyone watching me play, vibing as I tore through each level. This is definitely in my top 10 game soundtracks ever.
Replayability
This game was made to be replayed over and over again. Between its vibrantly colored world, amazing soundtrack, eccentric gameplay, and even crazier characters, it would be a crime to ignore such an enjoyable game after playing it once. It also helps that there is a multiplayer which offers its own elements tossed in to shake up the formula. I’d imagine that this has to be the best game to play when you’re having a bad day because of its whimsical and hilarious tone.
What It Could Have Done Better
I don’t really have any qualms to bear when it comes to Katamari Damacy Reroll but I did notice a single performance issue on the first level. It wasn’t a very good start when I first played the game because I had issues with frame rates slowing. Luckily, this stopped happening after a few moments of me playing and never showed its face again.
Verdict
If you’re someone who has yet to venture into the world of Katamari or you’re a fan who’s been waiting for a remaster, then this is for you. It’s an extremely happy title that left me with a smile on my face through each and every level. It wasn’t until I played this title that I knew that I had been missing out on something that would’ve been even more fun to have experienced earlier in life. Even almost 20 years later, this series is still one of the most unique franchises in gaming. I’ll be waiting with much anticipation to see if we get any of the sequels remade for current consoles. Fingers crossed!
