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If I were to pitch the idea of Katamari Damacy to any video game producer, they would smile, show slight signs of interest, then ask me to pass them whatever I was smoking. Sure to the uneducated gamer who has not heard of this game as of yet, Katamari Damacy sounds like a trip spawned by Timothy Leary. You are a Prince, trying to impress your king by bringing back all the stars to the universe destroyed accidentally by the King. To do this task you must take this sticky ball called a Katamari around the world and collect everything in sight. Starting with little things like thumbtacks, paper clips, cookies, etc. Once your Katamari begins to grow in size you can pick up larger objects like cassette tapes, pencil holders, and plety of other objects. Next, your Katamari grows even larger that allows you to pick up small animals like mice and frogs, until you can actually pick up people! The fun does not stop there though, as you will eventually have your Katamari so large it can pick up cruise ships and Ferris wheels. Each level asks for a certain size you must allow your Katamari to become, within a certain time limit. Once you have completed said mission, your lump of goodness becomes a new star in the galaxy. This odd little game as I said will not sound too appealing upon hearing about it, but I have to tell you, once you have gotten your hands on this title, it is hard to put down. Katamari Damacy is a relaxing, fun, and challenging puzzle game that not only is a new step in innovation, but it is twenty bucks too boot! Katamari Damacy is not going to win any awards in technical advancement in graphical prowess, but it does an adequate job of providing a universe and atmosphere that fits this quirky game. Made up of simple polygons and interesting worlds in which you collect your items, Katamari Damacy won’t bring gamers over in awe of it’s sheer majesty in visual enhancements. This game is all about fun, and is in one case of very few where gamers missing this one by its looks are missing one heck of a game. The presentation will definitely surprise you with its crazy premise that it almost reminds me of the Beatles Yellow Submarine. Just be warned that you will have a strange look upon your face when you witness this title for the first time, but once you are hooked into the Katamari Damacy universe, it will seem like your home away from home no matter how strange.
The madness does not end with the visual presentation either, as the soundtrack is just as idiosyncratic and deranged. From the opening intro, to the music that plays as you collect your items, the score for Katamari Damacy is a strange mix of jazz and Japanese J-Pop. In all honesty, that is about as close to describing it in words as I can conceive, as it is an eccentric lot of tunes that you listen to in your journey to retrieve the stars. What’s more, the music, while odd, goes hand in hand with the style of the game. The soundtrack will get in your head, having you humming such songs to yourself as friends look on with one eyebrow raised…at least that is what happened to me. Game play is simple, yet addictive. You control your Katamari for the most part with both analog sticks. One moves your Katamari about, while the other steers. There is an option to jump from objects larger than your Katamari, as if you are hit; you lose some size and girth. It is true that the game holds your hand in the early levels of the game. Starting with an elementary tutorial and continuing with levels full of items, obtaining a great Katamari size is not difficult at all. Once you have reached a certain point in the game, the difficulty lies in finding enough smaller parts that increase your Katamari to the point of picking up larger parts. You cannot pick up object larger than your Katamari, and some objects do damage, so you must increase the size quickly. Throw in a less than forgiving time limit in later levels and you will find yourself repeating levels quite often to reach your goal. Rest assured that even the most difficult levels, while trying at times, is still loads of fun. The only real hamper on Katamari Damacy’s greatness is the length of the title. Even with a two-player option, the game is far too short and is over before you know it. It could also be that I played the game virtually non-stop, and my fondness for this game allowed me to lose track of time, making the game seem short in retrospect. Either way…it still made me want more. In all honesty, no matter how excited I am for such a unique title, no matter how much I truly love this game, and even at the low price of only twenty dollars, many will pass on this title for either thinking it is a kid’s game, or just plain strange. For those closed minded individuals all I have to say is you can only play so many sequels of the same boring old game until you’re sick of gaming all together. It’s this break up of the monotony that makes Katamari Damacy so appealing, and a game that I hope everyone who enjoys original, fun, and addicting titles that don’t mind taking a chance, will pick up and keep in their collection. It’s this type of unique game that makes games like Ico, Eternal Darkness, and Beyond Good and Evil one of a kind titles that may not see their own sequels due to lack of sales. Here is rooting for the underdog and hoping good gamers go out and buy Katamari Damacy.
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