KatamariDamacy
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Beautiful screens of Katamari Damacy
Xboxyde is on the ball again, this time bringing us some bright and colorful screens of Beautiful Katamari Damacy. Pictured is the roll of over seven thousand kilometers in diameter, taking a chunk out of the Earth that even Galactus would be proud of. Other screens are a little less planetary in scale and still show off the addicting gameplay that PS2 and PSP owners have been enjoying for years. Beautiful Katamari is looking to live up to the legacy, are you ready to start rolling, rawhide?
Gundam, Katamari come to tilt-sensitive Japanese phones
No sooner does Japanese cell phone giant DoCoMo announce a new line of phones with tilt-sensitive controls then the game announcements come pouring in. Well, trickling in, at least. Bandai/Namco's You Are Gundam and Katamari Damacy will both take advantage of the phone's unique motion-sensitivity: the former by letting asking players to "[wave] the phone vigorously to match the character's movements;" and the latter by letting you move the eponymous sticky ball by tilting the phone.While we're excited about the idea of new control schemes for cell phones, we're a little wary about the particular implementation being used here. DoCoMo's 904i series uses GestureTek's EyeMobile system to calculate tilt based on digital camera images, unlike the Wii and PS3 controllers, which use internal gyroscopes. An IGN review of EyeMobile-compatible 3D Tilt-a-World warns that the system fails "if your movements are too sudden for the game to translate" and that the setup requires "a well-lit area so the camera can get a good 'fix' on an image." Not to mention the inherent problem of keeping the phone steady on a bumpy subway ride.Read - Katamari Damacy MobileRead - You Are Gundam
Beautiful Katamari website frightens children
Finally confirmed last week, the official website for Beautiful Katamari Damacy is now open. The website is covered with Japanese Kanji, so don't expect to get too much out of it aside from the freaky, freaky pictures. Those familiar with the game will feel right at home. Those unfamiliar with the game, however, are likely to feel a creeping sense of dread. There are some new screenshots available on the site. Search them out if you dare. If, on the other hand, you'd rather not delve into this colorful website of madness, you can always check out our Beautiful Katamari gallery.Anyone looking forward to facing the fear and giving this game a spin?[Via Joystiq]
Beautiful Katamari website opens, screenshots inside
Namco of Japan has just opened the official Beautiful Katamari Damacy website. Unfortunately for English-speaking monoglots, it's filled with incomprehensible squiggly characters. There are still pictures to look at, though, and even a few screenshots of the game tucked behind the links (more in the gallery below).Beautiful Katamari looks just like previous Katamari games with improved graphics and a few extras here and there. Both Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game have been announced (without a release date) and a Wii incarnation is rumored to be in the works -- Jun Moriwaki, director of Beautiful Katamari told 1UP that "the Wii is also one of our platform choices .... However, the controller for Wii is quite unique so being able to overcome the different issues will be the key."%Gallery-2766%
First Beautiful Katamari screens roll out
Officially confirmed earlier this week, the first screens of Beautiful Katamari Damacy are rolling in (see what we did there?). The handful of screens show off what we've all grown to love about Katamari Damacy: giant balls of stuff. The image above contains a katamari that has grown to a size of over 7,000 kilometers. The second shot displays a much more diminutive katamari (only 13 centimeters tall). Of course, Katamari Damacy shots wouldn't be complete without a rainbow enveloped shot of the King of All Cosmos. Hit the "read" link to check out all three new shots.
Beautiful Katamari Damacy confirmed for 360
A recent issue of Famitsu has confirmed one of the gaming industry's worst kept secrets. That's right, Beautiful Katamari Damacy is headed to the Xbox 360 and PS3 (here are the scans to prove it). Long rumored via rental and retail listings Beautiful Katamari Damacy will be the first iteration of the series to roll onto a Microsoft platform. The controls will remain true to the PS2 originals and Famitsu reports that the katamaris (the giant junk ball pictured above) can reach heights of over 10,000 kilometers. Also planned for the game is some kind of online play, though no specific details have been confirmed. Beautiful Katamari Damacy is reportedly 50% complete, with no release date announced at this time.[Via Joystiq]
Beautiful Katamari Damacy confirmed for PS3 & Xbox 360, not Wii
Though series creator Keita Takahashi never intended to roll his Katamari into a deflated mass of has-been ingenuity, according to the latest Famitsu scoop, Namco Bandai is content to do so without him. As rumored, the Japanese publisher will revisit the katamari concept for a fourth time, now on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Director Jun Moriwaki has also expressed interest in adapting the series for DS and PC (using a keyboard), but remains reluctant about a Wii version. Moriwaki explained that Wii's controller presents certain difficulties that the dev team has yet to overcome. Update: 1UP has posted Moriwaki's comments about a possible Wii version: "The Wii is also one of our platform choices... However, the controller for Wii is quite unique so being able to overcome the different issues will be the key."Dubbed Beautiful Katamari Damacy, this new version won't reinvent the sticky ball, but will super-size it. Famitsu reportedly displays a katamari growing to 10,000-km proportions (Earth is just 2,742 km larger). Beautiful will also introduce online play, likely featuring co-op and competitive modes. Famitsu reports that the game is roughly 50% complete, but still without a release date in Japan.
Beautiful Katamari for 360 now on Gamefly
It looks like Beautiful Katamari is now as close to official confirmation as possible. A listing for the game has appeared on Gamefly, ready to be inserted into your queue (ewww) at a moment's notice. The game is slated for an October 30th release, though that could easily be a placeholder date. It's not official confirmation, but we find it hard to believe that Gamefly is in the habit of offering games that don't exist. Hit the "read" link to see the game's entry on Gamefly.[Via Live Gamer]
Didn't Namco already make this game?
If Shanda's Rolling Ball isn't a trademark violation then we don't know what is. Slap a green Martian suit on this kid and the image is indistinguishable from Katamari Damacy. How long before Namco's lawyers make the call to Shanda headquarters?FYI: Shanda is a Shanghai-based publisher that specializes in online games.[Thanks chen]
Katamari Damacy XBLA rumor is "total crap"
It looks like Katamari Damacy is not bound for Xbox Live Arcade, as suggested by the already-suspicious Electronic Gaming Monthly Rumor Mill. In a short-but-sweet forum post on XBLArcade, Worldwide Xbox Live Arcade Games Portfolio Manager Ross Erickson decried the rumor as "total crap - not happening." The authenticity of the post has purportedly been verified by forum admin Tomacco. For those who can't let the dream die, it could still be an Xbox 360 retail title, but we'd have to see a massive drop in the standard price or some heavy-duty features (Katamari MMO? 720p?) to justify a $60 price point.The EGM-fostered rumor also mentioned PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii iterations; the former seems likely, as the Katamari franchise has historically been linked to Sony, but we're not holding our breath for a Wii Love Katamari.[Via bits bytes pixels & sprites]
The Joystiq (Christmas) Weekend, 2006
Happy holidays! Destroy All Humans gets a quirky prologue, Street Fighter gets a quirky epilogue and yours truly goofs in thinking a TurboGrafx 16 game would only cost $6. Enjoy the image above (found via Digg) and check out the highlights for this holiday:JoystiqueryGeometry Wars as artToday's hottest game video: XFPS demoToday's hottest game video: Halo gameplay remixToday's hottest game video: Tomb Raider trailerWeekly Webcomic Wrapup: the Big N editionNewsProtecting adults from children onlineWoW's Night before Wintervale holiday treatWii 'acquaintances' made easy with Google MapsDestroy All Humans started as a joke, launched a "dance" careerXbox 360 video download service succeeding, others failingDVD players finally more common than VCRsLCD makers under price-fixing investigationSofaTube brings YouTube to Wii/PS3 couch potatoesChristmas sees first VC price increaseCraigslisters trading PS3 for Wii + moneyRumors & SpeculationVista DRM to slow down high-end graphics?Console hackeryOne Wii to control the entire house Use a universal remote with PS3 Dreaming of a White PS3?Play ripped PS1 games on PSPCultureStreet Fighter's Blanka: an electrical oompa loompaGeek, nerd, or dork?American Choppers splice consoles for Christmas
Rumor: Katamari Damacy on PS3, Wii, and 360
The latest Electronic Gaming Monthly rumor mill talks up Katamari Damacy's future on the latest generation of consoles: Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, and Xbox Live Arcade. Sure, it makes business sense to take a successful title and exploit it for as much bottom line as possible but one shouldn't confuse logic with reality, and right now there is no confirmation from Namco.Creator Keita Takahashi has long been done with the series every since the original and has announced his plans to move away from the video game industry. Still, the surprise hit has some life left and will probably show up on some console. Don't get your hopes up yet, though.
Happy Katamari Damacy music day
We went to a rock concert the other day. We did not like it very much. Too many people thrashing about and playing noise that did have the joy of the universe flowing through it. We much prefer music that captures the true happiness of the soul.Therefore, we, the King of all Cosmos, have rolled up a collection of Katamari Damacy music performed by a solo guitarist, a klezmer band, and even a one-man a capella quartet into a fun-sized ball of joy. We hope it will bring some elation to your minuscule-sized soul.Previous game music days
Travelers ad imitating Katamari: just coincidence
We got in touch with Todd Riddle, Group Creative Director at Fallon about the current Travelers commercial that bears a striking resemblance to Katamari Damacy. The spot (high-quality version) in question shows a mass enveloping people, trees, and cars, as it bounces through San Francisco. Riddle said that there's no Katamari relation, but the spot is connected to Peter Jackson's special effects house.Riddle has been in advertising for 20 years and has won of dozens of accolades including Cannes, Clio, and One Show awards. We asked him a few questions about games and the spot, titled "Snowball," via email.
Real-life Katamari in Travelers Insurance ad
A current Travelers Insurance TV commercial liberally borrows from Katamari Damacy, showing a ball of, well, stuff bouncing down San Francisco's hills. You could say Fallon, the ad agency behind the spot, ripped off Katamari, but we like the commercial enough to let that slide. We'll call it an homage, imitation being flattery and all.The commercial opens with a guy -- let's call him Everyman -- walking down the sidewalk. He's on a hill in the overcast outskirts of the city, maybe in the Avenues or closer to Twin Peaks. For no apparent reason, other than eventually trying to sell insurance, he trips, and begins rolling down the street. Like Katamari, he runs into some people and boxes, picking up size until the ball eventually gets big enough to gather cars and trees. The ball bounces through the city -- always downhill except once on even ground -- through Pacific Heights and the Fillmore, gathering motorcycles in Nob Hill, picking up a heterosexual marriage -- we have those sometimes -- in Delores Park or a similar green space, flying down California Street or an equally car-chase-laden road, and eventually crashing into a columned downtown building with a name we can't quite remember. We wish we could ride a katamari across the city; it's a record commute time.Is it a rip-off of Katamari, and do you care if your hobby becomes a commercial? Or did Fallon just have Katamari-of-the-mind? Immersive games have changed our way of looking at the world, like if we notice a drainpipe on the outside of a building and think of climbing it, Splinter Cell-style. Carmageddon also rewired our minds for a few weeks, urging us to crash the family truckster into a van. (We restrained). And Katamari has changed the way we think about space; we often imagine rolling up our surroundings. What, you don't?The full commercial is embedded after the break.See also: Roddick takes on Pong in ad[Thanks, Daniel Premo]
Call for fewer game reviews, more game critiques
What's the difference between a review of a book, movie or game and a critique of one? Ryan Stancl explains and advocates more of the latter because he believes that games deserve more serious criticism in order to move forward as a respected form of art. To demonstrate the difference between reviews and critiques, Stancl will critique Katamari Damacy from the perspective of eight different schools of critical theory: Biographical, New Critical, Marxist, Structural, Jungian, Psychoanalytical, Feminist, and Post-Colonial. He's posted the first two critiques already. They're a touch dry, but we're hoping the Feminist and Marxist interpretations spice things up.
GDC: A game worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize
What kind of game concept would be considered for the Nobel Peace Prize? That's the question GameLab CEO Eric Zimmerman posed to the group of developers competing at the third-annual Game Design Challenge.The winning concept (as judged by audience response), Peace Bomb, developed by Deus Ex lead designer Harvey Smith, would be a multiplayer game for the DS. Players would join together and trade resources, eventually leading to real world flash mobs — a crowd that assembles suddenly in a public space, performs a notable act, and then quickly disperses. It's Smith's hope that the Peace Bomb flash mobs would erupt around socially constructive movements, encouraging players to transform an entertaining game into an effective social project.
Katamari minigame rolls into town
If you've either: a) not played Katamari Damacy because you don't have a PS2 or b) not played Katamari Damacy because you're a grump and the whimsical nature of the game makes you want to hurt something--preferably a kitten--then now's your chance to get a little taste without plunking down for the whole experience. The Japanese Katamari Damacy website has a cute flash-based minigame where, you guessed it, you have to roll stuff up into a ball. Sure, it doesn't capture the toy-like feel of the 3D game, the weight and momentum of your katamari isn't as realistic, but for a free webgame, she ain't bad.[Thanks, White Rose Duelist]
Stick it to me: Katamari lyrics translated
The Katamari Damacy soundtrack is the catchiest, pop-iest video game music to implant itself into gamers' brains since the Super Mario Bros. theme song. There was only one problem: they were mostly in Japanese. Until Kitsune, a Quarter to Three forum member, translated them all into English! From "Katamari Mambo": Nobue: I hate wide places I like the narrow ones So come on, baby, Ahhh, that sweet, painful katamari Ooooh! Swallow it up! Aaaah! Sticky STICK IT TO ME! Ah ya ya, we'll spend the night in That kind of behavior where two stars lay bound up together It gets better though! Kitsune has also transcribed some of the songs into romaji, romanized Japanese, to make it easier to figure out what we've been singing along to this whole time. (Image is from the CD cover of the Katamari Damacy soundtrack, Katamari Fortissimo Damacy.)[Via BoingBoing]
Katamari checkboook wants to roll up purchases into your life
These Katamari Damacy-themed checks are much cooler than the Garfield checks plain blue checks I have! They feature the Prince, his Katamari, and the note: "HELLO I AM A CHECK PLZ CASH ME LOL / KATAMARI DO YOUR BEST ^_^."I want a Katamari-themed debit card; seriously, who uses checks anymore? That's rhetorical, you don't have to answer it.[Thanks, Jory; via BoingBoing]
