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DS Daily: On franchises
Despite the fact that some franchises just don't port well, the subject of whether or not any given property should make an appearance on the DS inevitably comes up. Square Enix is bringing their big franchises to the handheld. Mortal Kombat will be making an appearance. Katamari Damacy, however, rolled on by. We could go on, but we figure you get the drift. What we want to know is -- which franchises do you really want to see on the DS, and which ones do you hope stay far, far away?
Elebits renamed for European release
European Wii owners will be hard-pressed to locate a copy of Elebits when it launches in PAL land this Spring, mostly due to the fact that it'll be called Eledees. As in, "LEDs" or possibly "Eledees, can I buy you a drink?" A quick and shamefully shallow internet search reveals that the word "bit" could be considered derogatory British slang, hence prompting Konami to drop it from the game's title. Right below "biscuit arsed", it reads:Bit: Noun. A woman. Abb. of 'bit of fluff' or 'bit of skirt', generally a person viewed sexually. Derog.Well, thank goodness they caught that one. Countless many people would have been left disappointed after learning that Elebits doesn't involve you lifting up skirts with a gravity beam. Expect that game from some other Japanese developer sometime in the future.[Image: Penny Arcade's surprisingly relevant Just for the Elebit.]
Katamari not rolling onto XBLA after all
More Xbox Live Arcade news today, as Live Arcade Portfolio Manager, Ross Erickson, quashes the rumor that Namco's Katamari Damacy would make an appearance on Xbox Live Arcade. The rumor originated from an issue of EGM, stating that a new Katamari would hit Wii, PS3, and Xbox Live Arcade. Erickson decried the rumor in the XBLArcade* forums, calling it "total crap." Some doubt the quote's authenticity, but XBLArcade's Tomacco confirms his identity -- and he's been known to comment here as well. Sorry, 360 loving Katamari fans, looks like you're stuck with the PS2 version and an unhealthy obsession with cosplay.[Via Joystiq]*XBLArcade is one of the fine sites on our blogroll. You've seen our new blogroll, right? It's in the middle of the page under the Blogsmith logo. Check it out, scour those sites, send us tips. The circle of life continues.
Katamari rolling onto XBLA?
Flying in the face of Namco officially ending the Katamari series, the latest Electronic Gaming Monthly contains a rumor that a new entry in the series is slated to hit PS3, Wii, and Xbox Live Arcade. We find the disparity between platforms to be a little strange. Perhaps the game would be published on PS3's online service as well? Putting aside the platform distinctions, seeing Katamari on XBLA would be welcome indeed, especially for Xbox die-hards who never found out what all the fuss was about. What would you like to run over with your Katamari?
Elebits retail gameplay video and impressions
Gamebrink has posted some videos and impressions of the Japanese retail version of Elebits, which launched with the system in Japan but doesn't debut in North America until next week. The final game looks a lot tighter than the E3 demo, which saw the tiny electrical creatures practically leaping out of every available surface. The retail version looks more like a restrained game of hide-and-seek, with players searching every nook and cranny for the occasional Elebit or power up.Wider opinions on the game have been mixed, but GameBrink found the gameplay "extremely satisfying" and compared the experience to the likes of Pikmin and Katamari Damacy. Does the title have what it takes to become the next sleeper hit out of Japan? Decide for yourself by viewing the following videos.
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
Get your gift on: Holiday gamer shirts
Check out all of the different Way of the Rodent t-shirt designs while you're searching for stocking stuffers. Sure, they aren't all holiday themed, but this Katamari t-shirt where the Prince is rolling up a snowman is the bomb. Although the Q*bert Christmas tree trumps them all in terms of nostalgia, and that Pac-Man Christmas Carol shirt, "Tonight you will be visited by three ghosts ..." is priceless. Well, priceless to the tune of $22 plus shipping and handling. But don't let that turn you into a Scrooge, share some holiday gaming love this season.[Thanks, Trina]
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]
Katamari ball rolls through SF Bay to Breakers race
They said they would, and they did: using a combination of Katamari cosplay and papercraft, a team of Katamari-krazy joggers ran the Bay to Breakers footrace in San Francisco all the while pushing a massive Katamari ball. This game is way beyond internet meme.See it on FlickrRead about it on Katie B's Livejournal
Mr. Katamari not interested in Revolution
For how quirky and unique a game Katamari Damacy is, I find it odd that its creator is not interested in the Revolution at all. When conversing with Gamasutra's sister-publication Game Developer at GDC, Keita Takahashi claimed "So, there's nothing I really want to do with it right now." He went on further to say "I'm not really interested in it. I don't think a controller should have that much influence on the enjoyment of games."Don't you think he's kind of missing the point? Isn't it not so much that the remote influences the game, but more that it adds a whole new dimension to the gameplay? Red Steel isn't a brand new type of game forced to compromise to the remote's characteristics, it takes the unique properties of the remote and aims to mix it with conventional first-person gameplay to create something new. How can you possibly not be interested in that?! Of course, comparisons to Red Steel aren't all that valid since noone has tried it, but you get the point, right?
Frogs don't love Lego Katamari
Joystiq reader Aaron Broesky put together this Katamari-inspired Lego stop animation. Well done, Aaron! But what's with the senseless spaceman-on-frog violence? Rampant ranidaphobia means it's not easy to be green.
Goodbye, Katamari?
If Namco's Japanese web site is to be believed, yesterday marked the end of the road for the King of All Cosmos and Katamari Damacy. As noted earlier this week, the official Katamari web site was counting down until its online closing on the 17th. Unfortunately, the site now tells us that "the team behind both the original game and its sequel, We Love Katamari, has dissolved, and that no sequels have been planned" (according to Gamasutra). Not all is lost, however, as Professor Katamari (a likely reference to series creator Keita Takahashi) "is currently working on a new game design" with a new team where you unfortunately do not roll things up nor "get bigger." Me and My Katamari for the PSP would appear to be the final version of the game to appear at this point, though we hold out a faint hope that a fantastically rendered "clump of souls" will eventually find its way to next-generation consoles. Until then, catch you later, Prince. [Via Slashdot] See also: Katamari Kountdown: new title on the way? Katamari PSP gold, could mark series' finale
Innovation falls flat in UK charts
Despite a pleasant atmosphere of European expectation at the start of February, we're halfway through and the charts look as mundane as ever. The Guardian Gamesblog's Greg took a look at this week's UK charts--notable absentees include Psychonauts and We ♥ Katamari. Ouch.Greg, and blog commenters, ponder the cause of these games' failures--from crazy cartoony packaging to gamers' inability to actually find the titles in shops. It seems most likely that the European release delay is responsible, though; after receiving rave reviews and building up buzz months ago, these titles are all-but-forgotten now.
Fanboy Roundup: web-browsing, UMD-skimping, Mac users
Nintendo thinks, "Hey, maybe a web browser on the DS would be swell." Sounds good to DS Fanboy, so long as they don't have to use that Pokemon stylus! PSP Fanboy explains, "UMDs are already overpriced, we're just trying to save a couple bucks, so get off our backs!" Meanwhile, in Xbox 360 Fanboy-land, they laud community efforts to pick up where Microsoft left off with the 3rd-party additions of DivX and Mac support. Don't touch that stylus, here are the Fanboy highlights for the week:DS FanboyNintendo considering DS web browser?A very disturbing Pokemon stylusDS Lite: Just the facts!PSP FanboyMe & My Katamari sorta kinda statesideJazz Jackrabbit ported to PSPAmazon.com offers cheap UMD dealXbox 360 FanboyXBMC hacker introduces Transcode 360Connect360 connects your Mac to your 360Peter Jackson visits Bungie, talks shop
Official We Love Katamari Damacy T-Shirts
Namco, the Japanese game development company behind Pac-Man, Tekken and Ridge Racer, and Panic, the company behind several excellent Mac software titles (Apple in fact asked them to create the underlying software for what was to become iTunes - Panic turned them down) seem at first slightly odd partners to create licensed T-shirts together. But once you realise that Keita Takahashi, the creator of the cult hit We Love Katamari Damacy was part of the decision, the partnership is totally understandable. According to a press release, Panic called up Namco saying "we loved the game and amazingly, Takahashi thought it'd make a great partnership, both of us outsiders in our respective fields. That's about it!" So there you have it - the first line of official We Love Katamari Damacy T-shirts. The shirts along with the official soundtrack "are the only goods he's ever approved for manufacture." The $24.95 shirts will be in short supply until after Christmas (we've heard that one before) and are currently only available in Japan, Korea, Canada and the U.S. [Thanks, Daniel and Mikey]
We Love Katamari review round-up
The sequel to the quirky cult-hit Katamari Damacy hits stores tomorrow. We Love Katamari promises more of the same. But has the novelty worn off? Or are you fiending for this new fix? Current reviews: 1UP (85) Cheat Code Central (90) Edge Magazine (80) EuroGamer (90) IGN (80) GamePro (80) GameSpot (84) netjak (97) PSM Magazine (90) Siliconera (85) [via Metacritic]
We Love Katamari coming to America... with bad box art!
Puzzle game may seem like a strange genre to squeeze junk-rolling oddball Katamari Damacy into, but I guess that's the closest approximation to categorizing the most lovable (yet darkly foreboding) game I've played. Well, the sequel, We Love Katamari, is finally making it to American shores next month, and I'm sure you're joining me in holding your breath until the day it's released, too. The only thing I'm not waiting for is the currently planned U.S. box art. One word: UGH! Compared to the original's surreal Western packaging (or the serene version of the Japanese CD soundtrack), this version actually cries out for some focus-group testing (on an almost original Xbox-controller level). Compare this with even the sequel's Japanese (or even Korean) covers in this preview from early August (see the actual art planned there), and I think you'll agree that something's amiss with Namco's American marketing team. People are angry, and they aren't gonna take it anymore! Considering all the speaking engagements Katamari's creator has had since the release of the original, it's hard for me to believe this relative artistic stinker made it through the publisher's approval process. Personally, this illustration belongs on the back of the game case, not the front. Can anyone throw together an insert mod for me? [UPDATE: Hopefully, you didn't mistake the joke image I found online and included with my post above with the genuine article that can be found below. Just in case you didn't take the time to examine it, the joke image reads: "We Boycott Katamari.") If you missed it in my post, take a look at the officially planned, but still atrocious image ripped from GameFly below, and feel your raw hate begin to rise to new heights (don't say we didn't warn you): http://www.1up.com/do/imageDisplay?id=2176237] [via gewgaw]
EA rolls over Katamari, nabs co-publishing rights
We love Katamari. The same can't be sad for EA. But honestly, this isn't as bad as it sounds. Namco has signed a deal with EA to co-publish "We Love Katamari" in Europe. Which means, yes, EA will be making a fast buck, er euro, but it will also help Katamari reach the hearts of Europeans throughout the territories. Everyone's a winner, right? [via Pro-G]
1UP spotlights Katamari sequel
The lucky folk in Japan have gotten their sweaty, eager hands on the Katamari sequel, while we have to wait. BOO! All we can do is read about the game for now. (Import not withstanding.) In a four page piece, 1UP take a look at Katamari, it's sequel, and the developers. It's nice to read that originally, they didn't think there should be a sequel. A refreshing change, when it seems all games these days are designed with franchises in mind. It's a rather enlightening look at a mindbending game.
