From its initial release on the Playstation 2 to the modern era today, Katamari Damacy has remained one of the quirkiest and most unique games to ever grace the video game library. Now, almost 15 years after the eccentric King of Cosmos first wrecked the galaxy on the PS2, Bandai Namco has announced a remastered port version of the original game title Katamari Damacy Reroll for the Nintendo Switch and Windows PC. The original game went on to spawn several sequels and spinoffs, but the remaster marks the first time the franchise will appear on a Nintendo console and PC.
The third-person puzzle game doesn’t quite fit into any genre, as the concept itself is almost as weird as the gameplay. Players take on the role of the Prince, son of the clumsy King of Cosmos. The ruler has accidentally scrambled the stars in the galaxy, so his son is tasked with rolling up items scattered throughout a series of diverse levels. The bigger the star that is made from collecting all sorts of items, the better the score.
The player’s ball always starts small, and the Prince must start with rolling up small items in order to increase its size. While the mechanic might sound simple enough, optimizing a path among the multitude of options available in the vast levels can prove to be challenging. However, it’s always worth it to see the end when the Prince’s rolling ball becomes big enough to roll up the skies and oceans.
The game is known for its accessible gameplay, bright and quirky art style, and addicting Jpop soundtrack. The new port features remastered graphics and cutscenes to highlight the visuals and a specially tailored motion control scheme just for the Nintendo Switch. Players can use the Joy Cons to direct the Prince’s movements, easily changing his directions by flicking their wrists. This revamped control option works both in docked and tabletop mode.
Abelina Villegas, Associate Brand Manager for Bandi Namco, states that their goal is to “delight returning fans of the franchise as well as those who may or may not have had a chance to be on the ball the first time around with Katamari Damacy Reroll.”
Katamari Damacy Reroll will launch December 7 on the Nintendo Switch and Windows PC (via Steam).