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Me and My Katamari Import Impressions

We go for a roll with the import PSP version of Namco's quirky console game.

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After having had a look at Namco's upcoming PSP version of Katamari Damacy, we imported the final retail version, which recently hit Japan just in time for the holidays. Though the game goes by the cuddlier title of Me and My Katamari in the States, the Japanese game's moniker is a bit of a mouthful: Boku no Watashi no Katamari Damacy. However, no matter what the game is called, it still has the same aim: to bring the fun, accessible rolling gameplay of its console cousins to Sony's PSP.

The game mimics the presentation of the console games faithfully and features the same basic front end. You'll hear the same off-kilter humming as the Namco logo comes up and you maneuver the prince and his katamari toward save files represented by groups of two letters in the logo. You'll then be treated to a wacky intro cinema that features Katamari's bizarre visuals set to a funky song. The opening cinema also sheds a bit more light on the game's story. As we mentioned in our last preview, the goal of the game is to rebuild the island homes of animals. The cinema clears up exactly how they were lost: It seems the massive tidal wave that wiped out the island chain was caused by one bodysurfing King of All Cosmos. As a result, the prince is sent off to clean up the old man's mess yet again.

Your cousins will be around to lend a hand as you clean up after your old man.
Your cousins will be around to lend a hand as you clean up after your old man.

The opening also sets the stage for the new island-based interface, which puts a tropical spin on navigating the different options. The interface is basically a small cluster of islands you can hop between at any time. The main island, which you can name, will contain all the typical points of interest in a katamari game laid out in creative fashion. A Ferris wheel interface will let you look through all the different items you've rolled up. A treasure-chest interface will let you check out all the presents you've collected. As we mentioned previously, you can now equip up to three presents at any one time--one on your head, another on your torso, and a final one on your feet. A leaderboard lets you check out your ranking, based on the size of your katamari and the speed of your rolling. A hot spring will let you save your game. A photo album will let you check out the photos you've snapped during a level. A blimp will let you get a bird's-eye view of the islands you've restored to the chain through your ball-rolling efforts. A guitar will let you adjust the sound effects and music balance in your game. A small collection of shells on the beach will let you view in-game cinematics or listen to any of the 34 music tracks in the game. A dock will contain items that revolve around the game's multiplayer modes. A table will let you host an ad hoc game; as additional players connect to your PSP they'll appear at the table. If you're joining a game, you'll need to walk over to a nearby raft and head out to sea. Finally, a leaderboard will let you view the date, time, and ranking of your ad hoc multiplayer games.

In addition to the single-player game you'll find some nice multiplayer options.
In addition to the single-player game you'll find some nice multiplayer options.

The dock will house a second, smaller boat, which is what you'll use to journey to one of two nearby islands. Mini Volcano Island will be home to a slightly more demanding bunch of critters than the ones that come to the prince asking for help. The Mini Volcano denizens will send you on quests to create katamaris made from specific items, such as an ant that requires you to make a massive ball of sweets. Finally, Bean-Tree Island is where all the cousins you'll roll into will go hang out. If you feel like a new look, you can pop over and switch to any of the available cousins when the mood hits you.

Rollin', rollin', rollin'…

As far as the game goes, Boku no Watashi no Katamari Damacy doesn't stray too far from the Katamari formula we all know and love. The levels are tied to animals who show up on the island and ask the prince for some home repair. Once you accept, you'll get into a massive slingshot and be fired off distressingly close to your cosmic father's nether regions on your way to the level. Once in a level you'll have to make your ball of ever-growing junk reach a specific size by rolling over anything you can find. The levels are a good mix of elements seen in the console games. While most of the levels we've seen so far are the typical style where the prince is ant-sized and negotiating a real-world environment, we've also come across some where the prince is rolling a Godzilla-sized ball of stuff over entire cities. We've also seen some underwater sections of levels that find you dropped into aquatic areas that are part of large land-based locales, complete with slow-motion gameplay. You'll find indoor and outdoor sections in levels as well as areas that require your katamari to be a certain size before you can get in. Once you clear a level, the animal that asked you for help will kick back on your initially empty island.

As far as the control goes, the game's use of the D pad and PSP face buttons in lieu of the dual analog stick system seen in the console games works pretty well. You'll move forward by pushing up on the D pad and holding down the triangle button and go in reverse by holding down on the D pad and the X button. Moving left is done by holding left on the D pad and the square button, while moving right requires you to hold right on the D pad and circle button. To turn you'll need to hold right or left on the D pad while holding circle or square to maneuver around the katamari. Charging requires you to alternate between the D pad and triangle. The quick 180-degree flip is done by double tapping the circle button and left on the D pad. Though there is a learning curve, the control scheme ends up working out fairly well on the PSP. However, now that we've had some time to spend with the game, we've noticed some rough spots in the control. As we mentioned in our previous impressions, the scheme works but lacks some precision, which ends up making the game a bit more challenging. Getting your katamari where you want it to go, especially once it has grown to epic size, can be a chore. If you play the game for extended periods of time, you may also be in for some hand cramping. None of this ruins the experience, but it dulls the game's shine a bit.

The game's quirky visuals have made a smooth transition to the PSP.
The game's quirky visuals have made a smooth transition to the PSP.

The visuals in the game have come together nicely on the PSP. The blocky art style has made a smooth transition to the PSP, resulting in a near-perfect re-creation of the game's look. You can expect to find the same wacky juxtaposition of people, places, and things in the game. It retains the "kitchen sink" approach of its predecessors when it comes to level design and crams each level with all manner of weirdness. Whether it's everyday items such as bowls and wine bottles, or cruise ships, forests, herds of elephants, or the interior of a shopping mall, the game's art style manages to blend them into a cohesive whole. On the technical side of things you can expect to see most of the special effects from the PS2 games on full display. There is a bit of slowdown in spots, but we haven't found it to be an issue so far.

The audio in the game is a carbon copy of the console games with some new tunes thrown in the mix. The sound effects for the King of All Cosmos' scratchy speech, for the animals, for the people's screeching, and for your timer are re-created perfectly. The game's quirky soundtrack of more than 30 tunes is a greatest hits of memorable tunes from the first two games along with a handful of new tunes that fit well with the classic tracks.

Based on what we played, Boku no Watashi no Katamari Damacy is a solid portable entry in the series. The game's quirky charm is intact, and the gameplay works well despite the aforementioned rough spots. Prospective importers should have no trouble making their way through the game even if they're not Japanese speakers. The game's visually driven interface is pretty self-explanatory as are your goals in each level. Granted, you'll miss out on the game's humorous and quirky story, but if you're looking for some portable rolling action, import away. Boku no Watashi no Katamari Damacy is slated to ship this spring for the PSP in the US under the name of Me and My Katamari. Look for more on the domestic version soon.

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