The game industry wouldn’t be where it is today without unique games that shake it up. Creative developers with wild, unprecedented ideas can redefine game genres, create new kinds of gameplay, introduce new ways to tell stories, and leave marks on the video game industry. One franchise that’s accomplished some of those things is Bandai Namco’sKatamariseries. There’s really no comparing the colorful and quirkyKatamarigames to anything else. The franchise’s central conceit of rolling up objects into a ball to turn them into stars, planets, and other celestial bodies results in both central game mechanics and aesthetics that no game really shares withKatamari.
It’s interesting, then, that there hasn’t been a brand newKatamarigame for a gaming console since 2011. Although Bandai Namco released a couple of mobileKatamarititles during the 2010s, it hasn’t made a mainlineKatamarientry sinceTouch My Katamarifor the PlayStation Vita. Sony is on to very different consoles by now, as are most other console developers.Katamarihas reestablished some presence on modern consoles with a successful remake andan Xbox Game Pass appearance, but the best way forKatamarito get the ball rolling again would be to add a brand new game to the series.
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The Current State of the Katamari Series
Katamari’s latest game was very well received. In 2018, Bandai Namco releasedKatamari Damacy Reroll,a remaster of the originalKatamari Damacy, for Nintendo Switch and PC. The remake came to PS4 and Xbox One in 2020 and found fans on those consoles too.Katamari Damacy Rerollboasts some of the highest Metacritic reviews of the entire Katamari series, proving that not only is there still interest inKatamarigames but that the franchise’s simple formula still works. Reroll was approachable for totally new fans, yet engaging enough for longtime fans to revisit the original game, which is exactly the sweet spot that the charmingKatamariwants to land in.
However,Katamari’s recent titles have a somewhat more complicated reputation thanRerollitself would suggest. When reviewinglater entries in theKatamariseries, some critics felt that Bandai Namco was lettingKatamarigames get too repetitive, reprising ideas too often and recycling whole levels on a regular basis. The positive response toKatamari Damacy Rerollis, therefore, a big step toward restoringKatamari’s reputation, but there’s still more that Bandai Namco can do to dispel doubts about the series. A brand newKatamarigame full of new mechanics and original levels would be a breath of fresh air for fans new and old.
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Katamari Has Plenty of Room to Grow
There’s plenty ofthings that Bandai Namco could dowithKatamarito make it feel new again. For one thing, it could introduce any number of new obstacles or status effects, cosmic or terrestrial in nature, to add a new level of challenge toKatamari. The franchise is wacky enough that it could justify all kinds of bizarre antagonists or hazards that raise the difficulty this way. Bandai Namco could also explore more ways to change the way that the Prince of All Cosmos’ katamari handles, giving him new forms of mobility to evade obstacles as well as new ways to roll up trash and treasure alike.
Katamari’s simple concept lends itself to all kinds of adjustments, so Bandai Namco has tons of liberty to revamp it. Hopefully, Bandai Namco’s recent usage of the IP indicates that it wants to return toKatamarigames in full force.Katamari Damacy Rerollis a positive sign, as is its inclusion on Xbox Game Pass this August. TheKatamarigames tell lighthearted, whimsical stories that are always good for a laugh while offering simple but engaging gameplay, charming art, and excellent music. Considering all the traditional strengths of theKatamarigames, it seems clear that the series deserves a large-scale comeback. It could becomea heavy-hitter for Bandai Namcoonce again.
Katamari Damacy Rerollis available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
