Katamari Damacy Reroll Review

Katamari Damacy REROLL is an updated version of Namco’s 2005 PlayStation 2 classic by the same name. In this game players race against the clock to grow a “Katamari” ball by rolling over miscellaneous objects of increasing size; from stamps and coins, to cars and high-rise buildings. Like the original, this game has simple controls, fun gameplay, incredible music, and out-of-this-world presentation, all of which come together to make it one of the most unique and memorable experiences on home consoles, even today.

Right away when you begin you’ll notice that this is a game with over-the-top presentation. As it turns out, “The King of All Cosmos” has accidentally destroyed the stars. In his own words, “We were naughty. Completely naughty. But just between you and us, it felt quite good.” The player then takes on the role of the Prince, who helps the King make new stars by growing a Katamari beyond a certain size. The player will also help him make constellations by rolling over special types of objects. For example, the player rolls over as many crabs as possible to make Cancer (a constellation in the shape of a crab). Clever!

The controls are simple, and easy learn. Players push, pull, turn, and strafe the Katamari with both control sticks. This version allows for new motion controls through the magic of Joy-Cons, but I found it hard to get used to, and didn’t enjoy it unfortunately. Thankfully the game is fun and easy to control through use of the control sticks alone.

This game entertains with fast-paced exploration driven by the player’s natural desire to collect bigger and bigger objects. Growing the Katamari feels like rolling a snowball. You grow it by rolling over objects of increasing size: First mice, then bananas, then flowers, then cats, then bicycles, then people, etc. The objects themselves are unusually specific. Some examples include: “9-Volt Battery”, “Gym Uniform”, and “Kid’s Umbrella”. When you roll over people, they’re called by their full name, or some silly title, like “Great x3 Grandpa”. What happens is, as you’re rolling over and collecting objects, you’re taking in these interesting descriptions, and naturally you’re thinking about what kind of items will come next. This is the exploration aspect of the game. Aside from exploring the spaces in the game, like the inside of a house or its adjacent garden or street, you’re driven to collect anything and everything in sight that’s small enough to pick up. As the Katamari grows, you come back and roll over items that were too big on your first pass, and see what they’re about.

The graphics in this game are amazing. When your Katamari is smaller, you bump into objects, which appear to only be part of the environment, but as it grows, these objects become things that you can just roll over and pick up like any other object. No matter where you are in the game, the ground is also littered with a colorful variety of objects, and as you play your eyes will naturally move from one object to another as quickly as you can to determine whether or not it’s small enough for you to roll up in your Katamari. There are also plenty of moving objects, which the player has to quickly evaluate as they roll along. You’ll contend with mice and cats running around, people walking, fishing, and riding bikes, and things like cars, trucks, and even sumo wrestlers. The cherry on this sundae is that the graphics are now in HD, so it even looks better now.

The music in this game is memorable. I would suggest to our readers that if you know somebody who has played the original game, just ask them if they can sing the theme song for you. I bet they’ll do it. Perhaps if you just mention this game to them, they’ll start singing, because it now part of gaming legend for anyone who played it back in 2005.

If you’ve never played the original, I can’t recommend this game enough. If you’re a long-time fan, expect the same wonderful game, but with better graphics, on your Nintendo Switch. Now you can even collect on the go!

Adam Martinez

Adam “McSNES” Martinez, gaming drop-out and FuncoLand ghost, has spent his entire life training to review games for YOU, the loyal readers of Nintendo Times. Adam is permanently banned from Final Fantasy XI: Online, his favorite game.