Katamari Damacy Love

[Cirrus]

I've noticed that Katamary Damacy is doing very well on the polls here. I have it, and love it, but I noticed a post in another thread where someone pointed out how well it's doing.

I really wonder whether or not it is as good as people are making it out to be. It's great fun, and unique, but I just wonder how much it truly is the best game out this year.

I think I clicked that as my vote more than once, but it was a bit of a gut reaction. I imagine this was the case with more than just myself.

[josekortez]

It's fun but I've been stuck on planet 7 for over a month and a half. Probably because someone always yells for me to come in the other room while I'm playing Katamari Damacy.

[whoisKeel]

i LOVE it, and i'm really stoked for the sequel. my only complaint is that it is way too short, i beat it in 2 days...and maybe that the camera could've used a bit more tweaking. i've only had it for a week, but i see myself playing this game over and over for a long time, i still need to unlock 2 eternals, and i'm seriously considering trying to collect every item in the game...

i see what you are saying tho, is it really game of the year? it is certainly the most addictive game i've played in a long while, but that doesn't necessarily make it the best...still it is a very polished game, and there is alot of detail, and i notice something new everytime i play. the soundtrack is certainly a bonus too (except stage 4 music, meh)

[josekortez]

I wouldn't go as far as game of the year. And no, I'm not a GTA: San Andreas or Halo 2 freak.

[Cirrus]

Yeah, it's probably not the best game out. It's the biggest surprise, and most definitely important, but there are big name blockbuster games (most of which I'm not excited about) that are better games, objectively.

I think our "Tilt" factor for Katamari Damacy is pushing our scores up a bit too high.

[Sylentwulf]

Probly referring to one of my posts where I got flamed afterwards for saying it :)

Most original game, yes. Some of the best music, sure.
Game of the year, no. Most addictive - No, I fail to see how an addictive game can be beaten and done with, without much replayability after a couple days (I said without MUCH replayability, yes, I went through all the levels 2-3 times, but was still done in a couple days.)

[Promophile]

I voted Metal Gear Solid 3 because I can't stand rap / ghetto slang that I can't even understand.

[AB Positive]

I think I had to go with it because it's the only game I've played that came out this year that actually got me to play it more than once. I'm incredibly picky on my games. Any game that keeps me enthralled for a week, possibly two is an incredible accomplishment, heh. I stand by my vote, but then agian I'm weird :-D

-AG

[GobopopRevisited]

No, its not the best game out. Not even close. What it is is a... "What the Hell is this thing?? Maybe I'll pick it up and try it, it looks weird. Oh!!!! Its Fun, I better gon on the Digital Press Forums and post about it and make it seem like the "hardcore" gamers choice to pick up or else! Seriously I'll make the entire freaking board obsessed with this *SURPRISE* game"

Yeah, I think I nailed it.

[NE146]

No, its not the best game out. Not even close. What it is is a... "What the Hell is this thing?? Maybe I'll pick it up and try it, it looks weird. Oh!!!! Its Fun, I better gon on the Digital Press Forums and post about it and make it seem like the "hardcore" gamers choice to pick up or else! Seriously I'll make the entire freaking board obsessed with this *SURPRISE* game"

Yeah, I think I nailed it.

That's definitely part of it. But it is indeed a very fun game once you get into it (at least to make a star 5 or so..) that has nothing to do with any hype generated by posters here or word of mouth anywhere. And of course there is no doubt whatsoever about it's originality and overall "newness" that's for sure. How often have you played something that's fresh aside from the latest graphically tweaked FPS? It's been a while for me that's for sure.

The game stands on it's own, so of course it's just naturally gonna get it's props from the various obsessed posters :P

[slip81]

KD got my pick of the year because for me it was incredibly fun, very addictive (I just love rolling around collecting stuff and seeing how big my katamari can get), it' got great music and it's original (at least here in the states, there could be a million games like this in Japan, I don't know). In a US market saturated with first person shooters, GTA clones, action and racing games, Katamari is a breath of fresh air (sorry If I sound like a review mag). It's not quite puzzle, not quite action.

So while it may not provide as many play hours as San Andreas, or look as good as MGS3, or take the skill of Halo 2, it's something different and it's fun, so that's why it got my vote.

[calthaer]

In a US market saturated with first person shooters, GTA clones, action and racing games, Katamari is a breath of fresh air (sorry If I sound like a review mag)...So while it may not provide as many play hours as San Andreas, or look as good as MGS3, or take the skill of Halo 2, it's something different and it's fun, so that's why it got my vote.

Ditto here. In the woebegone land of sequels and licenses, Katamari stands tall. I don't care to play the same game I played last year, just with better graphics and 50% more love blooming on the battlefield. Why should I give those devs any cookies? Do something even a little bit different for once.

[kainemaxwell]

It's one of those games that's too much fun to stop playing once you really get into it. The graphics are funky, the music and really catchy and it has a "feel good" vibe to it.

[Lady Jaye]

What's also fun with KD is that, no matter how many times you play it, you'll never create two katamaris that look exactly the same.

[16-bit]

KD = Game of the year...Game of the last three years.

[Nature Boy]

KD is one of *those* games. You know, the type of game where people write stuff like "if you're a serious gamer you *must* play this game!" If/when you play it you either pass that same word along or start openingly questioning what people see in it.

I'm in the middle somewhat but lean towards the latter. It's one of the reasons I'm not participating in the Otto award thing this time. It's a debate you can't win.

[vintagegamecrazy]

This game is pretty cool to me too. I saw this game at Toys R' Us for 19.99 but I don't have a PS2 yet, is this game going to become hard to find and should I grab it for when I get a PS2 or will I find it later?

[ClubNinja]

Outlined personal explaination of why I voted KD as the Game of the Year:

- Months before its release, I caught some rumblings about it and felt instantly drawn to the concept. Generally, I care very little about new releases far before any real information or screenshots or whatever have turned up.

- In the days prior to its release, I called around to all the local game stores asking for specific availability information and to possibly make a preorder. I have only preordered a new game once, and that was only to get the free t-shirt with preorder.

- The day it arrived, I skipped my class. No, not a class I was taking, but a class I was teaching. Granted, everyone was thrilled to have an afternoon off, but it seems like a pretty irresponsible thing to do just to play a game.

- I played the game exclusively, numerous times, for several weeks. I never play a single game exclusively for more than a day.

- Only two new games from this year have been played numerous times by visitors - KD and Donkey Konga. There's no real desire to play Donkey Konga since they've completed all the songs, yet they'll still play KD despite finishing it more times than I can count.

I cannot make this case for any other game I've picked up this year (that came out this year). Therefore, it would be foolish of me *not* to vote for it. While I agree that a few of the votes for KD have probably come from those who were simply swept up in the current "cool, underground game makes good" thing, I am certain that even without those votes, KD would still do very well strictly on merit.


It's one of the reasons I'm not participating in the Otto award thing this time.

For me, KD is the reason why I *have* decided to vote this year - I'm rarely moved to support a new game to this degree.

[hezeuschrist]

I guess I never spent enough time with the game. I tried the level that you first need to get your ball up to a meter and have 10 minutes to do so, tried it twice and couldn't even come remotely close to being able to finish it. Schoolwork got heavy, I dropped it and started playing tales of symphonia.

As for the votes I cast this year, they almost exclusively went to Halo 2. I've been absolutely engrossed by the Online component of that, and even though the single player leaves much to be desired, playing on Live more than makes up for it.

[Aussie2B]

Part of the problem is that at some point it suddenly became cool to be into Katamari Damacy. Now, I'm not even talking about around here; I'm talking about how it's being mentioned numerous times on G4 TechTV, how it was nominated in the Spike TV awards, etc.

I guess it just sort of snowballed as more and more people jumped on the bandwagon. First it started off just being bought by hardcore gamers and people who are fans of fruity Japanese games, then the wannabe hardcore gamers thought they should get it because it would make them more "hardcore", they started telling even more casual gamers that they had to try KD, lots of magazines and sites got caught up into it, etc., etc., until even gamers who only play Madden, Halo, and GTA were talking about it. It's pretty sad and pathetic when these people who you KNOW would normally turn their noses up at a game like KD and call it complete crap without so much as playing it are now pretending to like it just to be cool. Oh well, it's become a fad, what can you do.

I don't like it when things I like become TOO popular, but nonetheless, I still really dig Katamari Damacy, and I'm looking forward to the sequel.

[Lady Jaye]

Well, who cares about the hipsters who like KD only because it's trendy to like it? If YOU like the game, that's what matters.

However, don't forget that the fact that the game became very popular means that Namco's gamble has paid off. Maybe more Japanese-only titles will make thier way here now.

(of course, I'm still waiting for Konami to release their other Bemani games here. I'd buy Guitar Freaks and Beatmania if they were officially sold here)

[ClubNinja]

I guess it just sort of snowballed as more and more people jumped on the bandwagon.

Heh heh, get it?

[Nature Boy]

I don't like it when things I like become TOO popular.

Why the heck not? If it wasn't 'too popular' you might not get the sequel you're looking for!

(In fact, worrying about whether or not something gets too popular implies that you want to be cool, which is what you complain about with your first sentence)

[Cirrus]

Why the heck not? So EA doesn't buy it and make Katamari Damacy Street, that's why.

[whoisKeel]

hmmm....i initially borrowed this game (1 week ago) from a friend at work...about 10 people who own a ps2 saw the game cover and none of them had ever heard of it, and neither has anybody else i've talked to outside of game shops with the exception of one other friend. i think you guys are exaggerating it's popularity....and it is easy to do so when you visit online game forums and gaming sites on a daily basis.

this game well received and well-liked by those who have played it, simply because they do indeed enjoy it. i think a good analogy here would be the movie napoleon dynamite. that movie had very little advertisement, and look how well it has done, i can't go anywhere without people quoting it. best movie of the year? hell no. enjoyable? yep. best surprise? after eternal sunshine, yes ;) instant classic? you bet.

[Promophile]

Why the heck not? So EA doesn't buy it and make Katamari Damacy Street, that's why.

Or Madden's Katamari Damarcy 2005 : Xtreme Street Edition.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

DOA Extreme Katamari?

[Aussie2B]

I don't like it when things I like become TOO popular.

Why the heck not? If it wasn't 'too popular' you might not get the sequel you're looking for!

(In fact, worrying about whether or not something gets too popular implies that you want to be cool, which is what you complain about with your first sentence)

Generally, I don't want sequels to games I like. The market is flooded with sequels, and I'm sick of them. Actually, if Namco was able to create an entirely new game that's just as innovative and creative as Katamari Damacy, I'd take that over a KD sequel, but since it's confirmed that they're already making one, I'm sure I'll enjoy it as long as it's not just a complete rehash.

Anyway, the reason I don't like things getting too popular is that I get sick of the hype and hearing about a game constantly. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing.