Me & My Katamari [Archive] - Retrogaming Roundtable

Oobgarm

03-23-2006, 07:31 AM

I'd like to hear some impressions from those who picked this game up, or who have actually played it. What are your thoughts on the use of the d-pad and face buttons to control the Katamari?

I personally found it to be a bit difficult at first, especially since I had to 'relearn' the rolling technique. But after giving it a long run through the tutorial, I'm ready to tackle the stages.

As far as the game itself: It looks and sounds like any other Katamari game, so that's good. The only real downer is the fact that it's $40, double the price of the original and 1.5x the sequel. I traded in to get my copy, but Ive got a feeling that a lot of folks are going to take the 'wait and see' approach.

What say you?

vahn401

03-23-2006, 07:59 AM

Well, game came out today and I did purchase it. Mostly for the girlfriend though. A friend had let us borrow both of the ps2 versions about a month ago, and I admit, they are really fun games to play, loved both of them, but my girlfriend, who never plays games, couldn't put them down.

Well, I recently bought into the PSP and she wasn't to happy because there was nothing on it she wanted to play (she loves nintendo). I came home with the Katamari game yesterday and she must of played it for about 3 hours.

As for the game, I havn't played it yet cause shes been hogging the PSP, but she seems to love it. It looks damn impressive, and she said the controls were hard, but after about 15 minutes, she said to me they were actually easier. As for story and plot, I don't recall there ever being much of one in the other games, so this one runs right along it i guess. If you like the Katamari games, I wouldn't think twice about this one, once you get past the control differences, it'll pull you in just like the others.

FullCircle

03-23-2006, 08:20 AM

Mine is supposed to be delivered today. I'm hoping it's before work and I can bring that along with Metroid Prime Hunters. Hopefully it's a good game, because I spent too much for it as it is.

sirhansirhan

03-23-2006, 09:15 AM

I bought a PSP last week specifically for this game (I have to admit that before the announcement of Me & My Katamari's stateside release, I was borderline vehemently anti-PSP). I agree with what everyone else has said about it being hard to get used to the controls at first, and I'd like to add that it is much more of a problem in this game if you get hit by something alive and bigger than you (i.e. if a person is walking around and bumps into your katamari, a lot of times they'll drag you around for a while before they let you go). Aside from that, this is just more of the same Katamari that we've come to expect (and love), and I'm sure that anyone who likes the series will like this game.

Also, I'd like to add that I heard a lot of rumors from reputable sources as recently as last week that you can't either jump to the other side of the katamari (like how you did in the PS2 games by pushing both analog sticks down at the same time) or do a charged roll, but both of these turn out to be incorrect, as you most certainly can.

c0ldb33r

03-23-2006, 09:37 AM

I don't really like the way katamari controls on the ps2. I find it really difficult/confusing controlling it with the 2 joysticks and I've wished before you could control it just with one.So I imagine it'd be easier to control with just the one.

But I'm not a hardcore Katamari fan or anything. I imagine if you've played more than me you'll find it a difficult change. Kind of like trying to play Street Fighter II with an analag joystick after playing the SNES verion (I've tried it. I hate it.)

Oobgarm

03-23-2006, 10:24 AM

This was recently pointed out this promo item to me. I wonder if any stores have these things hanging about? I'd enjoy one.

http://tinyurl.com/jxh6q

c0ldb33r

03-23-2006, 10:27 AM

You could probably make something like that pretty easily. It looks like it would be easy, yet time consuming.

I know for a fact my wife could make it. I wonder if there would be any interest in selling something like that.

downfall

03-23-2006, 10:56 AM

All I know is that I sold every single copy (at least 5) we got in the store last night within the span of 3 hours, and I had several people tell me that they tried to find it elsewhere, but that it was sold out everywhere else. We never sold that many of the first two, so I don't know.

We also didn't get any of the promo cases either.

Weird.

c0ldb33r

03-23-2006, 12:46 PM

Over lunch I went to an EB Games and they had one of those katamari purse things.

If I had a PSP I'd have gotten it.

I wouldn't use it though. It's neat but looks too gay :(

FullCircle

03-24-2006, 03:56 PM

boatofcar

03-24-2006, 05:19 PM

Don't know if anyone is interested, but you MUST upgrade to firmware 2.6 to play this game, so before anyone pops it into their hacked PSP, be warned. I personally don't mind because the homebrew programs I run on it still work using the GTA workaround.

Mmm...widescreen NES...

Exactly why I will never buy another PSP game. Hopefully Sony will do as they did with Liberty City stories and bring this Katamari to the PS2.

PapaStu

03-24-2006, 11:38 PM

The promo case as far as i've read was a Japanese Pre-order exclusive. I've never heard or seen any stores touting that they'd be getting any for gimmies for the US PSP.

ProgrammingAce

03-24-2006, 11:43 PM

There was a cell phone strap given out in very limited numbers in the US...

Linky (http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-Katamari-Damacy-Mobile-Phone-Strap-Namco-Promo_W0QQitemZ8271220269QQcategoryZ11319QQssPageN ameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

EDIT: oops... sorry

FullCircle

03-25-2006, 08:48 AM

Ok. I updated my firmware and played it last night (when I could finally pry myself from Metroid Prime: Hunters)
It's a very good game, although I think it gets difficult too soon.

Sega_Seller

03-25-2006, 10:02 AM

I'm debating buying this game, but I really want to know before i purchase it how the controls are?

Is it really hard to control because I know on PS2 you need both analog sticks. So how are the controls?

FullCircle

03-26-2006, 07:10 AM

I didn't find them to be difficult. If you've played the others, it's setup the same except for turning while moving. You can turn tight by pressing <- and triangle or ^ and O or you can do a wide turn by holding L or R and pressing directions forward or backward.

Has anyone unlocked eternal mode on levels yet? I'm wondering what sizes you need to attain for each level for this.

skaar

03-26-2006, 03:30 PM

Decent game, if overpriced. I just bought it to give in to my fanboy side.

Music's recycled from other Katamari games with a few new tracks. I still haven't gotten used to the controls, however.

They gave me the prince promo case when I bought it, kinda goofy but a neat item nonetheless. Bought at EB Games Mayfair in Victoria, BC (Canada)

slip81

03-26-2006, 08:49 PM

boatofcar

03-26-2006, 10:33 PM

dbiersdorf

03-26-2006, 10:50 PM

Does it add anything to the series? We <3 Katamari pretty much added nothing in terms of new gameplay elements, and was obviously pretty stale. Anything worth noting about this over the other two, outside of portability?

Oobgarm

03-27-2006, 07:35 AM

slip81

03-27-2006, 01:06 PM

If I ever get a PSP I'll probably pick this game up. Though I wonder why they didn't do something like Wario Ware Twisted and put a tilt sensor in the cart so you could move the katamari just by moving the PSP.

That might have been difficult due to the PSP not being cart-based.

I'm aware it's not cart based in the traditional sense when reffering to games, but the disk is in an enclosure that is inserted into a mechanism as a whole. I meant they might be able to put a tilt chip in the plastic casing that surrounds the disk.

blissfulnoise

03-28-2006, 11:20 AM

One of the best endings ever in a video game.

Who knew an 8-bit version of Katamari would play so well! Plus 3 different levels to boot.

The control scheme IS wonky, and a lot of the levels are repeated, but eternal modes for each level plus this ending are almost enough to make me look over the other parts.

Highly recommended for the PSP.

GameSlaveGaz

03-31-2006, 09:46 PM

As soon as I heard about it, I was whaaa???? PSP??? But how?? But being such a hardcore fan of the series, I vowed I would still get it but when it went waaaay down in price. But my coworker Mike said it was better than expected and I was mulling over the manual at work and it doesn't seem like the fucked up the controls too-too much. Still, I doubt I'm going to break down and buy it at $40, even though I get 15% off. Maybe at $30 or $20, preferably less than that. But I still need to get this game. Being a Katamari fan AND a completist demands it.

PapaStu

03-31-2006, 10:25 PM

Well I got the offiical soundtrack in the mail today. So far what i've heard is pretty decent. Nothing is calling out to me just yet, but then again when I heard the We <3 Katamari soundtrack I didn't like it at all... that was until I played the game, then that all changed.

My Me & My Katamari game is still sitting sealed.... I guess I should get a PSP at some point to play this thing.

neonesmaster

04-01-2006, 02:14 AM

ok ok what is everyone calling th epsp a microvision for? is there some jargon i missed growing up a stray child. and oobgarm posted this:

http://tinyurl.com/jxh6q

going to this auction is wierd.

this purse thing came to me in the mail. there were several thousand printed and sent to game store managers. this is where this item comes from. it was never handed out at any stores as far as i know for preorders unless it was the managaers personal.

the key chain thing as well? did they say it was a key chain toy or a cell phone toy?

the cell phone toy was of the young prince and he had a light on his head. when you hook this to your cell phone or just keep it close to it when you recieve a call, the little prince's head will light up. he had a bulb on top of his head. this toy was about 1 and a half inches tall and the prince was standing up

this was also given away at vendor shows. katamari toys for everyone. i also recieved a young prince toy of the same size but he was knealing down and he was the same cell phone toy.

oobgarm i hope this info is handy....

please keep me around so i can teach you old dogs some new tricks....

im also hear to learn some, maybe blissful nosie will give me a second chance.?

thank you

FullCircle

04-01-2006, 07:11 AM

I love the ending level! Platformer Katamari is a great idea! They should turn this into a Flash game.