Sometimes I wish I had four hands so that I could play video games while I knit. (When I really think about it, though, gaming while knitting would probably mean bad results all around.) My hands are almost always busy with needles, so when I do put the knitting down for a game, it has to be a pretty great game. And Katamari Damacy, in its various iterations, is maybe the closest thing to a perfect game to me.
This is a game with legions of fans, so I’m sure many of you have played it and love it too. For those who haven’t, the premise is sublimely bizarre: the King of the Cosmos has accidentally destroyed the universe, and you, his tiny prince son, are tasked with restoring the planets and stars by making new ones. To create a heavenly body, you roll stuff up on earth, starting with small objects like pushpins and parsley, and gradually adding larger items like teapots, cats, apartment buildings, and clouds as your ball gets bigger.
The rolling works in an easy, natural way, with your two thumbs on two joysticks pushing it forward. (Most of the games are for the Playstation, with the newest, Touch My Katamari, for the PS Vita.) With virtually no learning curve, this is a game that is instantly fun for anyone with two thumbs.
It’s the world of Katamari Damacy that really inspires me. It’s a world full of stuff, but that stuff is curated for maximum play and discovery. Roll up an egg, and it hatches out a swan as you do so, making your ball that much bigger. Roll into a school bathroom and someone’s on the Japanese-style toilet— you may not be big enough to roll him up yet, but you can snag the pile of toilet paper sitting next to him. Grow your ball giant enough to roll up the cosmos themselves, and you’ll encounter magical incarnations of the game’s characters alongside ancient Shinto deities.
For the most part, this is a specifically Japanese world, and much of the items you roll up are specific to Japan. The game’s attitude about its nationality is refreshingly matter-of-fact. After rolling up a pile of caramels, you might roll up an “octopus sausage,” the name of which will appear on the screen, but with no further commentary about what it is. I love how the Japanese developers neither tried to make the world more generic for players in other countries nor played up the Japanese-ness of the game as a big selling point.
This is a game with no bad guys, and no real failure. (You can get shamed by your cosmic father for not living up to his expectations, but once that’s over, you just get back to rolling.) The cosmos themselves don’t contain any good or evil, and nothing in the world is too small or too big to be in play. That’s a spirit that I strive to bring to my own creative projects, and I know I’ll always return to this game for some imagination fuel.
This looks fantastic!! Can’t wait to try it.
Have you ever played Kirby’s Epic Yarn? It’s one of my favourites!
I LOVE Katamari! I have the PS3 version Katamari Forever and feel the exact same way. It is the perfect game. I never have to battle a bad guy or boss and I love it! Everything about the game makes me smile.
Great post! And I love your little teeny guys!!
Anna – I love that game too. Hardly ever have time to play anymore. It is fun though.
Not sure if you saw my addition to the MochiMochi group some time back, but my kids make me knit pockets into their socks so they can store their MochiMochi’s in them. They even sleep with them like that. Love your designs.
Best wishes,
Marisa
MochiMochi sock in rav – http://www.ravelry.com/projects/QuiltOtaku/thanksgiving-socks-for-6-yr-old-feet-shark-island
Have you tried Noby Noby Boy? It was designed by the same guy as Katamari, but I think it has more creativity and surrealism.
I love Katamari – the design, music, everything!
Michelle – I watched my husband play Kirby’s Epic Yarn (he was reviewing it for a website). I thought it was so cute and clever! The only thing I didn’t like what that dopey narrator’s voice…
Danielle – I haven’t played Noby Noby Boy. I always thought it looked cool, but I assumed it wasn’t so great since I didn’t hear much about it. But now I want to try it of course!
I have played tons of Katamari. It is one of my favorite silly games.
I’ve also played Kirby’s Epic Yarn, and while I liked Kirby there are a couple of play features that I’m notoriously bad at (like jumping) that turned parts of the game more frustrating than fun.
I like to play Kirby
Noby Noby isn’t quite a game – there’s no timer or real goal while you play. Instead you just explore and interact with (and eat) all the little creatures and objects in the world. Because of that, I think most people don’t like it that much. Even Takahashi said he wasn’t quite satisfied.
I love Katamari games :) The gameplay is fun, the music is catchy, and there’s always so many funny little surprises packed into them, like the cousins disco in We Heart Katamari. The King of All Cosmos is pretty scary when he’s displeased, though!
My most favorite game ever! Nothing better than coming home after a horrible day at work and playing a game where you get to roll up people and animals with a ball pushed by a tiny little person.