January 12, 2012January 12, 2012

Touch My Katamari Reveals The Truth About The King of All Cosmos

How goes it, friends? We’re almost one month away from the PS Vita launch here in North America, and Namco Bandai Games is nearly ready to launch the next chapter in the Katamari saga on February 22nd in North America and Europe.

We’ve already been over how the new core gameplay mechanics will work: You’ll stretch and squeeze your katamari using the rear touchscreen, changing the shape of your rolly ball of fun to better maneuver around each level. What we haven’t yet shared is the story! Watch the prologue video below to get a look at the terrifying revelation uncovered by the King of All Cosmos at the beginning of our stretchy tale. Once the greatest in the universe, the king finds out that his level of cool is now only on par with something he simply won’t stand for… thus beginning a redemption tale for the ages!

Check the clip above and be sure to sound off in the comments. February 22nd will be here before you know it!

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39 Comments

5 Author Replies

Major_Hoare
January 12, 2012 at 9:22 am PST

Can we get Noby Noby Boy Vita please?
PyroJing
January 12, 2012 at 9:29 am PST

And here I thought nothing could make me NOT want this game….
trapper12
January 12, 2012 at 9:29 am PST

Can’t wait to pick this up on launch date when the PS Vita comes out. Quick question, how much will Touch My Katamari retail for?
codename_W
January 12, 2012 at 9:32 am PST

Please, stop ruining the katamari brand with that ugly new design style, god, they dont know what katamari is about.
- "Filthie" Rich Bantegui
  January 12, 2012 at 11:04 am PST
  
  I think we just need to whip up more gameplay video to help bring back the awesomeness of the Katamari series. Ill drop by with something soon.
GabeP
January 12, 2012 at 9:36 am PST

That video should have a rating for Mature audiences.. I’m 24 and it freaked me out. Totally looking forward to this on the Vita though.
- "Filthie" Rich Bantegui
  January 12, 2012 at 11:08 am PST
  
  The King just text’d me and apologizes for freaking you out.
Tchanku
January 12, 2012 at 9:48 am PST

How about a gameplay video. I don’t say this lightly, really I don’t do the negative posting thing often…but that video was just awful.
Zookey
January 12, 2012 at 10:25 am PST

Question: can you play with the Analog Sticks?
- "Filthie" Rich Bantegui
  January 12, 2012 at 11:06 am PST
  
  Absolutely! – The King supports Analog Stick action!
Bad_Brains
January 12, 2012 at 10:43 am PST

It looks good, although I’m skeptical about it since Keita left.
- "Filthie" Rich Bantegui
  January 12, 2012 at 11:03 am PST
  
  We understand your concern, but will continue to work hard to share more content and information as soon as it’s available.
trapper12
January 12, 2012 at 10:47 am PST

@7

Yes you can play with the analog sticks. You can look up gameplay videos on Youtube and you can see that the analog sticks can be used to play the game instead of using the touchscreen/rear toiuchpad.
whatisdelicious
January 12, 2012 at 11:01 am PST

I would highly recommend completely redoing that intro. The art style does play as well as they were probably hoping and just comes across as kind of a “creepy weird” rather than the “happy fun weird” the old Katamaris were. But even beyond that, the content of the video is just dumb. Again, not in the “happy fun dumb” way the old Katamaris were. Like, the only thing that could redeem that video is if you find out that the reason the mom thinks the principal and the King are on the same level is because she’s having an affair with the principal. That’s it.
whatisdelicious
January 12, 2012 at 11:02 am PST

doesn’t*

I meant to say that “the art style DOESN’T play as well as they were probably hoping.”
- "Filthie" Rich Bantegui
  January 12, 2012 at 11:06 am PST
  
  Thank you for your feedback – This is a community oriented title and we would like to do the best job that we can to please the fans. Ill make sure to share this as well as other comments with our teams!
poodude
January 12, 2012 at 11:14 am PST

And now I know which launch title I’m getting.
VixDiesel
January 12, 2012 at 11:32 am PST

The import reviews and previews for this haven’t been kind. This is the second time it’s been rehashed. Katamari Forever had levels from past games and now Touch My Katamari has levels from past games…and it only has 14 levels!! And 13 cousins. You go from having something like 59 cousins to 13 playable cousins? Just what is it exactly that you guys (Namco) are trying to do to this series? This game doesn’t even have a platinum. It has 11 trophies! 11 for a retail game? Bwah?

Heck, it wasn’t until mid-December that TMK even showed up on Namco’s site as a game…and NONE of other other Katamari games are even listed. They don’t even acknowledge they exist.

These new-fangled controls are nothing but a gimmick and add nothing to the game according to the reviews I’ve been reading. They don’t make gameplay any better and from gameplay video’s I’ve seen, they actually ruin the flow of playing.

(continued…)
VixDiesel
January 12, 2012 at 11:33 am PST

To hear rumors that this was supposed to be a ps3 game just furthered the grief of Katamari fans.

Every game since the second one has been on a new platform. MMK was on the psp. BK was on the 360. KF was on the ps3. TMK is on the vita. Way to alienate your fans.

IF this game doesn’t completely kill the series…IF there’s another one after this, for the love of god and all thing holy in the cosmos, put it out on systems people actually own like the ps3 and 360. There’s absolutely no reason this game can’t be a cross console game.

Being the huge Katamari fan that I am, this will probably be the first game that I skip. I just can’t justify paying for another new system just to get a game I’ve always played at least two times before (in the original games and then in Katamari Forever).
DrPhiill
January 12, 2012 at 11:34 am PST

Cant wait to get my hands on this! Just the name of the game makes me want to “touch” it! :P
headronefish
January 12, 2012 at 12:17 pm PST

where is the PS3 Katamari love? ):
saintaqua
January 12, 2012 at 1:05 pm PST

I feel faint.
Is it the fact that I am dying of anticipation for this game or is it the Uncanny Valley nature of the King and Prince depicted here?!
Sephir007
January 12, 2012 at 1:54 pm PST

I think the intro is good, it has that wacky style as always, I want a new Katamari for PS3 too, thanks!
SolduNuts
January 12, 2012 at 2:16 pm PST

The PSV is getting tons of love from developers and this is shaping up to be one packed winter of games. Between the launch titles and the great PS3 games that are coming out I don’t know what to spend my money on. Hopefully it will be on a PSV.

Sold.
plaztiksyke
January 12, 2012 at 2:29 pm PST

Please embed videos that have an HTML5 player. I can’t watch the videos on my Linux desktop, my iPad, and generally not my PS3.
KenDezel
January 12, 2012 at 6:04 pm PST

The end of the intro is kind of “inappropriate”.. Not sure if you were going for the Adult Swim kind of humor..
Still looking forward to the game but that threw me off just a bit..
age402
January 12, 2012 at 7:07 pm PST

The PS2 Katamaris were great, and they offered a degree of awkwardness that was pushing the limits in a cute way. All the girls that played at my house soon jumped up on their feet and began dancing and laughing while playing them.
There was challenge and incremental difficulty, not too hard, but not too soft.
Along came Katamari Forever… and when I played a couple stages I was “What? This is just a remake”, but that wasn’t entirely right. The great music was there, the awesome levels and fun was there, even if they were a total rip-off of the previous entries in the series, but… where had the challenge gone?
Let’s be honest, shorter and shorter levels, a whole half of the levels are sort of “spare-time” levels since, even though you have a general theme, you can’t actually fail them at all, and the ones that actually have a fail condition are not challenging at all. At most there are two or three that you may have to redo to pass.
age402
January 12, 2012 at 7:08 pm PST

I know games nowadays are supposed to be non-challenging to engage a new generation that does not suffer frustration well, (or doesn’t stand it at all for that matter), but devolving is only going to get you a short life-span market share, but dignity demands a bit more of you, a bit of constructive effort to turn the tide.
And then the matter of the awkwardness growing… in the wrong direction, but it was still manageable, and the script was still pretty fun (not funny).
So after playing the remake a new Katamari comes along, preceded by this video.
age402
January 12, 2012 at 7:08 pm PST

Honestly?
It’s all gone down the sink, characters deviated from the original vector (which means that they can evolve, but you have to follow the arrow, you know) are now really creepy and grotesque, cute/fun/funny doesn’t enter my mind when I watch this. I’m sure a lot of good-willed people put a lot of effort into this, but being a graphic designer myself I’ve l learnt a lesson for the job: there are ideas that must be had in the creative process, but must never see the light of day. And I believe this was a case of that rule being broken.
age402
January 12, 2012 at 7:08 pm PST

There are a great many deal of things that could be done with this franchise: Underground tunnels, outdoor enviroments that are non-civilized like jungles, extraterrestrial locations, open sea, etc. Different approaches to limitations (limitations make games fun and playable, nobody likes a game where anything you do is ok, there’s no skill test there, and if you only build to a game where you can interact with the environment pretty much at leisure, you get Second Life, and we all know that didn’t catch). What if you had to roll on low gravity, or on high gravity and if you slowed down to think for a second your katamari began turning flat and moving around getting harder until you built up momentum again? there are SO MANY THINGS that can be proposed to the player… and you go for this video.
Seriously, you can do better.
BudDudandSlash
January 12, 2012 at 7:32 pm PST

So much complaining- knock it off! This looks amazing!
WATERSTAND
January 12, 2012 at 8:15 pm PST

I own the Japanese version of this game and its very disappointing. Waste of 3980 Yen, I could have gotten another game instead. As noted it has only 14 stages and 13 cousins. The last stage of this game isn’t even epic, you don’t make a Katamari that eats up countries, planets, and stars. The Katamari shape shifting mechanic is sound and is a natural addition, the game behind is just really lacking in content. I guess I’ve been spoiled rotten by Katamari Damacy Tribute, the biggest Katamari game yet.
Shishimo9000
January 12, 2012 at 8:18 pm PST

So iloved the animation style and the voice acting from the first few Katamari games it was unique albeit a little weird i still loved it a lot and the games were amazing to play.

this… horrible horrible monstrosity makes me want to cry and I’m a 24 year old man… the script was horrendous the animation style made my eyes burn and the voice acting made my ears sting….

WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU GUYS DONE TO KATAMARI?!?!?!?!? I will not waste my money on this garbage even if the new game play is awesome (which i heard it was fairly mundane and not what one would define as awesome) the art-style and voice acting (hell the script as well) will keep me miles from this game… and that makes me very very sad :'(
Oisterboy
January 13, 2012 at 6:15 am PST

Yesssssssss, day one purchase. And lol, you guys are arguing over how a cutscene from the game is animated? Thats like being mad about the package your food comes in. Puh-lease.

If it were a game like Heavy Rain or Uncharted or something where the story line made up 99% of the appeal, it would be one thing…this is Katamari dudes. You need to just chill out and actually play the GAME.
ThumbsOfSteel74
January 13, 2012 at 6:57 am PST

@25: You’re absolutely right. Nobody should have an opinion that doesn’t match yours.

@27: I realize some people are overreacting to one cutscene, but from what I understand the opening is just the tip of the iceberg. And that’s just the “story” we’re talking about. The real issue is charging full price for what is, at best, half a game. Far less content than any previous katamari game for no other reasons than sheer laziness, apathy, and greed. “Hey, they’ll buy it anyway. LOL!” This game will most likely turn people who felt ripped off by Katamari Forever into fans of it by comparison. Yippee.
Elvick_
January 13, 2012 at 7:18 am PST

Worried about the amount of content to be honest. Lately Namco Bandai has been gimping PSVita titles in that area it seems, and the ones that look to be worthwhile probably won’t hit NA shores. Tales of Innocence R… I hope Ridge Racer, either undergoes complete makeover with a game’s worth of content, instead of a demos worth, otherwise I hope it tanks hardcore.
Otenko4
January 13, 2012 at 9:17 am PST

okay so I’ve always loved the katamari series but I gotta agree…that video was just plain weird and not in the so weird it’s funny way just desturbingly weird.

but anyways I have on major question for you guys that determines whether or not I buy this or a vita for it for that matter.

anyways sony made some kind of announcement about some vita games I think it was being able to be cross-compatible with the ps3? and if it’s true are you guys planning on doing this? because in all honesty I’m kinda getting sick of having to buy every game system in the whole wide world just to play katamari games :/
and if you were to do this it’d save me 250 bucks which is almost as much as my rent I’d be much obliged if you made it cross compatible so I could just play it on ps3 (via downloadable) :)

however if sony didn’t make that announcement (though I’m fairly sure they did…(something about monster hunter 3 was doing it) then forget all this and I’m buying a vita begrudgingly
Shishimo9000
January 13, 2012 at 1:16 pm PST

@oisterboy I throw the package my food comes in in the garbage I have to deal with a games cut-scenes every time I play it. I also was very amused with the old Katamari games cut-scenes and they made me wonder what was going to happen next even though I had no idea what exactly was happening in the first place… The fact that these cut scenes would make me prefer to never beat a level so i didn’t have to see the next one is like taking a step back as a game/franchise. You go from game I want to play play play and i get bonus amusing cut-scenes to a game I’ve already played and am trying to avoid the cut-scenes.

Legit argument unlike yours about food wrappers. Though if my food came wrapped in something with those characters drawn on it I would most likely not buy it to further your stupid comment.
Hooligantuan
January 13, 2012 at 2:06 pm PST

I just wanted DLC for Katamari Forever.
Enigma777
January 13, 2012 at 2:32 pm PST

There’s funny “haha weird” and then there’s just “creepy weird.” This video borders the latter.
KILLO31
January 13, 2012 at 4:03 pm PST

I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT JUST HAPPEND……BUT I LIKED IT !
StarFoxMania
January 13, 2012 at 6:30 pm PST

ok I’m not one to criticize unique projects just cause they are different from our perceived conventions. In fact usually I appreciate art that defies said conventions, but that has to happen naturally, and NEVER for the sake of being different, otherwise it would be a dumb move, kind of like those ppl who listen to underground music, “just cause it’s not popular”… Now I don’t know if they are doing this cause they want to be different or whatever, but i highly suggest them they lay off the shrooms or whatever recreational drugs they’re doing and I don’t mean that as a joke, just for the sake of their fans who probably will want sequels in the future.
Kalysm
January 13, 2012 at 10:56 pm PST

I have to say, I’ve been on the fence about getting a Vita largely due to Katamari being a launch title. However, it’s obvious from this video that the new creative direction has gone completely downhill. Where are the dancing pandas and psychedelic mushroom-induced landscapes perfect for insane dancing? I see none of this, but rather what seems like a terribly American attempt at understanding Japanese ideas and design. The family at the end reminds me of something I would see on the street for 5 bucks at a downtown LA art show. Nothing charming about that at all.
ThumbsOfSteel74
January 14, 2012 at 8:13 am PST

@Hooligantuan: THANK YOU.

And I suppose I should use names from now on instead of numbers because they change. My comments were directed at BudDudandSlash and Oisterboy.