Summary
Once Upon a Katamari is the best kind of sequel. It honors the past while confidently moving into the future. It is funny, heartfelt, creative, and full of personality. The soundtrack shines, the gameplay flows better than ever, and the new features give it fresh life. Whether you are a longtime fan or a newcomer who has never rolled a katamari before, this is the perfect place to jump in.
Publisher – Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.
Platforms – PS5, Xbox Series S|X , Nintendo Switch, PC (Reviewed)
Review copy given by Publisher
There are few series in gaming history that balance absurdity, charm, and pure joy as effortlessly as Katamari Damacy. What began as a bizarre little experiment on the PlayStation 2 has become one of the most unique and beloved cult franchises around. Its blend of humor, music, and physics-driven gameplay has always made it stand out. Once Upon a Katamari proudly continues that legacy. It is part nostalgia trip, part reinvention, and all heart, rolling everything that makes the series great into a shining new package.
Like every Katamari story, it all starts with the King of All Cosmos being a complete disaster. In a moment of royal carelessness, he manages to crush the Earth, the Moon, and a few neighboring planets while fiddling with a mysterious scroll. This cosmic blunder tears time apart and scatters the stars across history. The Prince must once again take up his sticky katamari and roll his way through different eras, from the Jurassic age to feudal Japan to the distant future, in order to rebuild the heavens. The setup is both ridiculous and oddly comforting, a perfect reminder of why fans keep coming back.
What has always made Katamari work is its simplicity. You roll a ball, collect objects, grow larger, and eventually scoop up everything in sight. It is hypnotic, tactile, and endlessly satisfying. Once Upon a Katamari sticks to that formula but adds a few smart twists. The biggest new feature is the magnet tool, which lets you attract nearby objects without having to collide perfectly with them. It might sound small, but it changes everything. It smooths out the rough edges while keeping the game’s chaotic energy intact, making every roll feel more fluid and fun.
Each level is themed around a different period of history, and that creative framing gives the game some of the most diverse and imaginative environments the series has ever had. The Jurassic stage is full of bones, foliage, and lumbering dinosaurs that you can barely nudge until you grow massive. The Ice Age has slippery ground that forces you to think about traction. Ancient Japan is a tightly packed puzzle of houses, streets, and samurai paraphernalia, while futuristic levels fill the sky with floating junk and magnetic drones to snatch up. Every new setting feels distinct and fresh, constantly rewarding you with discovery.
The controls are still that unmistakable Katamari dual stick shuffle. It feels a little clumsy at first, but once it clicks, it is like learning an instrument. You tilt, turn, and dash with rhythm, feeling your katamari respond to every subtle input. The magnet system helps reduce some frustration without dumbing things down. It still feels proudly weird but now more accessible than ever.
The soundtrack deserves its own crown. Each track feels like an explosion of happiness, from jazzy big band pieces to bubblegum pop and remix versions of classic Katamari tunes. The series has always been known for its music, but this might be its best effort yet. The cheerful chaos of collecting items is perfectly synchronized with every beat and jingle. Every sound effect, from the clack of coins to the plop of a lamppost sticking to your ball, hits with satisfying precision.
Customization also gets a major boost. You can play as the Prince or any of his sixty eight cousins, each with their own shapes and personalities. This time you can recolor them, adjust their facial features, and even mix styles to create your own bizarre combinations. It is a small but delightful addition that captures the game’s celebration of individuality and nonsense. Seeing your custom cousin roll through a prehistoric jungle dressed like a neon traffic cone never stops being funny.
The biggest addition, however, is KatamariBall. This new four player mode transforms the game into a galactic sport where you and your rivals roll around an arena trying to collect items and score cosmic goals. It is frantic, messy, and hilarious, especially when played online. The physics-based chaos feels perfectly suited for multiplayer. There is even a ranked mode for players who want to prove they are the best roller in the universe. Offline play against CPU opponents works surprisingly well too, giving you something to enjoy even without friends around.
The single player story is classic Katamari nonsense mixed with bursts of quiet sincerity. The King of All Cosmos remains a towering mess of ego and charisma, shouting at you one second and praising you the next. The Prince stays silent, doing the hard work with patience and determination. Yet buried beneath the comedy is something almost touching. As you roll through different eras, gathering up remnants of the past, the game feels like a celebration of memory itself. Every object, no matter how small or silly, becomes part of a cosmic collection that tells the story of existence.
Visually, Once Upon a Katamari is gorgeous without losing the signature minimalist charm. The flat colors and simple shapes are still here, but everything is sharper, smoother, and brighter. Lighting effects give stages a warm glow, and the particle effects that swirl around your growing katamari make everything feel magical. The prehistoric levels look lush and alive, while futuristic ones sparkle with neon color. It strikes a perfect balance between modern polish and old school identity.
Performance is flawless. Whether you are rolling through a crowded city or collecting meteors in space, the frame rate stays steady and smooth. The game loads almost instantly, keeping the focus on uninterrupted rolling. There are no slowdowns even when your katamari reaches absurd sizes. It feels as stable as it is joyful.
New players will find Once Upon a Katamari incredibly welcoming. Tutorials are clear, checkpoints are generous, and the magnet system reduces frustration. Veterans will appreciate the depth hiding beneath that accessibility. Optional challenges, time trials, and hidden items provide hours of extra play for anyone who wants to chase perfection. It is the most balanced entry yet, one that feels built for both newcomers and diehards.
The museum mode is another wonderful addition. Every item you collect is cataloged with a description written in the King’s hilarious, self obsessed voice. It is like flipping through a scrapbook of your own chaos. Seeing just how many random objects you have rolled up across time is both funny and weirdly satisfying.
The King of All Cosmos once again steals every scene he appears in. His rambling speeches, mood swings, and constant contradictions are as ridiculous as ever. One moment he praises you for your genius, the next he scolds you for being too slow. It is pure comedy and the voice performance sells every line. The Prince, as always, never needs to speak. His quiet perseverance says it all.
By the end, Once Upon a Katamari delivers exactly what it promises: more Katamari, but bigger, brighter, and with a few surprises. It does not try to reinvent the formula that fans love. It simply expands it with thoughtful improvements and a handful of inspired new ideas. The magnet system feels like a natural evolution. KatamariBall brings multiplayer madness. The time traveling theme gives the story and level design fresh flavor. It all comes together beautifully.
What makes the experience work so well is how it balances chaos with heart. Beneath the comedy and color is a story about connection, memory, and joy. It reminds you that even the smallest things can add up to something cosmic. The game’s message, like the series itself, is simple: roll forward, collect what you love, and let the good times keep on rolling.
Once Upon a Katamari is the best kind of sequel. It honors the past while confidently moving into the future. It is funny, heartfelt, creative, and full of personality. The soundtrack shines, the gameplay flows better than ever, and the new features give it fresh life. Whether you are a longtime fan or a newcomer who has never rolled a katamari before, this is the perfect place to jump in.
