Katamari Damacy rolling onto mobiles
This time it's in 3D and it's got tilt controls
On paper, console hit Katamari Damacy sounds pretty unexciting; roll a ball around large environments collecting all manner of household trinkets as you go, and so increasing the size of the ball. In practice however it is direct, addictive, gratifying and most of all hugely entertaining.
Now mobile gamers will also have the opportunity to be charmed by the ravings of the mad as a hatter King of All Cosmos and his thimble-sized son, as Namco Bandai has just announced a full-on 3D version of the game for mobiles.
Katamari Damacy made its debut on mobiles late last year in a Japanese only 2D title, Katamari Damacy-Kun. This time around not only will the game be realised in full 3D but it will utilise a motion control system unique to the mobile version of the game.
The motion sensitive controls will be provided by Gesturetek's Eyemobile Engine, which allows in-built mobile cameras to sense motion and doesn't require the use of any fancy accelerometer hardware. In a rare case of innovation meets innovation, it is as if Gesturetek's engine was made specifically for this title.
The fantastic soundtrack, striking signature visuals and overall atmosphere that this seemingly simple game is famous for all made a smooth transition to the PSP. Cramming it into a mobile, however, will be no mean feat.
The title is confirmed as having a Story mode, but as of yet it is unclear whether it will be a completely new storyline or a remake of the original. Other confirmed modes include Time Attack, Perfect Size and a new mode called Eternal, where the player can keep increasing the size of their Katamari for as long as they wish.
All in all, this ambitious title sounds like a very fully-featured affair and given the quality of creator Keita Takahashi's output so far, there is no reason to believe that Katamari Damacy Mobile will be anything other than another step up the ladder for mobile games.
Releasing initially as a bundled title with the Japanese iMode FOMA P904i mobile phone, Katamari Damacy Mobile will be available for download at the Namco Bandai Japanese web portal from June. Fingers crossed that this potential gem makes its way westward before too long.
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