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Katamari Creator Wasn't Interested in Sequel
MTV Games, in a report on the Katamari sequel, reports that game creator Keita Takahashi wasn't slightly interested in making a sequel. From the article: "Suddenly celebrated for his originality, Takahashi would soon have to tackle the possibly contradictory idea of doing a sequel. He told his bosses at Namco several times that he wouldn't do one. 'But it came to a point where the company was willing to release a sequel without me,' he said. He discovered that the company's planned sequel seemed more like a re-release, primarily swapping Christmas graphics into the original game. 'That went against everything I wanted to do with Katamari,' he said. So he agreed to get involved. "
"Miyamoto's not interested in making new Mario games? Alright, tell him we're making one without him where Mario plays baseball or some shit. That'll scare him straight."
Well, being that I typically hate video game (and movie) sequels, I was worried when I decided I *had* to buy this one. I ordered it on Amazon and after noticing that the delivery date (from 9/25) was in late November I had a friend buy it for me at Gamespot.
The gameplay is nearly the same (look and feel wise) but they have added new and different challenges and removed most of the annoyances that the first version had (getting stuck under objects or moving to slow when you were huge during eternal levels).
I enjoy the new soundtrack immensely and love the crisper and clear graphics they've added. It's basically the same damn game but 100x better.
Thank you for releasing a worthwhile sequel that was still true to the original! If you haven't played We Love Katamari yet, I suggest you do.
I was actually hoping that We Love Katamari would have been developed by a separate team. This way the original group could continue doing innovative things, but then all of us who really liked the first team and wanted more could have that too.
Though from the sound of it, the sequel was much better for the presence of Takahashi. Sad that he was pushed into it.
It always gives me hope to hear about teams like the group working on Shadow of the Colossus. A group that has apparently been allowed to work on their project with no outside involvement. Being able to make basically whatever they want and take as much time as they needed on it. That sort of artistic freedom has me sold. That and the sheer beauty of their style.
You could sort of tell, from the way the game is presented. The King of All Cosmos seems terribly bored with the whole idea, and amazed that we're still interested in katamaring. He only obliges because the fans flatter him and insist. I am very glad the game came out, it's all kinds of fun, but it wasn't exactly nessicary. Katamari Damacy was quite sufficient in the first place.
--The universe will not be altered by forum threads, even those which are very wry. --Tycho Brahe (Penny Arcade)
It doesn't seem like they were actually planning to release what they showed him. (Christmas graphics? Oh please!) They just wanted him to go "Oh no! I can't let them ruin my vision!" so he'd do the second one.
The whole thing seems silly to me, I mean, a dude running around with a little ball. What's the point. Roll an average sized ball around a course over and over again? There's no progression whatsoever! Give me a sword or a gun, not some huge ball rolling toward m-oh shi-,
"I only speak the truth"
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please, everytime a company takes rights over a game it comes to suck, and changes the original idea.
We need original games, I support independent gaming for this reason.
They could lose one of their best designers. There has been alot of game designers who have quit working at a company because they were forced to make sequels or weren't allowed to be creative. The first two that come to my mind are when Gunpei Yokoi and Masahiro Sakurai. One of which wasn't even allowed to make games and the other was forced to create sequels. To be fair to Nintendo, they didn't allow Gunpei Yokoi to create games because he created the failure that was the Virtual Boy.
To a certain extent Katamari Damacy was sufficient. But at the same time, for me playing that as well as the new one just increases a desire to roll up new and stranger things.
They make me think of things like rolling up microscopic objects. Sure, the game is awesome when you get huge. But wouldn't it also be cool if you could roll up the whole world after starting at the subatomic level? Or perhaps setting stages in other times and settings. Like rolling up the battle of Waterloo. Or maybe a haunted house or something. The joy of rolling up new stuff in different places to me seems like it could just keep going in so many different ways.
His Sequal at the heart was a "thank you" to the fans who loved the game. I gotta say it worked, it was the same as the original but different enough to be enjoy able, it was 10 bucks more than the original (30) but you know what? It was perfectly fine.
... Music? *cracks up*
Too bad 90 percent of the articles is fluff, and almost none of it is about the creator. "Look people, People liked this game 'Katamari Damacy'" but what else should I expect from mtv.com?
Seems like a pretty good strategy for dealing with an idealistic developer who is letting his idealism get in the way of making kabillions of dollars.
"Well, you don't have to be involved, but left to our own devices it will happen at DisneyLand and play the It's a Small World After All theme constantly. Of course...if you DID decide you wanted to come on board and inject your special brand of creativity into the project...it might go better."
Slices, dices, eats your lunch.
...the PSP version that was announced.
It doesnt make any sense considering the DS is perfectly suited for this kind of game, but apparently it doesnt make sense that there is a PS2 sequel either, so there are obviously a lot of nonsensical ideas being put to action over at Namco.
Notice the last few words. NOT a flame--or at least, it's one he kicked himself for in the end...
You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
Does that mean he was, instead, greatly interested in making a sequel?
On a side note, I just bought Katamari Demacy for my wife this weekend. We haven't played it (or even opened it yet), but based on the reviews, I think she's gonna dig it.
Keita Takahashi, is that you?
That'd be absofuckinglutely awesome. I'd love to see Napoleon yelling Sacre balls! GAAHH!! as he gets added to the rolling mix.
You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
So you say what you're looking for is Katamari Damacy plus Odama, then. :)
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I have to say I'm a bit saddened that he didn't stick to his convictions on this. If he would have stuck with "no I don't want to work on this sequel" and they did put out the other game without his support at least it would have shown as some sort of protest to making the unnecessary sequel and shown the public (well the public that hears about it anyway) that designers do actually care about their product enough that they wont be part of it's uninspired sequel.
The fact that designers are willing to let go their ideals is one of the reason I think that games aren't being taken seriously as a form of expression/art. What are you trying to express if you're willing to put a sticker on it, put it out as a sequel, and say that it's better then the previous artistic expression?
I loved the original Katamari Damacy. The visuals, game play, and sounds were all just so different then the conventional video game. I saw the game as a breath of fresh air in a game industry that is growing stale.
In my opinion, contrary to previous posters, I don't find we love Katamari worth buying if you already own Katamari Damacy. The game play and concepts are exactly the same as the last game with a shiny new wrapper. You're still just rolling a ball trying to get it bigger in every level. They may add an additional theme for a level (you're not rolling a ball this time you're rolling a thin sumo wrestler) but that's the entire difference.
To me this sequel is about as much of an addition and improvement to the original game as Metal Gear Solid VR Missions added to Metal Gear Solid. It turned an original creative idea into a gimmick.
try getting the joke first.
Obligatory nod to Penny-Arcade http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php?date=2004-09- 31
Perhaps MGS VR Missions were great, because they were more of the fun stuff, with less Transciever conversations. If I want to hear a girlfriend talk about missing her period, I think I'd rather skip the condom than play MGS2.
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I noticed this as well. In the way this story is presented, We Love Katamari is perhaps the most fourth-wall video game I've ever played, and not without a good reason. I was looking forward to this new game a lot, and haven't been disappointed with it so far, but the very idea that the original needed a sequel at all still seems strange.
God I'm sick and tired of these useless fucking sequels. Boo innovation! Yay profit!
So you say what you're looking for is Katamari Damacy plus Odama, then.
Don't you mean Katamari Odamacy? Or breaking the words in a different spot, what about Katamario Damacy?
On a different note (or arrow or gem or bar or whatever), what about Katamari Frequency? Or Katamarket Damasweep?
Canada: I'm still waitng for Mario Curling.
U.S.A.: I'm still waiting for Mario Bowling/Foorball.
Mexico/Spain: I'm still waiting for Mario Bullfighting.
U.K.: I'm still waiting for Mario Cricket/Rugby/Football.
France: I'm still wating for Mario Insult Foreigners.
China: I'm still waiting for Mario Tianenmen Square.
Osama bin Laden: I'm still waiting for Mario Kill the Infadels.
GWB: I'm still waiting for Mario Rapture. Hey, Dick, my controller doesn't work, and I pushed the red button over and over again. What? What missles?
Those who sacrifice security to condemn liberty deserve to repeat history or something. - Benjamin Santayana
What about Grand Theft Mario? Who needs all these kiddy games... and don't say kids, they don't matter.
Feel free to mod me "-1 - Angry Jerk".
Of course you know that Mario Smash Football actually exists?
Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
Waterloo level:
"There is a little man that we demand audience with. A tiny tiny little man, no bigger than you, well... perhaps a little bigger than you. Bring him to us at once, but i fear he may not come quietly. A pity."
Little Napolean would run from you (shouting "Sacre Bleu!" over and over again) while his forces shot at you with cannons, knocking pieces of your Katamari off and slowing your progress.
That would be awesome!
May you be touched by His Noodly Appendage. RAmen.
Wow, someone didn't play the levels a second and third time.
As silly as you were trying to be, that actually sounds like fun. For instance, Wario and Bowser could be two of the mob leaders. Then all we need is a "hot mushroom" mod.
--
"Open source is good." - Steve Jobs
"Open source is evil." - Microsoft
Actually, no; I've never even played any of the Mario games (except for a couple of minutes once in a store).
Those who sacrifice security to condemn liberty deserve to repeat history or something. - Benjamin Santayana
It was really a very amusing little metaphor, not that I think it's going to go that far. I suspect it will be more of the same which little touches if they do create further sequels. Although personally, I'm rooting for them creating an entirely different game which carries the Damacy title just to indicate it contains the same Beatles-esque psychedelic imagery and the bizarre but compelling gameplay.
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You bought it 'for your wife'? Pardon me, but this sounds sort of like buying her a belt sander for your anniversary.
"If you don't like it, I could always use it!"