Though series creator Keita Takahashi never intended to roll his
Katamari into a deflated mass of has-been ingenuity, according to the latest
Famitsu scoop, Namco Bandai is content to do so
without him. As
rumored, the Japanese publisher will revisit the katamari concept for a fourth time, now on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Director Jun Moriwaki has also expressed interest in adapting the series for DS and PC (using a keyboard),
but remains reluctant about a Wii version. Moriwaki explained that Wii's controller presents certain difficulties that the dev team has yet to overcome. Update: 1UP has posted Moriwaki's comments about a possible Wii version: "The Wii is also one of our platform choices... However, the controller for Wii is quite unique so being able to overcome the different issues will be the key."
Dubbed
Beautiful Katamari Damacy, this new version won't reinvent the sticky ball, but will super-size it.
Famitsu reportedly displays a katamari growing to 10,000-km proportions (Earth is just 2,742 km larger).
Beautiful will also introduce online play, likely featuring co-op and competitive modes.
Famitsu reports that the game is roughly 50% complete, but still without a release date in Japan.
{ Apr 18th 2007 at 11:59AM } 
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Chris @ Apr 18th 2007 12:03PM
NO! I WANTED IT FOR MY WII!!!
2kings @ Apr 18th 2007 12:05PM
NAAAA NANANAANAAAANAANAAAA NAA NAA NAAA NAAA NANAA NAAA
JeffyP00 @ Apr 18th 2007 12:05PM
Um, hold the Wii remote sideways and tilt it to push the ball around. What's the problem?
Jack of No Trades @ Apr 18th 2007 12:05PM
"that Wii's controller presents certain difficulties that the dev team has yet to overcome."
....I will say no more.
Im glad its for the PS3.
comtar @ Apr 18th 2007 12:17PM
"Moriwaki explained that Wii's controller presents certain difficulties that the dev team has yet to overcome."
That's weird cause there's this device called a classic controller, it has not one but two analog sticks. Amazing! Profound!
gwangi @ Apr 18th 2007 12:09PM
Always looked like a fun game, glad to see it's coming to multiple platforms.
elvio @ Apr 18th 2007 12:11PM
without starting a fanboy war, what do people believe are the major obstacles to a wii version? why wouldn't adapting the control to the wiimote be trivial (e.g. monkey ball and marble mania)? i'm assuming they're capable and it truly is difficult, but i'm curious why that's so.
Dolla Dolla @ Apr 18th 2007 12:16PM
@elvio
Perhaps a lack of imagination? I don't know. If they use the "motion sensors" in the Sixaxis, there's no excuse from a dev standpoint why they wouldn't develop for the Wii (after all, they could use the same exact sensing).
Color me confused.
White Rose Duelist @ Apr 18th 2007 12:17PM
I'm not sure how hard control via the Wii remote could be. In addition to JeffyP00's idea, you can do whatever they did on the PSP using the nunchuck. Or, a million times better, just use the tilt of the two controller parts the same way you used the two analog sticks, with A (or Z+B, if you want it to be two-handed) to flip. I suspect Namco Bandai didn't get the memo that people like the Wii and/or that Katamari doesn't require ultra-realism, because it's hard to imagine the game being that much harder to write.
Raynre @ Apr 18th 2007 12:19PM
This game is a glue-soaked Super Monkey Ball without the puzzles. What's the big problem?
LaughingTarget @ Apr 18th 2007 12:19PM
My guess is development costs. The Wii version would have to be redesigned in many key areas, such as game engine and control mechanism. The Wii simply functions differently. Currently, the Xbox 360 + PS3 install base is larger than the Wii, so it is a better choice to develop for two systems that require little adjustment to get them to work on both. This means that Namco-Bandai is banking on the 360 and PS3 holding the top two positions worldwide or enough to combined counter the Wii install base.
T @ Apr 18th 2007 12:21PM
"certain difficulties"? The Wii controls were MADE for games like this. Color me just as confused as the previous posters.
I'd like to here what these difficulties actually are.
Vidikron @ Apr 18th 2007 12:20PM
@8
But a lot of companies are hesitant to develop games for accessories unless the accessory is a pack-in (like Guitar Hero). Doing so automatically limits you audience. But that said, I don't know why the game couldn't be accomplished with the Wiimote and Nunchuk.
Buckshot @ Apr 18th 2007 12:21PM
Cool! Loved the first 2, hated the PSP version. Be nice in HD.
Geo @ Apr 18th 2007 12:21PM
There are many different possible control schemes for wii that would work. They probably want to stick to the dual stick format, which never worked that well to begin with.
Jack, please say no more. Ever.
Jack of No Trades @ Apr 18th 2007 12:25PM
Its the development cost.
"dual stick format, which never worked that well to begin with."
They worked just fine.
Geo @ Apr 18th 2007 12:25PM
The monkey ball control wouldnt work, because the prince pushes the ball around. He doesn't tilt the world.
Geo @ Apr 18th 2007 12:26PM
They worked fine, but the were many times when I played this game and got frustrated that I wasn't going exactly where I wanted.
required @ Apr 18th 2007 12:28PM
I think "controller presents certain difficulties" was a nice way of saying that the system lacks the horsepower needed for such a title. They wouldn't be able to leverage anything from their work on the PS3/360.
Now if they decide to build a PSP variant then they could port that to the Wii.
John @ Apr 18th 2007 12:30PM
calm down everyone....it will come out for wii, no doubt, they just haven't figure out how to do it yet.
Jack of No Trades @ Apr 18th 2007 12:31PM
Geo,
Thats called bad programming or broken/old controller. My Xbox did that shit all the time untill I replace the controller.
JodyAnthony @ Apr 18th 2007 12:33PM
I have never cared about HD gaming before, but HD Katamari would be freaking awesome.
Geo @ Apr 18th 2007 12:33PM
nope. multiple copies of the game, multiple controllers. This is one of my favorite games from last gen. The control format was not ideal.
Intentless @ Apr 18th 2007 12:33PM
PS3 doesn't have an install base... does it? can it be called that? Doesn't the Wii have a much larger than the PS3 smaller than the 360 right now?
JodyAnthony @ Apr 18th 2007 12:36PM
also "dual stick format, which never worked that well to begin with."
I must disagree. The dual stick control of the PS2 games was to me probably the only game other than Virtual On that I can think of that nailed dual-stick control perfectly.
Konny @ Apr 18th 2007 12:37PM
Here are the multi-platform options (in terms of reusing assets, coding, etc):
PS3 - 360
PS2 - Wii
PS2 - PSP
PSP - Wii
.. if they aint doing a PS2 version, they arent gonna create one specifically for the Wii.
Geo @ Apr 18th 2007 12:37PM
So jody, you never had to take two or three passes to pick up the things you were trying to? I certainly did.
3cubedminus3squared @ Apr 18th 2007 12:38PM
Yes the Wii's install base is bigger than the PS3 I don't know where th ehell LaunchingTarget got his facts from.
Geo @ Apr 18th 2007 12:39PM
He said PS3 PLUS 360 being larger than wii.
dakinle @ Apr 18th 2007 12:41PM
Cool - achievements for rolling up stuff to katamari music!
Actually, the way the rare items are used and the time limits and such, this game is perfect for achievements.
JodyAnthony @ Apr 18th 2007 12:40PM
"So jody, you never had to take two or three passes to pick up the things you were trying to? I certainly did."
Only when I first started playing the game. The controls take some getting used to but once I got used to them I was able to go exactly where I wanted to go.
Diskoboy @ Apr 18th 2007 12:41PM
YAY! It's about time the MS crowd gets to play this wonderful game!
3cubedminus3squared @ Apr 18th 2007 12:44PM
"He said PS3 PLUS 360 being larger than wii."
Well that's retarded. The 360's install base is bigger than both combined.
Geo @ Apr 18th 2007 12:46PM
That may not be the case by the time the game comes out.
Digi Smalls @ Apr 18th 2007 12:48PM
really? no one's commenting about yet another lost Playstation "blu-ray iz for g4mes!" exclusive?
.
OTAM @ Apr 18th 2007 12:50PM
NA NA NA NA,NA NA NA NA,HEY HEY HEY,GOODBYE.
Chalito @ Apr 18th 2007 12:51PM
WTF?? where did they get this from?? this is completely misleading. Here's what I got from 1up:
So what about a Wii version? Jun Moriwaki, the director of the game comments, "The Wii is also one of our platform choices. We would like to challenge with different interfaces such as the keyboard on a PC, or the touch pad on the DS. However, the controller for Wii is quite unique so being able to overcome the different issues will be the key."
How did they go from that to 'no wii version'??
djSyndrome @ Apr 18th 2007 12:54PM
"really? no one's commenting about yet another lost Playstation "blu-ray iz for g4mes!" exclusive?"
No, because it was never announced as an 'exclusive' to begin with, unlike DMC4.
Digi Smalls @ Apr 18th 2007 12:53PM
ridge racer, ace combat, katamari ...whats next Namco? tekken?
.
Chalito @ Apr 18th 2007 12:54PM
and here's the article:
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3158808
x876543 @ Apr 18th 2007 12:54PM
I've played it on PS2 and the dual stick just wasn't intuitive, it took me about 10 minutes to get the controls mildly. Everyone else was much better at it cause they played it more than I. I think on the Wii it would be easy with all the tilt sensors to control the game, lot more intuitive. And cost to dev versus install base is not really a good arguement. They probably have to develop it differently for 360 and PS3. The Wii has a huge install base, I can't see any reason why you wouldn't add a little cost to the return you would get for it from the Wii. Hell I'd buy it, and I don't have a PS3 nor 360, and I won't be owning one for a long time.
billychaos @ Apr 18th 2007 1:35PM
Is it me or that's a lame excuse for not putting it on the Wii. What?, they dont know how to program code for the nunchuck?. YOu dont have to use motion if it doesnt need it. My favorite wii game "Super Paper Mario" Does NOT use motion control for gameplay. The only thing you can do is shake the wii mote for more points while jumping on things, and it's not required at all. Super paper mario's controls are used by holding the controller sideways.
Apparently, Nintendo themselves shows that you dont always have to use motion controls. Developers should use their stupid brains. They are hurting themselves by not putting it on the wii, one of the fastes selling home consoles right now.
I'm still awaiting for a developer to utilize the use of 2 nunchucks for main control. Imagine a Skiing game or Jet pack game where you controlled it by holding 2 nunchucks. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to come up with new ways to use the nunchuck and wii mote. And it doesnt take even a moron to see that you dont always have to utilize the wiimote motion controls for a game. I would have been mad actually if Nintendo used motion to control mario on Super paper mario. They know better.
Geo @ Apr 18th 2007 12:56PM
dj syndrome, it had 3 versions only released on Sony platforms. Best way of saying is doing.
Flit @ Apr 18th 2007 12:57PM
Boy, i can't wait for "Katamari 22: Roll more shit into a ball".
Roll Microsoft's ever growing corporate headquarters and aquire such companies as Apple and Sony, (no open source though, Linux is the evilz.). *warning* ball will lock in place if you roll up any DRM-Free objects.
Unique control scheme... Use your mind!
Jason @ Apr 18th 2007 1:01PM
This game can't be done on the Gamecube 1.5 ?! Ahahahaa, what a system.... Suck it Wii-kiddies!
Abscissa @ Apr 18th 2007 1:12PM
"Moriwaki explained that Wii's controller presents certain difficulties that the dev team has yet to overcome."
Solution #1: Classic Controller
Solution #2: Gamecube Controller
What an idiot.
polar @ Apr 18th 2007 1:04PM
I am so rocking this when it comes out!
JodyAnthony @ Apr 18th 2007 1:05PM
thank you jason for dropping the average iq of this threads posters 25 points.
Digi Smalls @ Apr 18th 2007 1:07PM
many PS3 fans hold on to Katamari as just the kind of quirky japanese game that would never appear on Xbox. "360 is for FRAGgers" etc. etc.
thing is, in the last generation, this was a fairly true statement... i think this recent development may mean something more significant, that the 360 is becoming truly mainstream.
.
Boss Tempo @ Apr 18th 2007 1:10PM
This game shouldn't come out for the PS3 or the Wiieak. Why? Because those kids already have big balls of pointless shit rolled up on their trailer park floors - they call them consoles.