Death by White Dust

[Green Gibbon!]

I was waist deep in the original Katamari when Minna Daisuki was announced, and I was against it from the start. I couldn't imagine where they'd take a sequel... they got it quite right the first time, and covered, I thought, all possible bases. Fuck me.

There are only 5 stages based on the traditional get-this-big-within-the-time-limit structure, and as you'd expect, the first few are a bit slow because the novelty of simply rolling bigger balls was spent in the original. It freshens up a bit as you progress, but it isn't until stage 5 that it gets taken to the next level -- I'll silence myself here to avoid stifling the surprise, but I will say that the stage is gargantuan. The goal is 500 meters, but my current best is well over 2000, and there are still things roaming around too big for me to pick up. I've yet to find the border edges of the stage.

Still, the awesomeness of the last stage alone probably wouldn't justify dropping another Ulysses S. Grant on a game that's really only slightly better than the one you already played. Fortunately, those happy, wacky children at Namco were well aware of this fact, and in addition to the 5 basic stages, they thought to include another 8 or 9 "side" courses, each with a unique theme and some unique rules. There's the obvious snowball-rolling stage, in which you roll a snow katamari to act as the cranium for a giant snowman; a racetrack stage in which your katamari rolls at high speed down a course (though your raid is by no means restricted to the track); a bizarre stage where you roll a sumo wrestler over food which he slowly absorbs until he's fat enough to knock his opponent out of the ring at the end of the stage; etc, etc. (My personal favorite is the Hansel & Gretel stage, but I'm not going to elaborate on it because it's better when you realize yourself what's going on. It will make you giggle with joy.)

Other than that, it's got all the basic tweaks that you'd expect... a slightly higher framerate, expanded 2-player mode, a larger roster of shit to pick up, etc. As much stuff as there is to collect, though, alot of it is comprised of, like, two dozen different kinds of crates, 12 different kinds of walls, umpteen different random cloud structures, and so on. Getting 100% seems like it would be more of a chore than anything else. In addition to the normal versus mode, there's now a co-op mode, which I've yet to try, so I don't know how it works, but I don't imagine it would be a whole lot of fun. There are more than twice as many presents this time, and you can now play as any one of the unlocked cousins in the single player game. (Not that the cousin you play as or the presents you equip affect anything whatsoever.) Every stage has at least two missions, some have three, but still no sign of any eternal modes.

My biggest complaint is that not all of the stages/missions are up to par. The campfire stage in particular is more of a pain in the ass than anything else. Also, in large stages, Ousama still interrupts your groove to point out new areas you can access, and you can't skip past his prattle. It sounds like a quibble, but it's pretty aggravating when you're on a roll and Captain Package holds you up for ten excruciating seconds to point you to an area you would eventually have rolled your way to anyway - especially considering he does it as soon as you expand, when your adrenaline is at its height. Another complaint is that the soundtrack, while still excellent, is not quite as varied as the original. The Katamari theme is a bit over-used this time, and the only one of the songs that has a different sort of beat is Everlasting Love. It's still a great soundtrack, but a bit more limited in scope.

Rough pockets aside, though, I am pleasantly surprised. It's difficult to explain the cooler nuances without spoiling the thrill of discovering them for yourself, but there are clever little moments that succeed in making the old mechanics satisfying in new ways - you can now roll through bushes, for instance, and the bushes are covered with flowers, so as you invade the shrubbery, you get a satisfying "glump-glump-glump-glump" cluster of material. That's just one such instance, but it's the subtle things like this that revive the old thrill I would have thought for all the world was over after the first game. Still, I really, really think it's done now. I believe I've had enough Katamari Damacy for life - but what's here is good enough to keep me satisfied for that long.

Incidentally, I just saw a doctor about some respiratory problems I was having, and it turns out I've inhaled so much white dust from the Dual Shock analog sticks that my lungs are cased in it. The doctor gave me a week to live. I feel positively Korean.

[VGJustice]

Well, I guess that's good news for us non-KD owners. Sweet.

Oh, and terribly sorry about that... thing. I wasn't really paying attention, sry.

[plasticwingsband]

I played the co-op mode with my friend at E3, and I thought it worked pretty well. It was kind of difficult at first, and due to the noise level we couldn't really communicate all that well, but we got used to it in a few minutes and by that time we were both having a blast with it.

[WhoopA]

Mr. Grant? Is importing that expensive?

[Popcorn]

Gibs, yesterday I had the urge to go and read your thoughts on some old games back when they first came out. Wasn't Project Drift supposed to have a database of your old reviews in it? I tried checking, but, you know, it's kind of not there at the moment.

[Squirrelknight]

2000m and there are things still too big to pick up? If that's true, than Minna Daisuke has finally added my penis as one the objects to roll up.

By the way, you wouldn't happen to know if they added any new presents, would you? Also, are there any bonuses for having a completed KD save on your memory card in Minna Daisuke?

[Segaholic2]

What's the point of all the presents and cousins? It's not like you can ever see yourself except for the very beginning of stages.

Also, I thought the game was retailing at $30, not $50.

Oh, and for those wanting to download the soundtrack, I've got it.

[WhoopA]

Other than the prince in the corner of the screen, they're just neat things to find to make completists happy... not that completing the collections section by finding one of everything to roll isn't completist enough for you.

Also remember, he's talking about the import. We Love Katamari isn't out; Minna Daisuki is.

[G.Silver]

Not in Japan. Though it's probably worth noting that a $50 PS2 game in Japan is actually relatively cheap, you're lucky if your new Japanese import isn't $70-80 these days...

[Green Gibbon!]

Wasn't Project Drift supposed to have a database of your old reviews in it?

I do have some old reviews on my other site, but they only go as far back as Star Ocean 3. They'll still be there when I get it back up, which I want to have done this week, but I wanted to have it done last week and the week before that...

Also, are there any bonuses for having a completed KD save on your memory card in Minna Daisuke?

You can transfer your old save data so that all the constellations you made in the original appear in the cosmos map. That's the extent of it, I believe.

you're lucky if your new Japanese import isn't $70-80 these days...

The games themselves are cheaper than I remember even in the Saturn days, but shipping has become insane. On a couple of occassions I've found myself deterred from ordering small toys when the shipping literally doubled the cost.

Anyway, how's Bumpy Trot?

[Esrever]

Gibbon, your review has put my mind at ease. I was worried this game would be nothing more than a slapped-together rehash of the first. I'm glad to see that they were able to take the relatively simple concept of the original and really roll with it.

[chriscaffee]

THATS PRETTY PUNNYasshole

[Popcorn]

Wasn't Project Drift supposed to have a database of your old reviews in it?

I do have some old reviews on my other site, but they only go as far back as Star Ocean 3. They'll still be there when I get it back up, which I want to have done this week, but I wanted to have it done last week and the week before that...

Is there any way of getting a hold of your older ones? You've written some interesting stuff over the years; you really should be archiving some of it. Get a Livejournal or something.

I'm glad to see that they were able to take the relatively simple concept of the original and really roll with it.

Yeah, the idea started off small and really snowballed. Those guys are really on a roll right now.

[Green Gibbon!]

Speaking of white dust, I'm currently playing Saru Getchu 3, and expect a raving, stiffy review as soon as I finish the game (which I'm very close to, depressingly). I'm trying to finish it before I die, but since I'm inhaling that much more white dust, I'll probably suffocate by Wednesday.

I can't believe I just played two games in a row that I both really enjoyed. Like, really enjoyed, in the way that matters. And if Psychonauts is as good as the kids are saying, it could be three. It's almost like the good old days, when this was my goddamn routine.

[Kishi]

I'm officially at the point where I want games to be good just so Gibbon will be happy.

Help me.

[Baba O'Reily]

No, that's normal. When games suck everyone becomes a whiny bitch.

[Green Gibbon!]

No nekkid boobies in either one, oddly enough.

Nekkid Katamari boobies would be weird though, they'd be all square.

[Popcorn]

Speaking of white dust, I'm currently playing Saru Getchu 3, and expect a raving, stiffy review as soon as I finish the game (which I'm very close to, depressingly).

You just couldn't bring yourself to call it Ape Escape 3, could you? I had to fucking Google it. You prick.

And if Psychonauts is as good as the kids are saying, it could be three.

I got the demo of that and it seemed pretty kickin' rad. Has anyone else heard anything more about its publisher, Majesco, biting the dust/choking on white dust? I'm concerned that it won't be released over here in the Old World, which would mean I'd have to get it for PS2 or PC. And I want it on Xbox, damnit.

[Green Gibbon!]

I think it was released at $40 and by the time I grabbed it, it had already been reduced to $35. I don't know what the damage to Majesco is, but of course people aren't going to be lining up to buy the clever puzzle platform game, it's over their heads.

You just couldn't bring yourself to call it Ape Escape 3, could you? I had to fucking Google it. You prick.

I could've called it サルゲッチュ３. Then what would you do?

[Baba O'Reily]

Gibbon, did you import the game from Japan?

[Green Gibbon!]

From Estonia, actually.

[Baba O'Reily]

Really? I concede my prior point.

[Green Gibbon!]

I actually import most of my games from Uruguay, but the Estonian company in question was having a sale.

Just for the record, I would advise against ordering games from Mongolia.

[Esrever]

Gibbon, just out of curiosity, what did you think of Ape Escape 2? I'd just like to know for, you know, context.

Psychonauts was the game that finally made me cave and buy an Xbox. Ironically, I now own six Xbox games... none of which are Psychonauts. It launched at $64 Canadian... which is about as expensive as a new game can be up here... and it hasn't dropped an inch yet. With tax, you're talking about a $75 price tag for that game. I'm just not in the habit of buying games that cost that much.

[Green Gibbon!]

Ape Escape 2 was good, though I never liked it as much as the first one. It had some good ideas and alot of variety between stages, but the level design was occasionally a bit dodgy, and the camera was out of control (I guess it worked better on widescreen mode).

Ape 3 uses the same engine, I think, and there's still copious amounts of slowdown and some clipping during camera rotation, but the level design is worlds better. There are more puzzles and strategy required to navigate, and the monkeys do alot more stuff. I think this is the best yet in the series. I'll post a thorough write-up later.