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[Meier]

As I sit here playing it for the umpteenth time, I cringe at the leaderboards. Standard levels with only a few thousand players listed. These are worldwide numbers -- the most on any stage that I've seen is 22,000 players listed (the 2nd stage). I'm amazed that a game that has been out for 2+ years worldwide has sold so few copies.

One thing that would have done wonders is if Namco had simply bucked up and re-released it at $40 with the DLC built in (a la Marvel UA). I know a lot of people felt cheated by the idea of a Katamari game costing essentially $60 when the previous iterations had been half that -- this is the kind of game where a sale on DLC would make sense due to the fact that those of us who did buy the game but haven't bought the levels did it for a reason, but I digress.

Back to the crux of it all -- this is a wonderful game that any fan of the previous Katamari titles would seemingly enjoy. Obviously the series is more of a Playstation franchise, but there MUST be more fans out there who simply passed and to this I ask, why?

 

[Kyoufu]

I played one, I played them all. In this gen it would've done better as a budget XBLA/PSN release.

 

[ZealousD]

It was pretty much just more of the same, plus the bigger price tag.

 

[BobJustBob]

Because everyone knew that it was a soulless rehash done without the original creator's input. Also it cost too much and delivered too little.

 

[Polari]

I've never bought it because I thought it was supposed to be a bit shit. The abortion that was Me and My Katamari kind of killed my love for the series, too.

 

[Kintaro]

No one cared anymore.

 

[BobFromPikeCreek]

I didn't want to pay full price on it when it was new and then I sort of just forgot about it. I should go pick it up now that it's cheap as hell.

 

[Laurent]

No Keita Takahashi magic?

 

[Shockgamer]

The novelty has worn off.

 

[Sydle]

Should have been a XBL or PSN game. At least that way it would have been given some attention for being an OMG-downloadable-game.

 

[Cheesemeister]

The frame rate stunk, Takahashi was done, and it was far too pricey with all the DLC. Way to kill it, Namco.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

108kb keys. The game is rife with them.

I didn't buy it on principle.

 

[Meier]

I played one, I played them all.

Isn't that essentially accurate for every video game franchise?

Because everyone knew that it was a soulless rehash done without the original creator's input. Also it cost too much and delivered too little.

Are people going to skip out on God of War 3? Really, I don't understand that mindset personally. And I couldn't disagree more with your 2nd part.

 

[goldenpp72]

I own and enjoy the game, with that said.

Exclusive to a console it never appeared on.

Samey.

Tons and TONS of content to buy already on the disc, like half the games worth.

Higher cost (40 bucks and less content)

Graphics were shit, and despite that still had framerate issues at times.

With that said, it's fun, funny, online was pretty funny too.

 

[billy.sea]

That's what happens when you milk a franchise too quick. Especially niche game like this that got its name because of its novelty and cheap price tag. What happens when the novelty is gone and the price is double? I love Katamari but Namco killed it fast and badly.

 

[Buttseckslol]

Cutesy and colorful japanese games don't do well on shooter dominated consoles.

 

[Arthrus]

Isn't that essentially accurate for every video game franchise?

Absolutely not, though it is more the case now than it used to be...

 

[MisterHero]

I didn't play the full version but the 360 Demo had insane load-times

 

[McLovin]

Well thats what happens when you take a nitch ps2 only game and put it on another system. I thought it was a solid game and deserved more sales... but it was a little on the short side. And wtf was up with thouse ps1 graphics when you start rolling up continents? Also that framerate was all over the place.... 60fps one moment.. 15fps the next.

 

[TheGreatDave]

I thought the demo was kinda shitty, so I skipped it.

See also: the iPhone attempt.

 

[Alex Anderson]

I really enjoyed Katamari Damacy, but We Love Katamari began to bore the hell out of me. Naturally, I wasn't going to be too excited about a $60 third console entry. *edit* Was it $40? Meh, I forget.

 

[Stoney Mason]

I played one, I played them all. In this gen it would've done better as a budget XBLA/PSN release.

First post nails it.

 

[PseudoKirby]

Cutesy and colorful japanese games don't do well on shooter dominated consoles.

360 is RPG Dominated as well...

 

[Meier]

I really enjoyed Katamari Damacy, but We Love Katamari began to bore the hell out of me. Naturally, I wasn't going to be too excited about a $60 third console entry. *edit* Was it $40? Meh, I forget.

Which begs the question, why doesn't Namco re-release it at $20 or $30 with the additional content. I looked it up on Amazon and it isn't even listed... I guess it must be out of print. It just seems odd that they didn't even make an effort to revive it.

Edit: It was $40, but there was $20 of DLC right from the get-go (the dreaded unlock keys).

 

[adversesolutions]

I believe in Japan the game is in Platinum collection?

I picked it up and played it a ton with my girlfriend. Loved it, didn't pay for any DLC. Some of the achievements looked like they took too much time though tbh.

 

[TheGreatDave]

I'd totally buy it as a $20 XBLA game. They should probably go that way with the franchise.

 

[Alphahawk]

I played the first one, it was fun, cute and quirky, I didn't feel a need to play it again for $40.

 

[AlphaTwo00]

I'd totally buy it as a $20 XBLA game. They should probably go that way with the franchise.

I just picked it up new on clearance at $15. Seems OK at that price.

 

[birdman]

I'd totally buy it as a $20 XBLA game. They should probably go that way with the franchise.

and that, my friends, is why Nooby Nooby Boy is a PSN title. A cheap one too.

 

[Bog]

The price complaints are ridiculous. This could be found for $20 a month or so after its release.

 

[a Master Ninja]

I just picked it up new on clearance at $15. Seems OK at that price.

Yeah, I got it on clearance for $8, and only because of that I went on to buy the DLC to "complete" the game. I had never owned a Katamari game before, only borrowed friends copies. I actually got all 1250 achievement points in the game. It's okay. No loading times, nothing broken or wrong with the game, but nothing new or exciting either.

 

[Speevy]

and that, my friends, is why Nooby Nooby Boy is a PSN title. A cheap one too.

Booby?

 

[Buttseckslol]

360 is RPG Dominated as well...

And? It's not like the colorful very Japanesy ones like Blue Dragon light up the charts. Most are lucky to reach Haze-like sales. Western RPG's on the other hand...

 

[neojubei]

360 is RPG Dominated as well...

yea but....

 

[daycru]

It wasn't any good and about 15 minutes long.

 

[Mandoric]

Only really bothered playing since it came with my 360; it's not horrible horrible, but it's lacking that breath of inspiration, shoddily implemented, the controller layout is horrible for it, and it was like the third Katamari game in a year's time, at two times the price of the original, with half of the game as on-disc DLC day one.

Even if it had launched on a console with a decently-sized playerbase for anything with its design sensibilities, it would've sunk on its own lack of merit; MS's desperation pick of it for a casual-friendly packin for the Japan market probably more than made up for the sales it would've turned in the US with the same flaws on another system (though the only better system picks don't have a DLC infrastructure or such a poorly-suited controller, I suppose.)

 

[Azih]

I have good memories of Katamari Damacy. I want that as an XBLA title.

 

[Zoc]

In addition to everything else it got wrong, a 360 disc release was the worst choice they could have made for a platform.

The Wii and DS have more suitable audiences, but it seems they were passed over in the misguided belief that Katamari was fun because of its dual-stick tank controls. They finally seem to have gotten past that misconception with the iPhone version.

I think the series still has life in it. I liked the changes they made in the first sequel. If they continued in that same vein, and made a shortish, new half-dozen or so levels, with a dozen or so good new songs, and put it up on PSN for $15, I'd buy it day one. If they added a few more levels and songs beyond that, and finally figured out a good multiplayer mode, I'd buy it on Wii for $30.

Now that Takahashi is done with Noby Noby Boy, maybe they could even get him back on board.

 

[Jammy]

It had color, no guns, a higher-than-usual (for the series) pricepoint, and was only on the 360.

 

[Flynn]

Now that Takahashi is done with Noby Noby Boy, maybe they could even get him back on board.

He ain't done.

 

[charsace]

People cry about EA and UBI when this game is one of the worst whored out/cash in game this gen.

 

[Mamesj]

Namco is completely clueless about how to handle the franchise. They saw the first one become a sleeper hit and thought they could milk it like Madden. Fuckin' idiots.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

The novelty has worn off.

this.

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

Namco thought they had a good thing going so they released THREE sequels in the span of a couple years.

Bad idea.

On the other hand maybe Namco realized one can only do so much with the concept so they released as many games as they could get away with and left.

That brutal DLC model though. Man if they weren't responsible for the Tekken series and the occasional classic I'd drop them.

 

[jibblypop]

It's a quirky game on a console full of macho FPS fans.

 

[Drkirby]

I got the game for $8 new, well worth it.

 

[Bebpo]

Katamari Damacy = $20
We Love Katamari = $30
Beautiful Katamari = $40 + DLC $$$

 

[M3wThr33]

It was half a game, but they didn't tell you that until after you bought it.

 

[mollipen]

Analog sticks in the wrong place.

 

[Strike]

• Released in the the fall with little promotion

• Lots of competiton from other titles

• $40

• very little has changed since the original

If they were smart, they should have released it as a downloadble title on PSN/XBLA for $20 or develop it for the Wii instead