The King of All Cosmos made a mistake and destroyed the stars, and now that he has regained his power, he wants the prince to recreate the stars. Playing the stars will be challenging because the prince is slightly over a quarter foot tall. The Katamari is a sphere that the prince can push around the globe to “roll up” different items to increase the size of the Katamari until it is acceptable for the King.
The game’s events occur in idealized representations of Japanese homes, cities, and surrounding environments. During these scenes, the prince maneuvers the Katamari around to collect items that attach to it. At first, the prince can only acquire tiny things, but as the Katamari increases, the prince can manage a greater variety of objects. The Katamari’s size increases when push pins and paper clips are attached, allowing it to roll over more considerable barriers and gather more substantial objects. After playing through several levels, the Katamari can soon pick up more important stuff, such as people, vehicles, and other things.
Players use analog sticks on the PS2 to control the Katamari from a third-person perspective while playing the game. At the beginning of the game, there is a stage that serves as a tutorial. This stage walks the player through the controls, establishes the plot, and introduces a side story about a Japanese girl who can feel the universe. To present the prince with a challenge, the King places restrictions on the level’s time limit and criteria for the size of the Katamari. Bonus missions are tasked with restoring constellations and come with their requirements.
The surreal world of Katamari Damacy is brought to life via the use of quirky animation and an infectious musical score. Players have the opportunity to uncover hidden presents across the stages, each of which contains an item for the prince. In a head-to-head Katamari competition, two players can face off against one another.
