Once Upon A KATAMARI Review – Rolling Through Time with Charm and Glitches
A new Katamari that mostly nails the whimsy—68 cousins, era-hopping stages and silly power-ups—yet trips over wonky physics, intrusive King interruptions and a pricey music DLC. Great for fans, less forgiving for newcomers; wait for a sale if unsure.
I rolled into Once Upon A KATAMARI with nostalgic expectations and mostly found more of the silly joy I remember — plus a few modern choices that don't always land. It’s a clear love letter to the series (custom cousins, goofy stages), but it sometimes feels like an unfinished conversation with the franchise’s best bits.
Core loop remains the same: roll a katamari, pick up objects, get bigger and rebuild the stars. New here are time‑period themed hubs (Jurassic, Edo Japan, Ice Age), power‑ups like magnets and time‑stop, plus a cousin creator with dozens of options — cute and unexpectedly addictive. Levels mix classic "get as big as possible" stages with objective challenges and a replay‑heavy unlock system (crowns, cousins, challenges), which will please completionists but can feel grindy. Controls and physics were the biggest talkers in the community: the katamari feels less springy than older titles, collisions can be fiddly and you may get stuck or see items despawn. The King’s on‑screen interruptions and verbose pop‑ups are charming for a minute, then get annoying—especially on short timed runs or on portable screens. KatamariBall adds 4‑player competitive fun (online and CPU), though some players reported cheaters online. Soundtrack is a mixed bag: there are great new tracks, but many fans are frustrated that classic songs are locked behind an expensive music DLC. Overall: lots to love if you accept a few modern tradeoffs and a steeper learning curve for the feel.
Once Upon A KATAMARI is full of the series’ trademark silliness and fresh ideas, but patchy physics, intrusive UI and DLC choices hold it back. Fans will find plenty to smile about; I recommend buying on sale or after a couple patches if you want a smoother ride.
Pros
- Genuinely charming art, levels and customization — the cousin creator is delightful.
- Lots of content: era hubs, collectibles, challenges and a fun 4‑player mode (KatamariBall).
- Some standout new tracks and lovable moments that recapture classic Katamari whimsy.
Cons
- Physics and collision feel off compared to older games — you can get stuck and the katamari lacks the old ‘weight’.
- King interrupts, UI pop‑ups and an aggressive replay/gating system break flow; classic songs locked in pricey DLC.
Player Opinion
Players are split: many long‑time fans celebrate the nostalgia, cousin customization and new stages, praising it as the best new Katamari since the mid‑2000s. Critics call out wonky physics, frequent interruptions from the King, and an exploit‑prone online mode; the music DLC price is a common sore point. If you love Katamari, you’ll probably enjoy this — but newcomers might be better off starting with the REROLL remasters and returning here on sale.