Katamari Damacy: gloriously silly, weird as heck, and somehow fun years later. The game is out now for Nintendo Switch as Katamari Damacy Reroll, an HD reproduction of Keita Takahashi's Katamari rolling adventure. It is almost entirely unchanged from the original aside from visuals, but many will likely have missed Katamari Damacy originally on PlayStation 2. And despite being a relaxing, weird, low-pressure game, it can also be a bit tricky to wrap your head and hands around at first.
Here are some basics to help you get rolling in Katamari Damacy Reroll on Nintendo Switch:
Don't blow off the tutorial
I know, I know. It's so easy to blow off tutorials to get to the meat of the game, and Katamari Damacy's is a bit weird and honestly unfun. There's nothing to roll up into the katamari ball! But especially if you're new to the game, take the time not just to complete the tasks set to you, but to consider each one and practice moving the katamari ball around.
The reason this is important is because all control schemes in this game are at least somewhat counterintuitive, and the entirety of Katamari Damacy's gameplay is about managing your movement. Once objects and obstacles enter the mix, you'll have enough work to manage just trying to avoid big items and roll up small ones. You want to make sure you understand the movement controls very clearly - how to move forward and back, how to brake, turn, look, and charge.
These controls will vary depending on what controller you're using and what control scheme you choose, so we won't list them here, but you can always access the list from the game's menu.
Try different control schemes
Along those lines, you can change your control scheme from your home planet and absolutely should if you find that the default controls are giving you trouble. I personally like the Simple Controls, as they let me move forward and turn just with the left stick, though I still have to pause and adjust the camera. It's worth it to check out these schemes and experiment until you find a control set-up that fits how you want to play the game. Repeating the first level on different control schemes is a good way to decide which is right for you.
Practice
Katamari Damacy is very much a casual game. There aren't many tips or tricks to make you an expert at it besides just practicing, getting used to the levels and movement, and growing accustomed to the sizes of items you can pick up at different points in your katamari ball. Early on, you'll find yourself running into a lot of objects that you can't pick up, busting your katamari ball and setting you back. But the more experience you get, the better you'll be at gauging what to avoid and what to roll up until eventually, you'll be rolling over levels like a pro. Take your time and work to improve your katamari sizes on each level.
Pause and turn
Okay, there is one tip that can improve your life immensely when playing Katamari Damacy. You'll probably find yourself often stuck behind a wall, on something, or just facing an unideal direction. When this happens, resist the urge to keep rolling. Stop moving and rotate yourself around the katamari ball so you can see where you're going, then begin moving again.
On most levels, you have more than enough time to reach your goal and then some, so it's fine to take a second to reorient whenever you need it. You'll end up doing far less bashing into walls and large obstacles and have more fun with the game if you take it at this pace.
Revisit areas
Another actual tip that can help you improve your times in Katamari Damacy is to make sure you revisit areas you've already "cleared" when playing a level. You should do this for two reasons. The first is that smaller items will often respawn throughout the level's time limit, and the second is that there will inevitably larger items you can pick up the second time around. Often, these larger items will be in convenient clusters, intended to act as barriers when you were first starting out. The second, third, or fourth time through, you can scoop those barriers up in your katamari ball and get a lot of size all at once. Try it out!
Relax
And speaking of having fun, relax! Katamari Damacy is ludicrously silly, relaxing, and is meant to be unstressful. If you find yourself getting frustrated, it's better to put it down and return later, or even try swapping control schemes. The game's motion controls are surprisingly well thought-out and if you're comfortable using them, can make the game much better than having to fiddle with the sticks in weird ways.
Motion controls or not, try to slow down and appreciate Katamari Damacy's absurdity. It's not a competition, just a goofy game about rolling up random objects into katamari balls and throwing them into the sky.
Any questions?
Still need help with Katamari Damacy Reroll for Nintendo Switch? Let me know in the comments!
