Rolling Mechanic

Lore & Background

The Rolling Mechanic is governed by size, weight, and surface area. Objects smaller than the katamari will stick to it when the player comes into contact with them, while greater objects can be hurdles. Colliding at high speed with a wall or obstacle may cause objects to fall off the katamari, slowing the player's progress. In the original *Katamari Damacy* (2004), slender objects such as pencils that are longer than the katamari's diameter cannot be picked up; this limitation was introduced in later sequels like *We Love Katamari*. Animals such as cats will simply run away or can be rolled up when the katamari is large enough; they do not chase the katamari or knock things from it. As objects stick to the katamari, the katamari will grow, eventually allowing objects that were once hurdles to be picked up, and creating access to areas that were formerly blocked.

In Their Own Story

The Prince starts by rolling the katamari around a suburban environment, picking up thumbtacks and ants. As the ball grows, he can collect larger items like pencils, soda cans, and shoes. Eventually, the katamari becomes large enough to pick up human beings, cars, and even buildings. In one mission, the Prince rolls up an entire family—the Hoshino family—along with their house and town, to remake the Moon. The King of All Cosmos sets specific parameters for each level, such as growing the katamari to a specific size within a given time frame, collecting as many items (swans, crabs, pairs) as possible, or collecting the largest item possible (such as a cow or bear).

Reader's Guide

The player uses the two analog sticks on the DualShock controller in a manner similar to the classic arcade game *Battlezone* to control the direction the katamari rolls. Other controls can be triggered to gain a quick burst of speed, flip the Prince to the other side of the katamari, and more. The typical mission is the 'Make a Star' mode, where the player needs to grow the katamari to a specific size within a given time frame. The player can attempt a score attack mode for any level, where the goal is to make the largest katamari possible in the time allotted. Certain levels can unlock an 'eternal mode' by creating an exceptionally large katamari, allowing the player to explore the level with no time limit. In the two-player mode, players compete simultaneously in a small arena to collect the most objects within three minutes, and can ram into each other, knocking items from their opponents' katamaris.

Did You Know?

• The rolling mechanic was inspired by designer Keita Takahashi's desire to create a game about rolling things up, though no specific real-world game like *tamakorogashi* has been confirmed as a direct influence.
• Designer Keita Takahashi conceived the idea after seeing a Sony prototype called *Densen* that made ordinary worlds interesting without violence.
• In the original *Katamari Damacy* (2004), slender objects longer than the katamari's diameter cannot be picked up; this ability was added in later sequels like *We Love Katamari*.
• Animals like cats do not chase the katamari or knock things off; they simply run away or can be rolled up once the katamari is large enough.
• In two-player mode, players can ram into each other to knock items off their opponent's katamari.

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