Katamari Damacy gameplay. Photo: g4tv.com
When we were asked to pick our favorite Season One episode of Educating [Geeks], I didn’t hesitate: Katamari Damacy, featuring Alice, Bri, Megan, Sara and me.
My selection was immediate, final and firm – and I’m still not quite sure why. The video game, hailing from Japan with a global following, is alright. I’m not a big fan of it like our resident Katamari expert Megan, and I was definitely the worst of the group at playing it.
But there’s just something so endearing about a cute, beleaguered, little alien dude who has to “roll around a sticky ball and pick sh*t up,” as Alice so eloquently describes it in the E[G] episode.
This is amazing and geekily heart-warming and ridiculous and amazing.
Photo: offbeatbride.com
Oh, and did I mention that the little alien dude is called The Prince of All Cosmos? And that his enormous father, The King of All Cosmos, is a malicious, insecure, slave-driving addict who forces his wee son to clean up the King’s mess throughout the universe so the stars and constellations can be restored?
The game’s feeble storyline has all the makings of a Shakespearean tragedy, or at least that’s how we all read into it. To be fair, we’re a group of women, and… you know, reading too much into meager details is kind of what we do. But there are some interesting aspects of the story and characters that can be gleaned from a few hours of play.
For instance, we couldn’t get over all of the sexual innuendo and references to drugs. Some were subtle, and some definitely weren’t. Either way, it made for a very amusing Saturday afternoon. Also, as a primarily single-player game, it allowed for side conversations and encouragement from the group, without the competition that multi-player games normally require.
Random baby cosplay. I just…
Photo: adailygoodthing.com
If you’re looking for a fun team-building exercise, Katamari may just be the game to assign. We also recommend you keep alcohol handy. Though it likely won’t help with your score, it’ll make The Prince and The King’s interactions that much more hilarious.
My favorite highlights from the podcast are:
- 21:30 – 26:50 — Alice and Sara discuss their first cracks at Katamari, and Alice realizes her deep-rooted issues with WOW.
- 30:10 – 32:30 — Megan explains a hilarious, yet horrifying, plot twist in the video game’s storyline.
- 37:48 – 43:13 — Megan details Katamari’s origins at NAAMCO, and then describes another interesting video game that Katamari’s creator developed.
- 57:14 – 57:35 — Alice, Bri, Megan and Sara break into the theme song, and it’s adorable.
Still not quite sure how Katamari works? Check out a fantastic commercial and fan video here.
Educating [Geeks] 