The early 2000s were a time of intense experimentation in video games. When a new generation of consoles like the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and the original Xbox were just released, studios offered quirky and bizarre titles such as: billy hatcher and the giant egg and Chibi Robo to hand of god And even the Def Jam series. It felt like the industry was in its most experimental and weirdest era ever, but in this strange world, how could one become the king of the eccentric world? Series creator Keita Takahashi, as a visual artist, He cracked the code when he joined Namco.
Sometimes all you want to do during a game is roll the ball and listen to jams. The experience is exactly what the Katamari Damacy series has been doing since the first game. Katamari Damacy, released 20 years ago on March 18, 2004. This classic Namco game has stood the test of time with its artistic presentation, charming comedy, addictive gameplay, and groundbreaking soundtrack.
Takahashi wanted to create a unique experience that people could only see through the game, and his quirky and colorful art style, combined with fresh gameplay and music ideas, got him to that point. That surreal nature pervades the music of. Katamari Damacy Takahashi received a little guidance from sound director Yu Miyake. Miyake created a strange, hilarious, quirky, and catchy cherry on top of an underrated masterpiece, helping to make it the cult classic it is today.
of Katamari Damacy In the series, players control an adorable little character named Prince. The prince is tasked with helping his planet-sized father, the king of the entire universe, create new planets and stars. To do this, the prince must pick up the Katamari Damacy Ball and use its inexplicable sticky properties to travel to different locations on Earth and roll up everything he comes across. This means catching everything from dogs and old ladies crossing the street to skyscrapers and boats.
cover art of Katamari Damacy It's completely irrational.
Namco
Such a concept was unheard of at the time. This is the most no-nonsense Viking to ever grace a console, and it deserved a great soundtrack that added some extra flavor to compliment the title's art and gameplay. In this way, Yu Miyake adopted a similar philosophy to his own sound that Takahashi did throughout the project. Katamari Damacy.
For this reason, Mr. Miyake decided on the music. Katamari Damacy The group consists of 10 famous Japanese vocalists. Vocal talent includes singers like Ado Mizumori (voiced by Akira Toriyama). doctor slump Intro) and J-Pop singer and idol Yui Asaka. With the help of a large songwriting team that included Hideki Tobeta, Yoshito Yano, and Asuka Sakai, Miyake led the effort to create something completely original and approachable with plenty of silly fun mixed in all at once. did.
Behold, King of the whole universe.
Namco
These composers create music and find vocalists to fit the mood of each track. But because its mission is so unique, a new question arose: Who exactly was its target audience? Katamari Damacyand who is the music aimed at?
In an interview at MAGFest in 2015, Miyake revealed that his solution was to create a sound that mixed multiple genres to reach as wide an audience as possible. “It was very difficult to target his audience when creating the game,” Miyake said. “We didn't know who exactly wanted to play this game, so we wanted to reach as many people as possible. So we wanted to incorporate as many genres as possible so that it could be played by as many people as possible, such as ENKA. The focus was on
In another interview 1 up, he also shared that he wanted to find a balance between the familiar and the trendy in order to be able to revisit the tracks forever. “People often say that they remember the music from old, classic games, but not the music from newer games,” says Miyake. “Honestly, that's a bit upsetting, but I can't argue with it. I don't know if this is just user nostalgia or if it's us game developers' fault. So I'm not sure who's to blame this time. I tried experimenting with this question, but I wanted people to listen to it for a long time, so I thought it would be best to avoid songs that are popular.''
Yes, you can also add a giant octopus to your chaotic snowman.
Namco
The result is the video game soundtrack equivalent of an all-you-can-eat buffet. While rolling the ball Katamari Damacy, your ears will be assaulted with the weirdest mix of instruments imaginable, techno sounds, samba, jazz, pop, and nonsense lyrics. The whole experience is great.
Katamari Damacy Not only the original gameplay, but also the soundtrack will be praised. IGN and game spot Both companies named the game “2004 Soundtrack of the Year.” He was also nominated for “Outstanding Achievement in Original Song” at the 8th Interactive Achievement Awards. To this day, this game album is hailed as one of his best in this medium.
From 2018, Katamari Damage Reroll was released for Windows and Nintendo Switch, and moved to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2020.
Namco
Damacy It was later re-released for Windows, Switch, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 from 2018 to 2020. The amazing soundtrack was printed on vinyl and CD, giving fans even more ways to experience it.
Until today, Katamari Damacy's combination of bizarre art, unique gameplay, and great music stands as a great testament in the discussion of “video game art.” The series continues to be introduced to modern consoles, and its legacy and popularity of Katamari Music His Earworm is likely to continue.
