beautiful-katamari posts (Subscribe to this feed)
TGS 2009: Kudo demoes Natal, invents dance craze
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Sep 28th 2009 at 2:00PM }
As you've probably guessed, the dearth of footage of actual Project Natal gameplay can be attributed to Microsoft's ban on filming the screen during demos of the technology. Hence, the gameplay-less video above, captured by Engadget during a Natal preview of Beautiful Katamari and Space Invaders Extreme.
Watch as Project Natal creative director Kudo Tsunoda shows how one rolls giant sticky balls or pushes back extraterrestrial attackers using only one's limbs. Without seeing the screen, we can't be certain how well he's performing these activities, but we can certainly attest to his remarkable dancing prowess.
Watch as Project Natal creative director Kudo Tsunoda shows how one rolls giant sticky balls or pushes back extraterrestrial attackers using only one's limbs. Without seeing the screen, we can't be certain how well he's performing these activities, but we can certainly attest to his remarkable dancing prowess.
TGS 2009: Body-on: Project Natal (with Space Invaders Extreme!)
by Ludwig Kietzmann { Sep 25th 2009 at 10:01AM }
We've heard it before: Natal is Microsoft's sledgehammer, swung straight into the walls that years of button pressing and circle strafing have slowly erected around traditional gaming. We've seen similar attacks from Nintendo's Wii, as well as from the massive genre of the Instrument Protagonist, but Microsoft is hoping for much more than a dent. In the wall. Do you get it? It's like a metaphor and stuff.
The bizarre problem with Natal in its early state is that it, um, works. The technology is clearly functional -- heck, it's vaguely magical -- which makes the absence of truly compelling software almost immediately disappointing. Anyone can simply hop in front of the camera, which never seems to stop and ask, "Who are you and where did you come from -- and why are you so fat compared to the last person?" You're recognized within seconds and can start playing a moment later. And then you slap flying balls.
It's a bit of an unfair demand considering the product's not due until 2010, but the impatience is testament to the convincing nature of the technology itself. In the meantime, Microsoft is exploring Natal's tricks in two existing games: Beautiful Katamari and Space Invaders Extreme.
Gallery: Space Invaders Extreme (XBLA)
For a limited time, popular 360 DLC gets discounted
by Dustin Burg { Sep 5th 2008 at 10:30AM }
Through the end of October, Microsoft is running an "Extended Play Download Days" promotion on the Xbox Live Marketplace, where they've selected and discounted a few sets of popular DLC.The discount priced DLC includes content from Beautiful Katamari, Forza 2, Guitar Hero III, Mass Effect and Oblivion with savings ranging from 25-60% off the original prices. That means you can get Mass Effect's Bring Down The Sky DLC for 300
(originally 400), Oblivion's Shivering Isles for 1600 (originally 2400) and GHIII's Foo Fighters Pack for 360 (originally 500). View the complete list of discounted Extended Play Download Days DLC after the jump.Select Xbox Live DLC discounted until end of October
by Ross Miller { Sep 5th 2008 at 9:50AM }
Microsoft is running an "Extended Play Download Days" promotion between now and the end of October, with select downloadable content discounted for six Xbox 360 titles. Sure, half of the promotion consists of Beautiful Katamari accessories and stages, but we've also got Forza Motorsport 2, Mass Effect, Guitar Hero 3, Lost Odyssey and a deep discount for Oblivion Shivering Isles (from $30 to $20). Not coincidentally, today also marks the first day of the new Xbox 360 price drop.
Born for Wii: Katamari Damacy
by Wesley Fenlon { Jun 17th 2008 at 9:30AM }
Katamari Damacy rolled onto the gaming scene in 2004, bristling with the unanticipated fury of a budget title with mass-market appeal. Damacy's success and popularity in the United States, where it has quickly achieved a devoted cult following, is remarkable for a game that's so distinctly ... Japanese. However, anyone who's played the game can instantly grasp the appeal -- a delicious layer of charm coats the inner goodness of straightforward, addictive gameplay, and that's why Katamari Damacy is this week's game that is Born for Wii.When the irresistibly alluring, slightly fruity King of All Cosmos accidentally destroys the heavens, his solution is a novel one -- roll up piles of junk and send them skyward to replace the fallen stars. Fortunately for us, he's far too lazy to do the grunt work himself. And that's where we come in as the tiny Prince, charged with the daunting task of restoring the stars to the sky with the aid of a magical ball (a katamari, of course) that sticks to damn near everything.
Gallery: Born for Wii: Katamari Damacy
Beautiful Katamari rumors roll to a stop
by Alisha Karabinus { May 21st 2008 at 3:00PM }
The title still shows up on Target's online site (with a June 3 date), as well as on GameFly.
[Via PALGN]
What's the deal with Beautiful Katamari?
by David Hinkle { Apr 25th 2008 at 5:00PM }
Major retail chains Target and Wal-Mart are both listing the game on their respective websites, while Buy.com lists the game with the same price ($29.99), but states it's "temporarily sold out." Even rental service Gamefly has a section up for a Wii and PS3 version of the game.
So, what's the deal? Who knows at this point, but the Wal-Mart page points to an August 29th release, so perhaps we'll hear something soon? We're not going to get our hopes up like before, but we'd be lying if we said we didn't want this to happen.
[Thanks, Zack!]
Read - Wal-Mart listing
Read - Target listing
Read - Buy.com listing
Read - Gamefly listing
Today in Joystiq: February 29, 2008
by Ross Miller { Mar 1st 2008 at 12:01AM }
Joystiquery
DS Fanboy Lite: Feb. 23 - Feb. 29
Joystiq interview: Crystal Dynamics' Lindstrom talks Tomb Raider: Underworld
Joystiq Podcast 039 - Leap year edition
Metareview: Patapon (PSP)
This Week in DLC: Sucking up Triggerheart Exelica
News
Ironclad's Sins sells more than 100,000 in less than a month
SCi plans radical restructuring with mass layoffs and project cancellations
Call of Duty 4 feature patch is now live
See the Battlefield Heroes debut trailer
GDC08: First screenshots of Mirror's Edge
Eidos returns to open water with Battlestations: Pacific
Borders Books testing game sales in London
Trism brings tilt-sensitive puzzle gaming to iPhone
Rock Band Weekly: Grateful Dead six-pack
Sony reveals Home integration for Resistance, Uncharted, Warhawk
Pong creator Nolan Bushnell working on MMO
Take-Two: More companies want to buy us
US/Euro MGS4 lacks Japanese voice over tracks
Rocketmen blast off onto XBLA, PSN next week
Major League Eating crammed into WiiWare
Future Futurama flick features extra Xbox episode
Voice of Marcus Fenix talks Gears of War 2
Street Fighter IV test machines in Japan, features Sagat and Balrog
Former EA exec: Kotick's WoW remark meant to scare competition
Rumors & Speculation
Rumor: Lost Odyssey sequels on the way
Culture & Community
GDC '08 breaks attendance record, press may need invite next year
Game Developers Choice Awards on G4 tonight
Jason Ocampo leaves Gamespot for IGN
Oops: Euro Katamari demo for Xbox Live Silver members only
by James Ransom-Wiley { Jan 31st 2008 at 11:30AM }
Boyd assures us that the situation will soon be resolved (maybe it already is), meaning, Gold members will get the exclusive access they've been promised, and Silver members will be back on the outside looking in. But, for the moment, all you freeloaders should revel in this brief episode of trading places.
Silver (not gold) get Beautiful Katamari demo
by Dustin Burg { Jan 31st 2008 at 11:15AM }
This demo release goes in direct contrast to Microsoft's XBLM membership rule where silver subscribers get free XBLM downloads a week after gold subscribers. You know, since a gold subscription costs moola. But, we guess, Beautiful Katamari is all about the silver, snubbing the gold and does what it wants. Or someone in charge of the Marketplace flipped the wrong switch, thus locking out gold subscribers. See what you get when you pay for Xbox Live? Have you learned your lesson yet?
Beautiful Katamari will roll into Europe this Feb
by Dustin Burg { Jan 10th 2008 at 10:30AM }
Beautiful Katamari already released in both the US and Japan this past October and to be frank, we aren't exactly sure why it has taken an additional four months to come out in Europe. But that's how these things work sometimes and Europeans will get their Beautiful Katamari sometime in February, so we'll just have to deal. Though, one thing we can be sure of fellow European fanboys is that you'll never have so much fun rolling up cows, soda pop or people. Or at least we haven't, but maybe that's just how we roll.
Today in Joystiq: November 14, 2007
by Ross Miller { Nov 14th 2007 at 11:59PM }
Joystiquery
Joystiq visits Harmonix to talk Rock Band DLC and incidentals
Metareview: Kane & Lynch: Dead Men (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)3
Metareview: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (PS3)
Nega-review: Crysis
Today's Segway one-upping video: Personal Yoshi
Wii Fanboy Weekly: November 7th, 2007 - November 14th, 2007
News
Atari CEO resigns as company exits game development
See new World of Warcraft patch trailer
2K Games: No Bioshock on PS3; stop asking
TimeShift gets multiplayer demo on Xbox Live
DualShock 3 rumble works with PS2 games
Nintendo disputes WiiWare limitations
Variety says Mario Galaxy shows Wii's weaknesses
Guitar Hero, Tony Hawk getting in-game ad treatment
Xbox Originals are not without issues
BBC reminds that Wii supply is still an issue
Class action lawsuit over Xbox Live consumer fraud
Overline gives Wii owners "The Shaft"
Fallout sale to help fund Earthworm Jim, Descent comebacks
Cyanide confirms Blood Bowl for Xbox 360, PSP, DS
Dutch teen arrested for stealing virtual furniture
Mad Catz purrchases Saitek, Joystiq shoots headline author
Guitar Hero III PC/Mac hybrid 'later this year'
Rock Band DLC priced! Cheaper than Guitar Hero's, more choice
Mass Effect banned in Singapore over lesbian scene
Culture & Community
Bungie's Weinland and Cowan to keynote Game Design Expo
See the 10 most expensive video games
Zero Punctuation hates Jericho
[Thanks, JP]
Beautiful Katamari DLC is available, already? [update]
by Dustin Burg { Oct 19th 2007 at 2:00PM }
Just released some twenty-four hours ago is four brand new Beautiful Katamari downloads for you to experience and enjoy. And with any game that releases purchasable DLC to the Marketplace the same week the retail game launches, we end up feeling a bit cheated and annoyed. Because logic only tells us that the content should have been put on the retail disc, but instead the publishers wanted to make extra cash via the Marketplace. Grrr to you greedy companies, grrr to you! Ayway, we digress. The four downloadable missions include "Milky Way Constellations", "The Weaver Girl", "Shopping Spree" and "High-calorie Katamari" with each one costing 200 Microsoft points. Enjoy your new Beautiful Katamari DLC ... even if it should have been included in the game.
Shipping this week: big ball o' stuff edition
by Richard Mitchell { Oct 15th 2007 at 2:00PM }
We're not sure how the hell it happened, but it seems like nary a week has gone by lately without at least one game that we have to buy. This week is no exception, as we finally get to sink our teeth (thumbs?) into Beautiful Katamari. Through some bizarre rending of the spacetime continuum -- portals may have been involved -- we have avoided every previous entry in the series (all 48 of them), so we're looking forward to rolling things up in our giant ball of stuff. Fear not if you're sick of Katamari though, because there are other games available too. Behold "The List."
- Tony Hawk's Proving Ground
- Beautiful Katamari
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: Shivering Isles Expansion
- Avatar: The Burning Earth
Ace Combat 6 and Beautiful Katamari go gold
by Dustin Burg { Oct 2nd 2007 at 3:30PM }
So, as we see it, these two games coupled with Orange Box, Virtua Fighter 5, Guitar Hero III and Jericho (just to name a select few) should leave Xbox 360 gamers with quite the busy and expensive October. Happy Halloween gaming everyone!
Read - Beautiful Katamari goes gold
Read - Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation goes gold
