I've had a few days to familiarize myself with We Love Katamari, and just taken on it's own merits, it's a fantastic game. In comparison with the original Katamari Damacy, it falls somewhat short, just because it fails to surpass the original. The original is probably the best video game on the market today, and given it's replay value, a sequel was perhaps not really needed. But we got one, and we might as well enjoy it.

The fundamental game play is unchanged. Controlling the katamari, a ball, you roll up anything you can, starting with small things, then bigger things as you get bigger. So at first you're picking up postage stamps and erasers, and later you're picking up trees and bicycles and people. The controls are very simple, utilizing the two analog sticks like tank controllers. Your mission is to get your katamari as large as possible, as fast as possible. One change from the original is that, on the basic levels, you first try to get as large as possible within the time limit, and then on your second time you just try to get to a certain size as quickly as possible. After meeting both goals, on future tries you can choose either goal. Having two (similar) goals to choose from, and the fact that your starting point on each level changes each time (from a few set start points) increases the replay value.

The most obvious changes from the original game involve some of the less traditional levels introduced in this sequel. Like the original, there are several levels that involve rolling up as many of a particular type of item (i.e., flowers) as possible. I never enjoyed these as much as the basic levels in the original, and feel the same here. They're fun enough, but there are better levels (though the level where you are at a school, and have to roll up 100 children, is fun, though disturbing, if you start to think about it). So far, I haven't encountered a level where you have to roll up exactly one of an item (i.e., roll up one cow), and you have to avoid rolling up small cows until you can roll up a big cow (I hated those in the original game). Instead, We Love Katamari has many levels not really comparable to the original. On one level, instead of a katamari, you're pushing a sumo wrestler. You must get him enough food, so that he gets big enough to knock another sumo wrestler out of the ring (you get added honor if you can win the match by roll-up, rather than simply knocking the other sumo down). This one is a lot of fun, with the oval shape of the sumo wrestler changing the feel of the game, and creating new challenges. One game involves making a snowman, while another involves a race, where your katamari is constantly moving, and all you can do is direct it. Some, like the snowman level, fall flat, but other levels, like the racing level, are pretty fun. My first reaction on encountering some of the more bizarre levels (i.e., the sumo level) was that the game designers were just adding cheap gimmicks to a game that didn't need any improvement, but after giving these levels a chance, I have to say I approve.

So just based on gameplay, the sequal is pretty darn good. Unfortunately, when it comes to the more general tone and feel of the game, they just can't quite top the original. It feels like, with Katamari Damacy, there was no expectation of the game being successful, and so the makers figured they could just do whatever they wanted. Yet with We Love Katamari, you can feel the desparation to achieve the success of the original, and the charm of the game suffers for it. It was a clever idea to make the original game's success part of the storyline. And some of the stories the King tells during load times are cute (of course, the original didn't have any loading time in the middle of a level). But the cut scenes telling the story of the King of All Cosmos' childhood can't quite match the oddity of the astronaut's family story in the original. The music also is a tad disappointing. The opening theme is great, and most of the songs are good, but just not as crazy as the original's. The J-pop tune is quite enjoyable, but just feels a little too slick for this game.

But whatever I say, it doesn't change the fact that We Love Katamari is, when you get right down to it, a great game. Katamari Damacy is a great game, too, and probably a better game (and cheaper to boot). That said, I've found We Love Katamari as addictive as the original.