Beautiful Katamari – 360 – Preview

E3 2007 Preview

Beautiful Katamari is the embodiment of a Katamari game for a next-gen console.
Bigger and better is one way to describe it – more addictive and perfect for
multiplayer is another way.

The
game looks similar to its original incarnation with brighter colors and smoother
textures. Additional gameplay may be shoved onto your TV in widescreen mode, but
if you’ve yet to upgrade, the game will still look great in the standard 4:3
aspect ratio.

Online multiplayer is being added, allowing Xbox Live
users to compete for the title of who can roll up the most world items. Offline
multiplayer will also be included, as well as a co-op feature that allows you to
roll the same katamari. If that sounds difficult, just wait till you’re playing
the game with an uncooperative friend. You might be tempted grab the game and
roll back home.

Mini-games are being planned, but the most interesting new feature is a mode
where hot and cool items affect your success. In hot stages, you’ll have to roll
up hot items like food, camp fires, pizza, a hot breakfast plate, etc. Collect
those and other hot items to stay fired up. However, if you should accidentally
roll over an ice cream cone, expect a cold front to move in. The end goal wasn’t
too clear, but we do know that you have to stay hot as much as possible. On the
flip side, there are levels where you must stay cool and avoid items that will
make you hot.

A new
soundtrack is being prepared for the game, as are new cousins that increase the
lineup to more than 50 playable characters. Downloadable content was announced
before E3, though it’s still unknown what will be included in the game
extensions.

Hitting
Xbox 360 this fall, Beautiful Katamari has mega-quirky hit written all over it.
GameZone will bring you more on the game leading up to its release, so stay
tuned.