Once Upon A KATAMARI - Switch 2 Review

A brand new KATAMARI game in 2025!?! I was genuinely flabbergasted when this popped up in the direct. Watching Once Upon A KATAMARI go on a time-travelling adventure rolling through cowboys, ancient Greece, and even dinosaurs had a level of glee and excitement behind it. Having recently had the first two KATAMARI games remade, can the new cousin on the block impress the King of all cosmos? Or will they face the wrathful scorn of a disappointed king?

The Good

Since the PS2 era, the KATAMARI franchise has struggled to fully recapture the magic that enamoured fans' hearts, but thankfully they've caught lightning in a bottle for a third time. No additional gimmicks like jumping, no lacklustre stages, just what feels like the true sequel to We Love KATAMARI. If you've never played any KATAMARI game before, the premise is simple. You play as the Prince who rolls a ball around that's known as a katamari, which collects objects smaller than it and grows in size. Generally speaking, your goal is to get as large as you can; however, there are alternatives, such as reaching a certain size in a time limit, only a certain type of object counts towards the goal, or increasing a person's weight so they get big enough to look “cool” in their new armour. This franchise is pure whimsical chaos energy and you just have to suspend your disbelief and have fun with it.

One of the most notable things about the entire KATAMARI franchise is the soundtrack for each title and Once Upon A KATAMARI is no different. The music is one of the most notable experiences, as it’s the main thing bringing the world to life and keeps things more entertaining. You can also now decide what track plays before you enter a stage, giving you the freedom to enjoy your favourite tunes on any stage.

Once Upon A KATAMARI offers single-stick controls for players, which is one of the best entry-level adaptations for new players, as the twin-stick controls can take a fair bit to get used to. Players also have an easier time seeing the requirements for each rank for the mission, as it sits right there in the UI, over previous releases where you kind of just have to guess at what you have to do to achieve a higher rank. The power items have a sonar item which directly points out where the cousins and hidden presents are on the map, which gives players an in-game option over searching on the internet.

TL;DR

• Classic gameplay
• The soundtrack is a vibe
• Great entry-level

The Bad

The flow of rolling up random things tends to get thrown off when the area expands and you then have to sit through a loading scene. It’s honestly on the annoying side to have the king of the cosmos come up as the expanded area is shown off, which feels like it takes a lot longer than it does. This is ultimately a minor inconvenience in an otherwise exceptional game that has been a problem throughout the entirety of the series.

TL;DR

• Mid-stage loading

Final Score: 9/10

This is the best the franchise has been in a long time, with more stage variety than ever because of the time-travelling gimmick of Once Upon A KATAMARI. While it can be hard to follow the talking while playing and the loading during the middle of the stage can be a tad annoying, overall it is an absolute delight to be rolling up everything in sight! If you’ve ever been curious about the franchise, this is the best way to start your journey of pure chaotic fun that’ll have you smiling the whole time.

Thank you for checking out our Once Upon A KATAMARI Switch review, thank you to Bandai Namco for providing the review code and thank you to our Patreon Backers for their ongoing support:

• Andrew Caluzzi (Inca Studios / Camped Out)
• Bel Cubitt
• Bobby Jack
• Jack Caven
• Nintendo Maniacs
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