We Love Katamari + Royal Reverie

It’s been more than a decade since I first played We Love Katamari using a PS2 emulator. Recently, I revisited the series on Nintendo Switch with We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie. This version is not just a simple port, Bandai Namco added new content that makes it feel fresh even for returning players. 

I’ve always had a good impression of We Love Katamari, as it’s the installment that really solidified the series’ signature blend of chaotic fun and addictive gameplay. My memory might be hazy, but I remember it added more depth compared to the first game, with more varied stage environments and gameplay modes.

Thematically, We Love Katamari also serves as a major chapter in the King of Cosmos’ backstory, depicting his rebellious youth. That’s amusing given how dismissive he later becomes toward his son, the Prince of Cosmos. 

The Royal Reverie expansion adds new stages where the Prince rolls his Katamari across the world, pushing continents around in a race against an impending meteor strike. More importantly, it introduces stages where you can play as a younger King of Cosmos, offering new challenges and a different style of gameplay. 

 While you still get to roll every planet and roll to the Sun as ultimate Climax of the experience, I forgot about the original We Love Katamari is that it lacks an “Eternal Mode”, the gameplay option that lets you roll without a time limit. The Royal Reverie version adds Eternal Mode to a few stages, but it’s limited to only three. 

Now that I’ve completed We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie, I’m considering moving on to We Love Katamari: Once Upon a Star. I might even revisit this game later for a 100% completion run if I ever feel the need to unwind with its surreal, abstract, and endlessly fun gameplay.