Advertisement
Katamari creator not keen on Wii News
PlayStation 2
PSP
Wii
News
by
Ellie Gibson
Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi has revealed that he's not too excited about the Nintendo Wii, on account of it having a funny controller.
In an interview with Gamasutra, Takahashi said: "I'm not really interested in [the Wii]. I don't think a controller should have that much influence on the enjoyment of games.
"I see what [Nintendo is] trying to do, but they're putting such emphasis on the controller: 'Woah, this controller lets you do this!', and I'm thinking - are you messing with us? So, there's nothing I really want to do with it right now."
He's not to keen to do any more Katamari games, either, as he's previously stated. But despite suggestions from Namco that they won't carry on without him, Takahashi reckons otherwise. When asked if he was glad the series had ended, he replied: "Sure! Though I don't know that it's over.
"I know I won't be working on it right now, but I think Namco will probably continue it. It's still a viable franchise.
"I had nothing to do with the PSP version," - a bit of a shame, in our opinion - " so clearly they can keep making them on their own. So yeah, I won't be having anything to do with it anymore, but Katamari is not finished."
So just what is Takahashi doing next? "All I can say is that it'll be on a next-gen console, and uh, it will be fun! That's all I can say," was all he could say.
"We're really trying to push boundaries with it. It may not sell as well as Katamari, but I guess we'll see."
Advertisement
Are you excited about We Love Katamari on PlayStation 2?
View Eurogamer readers most anticipated games
Thanks!
Related Games
Katamari Damacy
We Love Katamari
Latest News
-
Katamari was comment on consumerism [23]
-
Only epics should cost 40 quid - Charles Cecil [77]
-
Namco says We Kill Katamari [34]
-
Katamari t-shirts on sale now [18]
-
Katamari creator unhappy [19]
Latest Screenshots
21 June, 2004 [4]
Release Date Out now!
Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!
Poster
|
absolutezero
26/05/06 @ 12:25
0
Has'nt he already said this? and have'nt we already noted that he's an arse?
|
|
JediMasterMalik
26/05/06 @ 12:46
0
First of all, I don't think he gets to decide whether a gme comes out on multiple consoles, also KD was mainly a game for the Japanese public, not for americans or europeans. It therefore makes more sense to put tha game on a succeful Japanese console, i.e. Playstation (Jap and successful) as opposed to the Xbox (not Japanese nor successful) or the Gamecube (not successful). Then the franchise naturally progressed to the playstation handheld.
Don't call him a fanboy, it's simply smart business. :) |
|
I_Have_The_Power
26/05/06 @ 12:48
0
"I'm not really interested in [the Wii]. I don't think a controller should have that much influence on the enjoyment of games. "
well even though i love Katamari (hehe), i struggled with the control method for ages. he might have had external pressure from Sony/his dev studio to say such things. who knows? |
|
0
He's perfectly entitled to his opinion of course. That said, I'm a little tired of reading all the rubbish he comes out with - I'm wondering why people are still interested in anything he has to say, since it is usually such horseshit.
Katamari had a lot of character - playful, funny, great music - but it plays like shit. |
|
The Bodybuilder
26/05/06 @ 12:57
0
>"Why is it so difficult for some people to grasp the idea that there may be people out there who really don't care for the Wii?"
BECAUSE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. the wii is the greatest invention since "I can't believe it's not butter". No matter how crap a game is, once it uses the wii-mote, it magically becomes great. I mean, it's not like certain games would work better on a traditional pad, now it is? |
|
0
Well, from what I've seen of him. He just not passionate about much of anything. We all know he doesn't care much for the industry to begin with. He just wants to do his own thing and to hell with every one else.
Apparently he couldn't care less for being nominated for developer's awards. He doesn't see that what he's done was so special. So he's not enthused by the wii, so what. He's NEVER enthused. Doesn't make him an ass, although I guess he might be, most geniuses are (except Miyamoto...publicly at least) |
|
absolutezero
26/05/06 @ 13:39
0
Blerk, I he's not an arse for disliking the Wii, thats perfectly fine, he's an arse for having a go at the entire industry after making one good game. For then allowing his creation to be remade twice. For flat out saying he does'nt even like games. For claiming he wants to create play parks over video games and yet here he still is complaining about something he does'nt even like.
If you treat being in a position of power in a development house like a chore then you don't deserve to make games. I just don't like egos and Takahashi has a huge one. "I don't think a controller should have that much influence on the enjoyment of games" Thats why Katamari used both analouge sticks at the same time? See the guy is full of shit.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 26/05/06 @ 14:42
|
|
0
"I just don't like egos and Takahashi has a huge one."
Have you met the guy? The guy hates being interviewed. He is ultra-shy but conference orgainsers across the word keep asking him to come back to speak. Blame GDC if you think he's in everyone's faces. You can't blame him for accepting a trip to SF/London etc. Also, consider some of the stupid questions journalists come out with at these interview sessions (EG excluded, of course). There's always a chance of his words being mis-reported or mis-represented. "he's an arse for...saying he does'nt (sic) even like games" ? Actually, what he has said in the past (and repeatedly) is that he doesn't play games anymore. |
|
0
"Surely he could shoehorn the controller into a game somehow?"
Why? It seems to me he's only interested in projects which he perceives as having some value or worth (And i'm not talking about the $$$ kind of value). He could do as you say, some people would love it because he did it, some people would not like it and he would sit at home knowing he could have done something better. |
|
DaveTheHutt
26/05/06 @ 14:38
0
The phrase you're struggling for is "One swallow does not a summer make."
Which is very true - it is the perfect end to a 'romantic' night in, though. Hutt out.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 26/05/06 @ 15:39
|
|
nickthegun
26/05/06 @ 15:00
0
I thought this too. I mean, its all very well having a Wii-mote, but you dont want to be flailing your arms around like a lunatic all the time. I mean, Donkey Konga is pretty cool, but you wouldnt want to play every game with a pair of Bongos.
Unless the Wii has a good collection of non-wii-mote games for the great unwashed to play, it could end up being a bit of a novelty. I mean, its all very well having the ultra innovative super-wave-your-arms-about Trauma Center Operation game, but when all Kevin wants to do is play 90 minutes of Fifa then pimp his NFS ride, it may get stale quite quickly. After all, people on this site arent average gamers. The average gamers are the ones who made Simpsons Hit and Run a million seller and kept Harry Potter games flying off the shelves and I think its going to take more than a fancy remote to prise them away from the next WWE game. |
|
absolutezero
26/05/06 @ 15:03
0
Scientist my own opinions of the guy were formed from reading a fair whack of his interviews and more importantly from playing his games. Or game.
Actually in particular an interview he had with Edge awhile back just did'nt come off well at all. He insulted modern gaming, which seeing as im on Eurogamer I happen to enjoy, now I would'nt mind that at all if he had some sort of logical arguement in stead of sighing and saying "SO FRIGHTFULLY DULL!". Is it time for Blerk to pop in with another devil's advocate comment about free speech or something? |
|
0
fair enough if he's not excited about it, but it would be nice if he at least gave it a nod.
i mean swinging the wiimote around to play tennis... how can he see something like that and think... meh... while its not for everyone, its a fucking marmite console you can group people into glass half full, glass half empty, ninty fanboys and ninty haters. like blerk ;p is this dev forgetting the ds never happened? alternative controls can mean new gaming experiance. |
|
0
@jamesphilip.
I never said that. I meant that geniuses tend to get a little egotisical with all the (rightfully deserved) praise and act like asses. Where did I say that being disinterested or dissaproving made him a genius. Katamari gave him that honour.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 26/05/06 @ 16:17
|
|
Carrybagma
26/05/06 @ 16:39
0
and uh, it will be fun!
..which means.. and uh, I've been ordered to say it will be fun! Can I go now? I'm bored. What a great guy. Shame he doesn't like the Wii. |
|
mderbyshire
26/05/06 @ 18:16
0
I really see that as a dumb thing to say... it just doesn't make a lot of sense.
Everyone knows that graphics only hold your attention for a little while. They are by no means the most important ingredient of a good game - they never have been. The DS's graphics probably weren't it's biggest selling point (well obviously, because the PSP graphics are blatently much better), but it still sold much better than the PSP did. Most of that was attributed to good gameplay, and the touch screen. Amazing games like Meteos would NOT have been half as good as they were, if it hadn't have been for the touch screen. I'm pretty sure it's going to be the same with the Wii. Once you play certain game's with the Wii controller, you'll probably wonder how you ever got any enjoyment out of playing them using the "old" method. We'll see if the 'graphical horsepower' of the other two consoles (which is, in my opinion, their only real asset) makes them worthwhile consoles to develop for. I a lot of people who have previously had a lot of respect (or at least, have been seen as someone who knows what they are talking about) are making some seriously stupid comments lately. |
|
0
it is a bit of a shame because katamari would genuinely work wonders with the wiimote! instead of using the two analogue sticks to push with each hand why not take a wiimote in each hand and.. you've guessed it... push forward!! simple intuitive anyone can understand that in seconds!
but he is intitled to his own opinion and he is right why does a company need to create crazy control methods just to kick start innovation? why the hell is the ratio of fifa/nfs to games that are very innnovative and immaginative (like katamari, pheonix wright) so bad? in the end he is slightly right. If all the wii offers us for now is zelda metroid and warioware is it not just as much a matter of cut and paste and PS3's FFXIII, metal gear solid and gran turismo? i cant wait for the wii and will be the first in line when its realesed... even if i have to poison that fat b*****d who beat me to the front of the NDS que!
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 26/05/06 @ 20:40
|
Want to comment on this article? Log in, or register!
