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Noby Noby Boy's Keita Takahashi

Katamari's creator on stretching, eating, sleeping, and inter-planetary peace. Exclusive videos inside!

EurogamerYou can eat things, and also poo them out. What's the purpose of this? Does it change the way the BOY behaves if he has eaten a lot?
Keita Takahashi

I just thought that changing the shape of BOY was funny. There is no real aim... If you keep eating, a change that you can easily imagine will happen, but I would like you to check it out yourself by playing the game.

EurogamerWhat will happen when you leave the Earth and get to other planets?
Keita Takahashi

You can then play in the planets that you've reached, and that's pretty much about it!

EurogamerDo you have any plans to extend the game with more downloads in future? Perhaps new levels, objects, planets, or modes?
Keita Takahashi

Yes, we will make a big update approximately two months after the release. I think we will be able to present the content pretty soon.

At first I wanted to make more updates, but the development got longer, and I want to keep the price low. Without having a lot of people playing the game, I don't think that the decision-makers at the company will allow another update. So I want many people to play the game.

Please allow me to keep updating the game!

EurogamerDid your bosses at Namco complain when you said you didn't want the game to have objectives?
Katamari's prince makes a cameo, along with other Namco characters.
Keita Takahashi

As my hierarchy only complains and only talks about the so-called "right things" to do when creating a game, I just tried not to care about what I was being told. To be honest, I don't really remember. But I was told something like "make it look more like a game", "make it easier to understand", "make it more accessible" I think.

EurogamerHow do you want players to feel when they're playing Noby Noby Boy?
Keita Takahashi

I want them to relax. It is OK to fall asleep while playing it, too.

EurogamerWhat does Noby Noby mean?
Keita Takahashi

It is about being laid back and free. It means having no restrictions to your actions, being who you are, feeling easy.

It also means postponing things, being late and taking a long time to finish something.

I love both meanings, even though one of them is bad, but it sums up my situation with this game perfectly.

EurogamerCan a simple game like Noby Noby Boy have a bigger meaning? Or is it just for fun?
Noby Noby Boy is all about the joy of entanglement.
Keita Takahashi

Though a gorgeous game is not only for fun, and is often said to have "a meaning", "significance" or "merit", I wonder if this is really relevant. As I don't really understand the true meaning of the word "meaning", I can't really give you a good answer on this. Sorry...

EurogamerIn Katamari, you could roll up almost everything you see into a ball, to make the ball bigger. In Noby Noby Boy, you can eat almost everything you see, and stretch longer and longer. Why are your games so concerned with consuming things and growing? Are you hungry?
Keita Takahashi

Exactly, I am hungry! Even though I am a 33-year-old guy, I believe that I still need to eat in order to grow up.

When it comes to games, there are obviously some things I like and some things I don't like. But for foods, I like everything. All foods are delicious.

EurogamerHave you seen Flower, also on the PlayStation Network? That's a game you might like. You play as a petal, caught on the wind - it's very relaxing. Is it easier to make different kinds of games now that you can sell them for download?
Keita Takahashi

Yes, Flower is a fun game. It's the first PS3 game ever that I've played from the beginning to the end. For download-only releases, developers have the opportunity to control the retail price, which may make things easier. I also think that this makes the challenge easier for most of the games.

Takahashi-san drew this just for you.

Getting some visibility in stores for games that aren't famous, or that forecasts are bad for, can be a problem. Download-only releases definitely solve this problem. I would like to see a lot of stupid games being released, just like during the PS1 days.

EurogamerApart from making Noby Noby Boy, what else have you been up to lately?
Keita Takahashi

Well, I am not doing the job that a producer is supposed to do, I participate in the actual creation of the game. As I am the only project lead, I unfortunately don't have time to get involved in other projects.

Apart from the game, I will make a speech at the GDC in March, so I started preparing that. I am also making Noby Noby Boy t-shirts.

EurogamerCan you draw us a picture please?

He drew us three!

Noby Noby Boy is due for release on PlayStation Network tomorrow, 19th February, for GBP 3.19 / EUR 3.99.

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