We roll what we like

In Keita Takahashi's 2004 release "Katamari Damacy," the world watched as the spandex tights-clad King of All Cosmos drunkenly smashed about the universe, dislocating stars and ordering his heir to roll it all back up.

Now, "We Love Katamari" celebrates the profound impact the little ball of love had on the world, and provides more of what the original fans loved with new worlds, extended play and new multi-player options.

The "Love" sequel has the same set-up as the original masterpiece: you, the Prince, have to roll up the world by collecting items on your Katamari ball, usually within a certain timeframe. The ball grows larger with each level; picking up flowers, then houses, then cities like pieces of lint on a sock.

It has also picked up many characters looking for its help. Fans keep appearing in the main menu of the game, calling on the noble and sympathetic King to help create order in their life by working his Katamari magic.

Each person seems to have a pressing personal problem; a mother needs the clutter cleaned off her son's bedroom floor, a student requires that the player roll up fireflies for her because she's unemployed and has no money to pay her electrical bill, a lonely dog yearns for friends, asking the King to roll up a zoo full of animals for him.

Of course, the King still relies on his son to do the dirty work of actually rolling up the Katamari. Fortunately, the poor Prince is given a break and his various cousins (twice or thrice-removed) can take the reigns for a bit.

The narcissistic King refers to himself as "We" and is still as disapproving as ever, but the longer-lasting game play and rewarding options make this the perfected version of "Katamari Damacy."

"We Love Katamari" is fun and addictive. The player is allowed to ring in undersea creatures and topple gingerbread houses. There are new objectives, like rolling the perfect circumference for a snowman head. There is really nothing more entertaining than listening to a classroom of children squeal emphatically as they're rolled into a writhing mass of appendages and desks.

The game treats a thumbtack with the same amount of importance as a battleship or galaxy, forming a rather profound ideology out of a seemingly simple concept. There's also something very satisfying about creating such a spherical order out of a world of chaos.

With each level completed, we're also given a look into the King's troubled past, a violent and lonely childhood that really tugs at one's heartstrings. What makes the stories even more tragic is that horribly schmaltzy opera sonatas back them.

Additional two-player options come along with the extended play. The competition mode now has a ranking system, giving it more of a purpose. Players can also divide up duties and work together on the main boards, one player handling the direction and the other handling acceleration.

The graphics may look like children's Colorforms, but the jokes, stories and bizarre musical score give the game an edge of hilariously deranged humor and sophistication. Perhaps the fact that the title "We Love Katamari" so grandiosely praises its own game is a tip-off that this sequel is rife with parody.

The King's disapproval of the Katamari's size is biting and Napoleonic. After one of his minions rolls up the zoo for the dog, the King bounces the Katamari lazily in his hand and says, "This Katamari doesn't feel too friendly...it's a bit stiff and chilly...more of a forced acquaintance Katamari."

Even those who didn't have the privilege of making the King's acquaintance in "Katamari Damacy" will still have a great time with "We Love Katamari." The game is one of the most original releases on the market, especially for the PS2 console that centers mainly on sports and shooting games.