Fans of the Katamari Damacy game series got some great news today: developer Bandai Namco recently confirmed that a new title in the series is on its way, this time for smartphones and tablets.
The company announced Tap My Katamari, which will soon become available for both iOS and Android devices.
The Katamari games involve players rolling around in an adhesive ball that picks up all the junk it rolls over along the way. The goal is to pick up certain kind of items, things that can help to build stars, constellations, moons and planets. Possibly one of the most highly addictive games ever created, the various titles in the franchise have generally met with critical and fan praise.
The first Katamari Damacy game launched in 2004 on the PlayStation 2, followed by We Love Katamari (PlayStation 2), Me & My Katamari (PlayStation Portable), Beautiful Katamari (Xbox 360), I Love Katamari (iOS, Windows Phone 7, Android), Katamari Forever (PlayStation 3), Katamari Amore (iOS) and Touch My Katamari (PlayStation Vita).
Tap My Katamari is the first game in the franchise since 2012. Bandai Namco released a new trailer for the title, but it doesn't show much in terms of gameplay and how players will use their smartphones to play.
In Tap My Katamari, players once more take on the role of the Prince, the son of the King of All Cosmos. He'll have 35 cousins, though, to help in each quest, which will involve collecting thumbtacks, hamsters, spaceships, cows and other items in a gigantic ball. The King of All Cosmos will also honor the prince with presents throughout gameplay.
One particular important feature of Tap My Katamari, though, is that users can play the game offline (something becoming more rare in today's always-connected environment). This could easily become the game that you want to take on those long trips, particularly in the air, when Wi-Fi and LTE isn't always easily available.
Bandai Namco also made other announcements regarding new titles coming soon, including God Eater Resurrection, Tales of Berseria, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven and Mobile Suit Gundam Extreme Vs-Force.
"You guys, our fans, continue to be some of the greatest fans in the world and we would be remiss if we didn't take some time out of this holiday season to thank you for all your support over the past year and to keep looking forward to all the great titles coming from our hard working studios and development partners next year!" wrote the company on the PlayStation blog.
