Once Upon a Katamari: Everything We Know

It’s finally happening – after fourteen long years, the Katamari is ready to roll again. Once Upon a Katamari isn’t just another sequel; it’s the big, colorful comeback fans have been waiting for. The series’ offbeat humor, strange charm, and addictive “roll up everything” gameplay are making a return, but with a fresh twist that takes us across history itself. And this time, it’s not just about building the biggest ball of stuff. Expect bigger challenges, stranger items, and that familiar chaotic satisfaction only Katamari can deliver.

And that’s just the start. There’s a brand-new competitive multiplayer mode, wild customization options for the Prince and his cousins, and even shiny new tools to change the way you roll. But what’s the story behind this cosmic mess? How will the new gameplay features change the way we roll? We’ve got information on the release date, a list of platforms, and even the different editions. So let’s roll into everything we know so far about Once Upon a Katamari.

What is Once Upon a Katamari?

Once Upon a Katamari is the newest entry in the Katamari Damacy series and the first completely new game in over a decade. It’s a puzzle-action title where you control the Prince (or one of his many cousins) as you roll a sticky ball called a Katamari. As it moves, it picks up objects – starting with tiny ones like pencils or fruit – and keeps growing until it can grab much bigger things. This new game keeps that same quirky core but adds fresh ideas like stages set across different points in history, new gameplay tools, and a competitive mode.

For those who’ve never played a Katamari game, think of it as a mix between a puzzle, a scavenger hunt, and complete chaos. You control a tiny royal character (usually the Prince) whose job is to fix the King of All Cosmos’s latest blunder by rolling up items into a massive ball. Every object you grab becomes part of your Katamari, and the goal is to make it as big as possible within a time limit. The charm comes from the ridiculous items you collect, the colorful cartoon-like worlds, and a soundtrack that’s as bizarre as it is catchy. It’s silly, addictive, and easy to pick up, which is why fans have been eager for this long-awaited return.

Story

In classic Katamari fashion, the story is absolutely bonkers. The King of All Cosmos somehow manages to destroy Earth and the stars by accident (again!) – this time because he was goofing around with a strange cosmic scroll. One careless toss of that scroll, and poof — the entire planet and night sky are shattered. With the universe in disarray, the ever-unfortunate Prince is tasked with cleaning up his dad’s colossal mess.

But there’s a twist. Instead of just rolling around the present day, the Prince has to travel through different points in history to gather the stuff needed to restore stars of the universe. It’s a ridiculous time-traveling quest, but it fits perfectly with Katamari’s wacky universe. The journey will be wilder, funnier, and more unpredictable than ever.

Gameplay

Katamari’s core gameplay remains simple and silly: roll a sticky ball (the Katamari) around to pick up objects and watch it grow bigger. Once Upon a Katamari stays true to that formula but adds a time-travel twist. You’ll roll through different eras, one stage might have you picking up dinosaur bones in prehistoric times, while the next has you grabbing samurai swords in feudal Japan, so the variety of items will be crazier than ever. In other words, it’s the same addictive Katamari fun of building a gigantic ball of stuff, just in all-new settings.

As shown in the trailer, there are even some new power-ups/ special tools – grab a rocket for a speed boost, a magnet to attract objects, or a stopwatch to freeze time or items. You can also customize your character now, changing the colors and facial features of the Prince or any of his 68 cousins. Finally, a new four-player competitive mode called KatamariBall lets everyone race to roll the biggest Katamari for points before time runs out. KatamariBall supports online play (and offline matches against CPU bots), so you can challenge friends or practice solo in this chaotic contest.

Development

Once Upon a Katamari is being developed by RENGAME and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It marks the first brand-new entry in the series in over fourteen years. After years of remasters and spin-offs, this sequel feels like a true revival rather than just a nostalgia play. The team is keeping the series’ signature weirdness intact, with bright visuals, eccentric humor, and that satisfying rolling chaos, while layering in new features. Fans actually got wind of Once Upon a Katamari early in 2025, when Bandai Namco filed a trademark for the title and sparked immediate speculation. The official announcement came later during a Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase in July 2025.

Trailer

Basically, the trailer showed off that same fun and colorful Katamari style. You see the Prince rolling up all sorts of objects through different historical eras. It highlights the new features of the game, like special tools to aid in the rolling. There’s also a peek at the new multiplayer mode and a bunch of customization options. So, if you haven’t watched it yet, do check out the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms and Editions

Once Upon a Katamari is scheduled to launch on October 24, 2025, and it will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. Bandai Namco is releasing the game in a Standard Edition as well as a special Deluxe version called the “King of All Sounds” Edition. Pre-orders are live now, and for more details you can visit the official website here.