We’ve been lamenting the lack of a Katamari game on a Nintendo platform. For our money, Tornado is still looking like the nearest thing to the rolling collect-’em-up on DS, but Prey the Stars comes a pretty close second.

Playing as one of four dog-like monsters, the aim is to eat your way through levels. You start by devouring small items, working up to bigger objects. Eat things in a set order and you’ll earn powerups that you can use to attack the other dog-likes. There are also challenges to fulfill, ‘spirits’ to absorb, and skins to unlock. All these extras add some strategy, making this a high-score-chaser with a tactical edge. This is most apparent in multiplayer (local or over WFC), with up to four people running around the stages to get to their next peculiar snack. In single-player it’s a bit limited, but this is a quirky laugh with a few mates.

Oct 9, 2008