Me & My Katamari review

Nothing could be simpler than rolling up a ball of junk. But somehow, with that basic concept, the Katamari series has become a bona-fide phenomenon. It's a pure burst of bright personality in a world dominated by gunmetal grey. It's also a hell of a lot of fun. Surprisingly, perhaps, it also translates well to the PSP.

This is unexpected because the control of the two PS2 games in the series revolves entirely around the use of the two analog sticks on the face of the controller. As you've no doubt noticed by now, the PSP has but one meager nub. So how does Me & My Katamari work? You use the D-pad and the four face buttons to navigate, with a little help from the L and R buttons on top of the unit.

Shockingly, this isn't the problem with the game. These controls work better than you'd ever expect, and though they're inevitably clumsy, you won't have any problems navigating the large and inviting levels the team has created.

No, if there's a problem with Me & My Katamari, it's that it feels far too much like a rehash of the previous two games. This is the third Katamari game in a year and a half; if you've played either of the other two games before, you've very much been here and done this, though this is obviously the first time you've been able to do it on PSP. From the visuals, to the gameplay, to the music, to the skewed sense of humor - it's all been done before, anda littlebetter, in the full-sized games.