Once Upon A KATAMARI

Once Upon A KATAMARI is a skill and action game in which the prince rolls a Katamari through three-dimensional environments. Smaller objects stick to the ball, which grows and can pick up ever larger objects. The tasks involve moving the growing ball through the world under set conditions.

The story is triggered by the king of the entire cosmos: while handling a mysterious scroll, he accidentally destroys Earth, the Moon and the stars. The prince and his relatives then travel through different eras to restore the sky. The game was developed by RENGAME and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment.

The PC version launched on Steam on Oct 23, 2025. Bandai Namco dates the original launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch to October 2025. A standalone version for Nintendo Switch 2 followed on Oct 8, 2026.

On Oct 8, Bandai Namco also released the paid expansion Rolling LIVE Highlights for PC, PS5, Xbox Series, Switch and Switch 2. The main game and this additional content are separate products, even though editions with both are available.

The main game is available natively on PC (Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. The Switch 2 version is a separate native release, not just backward compatibility for the old Switch version.

The original Switch version can also be played on Switch 2. Owners of the Switch version get a free performance update on the newer console, with improved visuals and mouse controls. Bandai Namco does not describe this update as an automatic free license for the standalone Switch 2 version.

The Katamari ball starts small and collects objects once it is big enough. This changes not only its size but also which parts of the environment are eligible for the next round. The rooms are therefore both obstacle courses and material stores.

New tools extend the familiar principle. A magnet pulls in nearby objects. The focus is still on moving through the environment, not on collecting set weapons or equipping characters.

The paid expansion Rolling LIVE Highlights, released on Oct 8, 2026, is based on themes from Katamari Damacy Rolling LIVE. In the unlockable selection world Super Stream, ten new quests await. There are also twelve music tracks, six cousins and 18 costume pieces. The content is sold separately on all five supported platforms.

Bandai Namco also offers standalone music packs from the series' history, including Neo Remixes and Dance Dance Remixes. These are not automatically included when you buy the standard edition or the Rolling LIVE DLC.

Steam lists Windows 11 (64-bit), an Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 3100, 6 GB RAM, a GeForce GTX 550 Ti (1 GB) or Radeon HD 7770 (2 GB), DirectX 12 and 6 GB of free storage as minimum requirements. The recommended configuration lists 8 GB RAM and a GTX 750 Ti, Radeon HD 7850 or Intel Arc A310.

The performance targets listed on Steam refer to 1080p at 60 frames per second on low or high settings; the listing explicitly notes possible drops in more demanding scenes.

The story takes you through the Jurassic, Ice Age and historical Japan, among other places. Each era brings different objects and backdrops for the growing ball. They are also linked to the prince's task of restoring the celestial bodies the king destroyed.

Changing locations is part of the base game, not content added later in the streaming expansion.

Besides the actual rolling, situational tools are provided. The magnet enlarges the pickup range for nearby objects; other aids can change speed and movement. Because size and position determine what can be picked up, these tools directly affect the basic principle.

On Nintendo Switch 2, mouse controls add to the existing inputs. Bandai Namco also promotes smoother frame rates and improved display, without an independently measured constant frame rate for every game situation being proven.

The prince and, according to the manufacturer, 68 cousins or relatives are playable. A customization system allows changes to colors and faces. This is particularly relevant for multiplayer mode, where the characters can look different.

Six more cousins are added through Rolling LIVE Highlights. These expansion characters are not automatically included in the standard edition.

In addition to the single-player journey, KatamariBall offers competitive matches with up to four participants. The mode can be played online against other players or offline against computer-controlled opponents.

This distinguishes the multiplayer mode from a cooperative campaign: players compete against each other, while the normal story mode pursues restoring the stars.

Since October 8, 2026 a dedicated Nintendo Switch 2 version exists with mouse controls, revised graphics and smoother display. At the same time, the original Switch version receives a free update when played on Switch 2, which according to Bandai Namco also improves performance and mouse controls. The two routes are not equivalent to a promised free conversion of the old license into the new product version.

Save data from the Switch version can be transferred to Switch 2, if there is no save data there yet. Existing data on the new console limits this transfer. Before switching, check which version and which save data you are using.

The Standard Edition includes the base game. The Rolling LIVE Highlights Edition bundles the base game and the DLC of the same name. The Royal Sound Edition adds extra music packs from the Katamari series, including Dance Dance Remixes, Neo Remixes and the song collections Side A and Side B.

Bandai Namco thereby replaced the earlier King of Sound Edition. If you already own additional content, check the actual edition scope before buying a bundle. These are different package combinations, not separate main games.

Steam lists nine supported languages for the PC version, including German, English, Japanese, French and Korean. German is listed there for the user interface and subtitles, not for full German voice acting. The console versions may have different language packs.

RENGAME is listed on Steam as the developer of the game released in 2025. Publisher and rights holder is Bandai Namco Entertainment. The Nintendo Switch 2 launch and the paid expansion were also announced by Bandai Namco in 2026.