NEWS: Saturday Morning Feel-Good Story: Playground From the Mind That Brought Us Katamari

GEEK: Saturday Morning Feel-Good Story: Playground From the Mind That Brought Us Katamari

Can someone please get me a ticket to Nottingham? I mean, not right this minute or anything, but some time in the next few years might be good. Preferably corresponding with whenever the greatest playground in the history of the world is completed.

Wow. So apparently, while discussing the finer points of his GameCity festival keynote speech, Takahashi casually mentioned his dreams of playgrounds to Iain Simmons, the festival's director; in a snap the guy was off and running toward city council, pulling as many strings as possible to make the vision a reality. The Wired news brief links to an interview with the mad genius, in which he further outlays his plans.

Oh God, he shyly giggles. Everything about the guy exudes such cuteness that sometimes I think his brain must be made of kittens. Seriously though, how could anyone not trust him with this undertaking? It seems so natural. The lovely Alukh introduced me to Katamari two years ago, and it's one of the very few games I've played that is so bizarre and cute that I don't even particularly mind losing at it -- it's worth it just to have had the experience. Gathering everything in the world from kaiju to fireflies to giant household items in the role of a Little Prince-esque protagonist, it's pretty much the definition of wide-eyed exploration: the vaguest of aims, and wondrous new perspectives. Having played it, it doesn't come as much of a surprise really that Takahashi would be interested in creating a world of his imagination on a grander and more tangible level. In fact, I can't think of anyone who might better design a playground. Hayao Miyazaki, perhaps, or maybe Shigeru Miyamoto -- though all those pipes and bricks might be injury lawsuits waiting to happen.



Takahashi also alludes to a new game in the works -- Noby Noby Boy, a game even its own creator seems at a loss for describing (which isn't a bad thing, considering Katamari made absolutely no sense to me at all until I actually sat down and played it) -- but the playground wonderland seems to be on the front burner at the moment. This is how he sees it:

Not if I get there first. I may have been the slowest runner in my class every year, but my legs are longer now that I'm older. I'll meet you at the fiber optic swing sets, jumping off at the highest point into a field of sparkling lights.







_DictionaryGirl_ is sometimes fascinated by the same sorts of things that amused her in kindergarten, and still finds stealth swinging in quiet playgrounds to be top of cool.

well im taking a trip up north in a few years for that then

This is incredible news. I've never gotten around to playing "Katamari Damacy", but I've seen it, and this definitely sounds like it will be great.

I laughed.

I must go to this playground of sparkly lights and other cool stuff.

They still allow children to run at playgrounds? They could get hurt!

Actually, I though I don't want children to get hurt, I think it should at least be possible for them to do so. An element of danger is important to the developing child. Unless we want to raise children into adults who never take risks, never challenge themselves.

Maybe if this playground is really good, it will create the illusion of danger.

I can just see a bunch of kids playing in his playground...when suddenly a huge ball of collected mice, soap bars, milk cartons, sushi rolls, the odd cow or two, and vacuum cleaners rolls over them...scooping them and all the playground equipment up and disappearing over the horizon.


I wanna go.

the japanese are playground masters! I always make sure I visit a new one each time I go there. The english are soo lucky they are getting one, since you could never build one in the states for safety reasons.

I think I'm going to the park after reading this...

+1. We just got a shit tonne of snow that will be marvelous to frolic in.

ooh! field trip, anyone?

What a wonderful SG roadtrip this would make for.

I now think I should put off a trip to England till it's done.

just hope the Health and Safety nobs dont piss on his glorious sparkly bonfire

Fun!

A playground level would be soo sweet. I wish England were closer.

Fucks yeah. All a giant ploy to launch his lifelong dream of an actual Katamari.

It's a weapon of mass destruction, I tell ya!

...And you know the true secret of the Katamari, right?

When a Katamari rolls you into a ball, and playfully collects all the colourful geometric shapes around you... It doesn't just collect you...

This sounds like the coolest playground ever.