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Review: Have a ball with 'Me and My Katamari'By Marc Saltzman  Katamari is an inch-high alien who collects stuff by rolling items into a sticky clump, or katamari. RELATED
YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSOne of the most quirky and beloved video game series in recent memory is about to roll onto the Sony PlayStation Portable. Namco's Katamari franchise for the Sony PlayStation 2, which includes 2004's "Katamari Damacy" and 2005's "We Love Katamari," will make its PSP debut on March 21 with "Me and My Katamari." For the uninitiated, these cult favorites star an inch-high alien, the prince, who is sent to Earth to collect stuff for his dad, the King of All Cosmos, by rolling items into a sticky clump, or katamari. Your goal is to amass objects into a growing snowball-like katamari by first rolling over small items, such as thumbtacks, playing cards and erasers, and then larger ones, including pets, people and cars. Despite its smaller form factor, "Me and My Katamari" manages to retain the peculiar charm found in its award-winning predecessors. In this game the king inadvertently wipes out some islands while surfing. The prince and his pint-size cousins -- many of whom are exclusive to this PSP version -- must help the king re-create the islands so their inhabitants can return home. Similar to past games, players must roll items into a katamari and grow it to a predetermined size, all within a specified time limit. New environments, such as tropical-theme locales, were created for this PSP version, including ones that change depending on the time of day and season. Along with the lengthy single-player game, which offers plenty of replayability -- you can always try to top your best score -- "Me and My Katamari" lets up to four friends battle head-to-head in a wireless "ad hoc" mode in the same room. The goal of this mode is to roll up as many objects as possible before your opponents do. Players can customize the look of the prince and his cousins by toying with their outfits. The fun game play, kitschy graphics and catchy music translate very well from the PS2 to the PSP, but it may take a while for gamers to master the new control scheme. Unlike the console versions, on which players simply use both analog sticks to push the katamari around these worlds, this portable version uses the PSP's four-way D-pad and triangle button to navigate around the islands, while left and right shoulder buttons are used for quick turns. While it doesn't take away from the overall fun factor, controlling the game isn't as intuitive as the PS2 version, not to mention that players may experience hand cramps from time to time. Shortcomings aside, seasoned Katamari fans and first-time players in search of something fresh will love this wild and wacky adventure. 
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