Me and My Katamari (PSP)

Players who've experienced Katamari Damacy and We Love Katamari will be familiar with the premise here: Players direct Prince, son of the King of All Cosmos, as he pushes a sticky ball around a variety of environments (seaside town, office desk, swimming pool, zoo), collecting hundreds of objects that litter the scene.

Players start by rolling small stuff, like thumbtacks, and as they progress they can roll up animals, people, and even continents. The objective is to collect enough of a single type of object -- loud, heavy, expensive, soft, etc. -- so that the katamari (the ball) can be turned into an island for a needy animal. Sound strange? It is. But it's completely addictive, too.

With infectious music, strange dialogue ("It slipped our silky mind!"), bright colors, and a campy sense of humor, ME AND MY KATAMARI may not appeal to every gamer. But if you're looking for a change of pace from the mindless first-person shooter or fighting games, this may fit the bill.

The series' move to the PSP is perfect for short portable gaming sessions (each level can be played in 15 minutes). Namco did add the ability to connect to other PSPs and roll against each other in a common level, but this multiplayer option doesn't support open Internet play. In the end, this installment is faithful to earlier editions. It makes a nice addition to the strange, wonderful world of Katamari.