Awesome Video Game Music: Katamari on the Rocks

I love Katamari Damacy’s soundtrack. It’s completely over-the-top, eccentric and silly. The game is too, and I find it totally awesome that both the game and soundtrack go balls out with it, embracing the craziness. The game’s main theme, Katamari on the Rocks, is the perfect example of this.

From start to finish, Katamari on the Rocks is full of energy. Frantic drums beats, blaring trumpets, and goofy vocal chants kick the song off with a bang, setting the standard. I especially love the trumpets- it’s a distinct sound you rarely hear in video game soundtracks, but they work wonderfully here. They’re used in that “Big Band” kind of way, and when played to the song’s quick pace they're effectively upbeat. Combine that with the drums and vocals it’s easy to see that there’s a personality and energy here that’s pretty rare. Once the lead vocals come in it gets even more ridiculous. The lyrics are mostly in Japanese, meaning I have no idea what they’re saying (probably something nonsensical anyway), but every now and then the guy spouts a line in English. It’s a strange way to do it, but the song just rolls with it. In a way, the whole thing almost feels like the purest embrace of Japanese pop culture they could come up with. It’s all eccentric and colorful in a way only Japan can do, and all told Katamari Damacy is probably one of the most Japanese games I’ve ever played. That’s one of the reasons I like it so much, and is also why I like Katamari on the Rocks.

For a game where you play a tights-wearing midget whose goal is to roll up everything from thumbtacks to cows to rainbows in pursuit of rebuilding the universe, you’d probably expect things to be pretty crazy. Fortunately for me, as someone who appreciates pure craziness, Katamari Damacy delivers on this premise. Even better is that its soundtrack does too. Katamari on the Rocks is one of the best examples of the game’s bizarre Japanese nature, and that’s exactly why I enjoy it as much as I do.

For additional information on this blog, or to view other entries, click here.