It's all Melissa's Fault

I created a monster.

A Japanese ball rolling monster. It all started simply enough.

Last week Liz and I went shopping at Ross... which just so happens to be next to Gamestop. We wandered in, perusing the used DVD's and I saw this game, Katamari Damacy, which Mel had mentioned earlier. I picked it up and later played it a few times.

The premise is simple. You're the son of the King of the Cosmos. On a whim your dad wiped out the stars, and it's your job to roll this ball around, picking stuff up with it. You start out with thumb tacks, caramels and dice, and progress to larger items, like sumo wrestlers and streetlights. I think I was hooked the first time it picked up a cat, and it stuck to the ball, legs out, wiggling.

I noticed it had a two player mode... so I convinced Liz that she should take a go at it. Despite her objections, I told her a five year old could play this game, so off we went.

And went.

And went.

Though not necessarily very skilled, Lizzie is very determined. I finally set her loose on the single player mode while I worked on the puzzle she started, or crocheted, or watched, almost snoozing on the couch. I think we played for about 4 hours straight.

"I think my thumbs are totally numb," she said as she finally headed to bed. Playstation finger!

I was in a bit of sensory overload last night, as all my dreams had to do with playing the game.

I got up this morning, took a nice long shower, then... you guessed it... played the game (before Lizzie came home from Marathon Practice and tried to steal the controller.)

Simple, silly, addictive.