In a sea of sequels, generic first person shooters and uninspired attempts at new intellectual properties, it just doesn't seem like developers are jumping at the opportunity to do something that has never been seen before, going for tried and true conventions instead. While there are still developers out there who are willing to try something new and innovative like in the recently reviewed Slam Bolt Scrappers or Nintendo's brand new handheld, the 3DS which fellow ranter Riley Little gives his thoughts on, this is always a risky move, especially in the North American market where it is not uncommon for the more eclectic and quirky games to be ignored by the general populace.

A prime example of this is the Katamari Damacy series. Released in 2004 on the PlayStation 2, the game put you in control of a tiny prince who is ordered to roll a ball around in order to pick up as many random objects as possible, making the ball increasingly larger. With a simple, but odd premise and an even stranger presentation, the game gained a cult following in North America. Its influence even shows in indie games such as the upcoming PSN title Rock Of Ages.

Now, it seems that a new Katamari game may be on the horizon. Last Friday, Namco Bandai registered trademarks for two new names in Europe: Katamari Amore and Katamari Amore: Rolling Whopper. It would not be unreasonable to guess that these are possible names of the next Katamari game(s), but that then begs the question of what platform it (or they) would appear on. In the past, the series has appeared on platforms ranging from the PS3 to the Xbox 360 to the iPhone. Since it's clear that Namco is not dead-set on developing for one sole platform, there is always the possibility that this could be even be a 3DS game.

As a series that made its humble beginnings thanks to an innovative idea, it only seems appropriate that the next iteration of the series makes its appearance on Nintendo's innovative new handheld. Not only that, but the use of 3D could really benefit the series and open new doors for it, freshening a gameplay mechanic that is beginning to get stale.

What would you like to see out of a new Katamari game? Is there a certain platform that you would like to see it appear on?

Share your thoughts in the comments and with us on Twitter @gamerant.

Source: Eurogamer