Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 5
  2. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Nov 13, 2025
    88
    Once Upon A KATAMARI is exactly what I wanted it to be. A game about rolling up the world, bringing people together (in a non-traditional sense), all the while being a treat for the senses. It’s easy to pick up and can be challenging to master as you navigate levels with twists and turns that can be best described as “the world’s messiest rooms”. You can’t go wrong with The King of Love’s latest and long-awaited game, methinks.
  2. Oct 23, 2025
    85
    If you've yet to play a Katamari game, then Once Upon a Katamari is as good a place as any to start. Its time-hopping adventure offers a fresh spin on the series, with new mechanics and additions that only serve to enhance a winning formula.
  3. Nov 24, 2025
    80
    Once Upon a Katamari keeps the series’ trademark charm and eccentric humor intact. Some old flaws remain — the clunky camera, minor grind, and brief loading pauses — but they’re easy to forgive. It’s quirky, joyful, and still one of the few games that can make you smile just by playing.
  4. Nov 6, 2025
    80
    More generous than its predecessors, the new Katamari still rolls with it, aided by its silliness and artistic direction. An excellent introduction to the saga.
  5. Edge Magazine
    Nov 27, 2025
    50
    While Once Upon A Katamari is too similar to its predecessors, then, a lot of the new ideas simultaneously also work against the classic sensations of fun and flow. [Issue#418, p.123]