XS/PC Wattam (Keita Takahashi)

Gematsu: Can you talk a little bit about the inspiration behind creating Wattam?

Keita Takahashi, Creator: “That’s going to be a little bit long…”

Go for it.

Takahashi: “I was living in Japan, but then Vancouver before I moved to San Francisco. But the way I felt about Vancouver was that it was not like Japan. There are so many different races of people—Chinese, African, European, Filipino, blah blah blah, so many people who speak their own language, but in Vancouver also speak English and worked together to build something. That’s kind of important for me because in Japan so many Japanese people just speak Japanese, and I just didn’t imagine such a world and that kind of diversity. And our world has so many problems that come from the kind of differences, different perspectives, different religions, different countries, different everything… so I was thinking if we were kind of the same people, then that’s dumb, right? That’s so boring. Like the same soul, same hobby, same perspective. That’s just boring. That’s going to be a very boring world. But the differences of other issues, I was thinking I might be able to make something, like a game, where we work together and get over those differences by making something fun—which is an explosion in Wattam. So at the same time, I was with my kid, who was two years-old, playing with wooden blocks, just stacking the wooden blocks, and then he just breaks it and laughs, and I have to stack them again. Then he breaks it. So I was thinking, ‘what if the wooden blocks had AI that just stacked themselves?’ That would be good for me, so I don’t have to build the stack again. Those ideas got mixed together in my brain and I thought this might be the game… does that make sense?”

Sorta kinda, yeah.

Takahashi: “Usually I don’t get any inspirations from other games.”

Do you play a lot of other games yourself?

Takahashi: “(Laughs.)”

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OK, that’s a sweet spot I think. You announced Wattam in December 2014, I think, yeah?

Takahashi: “(Laughs.) Uhh, I don’t recall. (Laughs.)”

You don’t want to say it? (Laughs.)

Takahashi: “I just don’t remember the year. (Laughs.) Three or four years ago… or five. (Laughs.)”

I think it was December 2014. (Laughs.) Can you talk a bit about why development has taken such a long time?

Takahashi: “Well we were cancelled by Sony Santa Monica.”

What happened there?

Takahashi: “I don’t even know… You know, yesterday we had a stage event with Sony’s Shuhei Yoshida, and he explained a little bit. But seriously though, maybe it was just Sony’s money, financial things, so they needed to cut the external development branch.”

Hmm, yeah, I remember around the time Wattam was announced, there were also a couple of other external titles announced from Santa Monica that I think also moved to Annapurna Interactive.

Takahashi: “Yeah, Edith Finch, right.”

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So how did you partner up with Annapurna?

Takahashi: “Annapurna was formed by the guys who were working at Santa Monica Studios.”

Ah, OK, so they pretty much just recruited the games that got kicked.

Takahashi: “Yeah.”

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This is actually coming out this year, right?

Takahashi: “Right.”

Promise?

Takahashi: “Yes, promise. (Laughs.)”

When this year?

Takahashi: “Somewhere between now and the end of the year.”

You haven’t announced a more specific season right?

Takahashi: “Summer or fall.”

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Wattam uses a combination of light gameplay and love-it-or-leave-it humour I associate with Keita Takahashi and like, but it's more of a Noby Noby Boy 2.0, a game so simple and nonsensical it sometimes makes you wonder what the point is. If his previous games weren't for you, this one, perhaps a humorous experiment more than anything, certainty isn't going to change your mind. While this and the technical issues prevent from unreservedly loving it, I still enjoyed Wattam, simply for delivering emotionally, if not on a technical level

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It’s been well over a decade since Katamari debuted, and since then, there have been few games that capture the same lighthearted-yet-touching vibe. Even Takahashi’s subsequent work has largely failed to reach the same standard set by his iconic debut. It’s a tricky thing to balance, making a game that feels free and open but doesn’t frustrate players with a lack of direction. Wattam not only nails it much like Katamari did, but it also evokes a very similar set of feelings. It’s the rare game full of both laughter and sadness — and probably the only one that also features talking eyeballs and toilets.

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I’ve written a lot here, and I get the feeling readers unfamiliar with Wattam or the work of Keita Takahashi will have any idea what sort of game it is. It’s a borderline nonsensical puzzle adventure about restoring a dead world, one object-with-a-face at a time. It’s adorable, goofy fun, which I believe is something we could all use more of.

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Refreshingly light-hearted, brief, and full of good vibes, Wattam is the kind of game that everyone can easily settle down with. It’s a magical experience centered on friendships and connection, finding out how each unique skill can help everybody out, despite all being different sizes, shapes, and colors. There’s a simple joy that comes from playing Wattam, a feeling that many other games just can’t match. Wattam is a delightful, fun, and uplifting game filled with laughter, teamwork, and all the things that make your heart feel warm and fuzzy.

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I'm not sure if Takahashi will ever be able to top Katamari Damacy – for my money, it's one of the greatest video games ever made – but Wattam captures that sense of whimsy and magic in its own way. The care-free music and gosh-darn-huggable character designs make this a must-play for fans.

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Wattam is a weird and wild fever dream of a game, but it’s the most enjoyable fever dream I’ve ever had. Its loop of using ridiculous, anthropomorphic characters to complete simple tasks in order to gather more ridiculous, anthropomorphic characters succeeds thanks to the silly and fun situations it puts you in, even if it’s not the most complex or challenging loop to begin with. I can’t help but feel like some of the most interesting ideas Wattam uses to shake things up aren’t fully explored, but being a part of this friendly world, however briefly, is a true joy.

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Some significant technical issues manage to do little to hold back the charm and wit of Wattam. It's a game that's great fun for both kids and adults, with slapstick humor and a sweet message of understanding people, despite your differences, at its center. It's made with today's toxic climate in mind, boiling the world's issues into something that doesn't feel cloying, but instead feels positive and welcoming. That, to me, is an achievement.

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With Wattam, Takahashi has proven that he still places fun above all else, and even after a decade, it's still a refreshing perspective. Wattam is a fun colourful playground for players to goof around in, even though it's controls have a few screws loose.

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Wattam is a delight to play. From the cute aesthetic, to the amazing soundtrack, there is much to enjoy here. The story is charming, the characters are unique, and it’s just fun to play. Sadly some faults build up and can hamper the experience. From weird controls, to frame rate issues, to the game even crashing. Now all these issues can still be fixed and I hope they do, but in it’s current state the game is still very enjoyable. It’s a fun short experience that had me smiling the entire time and it’s been a while since I’ve had that.

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Wattam is not a great video game by any definition. However, it is a great, zero-stress experience that wants to show how great friendship can be. If you’re looking for a game to test your skills or provide you with a mature narrative that makes you think, Wattam ain’t it. However, if you’re having a bad day and just want to unwind by kabooming golden poops all over your screen, Wattam is more than happy to take you under its bowler.

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Wattam is content with having you chuckle at its poo, which is symbolic of the game’s successes. Witnessing its wholesome, nearly childlike view of the world through a bunch of nonsequiteurs is pleasant even if playing through them isn’t always quite as enjoyable. And while Wattam seems to want to avoid descriptors and can get away with it at times, that playability is important for a video game.

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