If the tension in the gaming community got any thicker, we’d all be breathing Porterhouse steaks. We’re almost within 10 days of the release of Beautiful Katamari for the Xbox 360. Personally, it’s getting hard to concentrate on anything anymore. Yesterday, I made a tape ball and rolled up all of the pens and paper clips on my desk. My wife says I’m very 2D lately. The kids are getting sick of playing “Steamroller.”

A fellow member of the “Katamari Nation” told me that CNN was doing a story about video games last night. I tuned in, because I was sure that they would show some exclusive new footage of BK, or an expose’ on the brilliant games being developed at Namco Bandai. Sadly, it was some lame filler piece about Halo 3 and how it has sold more copies than anything else in … blah blah blah.

Halo fans all over the world are going to get a real wakeup call on October 15th, when Beautiful Katamari descends upon us all. Who in their right mind is going to be flying Hornet VTOL’s and designing their own exciting levels in the Forge, when instead they could be rolling a ball through more than 5 different 2D environments with good sound.

I went into Gamestop last night to check on my pre-order. I just wanted to make sure they didn’t lose it. The jerk behind the counter acted like I was from outer space.

“For the 5th time, YES! We have your preorder, paid in full,” he practically shouted at me. I thought maybe he was just having a bad day, so I let that slide. “Besides, nobody else is ordering the game, so you really didn’t have to pre-order at all.”

That did it. I lit into him like Lindsay Lohan in a room full of heroin. I informed him that he was obviously not following gaming at all. I also told him that many Beautiful Katamari fans are out with a cold, and will be in to pre-order their copies as soon as they feel better.

Then I caught him in a lie. “Is there a collector’s edition of the game, or any special bundle?” I asked.

“No dude. It’s just a game,” he replied.

“Are you sure there isn’t a bundle or something? Maybe a nice tin with a ball in it?” I pressed him like I was starring in “The Closer.” He cracked.

“No man… Oh yeah I forgot. There’s the DOUBLE edition, where you get two copies of the game,” he admitted. Why was he hiding this from me?

“How much?” I asked.

“It’s only 40 bucks more,” he answered.

So needless to say I pre-ordered the double edition of Beautiful Katamari, and left Gamestop feeling victorious. I just don’t get these people that continue to try and deny the impact that Beautiful Katamari is going to have on gaming! I mean, what the hell? Do you know of any OTHER gaming franchises that give you so much ball rolling in one title? No.

—–EDIT: The bastard at Gamestop just called. As it turns out he was not being honest with me about the Beautiful Katamari:Double Edition. Frickin jerk. Turns out it’s actually a TRIPLE edition. I told the little punk that I’d be by the store after work to drop off another 40 bucks. The nerve of some people.

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