'The world is very messed up': Why 'Katamari' and 'Wattam' creator believes in the power of play

"A meow!"

Artist and unconventional game developer Keita Takahashi has just overheard a feline through the telephone line. He laughs and begins asking questions about said cat. It's the moment Takahashi seems most comfortable and chatty during our long-distance interview, a detour from discussing his latest game, which is about explosions, golden poop and, ultimately, how to be better people.

"Wattam," the long-awaited work from the developer behind the endearing cult smash "Katamari Damacy," itself a jubilant celebration of fun and optimism, is also about seeking out the joy in the everyday, namely the objects that surround us and can sometimes be taken for granted. If it existed in the world of "Wattam," for example, a random cat's meow, would be cause for celebration, a reminder that beauty and joy is not only everywhere but too often fleeting.