The first time I played Taiko no Tatsujin was in an arcade (in Japan, because I’m very nippy), where you control the game by hitting a replica of a real taiko drum. It was so entertaining that I wish there was a taiko drum peripheral available on PC now that the series is already available on our platform.
Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is now available via Steamwhere it offers over 70 songs to listen to and a subscription service that allows you to unlock over 700 more. Maybe I should try to get my Donkey Kong drums to work on a PC, but I’ll probably settle for playing it with a gamepad.
If you’re not familiar, Taiko no Tatsujin games are rhythm games that involve beating a drum (up or sideways) in time while color-coded notes flow across the screen from right to left. They are also incredibly brilliant and stupid, and your efforts are cheered on by a drum mascot named Don Chan. Their song lists are also very Japanese, with a mix of J-pop, Vocaloid music, and anime soundtracks.
The previous game in the series, Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master, launched on PC, but for some reason only via Game Pass and the Windows Store. Rhythm Festival will be the first to appear on Steam.
It features the usual mix of modes, training sessions, online multiplayer, and several difficulty levels. If you want more songs than just the base game, you can expand your selection with Taiko Music Pass for a monthly fee or purchase songs via DLC packs. You can get it Tank! from Cowboy Bebop By Anime Pack Vol. 2For example. Listen up everyone, Tanka! Now.
If you’re tempted, it’s worth giving the demo was a hit on Steam first, see if you like the difficulty level, setlist, and slightly grindy structure.
