Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun!
Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun!, released in Asia as is a rhythm game developed and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It was first released in Japan and other parts of Asia in July 2018, and in North America, Europe and Australia in November. The title's release marks the first release of a Taiko no Tatsujin game to Western audiences in over a decade. Gameplay Similar to past entries in the series, music notes, represented by circular faces of the series' mascots, move across a timeline in the middle of the screen from right to left. represent the face of the drum, while represent the drum's rim. Successfully playing the correct note as each one reaches the end of the timeline builds up a "Soul Gauge". If the gauge reaches a certain point by the end of the song, the stage is cleared. There are several control options for Drum n' Fun!. The most accurate and consistent option is a specific peripheral controller developed by Hori, in the shape of a drum, as well as non-electronic plastic "drumsticks". These drums are sold separately or in a bundle with the game. It's possible, however, to use a regular controller to play, through use of a buttons-only mode. One could also use the Nintendo Switch's native controllers, the Joy-Con, through a mechanic called "virtual drumsticks" that utilizes the advanced motion controls of the Joy-Con. This method is considered unreliable and best for casual gameplay. Besides traditional gameplay for a maximum of two players, a multitude of multiplayer rhythm-based party games are present to further expand upon the concept for up to 4 players. Additional updates to the game further added a head-to-head competitive multiplayer mode for two players, as well as online head-to-head and tournament competitive multiplayer modes. Tracklist Similar to previous games in the series, the tracklist is organized into seven categories. The game also features downloadable song packs which can be purchased through the Nintendo eShop. The game contains 300 songs (inclusive of all downloadable songs) as of July 2020. Pop Anime Vocaloid Variety Classical Game Music Namco Original Release Taiko Drum Master game was confirmed for Switch in Japan, revealing features such as motion control and HD rumble support for the game. The game was released in July 19, 2018. A licensed drum controller by HORI was later released. Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia published the game in Southeast Asia, which comes with official English translation of the game, on August 9. The game arrived with Japanese voice-overs and Japanese, Chinese, and Korean text while the English text was made available via a free patch. Bandai Namco Entertainment America published the Western release of the game alongside Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session! for the PlayStation 4. The Western features the identical tracklist as the Japanese/Asia version while adding more language options. The game was digital-only in US while a physical version was released alongside the HORI licensed drum controller in Europe. It was released on November 2. Reception Heidi Kemps