Taiko no Tatsujin


is a series of rhythm games created by Namco. In the games, players simulate playing a Taiko drum in time with music. The series has released games for the arcade and for console and mobile platforms including PlayStation 2, Advanced Pico Beena, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android and Japanese Feature phones.
While the series is mainly designed for use within Japan, there are also specially localized releases for other regions, including English-, Chinese- and Korean-language versions.

Gameplay

Objective

The main objective of Taiko no Tatsujin games is to hit a simulated Taiko drum following a chosen piece of music, corresponding to scrolling from the right.
A song is cleared when the is filled past the by playing accurately enough.

Controls

Arcade releases are equipped with simulated Taiko, which can register hits when played with drum sticks.
Console versions mainly uses buttons to play, while certain devices can support additional methods of input:
Most games in the franchise provide four difficulty levels for play: and the highest difficulty.
The sequence of the notes in a level is commonly referred to as a.

Inner notecharts

Certain songs also have extra in addition to the four standard levels. These are intended to be alternative takes on the regular set. Although not a main objective, most inner note charts are made more difficult than regular note charts.
Some inner note charts work by changing to an alternative version of the song, or, exclusively in arcades, switching to a completely different song.

Notechart branching

Some songs can feature in certain difficulty levels. According to the player's performance, the notechart changes between or On certain songs, a drumroll appears at the start to allow the player to pick any of 3 notecharts.

Gameplay options

Various aspects of the game can be changed to the player's liking:

Taiko: Drum Master

Taiko: Drum Master is the first official North American release in the franchise, first released for the PlayStation 2 on October 26, 2004 in North America and September in Japan. Instead of Japanese pop and anime music, Taiko: Drum Master uses English-language pop music by artists including Queen and Madonna, and Western animation theme songs from Dragon Ball Z and .

Taiko no Tatsujin 13

is the thirteenth arcade release of the series, with service commencing December 17, 2009. Taiko no Tatsujin 13 was used to hold the Japan-wide tournament in early 2010.

Taiko no Tatsujin 14

is the fourteenth arcade release of the series. With more than 150 playable songs, 14 inherits many features from previous releases. For a limited time, 14 participated as part of a collaboration with McDonald's. As part of the franchise's 10th anniversary celebration, an upgrade patch was made available for 14, adding five extra songs to the track listing.

Taiko no Tatsujin Plus

also stylized as Taiko no Tatsujin +, is a video game application exclusively for iOS devices, released on May 28, 2014 in Japan. Plus is free to download but charges for purchasing additional music packs. In June 2015, Plus introduces the service, allowing unlimited downloads of designated songs within a set time for a fee. Plus is chiefly controlled with a simulated drum surface on the device's touchscreen, but also supports Roland Corporation's V-Drums electronic drum sets with subsequent updates.
In addition to typical Taiko no Tatsujin gameplay, Plus also includes the feature, where in-game points can be exchanged for rolls of lucky draw for randomly drawn prizes.

''Taiko no Tatsujin'' (2011)

is the fifteenth and currently operating arcade release of the series. This release is significantly different from previous arcade releases, allowing players to store play data with Bandai Namco's Banapassport card, customizing player characters and by-player difficulty settings. The game can also receive online updates to add playable songs and features. Initially released exclusively in Japan, the cabinet has been released since January 2014 in Southeast Asian regions including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand.　
Since its initial release in 2011, the game has received one or two major upgrades each year. Each release usually adds many new songs at once, implements modes exclusive to that release, as well as introduce new costume options and challenges in Ranking Dojo Mode.
VersionRelease date Release date
Taiko no Tatsujin16 November 2011
Taiko no Tatsujin C/N KATSU-DON25 July 2012
Taiko no Tatsujin: Sorairo Ver.13 March 2013
Taiko no Tatsujin: Momoiro Ver.11 December 201327 January 2014
Taiko no Tatsujin: Kimidori Ver.16 July 20146 August 2014
Taiko no Tatsujin: Murasaki Ver.11 March 201516 April 2015
Taiko no Tatsujin: White Ver.10 December 201520 January 2016
Taiko no Tatsujin: Red Ver.14 July 20166 September 2016
Taiko no Tatsujin: Yellow Ver.15 March 20175 April 2017
Taiko no Tatsujin: Blue Ver.15 March 201813 April 2018
Taiko no Tatsujin: Green Ver.14 March 20197 May 2019

''Wadaiko Master''

In May 2014, a number of Taiko no Tatsujin cabinets seemingly based on Momoiro Ver. were found in arcades in Brazil under the name of Wadaiko Master. These cabinets were translated into Portuguese and featured a significantly small song list, only containing 32 tracks including three Brazilian Music tracks exclusive to this edition. Wadaiko Master is offline-only, lacking network features such as Banapassport support and software updates present in other releases.
Wadaiko Master is the only instance of Taiko no Tatsujin being officially released on arcades outside of Asia.

''Taiko no Tatsujin: Nijiiro Ver.''

, known officially as the, released in Japanese arcades on 24 March 2020 and started the fourth generation of Taiko no Tatsujin arcade cabinets. Arcade operators will be able to upgrade to this title from the 2011 game by purchasing a hardware renovation kit, which includes a brand new arcade board based on System BNA1, a 120 Hz monitor, and a QR code reader.
Nijiiro Ver. features new elements such as the, obtained by clearing a song with the highest possible level of accuracy. The song settings menu has been updated to allow for more options, including more control over the notes' playback speed. The default scoring system has been changed significantly, as it no longer awards bonuses for long combos and instead focused on accuracy. The "Classical" and "Variety" song genres have been removed, with their songs being assigned to other categories. There is also a vast amount of graphical updates, notably with the inclusion of horizontal text on the song select menu, similar to . On a livestream at JAEPO 2020, Etou, the game's director, said that this is to prepare the game for "overseas players".

Taiko no Tatsujin: Wii U Version

is the first Taiko no Tatsujin game exclusively for the Wii U, released on November 21, 2013 in Japan only. The game was said to carry 70 songs, and features appearances of Golden Bomber and Super Mario Bros., and a collaboration campaign with Japanese idol group Momoiro Clover Z.
Wii U Version features the new gameplay mode where multiple players alternately play a single song in a relay race-like fashion. The game also supports the Wii U GamePad with a touchscreen drum, and can be played with the GamePad alone without needing a television set.
Both free and paid downloadable content, including outfit items and additional playable songs, are available via the Nintendo eShop.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Don to Katsu no Jikū Daibōken

is the second Taiko no Tatsujin game exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS, released on June 26, 2014 in Japan only. The game includes a reported number of 60 songs, and guest appearance of Jibanyan from Yo-kai Watch, Airou from Monster Hunter 4, Funassyi and Kumamon.
Don to Katsu no Jikū Daibōken features a main story plot in in which series protagonists Don and Katsu travel through time to different periods, encountering various friends and enemies. Players engage in random encounter drum-playing battles and gather befriended enemies as team members, similarly as in Pokémon games with added rhythm game elements.
Both free and paid downloadable content, including additional quests for Space-time Adventure Mode, outfit items and additional playable songs, are available via the Nintendo eShop. Additional content can also be unlocked via scanning QR codes hosted at various other media and using Spot Access functionality at specific locations.
Don to Katsu no Jikū Daibōken was later localized into a Korean-language version and was released on August 27, 2015.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Tokumori!

is the second Taiko no Tatsujin game exclusively for the Wii U, released on November 20, 2014 in Japan only. The game boasts a collection of 100 playable songs, and features appearances of guest characters such as Funassyi, Kumamon and Hatsune Miku.
Tokumori features two new modes: a capsule toy set-up for unlocking unlockable content, and an intro quiz mini-game. Baton Touch Play Mode returns from Wii U Version.
Both free and paid downloadable content, including outfit items and additional playable songs, are available via the Nintendo eShop.
The game was removed from the Nintendo eshop.

Taiko no Tatsujin: V Version

is a Taiko no Tatsujin game exclusively for the PlayStation Vita, released on July 9, 2015. The game includes more than 80 playable songs, with a focus on anime, Vocaloid and video game music.
V Version features a main story plot in in which protagonist Don adventures with a young female named Maple to defeat Noise and the ancient dragon Revolution. The game also features the practice mode that can fast forward, rewind and change speed.
A traditional Chinese version, with translated Chinese menu and dialogue text but retaining Japanese voice acting, will be released on the same release date in Taiwan and Hong Kong. This version is expected to feature Asia-exclusive playable songs, to be continually made available after release.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Atsumete ☆ Tomodachi Daisakusen!

is the third Taiko no Tatsujin game exclusively for the Wii U, released on November 26, 2015 in Japan. The game is first announced in an official livestream program by the series development team on August 21, 2015. Coinciding with the series' 15th Anniversary, the game includes an original 15th Anniversary short animation produced in collaboration with Studio Ghibli, and the first printing of the bundle version that includes additional 15th Anniversary branded goods.
The game features the brand new mode, with Katsu-chan befriending animals to become the most popular person in the neighborhood. Other modes from past Wii U titles also make a return.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Dokodon! Mystery Adventure

is the third Taiko no Tatsujin game exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS, released on June 16, 2016 in Japan. The game features over 70 songs and introduces a new Mystery Adventure mode, which adds an RPG adventure to the game. In this mode, Don-chan and Katsu-chan explore Mystery Spots around the world. As you advance through the story, the player fights in battles and allies with characters. A party can have up to eight characters.

''Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session!''

Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session!, also known as was released exclusively for PlayStation 4 in Japan and most parts of Asia on October 26, 2017 and in North America, Europe and Australia on November 2, 2018. Together with Drum 'n' Fun!, it is the first game of the series to be officially localized overseas in North America for over a decade, as well as the very first official European and Australian release from the series overall. The game is digital-exclusive for the NA, EU and AU markets, as opposed to both physical and digital for Japan and Asia markets. The game has the Friend Session Mode that let player play against the online play data of other players, and the Guest Session Mode where player challenges the characters from other franchises.

''Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun!''

Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun!, also known as was released exclusively for the Nintendo Switch. The game was revealed during a March 2018 Nintendo Direct presentation and was released in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea on July 19, 2018, in Southeast Asia on August 9, 2018. It was released in the US, Europe and Australia on November 2, 2018. Together with the first PS4 Taiko game, it is the first game of the series to be officially localized overseas in North America for over a decade, as well as the very first official European and Australian release from the series overall. The game is digital-exclusive for the North America region, but available in both physical and digital in Europe as well as the bundle that also packages the Tatacon drum controller with the game. It makes use of the motion controls of the console's Joy-Con controllers to simulate the use of drumsticks. The game also features exclusive songs from Super Mario Odyssey, Pac-Man Championship Edition 2, and Splatoon 2. A special Taiko drum controller has been released to play this game in arcade style.

In other media

Collaborations

Taiko no Tatsujin frequently hosts collaboration campaigns with other video game franchises and companies. Collaboration efforts include porting signature songs into Taiko no Tatsujin games, sometimes with special dancers and background designs. In return Taiko no Tatsujin elements are shown as guest appearances in other media. Notable entities collaborated with the series include:
From 2005, Kids Station broadcast 26 3-minute shorts of the Taiko no Tatsujin characters in clay anime.
A manga version of the series was also serialized in Comic Bom Bom.
Mini versions of the game appear in the Namco game when the main characters is equipped with a costume resembling a drum, and in the Nintendo DS game Nodame Cantabile.
Playable Taiko no Tatsujin machines also appear in Yakuza 5.

Reception

Consumer Taiko no Tatsujin games generally receive favourable reviews from critics. Most published console and handheld releases receive Famitsu Review Scores of over 30, out of a total of 40. Taiko: Drum Master attained a 77-point Metacritic score from 35 reviews.
DateReleaseScore
Dec 2, 2010Wii Minna de Party Sandaime 32/40
Nov 23, 2011Wii Kettei-Ban 31/40
Jul 12, 2012Chibi Dragon to Fushigi na Orb 31/40
Nov 29, 2012Wii Chogōka-Ban 32/40
Nov 21, 2013Wii U Version 32/40
Jun 26, 2014Don to Katsu no Jikū Daibōken 33/40
Nov 20, 2014Tokumori 32/40
Jul 9, 2015V Version 30/40
Nov 26, 2015Atsumete★Tomodachi Daisakusen! 32/40
Jun 16, 2016Dokodon! Mystery Adventure 32/40