[DS] Taiko no Tatsujin (Taiko Drum Master) DS - now with Dual Styluses

URL="http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/04/taiko_drum_mast.html"]Original Article[/URL]

Originally Posted by Wired Magazine

It's been a long time coming, but Namco Bandai has finally gotten their heads on straight and announced Taiko no Tatsujin for Nintendo DS in Japan. Scheduled for release in the summer, the game will feature the Super Mario Bros. theme song, which is one of the best parts of the hit arcade game. Previous home versions of the game haven't included the Mario theme, because, uh, they were all on Sony systems. No longer!

The control method that the DS game will use is still a secret, says Famitsu. But Namco hasn't shown any images of what the DS game's bottom screen will look like, so the game will likely use the touch screen to replicate the drum controls.

It'll feature four-player multiplayer and you'll be able to dress up your own drum character for battle.

J-Pop:
Natsumatsuri (Summer Festival)
Won't Be Long
Mata Aimashou (Let's Meet Again)
Dance2 Featuring Soy Sauce [Pocky Chocolate Commercial Song]

Children's/Folk Music:
Mori no O-Kumasan (Bears in the Forest)
Inu no O-mawarisan (Dog and the Policeman)

Game Music:
Super Mario Bros.

Classical:
Beethoven's 7th (partial)
William Tell Overture
Heaven and Hell (Offenbach)
Flight of the Bumblebee (Rimsky-Korsakov)
Classic Medley (Wedding Songs)

Namco Originals:
Kimi ni Touch!
Mojipittan Medley
Kagekiyo
Pachi O-Sensei

and more hit songs!

The best part is the two styluses that will come with the game. Portable Taiko Drum Master with realistic drum action!



No release date for the US yet, but it comes out in Japan on July 26.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Sounds awesome. Can't wait for it to be released in Japan. Thanks for the heads up.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Ah, so that's how they're dealing with the blue and red notes. I always wondered how that would come about since with a real Taiko drum (for the PS2/Arcade) you have to tap the top sides of the drum for blue notes.

YouTube Video

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Wow, this game looks pretty cool. I'd definitely buy it if it came out over here, but I'm not sure if I'd spend the money to import it.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Super Mario theme? Well that pretty much guarantees it'll be a million seller in Japan within four seconds of its launch. Seems like it'd be an absolute nightmare to play on the train or something. But challenges are fun!

I was speaking idiomatically.

lol that cover is worth the money itself-

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by Infernal Monkey

Super Mario theme? Well that pretty much guarantees it'll be a million seller in Japan within four seconds of its launch. Seems like it'd be an absolute nightmare to play on the train or something. But challenges are fun!

You'd look like a freakin' idiot playing that on the train, but who cares? I might have to import this if it doesn't get released in the US. The PSP Taiko never came out here, and I've heard it's pretty good, so I'm not holding my breath for the DS version.

FELIPE NO

I finally had a chance to look at the video. It looks good, but easy. A lot of Taiko's problem is that it's too damn easy. The PSP versions were a lot of fun, despite the lack of drum. Turns out pushing buttons to Taiko is actually quite enjoyable (much like someone I know who plays Pop'n Music on a dualshock).

Originally Posted by nuttyturnip

The PSP Taiko never came out here, and I've heard it's pretty good, so I'm not holding my breath for the DS version.

I'm not sure that's how that phrase is meant to go.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

You guys do know that the styluses don't matter?

You can just use one stylus, or hit blue notes with the red one or whatever, the only thing that distinguishes between the notes is hitting the corner / middle of the screen.

This game seems way too easy/boring compared to DS-centric stuff like Ouendan/EBA.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Elixir

I'm not sure that's how that phrase is meant to go.

I meant, the PSP version was good, and it never got a domestic release, so even if the DS version is good, I doubt it will be released in the US. I personally don't care if it's easy if the songs are decent. Just the novelty of having a dual stylus game that's fun is worth it for me.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I saw this on Kotaku yesterday, and it looks like the method for the bottom screen isnt a secret anymore like the top article says. I also agree with the ease of Taiko, so they better present lots of challenging patterns. If they can make it harder than Genji and the Heike Clans or Ridge Racer was on Oni, then that would be fun. None of the songs in this lineup interest me so far although the styli are pretty cute! It'd also be sick if 4p multiplayer meant 4p wifi!

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

This is awesome! I loved the arcade version of the game... I played until I developed blisters on my hands...

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

This is fucking awesome. It definitely has the SMB theme, because I just heard it. What it doesn't tell you is it also has Go My Way!! from iDOLM@STER, along with an 8 bit remix and a bunch of others. I've heard a couple (one's from Daigasso) but I can't name them.

I'm importing this tomorrow. It's too much fun.

Edit:

YouTube Video

I was speaking idiomatically.

This game is awesome, though kind of frustrating because I lost one of my styluses (styli?) a while ago. I've been playing using the d-pad/a/b/x/y and L/R buttons, but it can quickly turn into a mess.

In the song selection screen, I know the bottom center option means difficulty. Selecting that gives you two more options, of which the top option is a choice between easy, normal, and hard. I have no clue what the bottom option is, though -- anyone know?

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Um.. bottom center option has has easy/normal/hard, bottom right is オプション which is "Option", pressing that, the first selection brings up different sounds you're going to be making during the song.

ドラム - Drum
タンバリン - Tambourine
Triangle
Farting noises
Classic drums

As the the bottom menu, オート (auto) plays the game for you (used for studying the songs, I guess) the rest are speed modifiers.

And, uh, well, the game's fun and all, but I really don't like how you can easily rack up points using the dpad over using the stylus. The DS can't recognize two inputs at once, so I'm not sure how large notes are meant to be taken.

FELIPE NO

Large notes are covered in the tutorial. For the red ones, hit the taiko right in the center. For the blue ones, hit around the rim of the taiko (not in the corners or anything). Unless you mean something else?

Right now I'm using one finger on the dpad combined with the stylus for blue notes. It seems to work okay for those alternating hits, but I'm boudn to run into trouble at higher difficulties.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Nah, that's what I meant. Right now I'm using the stylus for red notes, L for blue.

So you won't need to use L + the rim of the Taiko for the bigger blue notes.. right?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Hitting a button counts for both small and large hit marks, so there's no need to double up.

If you just use the stylus, then yeah, you need to kind of watch where you're aiming at (but if you always hit the center of the taiko or the rim of the taiko then you're fine anyway).

There's nowhere I can't reach.