Taiko: Drum Master

"Taiko: Drum Master" (English title), also known as "Taiko no Tatsujin" (太鼓の達人;　"Taiko Master") is a drumming game for the Sony PlayStation 2 based on the popular Japanese arcade game. A drum simulating the taiko is played in time with music. It is made by Namco. The home version can be played with a TaTaCon, a special controller which looks like the face of a Taiko drum. Players control one of the two main characters - WadaDon, a red-faced and blue body taiko, and WadaKatsu, a blue-faced and red body taiko.

Graphics
The graphics are 2-D, with cartoon-like feel. Cut scenes show the adventures of the animated taikos and their friends.

Gameplay
Symbols moving horizontally along a timeline show what to hit and when. Home versions distinguish single and double strikes, arcade versions hard and soft strikes.

Successful play builds up a life meter. If the meter is past a certain point by the end of the song, the song is passed.

In the Japanese version, subtitles under the symbols give the pronunciation of the sounds (for example, "do don do don") using a traditional system called kuchi shoga (口唱歌).

Despite the game's cute and childish appearance, many players find the game quite difficult to master. Players need to accomplish 75% of the drum chart to pass, which can be very challenging on harder levels.

Music
Music in the Japanese version includes J-pop, anime music, western classical music and traditional Japanese Festival Music. The North American version removes some of these genres, changing them to American cartoon themes, a few NAMCO originals and mainstream American hits like "Love Shack" by the B-52's and "Toxic" by Britney Spears. The Loco-Motion by Kylie Minogue is also included in Australian versions.

Songs
This is the full list of the following songs.

Pop and rock

 * 1) "ABC" - by The Jackson 5
 * 2) "American Girls" - by Counting Crows
 * 3) "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" - by Jet
 * 4) "Girls & Boys" - by Good Charlotte
 * 5) "I'm a Believer" - by Neil Diamond
 * 6) "Killer Queen" - by Queen
 * 7) "Lady Marmalade" - by Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa and Pink
 * 8) "Love Shack" - by The B-52's
 * 9) "Material Girl" - by Madonna
 * 10) "My Sharona" - by The Knack
 * 11) "Rock the Dragon - by Shuki Levy
 * 12) "Slide" - by Goo Goo Dolls
 * 13) "That's the Way (I Like It)" - by KC and the Sunshine Band
 * 14) "The Impression That I Get" - by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones
 * 15) "Toxic" - by Britney Spears
 * 16) "Tubthumping" - by Chumbawamba
 * 17) "Walking on Sunshine" - by Katrina and the Waves.

Anime/TV

 * 1) "Dragon Ball Z Theme Rock the Dragon" - by Shuki Levy
 * 2) "Jimmy Neutron Theme" - by Bowling for Soup

Classical

 * 1) "Beethoven's Symphony No. 5" (Beethoven)
 * 2) "Carmen Prelude" (Bizet)
 * 3) "Foster's Medley"
 * 4) "Hungarian Dances No. 5" (Brahms)
 * 5) "Symphony No. 25 in G Minor" (Mozart)
 * 6) "William Tell Overture" (Rossini)

Namco original

 * 1) "Don Rangers" (10 crowns to unlock)
 * 2) "Dragon Spirit"
 * 3) "Katamari on the Rocks"
 * 4) "Ridge Racer" (15 crowns to unlock)
 * 5) "SOULCALIBUR II Brave Sword, Braver Soul"
 * 6) "Taiko March" (including music from Sky Kid, The Tower of Druaga, and The Legend of Valkyrie) (5 crowns to unlock)
 * 7) "The Genji and the Heike Clans" (KAGEKIYO) (20 crowns to unlock)
 * 8) "Saitama 2000 "
 * 9) "MOJIPITTAN Medley "

Children's Songs

 * 1) "Alphabet Song "

Difficulty
The following difficulties are included. Clear all songs in any mode to unlock a happy ending movie.


 * Easy - Represented as cherry blossom flowers.
 * Normal - Represented as bamboo shoots.
 * Hard - Represented as a pine tree bonsai.
 * Oni - Represented as a demon, 25 crowns in hard to unlock.

PSP version
Rather than using an external Taiko drum, the PSP version makes use of the D-pad and action buttons as well as the shoulder buttons which control the rim shots. The analog stick is also get used to perform a tambourine bonus. The PSP version includes the original gaming mode as well as a variety of minigames and a modified AD Hoc mode dubbed, communication mode. While in Communication mode, you can play the game with up to four other PSP gamers. There are currently no plans to bring the original Taiko Drum Master for the PSP outside of Japan.

Bonus

 * The game comes with a Taiko controller with drumsticks and it is plugged into the PS2 console.