Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun!

Taiko no Tatsujin's solid rhythm gameplay is a good hook, but Drum 'n' Fun's mini-games make the Switch version shine.

There's a lot of great songs to play in Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun, even if its staying power is deflated a bit without friends due to the lack of modes. If you can get over that, Taiko's core "two-note" system is tried and true: the beat is strong with this one.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum ‘n' Fun! gives Europeans a long-awaited taste of Japanese drum-fun. You'll want to consider forking out for the taiko peripheral to see the game at its best, but Switch's touchscreen makes this an easier recommendation than it would otherwise be. The motion controls should be avoided with extreme prejudice – they're simply unworkable – and a few odd design decisions, not to mention an excess of loading screens, take the shine off what is a beautifully bold and bouncy game. Fortunately, the Party Game section helps shore things up, offering short bursts of multiplayer fun as a credible stopgap until Rhythm Paradise arrives.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'N' Fun is aimed at a specific audience, those that feel comfortable smashing away to J-pop and flailing their arms. And it caters to that audience perfectly. With more than 70 songs and dozens of minigames, it's going to keep players tapping and drumming along for hours, and likely humming the songs for hours after playing too.

If you enjoy Japanese culture, Japanese songs, and rhythm games, Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum ‘n’ Fun! is absolutely for you.

While it's great to finally see a Taiko reach Europe, it has some disappointing aspects, like sub-par motion controls that make you want to rely on standard controls, and a track listing that is decent, but misses many of the memorable Taiko tracks of recent years - some of which ended up on the PS4 version instead. The decision to have two completely different track listings is also baffling. There are already a bunch of songs on the eShop, including a Ghibli pack that is a must-buy. Those negatives aside, Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun! is still a ton of fun, and a joy for anyone who has played it in Japan. Hopefully, the first of many in the series to get such a release.

No matter what way you choose to buy, though, both are great and make for an excellent musical addition to your game collection.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun! is an entertaining title in the rhythmic genre, and if you are a fan of Japanese songs, you'll probably love it. But if you are not familiar with Japanese songs or you simply don't like them, then this game is not for you, though you may still enjoy the Party Mode.

Even without the physical instrument, Taiko no Tatsujin Drum ‘n’ Fun! is a wonderful game and a great “port” of the popular japanese game. Even with the not so good motion controls, is definitely a great party and multiplayer game.

Taiko no Tatsujin on the Nintendo Switch will likely find itself in consumer limbo in North America - the lack of a way to purchase the TataCon locally will likely drive away some dedicated players, and the $50 price tag might drive away new players. That's unfortunate because the overall Drum 'n' Fun package is very enjoyable if you can accept a few minor setbacks. Drum 'n' Fun might not match the arcade version pound for pound, but it's a faithful version picked ripe from Japan and has a lot to offer to rhythm game fans on the Switch.