Taiko No Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival

About

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is a rhythm game where players can enjoy playing the traditional Japanese taiko drums either solo or with others. The game features a variety of songs, including popular ones from anime, games, and J-pop, and allows players to drum along to the beat of their heart. With colorful graphics and engaging gameplay, Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival offers a fun and energetic experience for players of all ages and skill levels.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

Taiko No Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival screenshot

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 536 reviews

music46 positive mentions

optimization6 negative mentions

The game features a massive library of over 800 songs available through the Taiko Music Pass, providing great value for rhythm game fans.
The gameplay is smooth and engaging, maintaining the fun and energetic feel of the Taiko series, especially when played with a drum controller.
It's exciting to finally have Taiko no Tatsujin on PC, allowing for high refresh rates and a more polished experience compared to previous console versions.

The base game is considered overpriced for the limited song selection, with many popular tracks locked behind a subscription model or expensive DLC.
The user interface and navigation are clunky, leading to frustrating experiences when trying to access songs or game modes.
Online play suffers from a lack of players and balance issues, making it difficult to find matches and enjoy competitive gameplay.

music
350 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
81%
6%
The music aspect of "Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival" has received mixed reviews, with many players praising the extensive song library available through the music pass, which offers over 700 tracks for a reasonable subscription fee. However, criticism is directed at the base game's limited song selection and the reliance on microtransactions, as most popular songs are locked behind a paywall, making the overall experience feel predatory. Additionally, users have noted issues with song navigation and the quality of some cover tracks, leading to a sentiment that while the gameplay is enjoyable, the monetization model detracts from the overall value.
- “I love Taiko no Tatsujin and the core gameplay, original music, and charting of Rhythm Festival is still as fun and engaging as always.”
- “I've been playing for about 40 hours now and I'm still discovering multiple new fun songs from the music pass every day.”
- “One of the best rhythm games I have ever played but finally on PC with a lot of songs and a subscription model that gives you like 800 songs.”
- “It's definitely fun, but the combination of micro-transactions and the always-online battle-pass monthly subscription with 'pre-order' songs (whatever that means) feels incredibly predatory.”
- “The only thing that I didn't like was that I thought I was buying the version with all available songs but turns out there's actually a song pass subscription to have more songs.”
- “The price for the game is too much for the amount of songs you actually get to play.”
story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
77%
10%
The game's story is described as simple yet charming, providing a nice backdrop to the rhythm gameplay. However, players note that the story mode can be lengthy and requires solo play, making it less suitable for multiplayer sessions due to long cutscenes. While the story adds depth and missions to the game, the slow unlock pace and forced song progression can be frustrating, especially in the initial hours of play.
- “This one actually has a built-in story and while it’s simple, it’s nice.”
- “Fun rhythm game with a very high skill ceiling as well as a training mode (improvement support) which is very useful for newer players to get better. It also has a pretty neat story as well as missions in some game modes that, while not very complex, is still something to work for instead of just playing charts over and over with nothing else going on.”
- “Also, the story is adorable.”
- “The thing is, you need to go through a lengthy toy war story mode to unlock toys, and they unlock at a snail's pace.”
- “And the story mode can only be done solo, so you can't really play this mode as a party game unless you farm it first.”
- “So you'd want to do story mode with friends... but the story mode comes with very long cutscenes, so are you expecting 4 people to watch it, instead of playing the game?”
gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
42%
12%
The gameplay of Taiko no Tatsujin is praised for its fun, addictive mechanics and engaging rhythm challenges, maintaining the core experience fans love. While the simplicity of the mechanics allows for depth and smooth performance, some players have noted issues with lag and a limited song selection. Overall, the energetic gameplay is well-received, though improvements like touch screen support and expanded music options are desired.
- “I love Taiko no Tatsujin, and the core gameplay, original music, and charting of Rhythm Festival is still as fun and engaging as always.”
- “The simplicity of the base gameplay mechanics is genius, welcoming but also adds surprisingly insane amounts of depth.”
- “The gameplay is super-smooth and the game itself runs very well.”
- “However, there are lags and some millisecond delay sometimes during the gameplay; I hope this can be resolved for their later version.”
- “Might I mention that the game audio is very loud once in gameplay?”
- “The ninja mode is highly reactive gameplay and can get very intense.”
optimization
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
38%
38%
The game's optimization is inconsistent, with reports of stuttering and frame drops affecting gameplay, particularly when monitor refresh rates are set too high. While it runs smoothly on handheld devices at a stable 60fps, players experience significant performance issues during critical moments, leading to disrupted timing and overall frustration. Some users note good performance with uncapped fps, but these instances are overshadowed by the frequent optimization problems.
- “The game runs smoothly on the handheld, maintaining a stable 60fps.”
- “+ performance is really good; uncapped fps and no stutter.”
- “The game runs smoothly on the handheld, maintaining a stable 60fps.”
- “For some reason, setting your monitor hertz higher than that destroys performance.”
- “Offset in this game wildly varies due to poor optimization and frame drops.”
- “Where things start to get downhill fast is the game performance is terrible; you can be having a wonderful run, then suddenly the game decides to stutter or skip notes forward, throwing your timing off.”
humor
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is consistently described as light-hearted and goofy, with players finding amusement in its quirky elements, such as the inclusion of Billie Eilish. Many users express their enjoyment of the game's comedic aspects, often referring to it as a "funny drum game" and highlighting its entertaining music. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
- “Haha, funny drum game!”
- “Man, there's nothing I love more than spending money on this funny drum game.”
- “Oh, such funny, goofy music! What name is it?”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The monetization model of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players labeling it a cash grab due to the high cost of DLC songs and additional subscription passes, which can exceed $100. While some appreciate the availability of free songs and game modes, the overall sentiment reflects frustration over the perceived greed of the developers and the lack of value for PC users compared to other platforms.
- “I'm sure many have already complained about the monetization model; over $100 worth of DLC songs seems a bit much for an already pricey rhythm game. However, you know what you're getting into; the game never shoves it in your face, and the bank of free songs and game modes is already plenty.”
- “The game is already expensive for just over 100 songs with the setlist edition, and it doesn't even cover the subscription pass, which is a separate in-game purchase.”
- “This is purely a cash grab from greedy companies who wish to do fanservice and not care about the higher level players, and the community itself is also extremely gatekeeping other similar games to it.”
- “Game is already expensive for just over 100 songs with the setlist edition, and it doesn't even cover the subscription pass and is on a separate in-game purchase.”
- “Apparently you can get extra songs as DLC or in a music pass, but either way it's a cash grab, especially when the game has been out for other platforms. You would think PC users would have gotten a better deal, but it's a cheap and nasty port with barely any tech support.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's graphics are consistently praised for their crispness, smoothness, and vibrant colors, embodying the lively aesthetic typical of taiko titles. Players appreciate the eye-catching, cartoony visuals and the inclusion of graphic-novel cutscenes that enhance the overall experience as they progress through the game.
- “The game runs impressively with lovely crisp, smooth graphics and fun, vibrant colors one could expect from a taiko title.”
- “+ Visuals are unsurprisingly eye-catching, cartoony, vibrant, and outright gorgeous.”
- “This taiko gives you some graphic-novel cutscenes, and you can get new chapters as you rank up your taiko level.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with some users reporting significant bugs and a rushed feel typical of Bandai Namco titles, while others note that it runs smoothly. Overall, the experience appears inconsistent, with stability issues detracting from the gameplay for some players.
- “Game runs great.”
- “Game runs great.”
- “The game is buggy and feels rushed out before release; this is common for a lot of Bandai Namco titles that they throw at the consumer.”
- “The game is buggy and feels rushed out before release; this is common for a lot of Bandai Namco titles that they throw at the consumer.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express mixed feelings about grinding, acknowledging that while some may choose to engage in it consistently, others may not find it appealing or necessary for their enjoyment of the game. Ultimately, the decision to grind is seen as a personal choice.
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers highlight that the game's replayability is exceptionally high, even when compared to other rhythm games, making it a standout in its genre.
- “Even compared to most rhythm games, the replayability is insane.”