Taiko No Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival

92%
Game Brain Score Based on 269 reviews
  • music
  • story
  • gameplay
Taiko No Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival Game Cover
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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.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 269 reviews
music24 positive mentions
optimization3 negative mentions
  • The game offers a vast library of over 800 songs through the Taiko Music Pass, providing great value for rhythm game enthusiasts.
  • The gameplay is smooth and engaging, especially with a drum controller, making it a fun experience for both new and returning players.
  • The visuals are vibrant and charming, capturing the essence of the Taiko series while running well on PC.
  • The base game has a limited song selection, and many popular tracks are locked behind a subscription or expensive DLC, making it feel overpriced.
  • There are significant performance issues, including lag and screen tearing, which detract from the overall experience.
  • The user interface is clunky and difficult to navigate, leading to frustration when trying to access songs or game modes.
  • music176 mentions

    The music aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising the Taiko Music Pass for its extensive library of over 700 songs at a reasonable subscription price, making it a better value compared to traditional DLC models. However, some users express frustration over the limited base song selection and the reliance on a subscription for access to most content, which they feel is a cash grab. Overall, while the core gameplay and song variety are enjoyable, the monetization strategy has drawn significant criticism.

    • “I would much rather pay $9 every three months to get access to an insane 600+ songs with new ones coming every month than have to pay like $10 for 5 songs.”
    • “The music pass is a great deal in my opinion, but if you don't feel like it, you can still mod the game which adds like 1500 songs, so it's all cool.”
    • “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 base game songs feel a little lacking, but there are options to get more.”
    • “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.”
    • “It sucks that most of the songs are behind another paywall after the game is already so expensive, but it's a really fun game.”
  • story13 mentions

    The game's story is described as simple yet enjoyable, featuring an adorable narrative that complements its various gameplay modes. While the story mode offers missions and progression, it can be lengthy and may not be ideal for multiplayer sessions due to long cutscenes. Overall, players appreciate the story's charm, though some find the pacing of unlocking content to be frustrating initially.

    • “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.”
    • “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?”
    • “It's only irritating for the first 10 hours or so; after that, you'll unlock all of the story mode, and you won't be doing it ever again.”
  • gameplay12 mentions

    The gameplay of "Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival" is widely praised for its fun, addictive mechanics and engaging rhythm challenges, maintaining the core experience fans love. While the game runs smoothly and offers a satisfying experience, some users have noted occasional lag and a limited song selection, which could be improved in future updates. Overall, the simplicity of the mechanics combined with their depth contributes to an energetic and enjoyable gameplay experience.

    • “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 in their later version.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    The game's optimization is inconsistent, with reports of significant stuttering and frame drops that disrupt gameplay, particularly when monitor refresh rates are increased. However, some users note that the game performs well on handheld devices, maintaining a stable 60fps without stuttering. Overall, the optimization appears to vary widely depending on the platform and settings used.

    • “The game runs smoothly on the handheld, maintaining a stable 60fps.”
    • “+ performance is really good; uncapped fps and no stutter.”
    • “Where things start to go downhill fast is the game performance; it's terrible. You can be having a wonderful run, then suddenly the game decides to stutter or skip notes forward, throwing your timing off.”
    • “Stuttering sometimes.”
    • “Offset in this game wildly varies due to poor optimization and frame drops.”
  • humor7 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its goofy music and lighthearted tone, with players finding it amusing and entertaining. Many users express their enjoyment of the game's comedic elements, referring to it as a "funny drum game" and appreciating its whimsical nature. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a delightful experience for players.

    • “Oh, such a funny, goofy music! What name is it?”
    • “They put Billie Eilish in my funny drum game.”
    • “Man, there's nothing I love more than spending money on this funny drum game.”
  • graphics4 mentions

    The game's graphics are praised for their crispness, smoothness, and vibrant colors, characteristic of the taiko genre. Players appreciate the eye-catching, cartoonish visuals and the inclusion of graphic-novel cutscenes that enhance the overall experience as they progress. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the enjoyment of the game.

    • “The game runs impressively with lovely crisp, smooth graphics and fun, vibrant colors one could expect from a taiko title.”
    • “If you love rhythm games, I highly recommend it; great visuals, great songs, great time.”
    • “The visuals are unsurprisingly eye-catching, cartoony, vibrant, and outright gorgeous.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization model of the game has drawn criticism for being perceived as a cash grab, particularly with over $100 in DLC songs and a separate subscription pass on top of an already high base price. While the game offers a substantial amount of free content, many players feel that the additional costs for extra songs and modes are excessive, especially given the game's history on 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, the game never shoves it in your face, and the bank of free songs and game modes is already plenty.”
    • “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 nah, it's a cheap and nasty port with barely any tech support.”
    • “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. 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.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players acknowledge that grinding is a personal choice, with some expressing that they may not engage in it consistently. The decision to grind ultimately depends on individual preferences and playstyles.

    • “I understand those who say, 'I won't be grinding or consistently playing the game'; it's entirely up to you.”
    • “The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “I find the grinding mechanics to be overly repetitive, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Users highlight that the game's replayability is exceptionally high, even when compared to other rhythm games, suggesting a strong incentive to play multiple times.

    • “Even compared to most rhythm games, the replayability is insane.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game demonstrates excellent stability, with users reporting smooth performance and no significant issues.

    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes.”
    • “I haven't experienced any bugs or glitches during my playthrough.”
    • “The performance is consistent, making for a seamless gaming experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

151hMedian play time
101hAverage play time
2-200hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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