The second entry for DS in the long-running Taiko No Tatsujin franchise has arrived and I can say that the wait was definitely worth it. While it's not going to be breaking any boundaries on what you can expect from rhythm gaming, it still makes a solid standing on the handheld and deserves a spot in every rhythm gamers collection.
Gameplay - 9/10
Meccha Taiko No Tatsujin doesn't really bring anything new to the table, but what it does do exceptionally well is present the same addictive gameplay from the arcade and console versions and delivers that same style in a portable format, meaning that if you're waiting in a line and just feeling like throwing in a quick session with the Soul Calibur theme, within seconds you're in the song on your selected difficulty and tapping away. The bottom screen functions as the drum, with the middle of the screen (which shows the drum itself) being used for the red buttons that fly across the top and the outer edges (the empty space around the drum) functions as outside hits. Similar to the arcade, there are times where there are larger circles which on the arcade version indicated that you needed to hit the drum with both sticks but because the ds can't detect two simultaneous presses, hitting the center of the drum is the large red buttons and the extreme edges of the screen are the larger blue buttons. While the game does come with two cute taiko styluses (stylii?) if you can find the bundle, you'll quickly find that it's much more effecient to just tap the screen with your finger. Initially there are three difficulties open, with a 4th difficulty being awarded for gaining a certain number of medals from getting higher scores on the first 3. While the songs that you unlock on the hardest difficulty aren't on par with DDR's Max 300, Free Bird in GH2, or any of the other higher tier songs in other console/arcade music games, they do present a challenge because you're just using the touch screen and much more limited with your movements than you would be on an actual arcade style taiko drum. On the other hand, the difficulty of the more challenging songs are just as difficult as many of the songs in other portable rhythm games, from DJMax to Daigasso Band Bros, so don't expect the Oni difficulty to be a cakewalk. There are unlockable costume pieces to customize your taiko and make him your own, with the clothing being unlocked as you play the game more and more while accomplishing different objectives. The touch screen holds up pretty well during the frantic sections, meaning that if you miss something in a song, it's typically because of your own error and not a touch screen malfunction. Lastly, there are plenty of different songs from the same genres that are present in the other taiko games ranging from catchy j-pop and Namco originals extending to classical tunes, with plenty of other genres represented in the game. If you're not a fan of japanese music however, you may be a bit turned off by the song selection. Just in case anyone was wondering, if you don't want to tap your screen that often for fear of damaging it, you can select a few button layouts if that's more of your thing, but it makes certain songs a bit more difficult to do.
Sound - 10/10
What would a music game be without an awesome soundtrack? Britney's Dance Beat, of course. Luckily, this game strongly delivers in that department, with all of the music holding up well with or without headphones. Just as in other versions, every hit of the drum is heard in game, meaning that you literally are playing the music instead of just pressing some button that opens a track in the song, so it's really neat when you're sitting there and listening to the sound of your fingers/stylus tapping out the beat of the music, almost adding another layer to it. The cute yells of "100 COMBO!!!!" are all still intact, as well, giving the game an even cuter feel that the graphics do alone. Again, while there is a pretty large library of songs for a portable game (around 40), if you aren't a fan of japanese music, you're probably going to find this to be quickly grating, then again, if that turns you off, you probably shouldn't be looking at this review in the first place.
Graphics - 8/10
Fans of the series are probably going to find a lot to love here, fans of cute things are going to find a lot to love here. Unfortunately, especially because this is a portable game, there's a pretty big chance that someone is going to look over your shoulder and instantly dismiss this for another "crazy japanese game" or a childs game which is terrible due to the quality gameplay and complex songs present later in the game. The visuals are extremely easy on the eyes while capturing a cute, cartoonish, and almost heartwarming art style that has been present in the previous games. While it might not be the most creative thing in the world for the series, it is really nice to see that they were able to represent the games so well on the handheld. Nearly nothing was lost in the transition, and the game only gets more adorable as you start to customize your taiko, changing everything from the clothes to the color scheme. If you don't think your little taiko drum dressed up in a panda suit and giving you the biggest smile ever isn't the cutest thing, then your heart must be completely lost. The gameplay consists of the standard "press the button when it passes under the bigger transparent one" so there's nothing super creative there, but it is cute to see that, as you get larger combos, the entire cast of the game pops up on the top screen and encourages you as all of these vivid colors flash in the background. While the visuals aren't really risking anything and staying true to the franchise, it is a really endearing art style that we rarely get to see in games these days and is a bit of change from the normal realistic palates so many games depend on.
Overall - 9/10
Meccha Taiko No Tatsujin DS is one of those games you really wish that everyone would have the opportunity to play, but because it's almost impossible to find an american import gaming store and the fact that not everyone is willing to order from import gaming sites, many are going to miss. In my personal opinion, this is the best ds rhythm game that you can buy import or otherwise. The song selection is incredibly charming, the graphics are cute, yet don't distract you while you're playing the songs, and the game itself plays just like it should, especially on DS. While part of me wishes that they would release this game in the US, or anywhere outside of Japan, I did purchase the US PS2 version and because the songs were mostly american classic pop hits, the entire feel of the game felt lost. That said, if you're a fan of import gaming or rhythm games, this game is definitely worth a purchase and easily holds it own against most other music games that have come out in the last few years anywhere.
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