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[Santo]

TAIKO will be released on the PS2 in the states this winter and will use a drum controller that attaches to the console....

(screens from localized Japanese version)

all: http://www.bonusstage.com/media.php?gameid=170

more info: http://www.bonusstage.com/article.php?artid=1453

 

[Vlad]

Looks... interesting. Are there any good movies of this available anywhere?

Also, any word on the price?

What genre of songs are in the game?

I was really looking forward to Donkey Konga, but the list of songs (plus the reported lack of difficulty) has really soured my enthusiasm, so I'm hoping that this game will give my my rythm game fix.

 

[BuddyC]

Taiko Drum Master, you will be mine. Yes, oh yes.

You too Donkey Konga.

...and Donkey Kong : Jungle Beat.

and Halo 2.

and Metroid Prime 2.

and Prince of Persia 2.

...and other games I can't remember right now.

 

[Agent Dormer]

Price should be $59 to 69, according to what the Namco rep said at E3. Also - I can't wait for this game!

 

[brandonnn]

The E3 demo had:

Aida (Verdi)
Classical Music Medley
Soul Calibur II - Brave Sword, Braver Soul
Beethoven's 5th
Carmen (Bizet)

which are all culled from various iterations of the Japanese version through the 6th, just minus the j-pop and anime theme songs. Haven't seen anything on actual 'western' music.

I actually dug the Konga line-up though. Whip It!

 

[atomsk]

only 2 more weeks till Donkey Konga 2 in japan!!!

i'll be picking up Taiko, and then probably importing the JP versions. i'm all about getting that official drum for a decent price.

 

[Meier]

Drum games ruled E3 with an iron fist. This shall be mine, WOO!

 

[drohne]

taiko's visual presentation is ridiculously, inconceivably better than donkey konga's, but i found beating on the conga drums with my hands more enjoyable than playing the taiko with sticks. i'll pick up one or the other, i just haven't decided which. jungle beat might push me in konga's direction.

 

[jooey]

(screens from localized Japanese version)

errrr...

 

[bobbyconover]

taiko's visual presentation is ridiculously, inconceivably better than donkey konga's, but i found beating on the conga drums with my hands more enjoyable than playing the taiko with sticks. i'll pick up one or the other, i just haven't decided which. jungle beat might push me in konga's direction.

As someone who has both, I'd say Donkey Konga is the better game. Of course, Taiko has far more 'mixes' in Japan, so it probably has Donkey Konga beat in terms of sheer content. It also has some really cool songs from other games, like Stepping Wind from Klonoa 2 and Susume Driller from Mr Driller. Then again, those songs will probably stay in the Japanese versions, and if you haven't imported any of them yet, you probably never will.

My main beef with Taiko is that it never gets challenging at all. I'm a seasoned rhythm game player and can hold my own at pretty much all of them, so naturally it was easier for me than for most beginners, but I still expected at least some challenge.. and found none. I understand that not every game can be Beatmania IIDX or Drummania, and that these games are meant to appeal to a wide audience, but I still wish some super-hard songs were put in there for those of us who have been playing similar games for years. DK wasn't much better in that regard, though a few songs were a bit tricky the first or second times through.

The really bizarre thing is that Taiko does have separate sensors in the left/right halfs of both the main pad and the rim, making for a possible total of 4 different buttons. But the game never has you hit anything but "main" or "rim," making it essentially a 2-button game and inherently far too easy.

 

[Vlad]

Hmph, that's disappointing to hear.

I'm still a bit of a music game newbie, as the only one's I've played so far are Frequency/Amplitude, and a little Mad Maestro. I REALLY enjoy both Frequency and Amplitude (I have a few complaints about Amp, but I still really enjoy it). What other games are out there along those lines?