THE GOOD:~If you're into Japanese animation, the graphics and audio will please you.
~The game is a lot of fun to play with friends, or even alone.
~The track list is familiar to Americans, instead of one of obscure foreign songs.
~Different difficulties, minigames and plenty of unlockable songs provide for HUGE replay value.
THE BAD:
~The "cuteness" of the game will turn many players off, especially males.
~The minigames can get repetitive after a time.
~The drumsticks can cause blisters or bruises on hands.
SUMMARY:
Donkey Kong seemed to be about the best party game on the planet for the Gamecube. You could play "bongos" to your favorite songs, rack up points, and go head-to-head with friends and family. But what about the PS2, the most popular console among families? Taiko Drum Master answers that question, with a solid game that is just as fun to play as it is to watch.
As you begin your game, you watch an intro video of two kids at a traditional Japanese festival while a song in Japanese plays. It's cute, but after watching the video, my best friend (who is a guy) was a little apprehensive about just how much HE would enjoy this game. I told him, "Just wait." He did, and he loved it.
The controller itself is fun and interesting. As the name suggests, it's basically a faux taiko, complete with a mini stand for playing on tables or other hard surfaces. When playing, you can determine whether to hit the edge or middle of the drum by the color of the symbol that appears during play. Timing the hits well gets more points, in a way similar to Guitar Hero. There are even drumrolls, big hits (which require both drumsticks to hit at the same time), and special drumrolls where hitting the drum blows up a balloon. And if a friend wants to play but doesn't have a Taiko controller, they can use a regular controller (although, I have to admit, it's not as much fun).
The game offers a great track list, with songs ranging from B-52's classic hit "Loveshack" to Britney Spears' "Toxic" to the theme from "Dragonball Z". There's even a remix of the theme from the popular Nickelodeon series "Jimmy Neutron". The average American will recognize pretty much all of the songs, and won't get confused of turned off by unrecognizable Japanese music. This adds a level of interest to a game that already is ideal for a party.
The minigames are also fun to play, as long as you understand what exactly they're there for. Again, they're great for a party, but after about five minutes of playing, you'll see that they get extremely boring. In "Watermelon Eating Contest", you must eat a watermelon and spit out the seeds while avoiding being hit by a blindfolded boy wielding a bat. Fun, but after one round, the game loses interest. All games are controlled by the drum controller.
However, there's so much you can do in this game - unlock difficulty levels, unlock songs, and try to earn high scores - that someone could play this game for hours and always find something they haven't tried yet. I've had this game for two years or so, and I STILL haven't gotten even halfway through all the stuff, and I still have songs to unlock!
The major problem with the actual gameplay, though, doesn't have anything to do with the disc contents so much as the physical problems the gamer has. The "drumsticks" are essentially big plastic sticks, with no pads for comfort of hands. This means that prolonged play can and has been shown to cause blisters, bruises, soreness, and tenderness on hands. I've gotten very painful blisters before, and so I advise that gamers wear gloves while playing to avoid hurting their hands.
If Guitar Hero seems to hardcore for you, this game might be a good alternative. It might not be overly amazing in terms of graphics, but the overall package is addicting, fun, and a great way to spend time with friends. It's cute, but if you can get past the supposed childishness, it plenty entertaining. Ready? Drum away!
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