The latest entry in Bandai Namco’s hit Japanese rhythm game series Taiko no Tatsujin will be arriving on the Nintendo Switch later this month. However, if a listing in the Australian video games classification board is to be believed, Western countries might also be getting another shot at courting Western audiences.
Taiko no Tatsujin is a long-running series of rhythm games in which the player hits a taiko drum along to a variety of songs. It’s a cultural phenomenon and a staple of Japanese arcades, which are much more popular than American arcades. The games require some keen hand-eye coordination, rapid-fire drumming skills, a great sense of rhythm, and some pretty strong forearms.
The last time Americans got to try the series in a localized form was with Taiko Drum Master on the PlayStation 2. It came with a drum accessory and two drum sticks along with the base game. The game had a wide variety of songs, from classics like the William Tell Overture, to more modern hits like the incredibly catchy ‘Katamari on the Rocks.’
The newest game in the series, which will reportedly be called Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum ‘n’ Fun!, will have a variety of popular songs. These songs include ‘Zenzenzense‘ from the hit anime movie Your Name, ‘Jump Up, Super Star!’ from Super Mario Oddysey, and the iconic ‘Zankoku na Tenshi no Thesis‘ (‘A Cruel Angel’s Thesis) from Neon Genesis Evangelion.
The newest Taiko no Tatsujin game already has a Japanese version on the PlayStation 4, including an English language option which lets players import the game. The Japanese Switch version will also be getting that patch, meaning that it will still be possible to play it even if you have to import it.
The Switch version of Taiko no Tatsujin’s Japanese release will launch July 19. No word yet on when the official English version will release.