"Addicting, yet..."

Where do I begin? Taiko no Tatsujin DS is a DS portable version of the popular Taiko drum series by Namco. I would have to say that I was sadly dismayed that the DS version did not meet up to my expectation.

Let's take a look at the positive side first, shall we? Now, instead of just playing on buttons as in the PSP versions, you are able to use the touch screen to drum! The downside is that you'd probably have to find a second stylus in order to hold it like drum sticks. Even more disappointing is the fact that the DS only comes with one spot you can slip your stylus under. Would you really want to carry two styluses around just to play this game?

The song list is quite diverse, with the inclusion of classical, original, and even anime theme songs to its musical library. Every song is very catchy, and my personal favourite song to play is the theme song from the Detective Conan anime series. The bad news and the downside to this is that there aren't too many songs to play. After playing for a while, I became bored of the songs offered.

The game offers four difficulty levels, three of them already unlocked and playable, with the fourth being an unlockable mode. As you fulfill requirements for the songs, items to dress up your Taiko drum avatar are also available. This allows for the player to customize their individual Taiko drum. Nothing spells awesomeness than dressing your Taiko drum as a giant sheep, right?

The Wifi mode could be difficult for those that do not understand Japanese. Unlike other games, which I have been able to stumble across in order to play through (like Ouendan), I found it difficult to choose the songs that I would like to play with my friend.

Yes, the game is addicting to play, for a while. However, Taiko really does not live up to the hype of a rhythm game. The good news is that it is a good time-killer, for a while, until one gets bored of the concept and opts to play something a little more challenging.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/30/07