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Taiko no Tatsujin
English logo since 2018, design revised in 2021 used fromPop Tap Beat onwards
Genre	Rhythm
Developers	Namco Bandai Namco Studios Bandai Namco Amusement Lab
Publishers	Namco Bandai Namco Entertainment Bandai Namco Amusement
Creator	Tatsuhisa Yabushita
Platforms	Arcade,PlayStation 2,Nintendo DS,Wii,Advanced Pico Beena,PlayStation Portable,Nintendo 3DS,PlayStation Vita,iOS,Android,Wii U,PlayStation 4,PlayStation 5,Nintendo Switch,macOS,Microsoft Windows,Xbox One,Xbox Series X/S
First release	Taiko no Tatsujin February 21, 2001[1]
Latest release	Taiko no Tatsujin Rhythm Festival November 7, 2024

Taiko no Tatsujin (太鼓の達人;lit. 'Master of the Drums') is a Japanesevideo game series developed and published byNamco (nowBandai Namco Entertainment). In the games, players simulate playing ataiko drum in rhythm with music. The series has released titles for thearcade as well as for console and mobile platforms, includingPlayStation 2,Advanced Pico Beena,PlayStation Portable,Nintendo DS,Wii,Nintendo 3DS,Wii U,PlayStation Vita,PlayStation 4,PlayStation 5,Nintendo Switch,Xbox One,Xbox Series X/S,Microsoft Windows,iOS,Android,^[2] and Japanesefeature phones.

Although the series was primarily developed for the Japanese market, localized versions have also been released in English, Chinese, and Korean.

The main objective ofTaiko no Tatsujin games is to hit a specialtaiko drum controller, or a virtual equivalent, in rhythm with a selected piece of music. Players must strike the drum in time with the notes^[a] that scroll from right to left on the screen.

A song is cleared when the spirit gauge^[b] is filled beyond the target^[c] by achieving sufficient accuracy by the end of the song.

Arcade versions ofTaiko no Tatsujin are equipped with simulated taiko drums that register hits when struck with drumsticks (bachi).

Console versions primarily use buttons for gameplay, although certain devices support additional input methods:

• A virtual taiko drum is available on devices withtouchscreens (such as theDS,3DS,Wii U,iPod Touch,smartphones, andNintendo Switch), which can be played using either astylus or fingers.
• Dedicated drum peripherals simulating real taiko drums can be purchased separately for thePS2,Wii,Wii U,PS4, andNintendo Switch versions. This peripheral is included with the physical North American release for the PlayStation 2 and the European release for the Nintendo Switch.

The variety of notes in the game primarily consists of red and blue markers. The reddon (ドン) note requires the player to strike the face of the drum, while the blueka (カッ) note requires striking the rim.^[3]

Additional note types require rapid, consecutive hits on the drum. These include the yellow bar, the balloon note (referred to as a "burst note" inTaiko: Drum Master), and theKusudama ball (represented as ayam in older releases starting from the PlayStation 2Godaime version, or as a Mallet note inDrum Session! andDrum 'n' Fun!).^[3]

Unlike other rhythm games such asGuitar Hero, the drumming inTaiko no Tatsujin serves as an accompaniment rather than replacing an instrument in the music. Missing a note does not result in off-key sounds or interruptions to the background track, and players are free to strike the drum at any time, provided it does not interfere with nearby notes that could trigger a penalty.

Most games in theTaiko no Tatsujin series offer four main difficulty levels: Easy^[d], Normal^[e], Hard^[f], and "Oni"^[g], known as "Extreme" in the English versions ofDrum 'n' Fun,Drum Session, and the arcade releases.Oni represents the highest standard difficulty level.

The sequence of notes in each level is referred to as a notechart^[h].

Some songs feature additional inner notecharts^[i], often referred to by fans as "Ura Oni." These serve as alternative versions of the standard notecharts and are typically more challenging.^[4] Although originally available across multiple difficulty levels, inner notecharts later became exclusive to the Oni/Extreme level.^[4]

In some cases, inner notecharts alter the arrangement or version of a song, and in arcade releases, they may even switch to an entirely different track. Beginning with the third-generation arcade release in 2011, these inner versions became categorized as separate songs.^[4]

Certain songs include notechart branching^[j] within specific difficulty levels. Depending on the player's performance, the game dynamically switches between the Normal notechart^[k], Professional notechart^[l], or Master notechart^[m]. In some songs, such as "Hyakka Ryoran," a drumroll appears at the beginning, allowing the player to choose among the three notechart paths.

Various aspects of gameplay inTaiko no Tatsujin can be customized according to the player's preference:

• Players can select alternative instruments or sound effects to replace the traditional taiko drum sounds.
• Gameplay modifiers can be applied to adjust elements such as note speed, reversed notecharts (with red and blue notes swapped), or randomized note arrangements.
• In console versions, players can enable the"Auto" mode to have the notechart played automatically and perfectly; however, scores are not recorded in this mode. Additional options include"Perfect", which ends the song immediately after the first missed note, and"Spartan", which restarts the entire song upon a missed note.

This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding missing information.(January 2015)

Taiko no Tatsujin: Tatakon de Dodon ga Don^[n] is the first official home console release in theTaiko no Tatsujin franchise. The game was released for thePlayStation 2 on October 24, 2002, in Japan.^[5]

Tatakon de Dodon ga Don includes 29 songs selected from the first three arcade versions ofTaiko no Tatsujin, featuring tracks such as "Marionette" byBoøwy, "Traveling" byHikaru Utada, "Pieces of a Dream" byChemistry, and "Mr. Moonlight (Ai no Big Band)" byMorning Musume.^[o]

The PlayStation 2 version also introduced several new original songs exclusive to this release, including "Stepping Wind" fromKlonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil.^[6][7]

Taiko: Drum Master is the first official North American release in theTaiko no Tatsujin franchise. It was released exclusively for thePlayStation 2 on October 26, 2004, in North America,^[8] and later on March 17, 2005, in Japan.^[9]

Unlike the Japanese releases,Taiko: Drum Master features primarily English-language pop music, including songs by artists such asQueen andMadonna. The game also includes theme songs from both Western and Japanese animated series, such asDragon Ball Z—a Japanese anime dubbed in English—andJimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

Taiko no Tatsujin 13^[p] is the thirteenth arcade installment in theTaiko no Tatsujin series. The game began arcade service in December 2009.

Taiko no Tatsujin 13 was also used to host the nationwide Japanese tournamentNamco Presents Taiko no Tatsujin Nippon-ichi Ketteisen 2010: The Best Master is You!^[q], held in early 2010.^[10]

Taiko no Tatsujin 14^[r] is the fourteenth arcade installment in theTaiko no Tatsujin series. Featuring over 150 playable songs,14 retains many gameplay elements from previous entries in the franchise.

For a limited period,Taiko no Tatsujin 14 was part of a collaboration event withMcDonald's.^[11] As part of the franchise's 10th anniversary celebration, an upgrade patch was later released for the game, adding five additional songs to its tracklist.^[12]

Taiko no Tatsujin Plus,^[s], also stylized asTaiko no Tatsujin +, is a video game application released exclusively foriOS devices on May 28, 2010, in Japan.^[13] The application is free to download, with optional purchases for additional music packs.^[13]

In June 2015,Plus introduced the All-you-can-take Music^[t] service, which allowed unlimited downloads of designated songs within a set period for a fee.^[14][15]

The game is primarily controlled via a simulated drum surface on the device's touchscreen,^[13] though later updates added support forRoland Corporation'sV-Drums electronic drum sets.^[16]

In addition to standardTaiko no Tatsujin gameplay,Plus features the Fukubiki^[u] system, which allows players to exchange in-game points for rolls of a lucky draw, awarding randomly selected prizes.

Taiko no Tatsujin^[v] is the fifteenth arcade release in theTaiko no Tatsujin series. This version introduced significant changes from previous arcade entries, including the ability for players to store play data using Bandai Namco's Banapassport card, customize player characters, and set individual difficulty preferences.^[17] The game also supports online updates to add new songs and features. Initially released exclusively in Japan, the arcade cabinet became available in Southeast Asian regions—includingTaiwan,Hong Kong,Malaysia, andThailand—starting in January 2014.^[18]

Since its initial release, the game has received one or two major updates each year. Each update typically adds multiple new songs, introduces modes exclusive to that version, and provides additional costume options and challenges in Ranking Dojo Mode.

In May 2014, severalTaiko no Tatsujin arcade cabinets, seemingly based on theMomoiro Ver. release, appeared in arcades inBrazil under the titleWadaiko Master. These cabinets were translated intoPortuguese and featured a reduced song list, containing only 32 tracks, including three Brazilian music tracks exclusive to this edition.Wadaiko Master is offline-only and does not include network features such as Banapassport support or software updates available in other versions.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Nijiiro Version,^[w], officially known as theMarch 2020 Version Renovation Kit,^[x], was released in Japanese arcades on March 24, 2020, marking the start of the fourth generation ofTaiko no Tatsujin arcade cabinets.^[19] Arcade operators upgraded existing cabinets from the 2011 release using the renovation kit, which included a new arcade board based onSystem BNA1, a 120 Hz monitor, and aQR code reader.^[20]

Nijiiro Ver. introduced several new features, including theDonderful Combo Crown,^[y], awarded for clearing a song with maximum accuracy. The song settings menu was expanded to allow finer control over note playback speed. The default scoring system was revised to prioritize accuracy rather than long combos. The previous "Classical" and "Variety" genres were removed, with their songs reassigned to other categories. The game also received graphical updates, including horizontal text on the song selection menu, similar toDrum 'n' Fun. According to a livestream atJAEPO 2020, director Etou stated that these changes were intended to prepare the game for overseas players.

An international version ofNijiiro Ver. was released for Asia and Oceania in spring 2021, with a limited release in Australian arcades in October 2022. This version is multilingual, supporting English, Traditional Chinese, and Korean, and includes region-exclusive songs.^[21]

In 2023, Bandai Namco Amusement America conducted location tests ofNijiiro Ver. in the United States at multiple locations, includingIllinois andTexas.^[22][23] The game was later confirmed for a North American release starting in November 2024.^[24][25]

Taiko no Tatsujin: Wii U Version^[z] is the firstTaiko no Tatsujin game developed exclusively for theWii U, released on November 21, 2013, in Japan. The game includes 70 songs and features appearances byGolden Bomber andSuper Mario Bros.,^[26] as well as a collaboration campaign with the Japanese idol groupMomoiro Clover Z.^[27]

Wii U Version introduces the Baton Touch Play,^[aa] mode, in which multiple players take turns playing a single song in arelay race-style format. The game also supports theWii U GamePad with a touchscreen drum, allowing play using only the GamePad without requiring a television.^[26]

Both free and paid downloadable content, including additional songs and outfit items, were made available via theNintendo eShop.^[28]

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythmic Adventure 1, also known asTaiko no Tatsujin: Don to Katsu no Jikū Daibōken,^[ab], is the secondTaiko no Tatsujin game developed exclusively for theNintendo 3DS, released on June 26, 2014, in Japan.^[29] The game includes 60 songs and features guest appearances from Jibanyan fromYo-kai Watch, Airou fromMonster Hunter 4,Funassyi, andKumamon.^[30]

Rhythmic Adventure 1 features a main story in Space-time Adventure Mode,^[ac], in which series protagonists Don and Katsu travel through time, encountering various allies and enemies.^[31] Players engage in random encounter drum battles and can recruit defeated enemies as team members, similar to gameplay mechanics inPokémon with added rhythm game elements.

Both free and paid downloadable content, including additional quests for Space-time Adventure Mode, outfit items, and extra songs, were available via theNintendo eShop.^[32][33] Additional content could also be unlocked via QR codes in other media^[34] and using Spot Access functionality at designated locations.^[35]

The game was later localized into Korean and released on August 27, 2015.^[36][37]

Taiko no Tatsujin: Tokumori!^[ad] is the secondTaiko no Tatsujin game developed exclusively for the Wii U, released on November 20, 2014, in Japan.^[38] The game includes 100 playable songs and features guest characters such asFunassyi,Kumamon, andHatsune Miku.

Tokumori! introduces two new gameplay modes: Mekadon Gasha,^[ae], a capsule toy-style system for unlocking content, and Intro-don,^[af], a mini-game in which players guess the intro of a song. The Baton Touch Play mode fromWii U Version also returns.

Both free and paid downloadable content, including outfit items and additional playable songs, were available via theNintendo eShop.^[39][40]

The game has since been removed from theNintendo eShop.^[41]

Taiko no Tatsujin: V Version^[ag] is aTaiko no Tatsujin game developed exclusively for thePlayStation Vita, released on July 9, 2015. The game includes more than 80 playable songs, focusing on anime,Vocaloid, and video game music.^[42][43]

V Version features a main story mode called Donder Quest,^[ah] in which the protagonist Don embarks on an adventure with a young girl named Maple to defeat Noise and the ancient dragon Revolution.^[42][43][44] The game also includes a practice mode, Taiko Training,^[ai] which allows players to fast forward, rewind, and adjust the speed of songs.^[42]

A traditional Chinese version, featuring translated menu and dialogue text while retaining Japanese voice acting, was released simultaneously in Taiwan and Hong Kong.^[45] This version includes Asia-exclusive playable songs and has been continuously available since its release.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Atsumete ☆ Tomodachi Daisakusen!^[aj] is the thirdTaiko no Tatsujin game developed exclusively for the Wii U, released on November 26, 2015, in Japan.^[46][47][48]

Coinciding with the series' 15th anniversary, the game includes an original short animation produced in collaboration withStudio Ghibli, and the first printing of the bundle version contains additional 15th anniversary-branded merchandise.^[46]

The game introduces the new Tomodachi Daisakusen!^[ak] mode, in which Katsu-chan befriends animals to increase popularity within the neighborhood. Other gameplay modes from previous Wii U titles also return.^[48] It is the only entry in the series to supportamiibo, allowing players to useAnimal Crossing andPac-Man amiibo to unlock exclusive songs.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythmic Adventure 2, also known asTaiko no Tatsujin: Dokodon! Mystery Adventure,^[al] is the thirdTaiko no Tatsujin game developed exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS, released on June 16, 2016, in Japan.^[49]

The game features over 70 songs and introduces theMystery Adventure mode, which incorporates role-playing game (RPG) elements. In this mode, Don-chan and Katsu-chan explore Mystery Spots around the world. Players progress through the story by engaging in rhythm-based battles and recruiting allies. Parties can include up to eight characters.^[50]

Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session!, also known asTaiko no Tatsujin: Session de Dodon ga Don!,^[am] was released exclusively for thePlayStation 4 in Japan and most parts of Asia on October 26, 2017,^[51][52][53] and in North America, Europe, and Australia on November 2, 2018.^[54]

Together withDrum 'n' Fun!, it is the first game in the series to be officially localized in North America in over a decade, and the first official release in Europe and Australia. The game is digital-exclusive in the North American, European, and Australian markets, while both physical and digital editions were released in Japan and other parts of Asia.

The game features two notable modes:Friend Session Mode, which allows players to compete against the online play data of other players, andGuest Session Mode, which enables players to challenge characters from other franchises.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun!, also known asTaiko no Tatsujin: Nintendo Switch Version!,^[an] was released exclusively for theNintendo Switch. It launched in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea on July 19, 2018,^[55][56][57] and in Southeast Asia on August 9.^[58] The game was released in the United States, Europe, and Australia on November 2.^[54][59]

Together withDrum Session!, it is the first game in the series to be officially localized in North America in over a decade and the first official release in Europe and Australia. The game is digital-exclusive in North America but is available in both physical and digital formats in Europe, including a bundle with the Tatacon drum controller.^[60]

The game uses theJoy-Con motion controls to simulate drumsticks and includes exclusive songs fromSuper Mario Odyssey,Pac-Man Championship Edition 2, andSplatoon 2.^[61]

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythmic Adventure Pack, also known asTaiko no Tatsujin: Dokodon RPG Pack!,^[ao] is a compilation ofRhythmic Adventure 1 (Don to Katsu no Jikū Daibōken) andRhythmic Adventure 2 (Dokodon! Mystery Adventure), bundled into a single game. It was released for theNintendo Switch on November 26, 2020 in Japan and other Asian countries, and on December 3, 2020 in Europe and North America.^[62]

Rhythmic Adventure Pack is the firstTaiko no Tatsujin game to feature a story mode fully translated into English. In addition to the two RPG modes, the compilation includes Taiko Mode, which features six new songs not present in the original releases. Downloadable content from the original games is not included. The game is available in physical format in Japan and Asia, while only a digital version is offered in Europe and North America.^[63]

Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat was released worldwide onApple Arcade formacOS,iOS (iPhone),iPadOS (iPad), andtvOS (Apple TV) on April 2, 2021.^[64]

The game retains the core gameplay and interface of preceding console entries, featuring many songs carried over from earlier releases. It also includes several new tracks, such as "The Power of Love", "Rhapsody in Blue", and theEnter the Dragon theme.

Taiko no Tatsujin: The Drum Master! is the first title in the series available exclusively forXbox One,Xbox Series X/S, andMicrosoft Windows. It was initially offered as part ofXbox Game Pass and released worldwide on January 27, 2022. The game contains over 70 songs and features local and online multiplayer modes. Paid downloadable songs are available for purchase in addition to the base song list.^[65][66]

The Drum Master! was removed from the Xbox Game Pass library in January 2023,^[67] and was discontinued and delisted on September 30th, 2025.^[68]

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is aNintendo Switch entry in theTaiko no Tatsujin series. It was released on September 22, 2022, in Japan, September 23, 2022, in North America, and October 14, 2022, in Europe. The base game includes 76 songs. Initially, more than 500 additional songs were available through theTaiko Music Passsubscription service. With new songs added each month, alongside downloadable content (DLC) packs, the total has expanded to over 700.^[69]

New gameplay modes includeDON-chan Band, in which players cooperate to perform a song together, andGreat Drum Toy War, where players compete in performing a song while activating hazards against each other. Post-launch, additional modes were added, includingRun! Ninja Dojo, in which players compete for the highest score while managing various hazards, andDondoko Fit, a fitness-focused mode where players simulate hitting a giant taiko drum using their arms.^[70]

Ports forMicrosoft Windows,PlayStation 5, andXbox Series X/S were released on November 7, 2024. This version runs at 4K resolution and 120 frames per second.^[71]

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Connect is a mobile game released on November 1, 2023, foriOS andAndroid.^[72] During its operation, the game was available in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Thailand.

The game was discontinued on December 2, 2024.^[73][74]

Taiko no Tatsujin frequently hosts collaboration campaigns with other video game franchises and companies. Collaboration efforts often include porting signature songs intoTaiko no Tatsujin games, sometimes with special dancers or background designs. In return,Taiko no Tatsujin elements appear as guest characters or references in other media. Notable collaborations include:

• Ace Attorney^[75]
• Assassination Classroom^[76]
• Attack on Titan
• Appare-Ranman!
• Chain Chronicle^[77]
• Deemo
• Doraemon
• Groove Coaster^[78]
• Hatsune Miku^[79]
• Hello Kitty^[80]
• The Idolmaster^[81]
• The Idolmaster Must Songs Presented by Taiko no Tatsujin
• Kamen Rider Ex-Aid
• Kamen Rider Ghost
• Kamen Rider Build
• Kamen Rider Zi-O
• Kirby^[80]
• The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel^[82]
• Mario Kart Arcade GP DX^[83][84][85]
• maimai^[78]
• Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate^[86]
• Neon Genesis Evangelion^[87]
• One Piece
• Pokémon
• Puzzle & Dragons^[88][89]
• Sachiko Kobayashi^[90]
• Sound Voltex
• Splatoon^[80]
• Studio Ghibli
• Super Mario
• Tamagotchi
• Tekken 7^[91]
• Touhou Project^[92]
• Ultraman X^[93]
• Yakuza^[94][95]
• Ys I & II Chronicles^[82]
• Yo-kai Watch

Starting in 2005,Kids Station broadcast 26 three-minute shorts featuring theTaiko no Tatsujin characters inclay anime. A manga version was serialized inComic BomBom. The clay anime shorts were re-released on the officialTaiko no Tatsujin YouTube channel in July 2023, with options to toggle English, Chinese, and Korean subtitles.^[96]

Mini versions ofTaiko no Tatsujin appear inTales of the World: Narikiri Dungeon 3 when characters equip a costume resembling a drum, and in the Nintendo DS gameNodame Cantabile.^[97]

PlayableTaiko no Tatsujin arcade machines also appear inYakuza 5.^[98]

Taiko no Tatsujin games have generally received favourable reviews from critics. Most console and handheld releases receivedFamitsu scores of over 30 out of 40.Taiko: Drum Master received a 77-pointMetacritic score based on 35 reviews.^[107]

As of 2019, the series has sold over 10 million copies on consoles.^[108]

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