TGS 2002: Taiko no Tatsujin comes home

Namco is displaying a home version of its arcade drum rhythm game, Taiko no Tatsujin, at this year's Tokyo Game Show. The game will ship alongside a drum controller known as the tatakon. Like the larger, bulkier arcade drums, the tatakon detects hits on the left and right halves of the drum head, as well as rimshot-like side hits. Like other music and rhythm games, Taiko no Tatsujin tells you how to play, and the more accurate you are, the more points you'll score. One thing we've noticed is that Taiko no Tatsujin is significantly easier than most other music games, partially due to the fact that there are only four different commands that the game can give you. It will tell you to hit the drum head with either one or both sticks, hit the side of the drum, or rattle off as many drum hits as you can for a specified duration. Anyone with any sense of rhythm shouldn't have much trouble with many of the game's songs.

Taiko no Tatsujin will be released on October 24 and will come with one tatakon. Additional tatakons will also be available on October 24.