Taiko No Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival Reviews

Taiko No Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is ranked in the 79th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Sep 29, 2022

If you've never experienced the Taiko no Tatsujin franchise, this is going to be the perfect entry point for players. With the new Taiko Music Pass, you'll have access to more music than ever before, and with its abundant customization options for your character and playstyle, you'll become a master Donder in no time. You'll need the patience to learn and grow, but once you do, it's the best feeling around.

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80 / 100
Nov 22, 2022

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival has a massive song list with multiple modes and addicting yet simple gameplay. The DLC and subscription service adds an incredible amount to that list, but does make me worry for the future of the game. Even so, this is a great choice if you want to jam out alone or with friends.

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85 / 100
Oct 8, 2022

Rhythm games aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re looking to get into one, look no further. Taiko No Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is a wonderful entry game and if you get it bundled with the drum controller, there’ll be no stopping you. If you don’t want to shell out for the controller, that’s ok. Playing it in the other three modes is equally as fun. There’s a large range of music types so there’s a little bit of something for everyone. Whether you’re just dipping your toes in or a veteran rhythm player, the amount of content in the base game alone without the music pass will be sure to give you endless hours of playtime.

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8.5 / 10.0
Oct 7, 2022

Don-chan and the gang are back with another thumping exercise in musicology with Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival. The versus toy mode and the co-op DON-Chan band mode are nice additions to the standard arcade experience that taiko fans know and love. Admittedly, the subscription model that provides access to 583 songs at launch can be polarizing for fans. A diverse set of 76 base songs combined with fun modes, unlockables and tight taiko drumming mechanics, however, make Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival one of the best rhythm games out there right now.

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Sep 28, 2022

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is a solid new entry in Bandai Namco's rhythm game franchise, offering a roster of fresh music to enjoy, some creative new game modes, and more unlockables to have fun collecting. The game doesn't offer as many multiplayer options as its predecessor did, but does feature more to keep solo players occupied. Rhythm Festival also offers what is arguably the biggest addition the franchise has ever seen, the Taiko Music Pass-a new music subscription service that can greatly expand the life of the game while also bringing with it some additional concerns over our subscription-laiden future.

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7 / 10
Sep 28, 2022

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is another solid entry in the franchise, but it's also a very safe one. The core gameplay is still a lot of fun and that might well be enough for some players. For others, the distinct lack of modes on offer may result in a rather short-lived experience, particularly if you're not looking to dive into the Taiko Music Pass subscription service. Still, with a chunky amount of songs available from the start, Rhythm Festival is a no-brainer for fans of the series; you know what you're getting into, and we think you're going to like it.

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7.8 / 10.0
Nov 13, 2022

Despite it could have had more free songs (you have to pay a subscription to unlock the game's full potential), Rhythm Festival still manages to be enjoyable and extremely fun.

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8.5 / 10.0
Oct 30, 2022

While those more familiar with the series might have some gripes, Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival was an excellent introduction for me. No worries about being overly skilled at these types of games; you'll have a good time, especially if you have friends in the room for a party-type setting. But even more solo gamers will have the main story and many unlockables to keep them busy. Whether competing or cooperating, this could be a ton of fun for family gatherings.

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4 / 5.0
Sep 28, 2022

Taiko is not only an enjoyable rhythm title, but easily one of the best and most well-put together ever created.

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Digitally Downloaded
Harvard L.
Top Critic
Nov 1, 2022

I would say Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is a release for the more hardcore side of the Taiko fanbase, but that would be overlooking the sheer joy and accessibility of the main game. Perhaps I’m merely bitter at the lack of supplementary features, shallow party modes, and a somewhat cynical subscription service that makes Rhythm Festival lag behind Drum ‘n’ Fun. But ultimately, this is more Taiko, and more Taiko is good. It’s not my favourite of Bandai Namco’s outings on the Nintendo console, but it’s not without its charm either.

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GameSpew
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Oct 27, 2022

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is another solid entry into this bizarre but lovable drumming rhythm game. The 70 songs included within the game offer plenty of variety, but it’s a shame some of the best tracks are locked behind the Taiko Music Pass subscription. The multiplayer modes on offer are a welcome touch, but if you’re expecting more minigames like Drum ‘n’ Fun, you may be disappointed. This is more about the music, and we can’t really fault that.

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6.5 / 10.0
Oct 24, 2022

Fans of previous games and Japanese music, including the dozens of anime themes available here, will find a charming and compelling package in DON-chan's latest outing. Others might not appreciate the lack of variety in the basic library, which seems to demand that players fork over for the more robust offerings of the Music Pass. It rubs me the wrong way when, at launch, the base version of a game contains but a fraction of what can be purchased or rented digitally. There's no denying the cute and colorful characters of the Taiko no Tatsujin world, but you're almost forced to pay a premium to keep the party going.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 29, 2022

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival proves to be another solid entry in the series. In terms of quantity and variety, the default song list is on the same level as Drum 'n Fun, and while the DLC will pad things out, the 30- and 90-day song passes do a much better job of making this feel like the most packed entry yet. The removal of minigames is a bit disappointing for those who liked them, but Great Drum Toy War and its strategic elements more than make up for it. It's a much better experience if you're willing to shell out for the drums, but even if you don't, you'll have fun with Rhythm Festival if you're a big rhythm game fan who isn't too hung up on grooving to familiar Western pop hits.

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8.2 / 10.0
Oct 11, 2022

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is yet another colourful and adorable rhythm game in an excellent series. Its Great Drum Toy War mode helps shake things up and the online and local multiplayer components are genuinely a great deal of fun.

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UnGeek
Francis N.
8 / 10.0
Oct 26, 2022

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival has the same core gameplay as other Taiko titles, but it continues to be a fun rhythm game that's easy to learn and hard to master (especially in the higher difficulties). Though the highlight of this new release is the various game modes that it has, including the story mode.

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9 / 10.0
Oct 7, 2022

aiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival continues the saga of expanding the Taiko no Tatsujin franchise to the West with charisma and quality. This Switch-exclusive adventure is one of the best in the saga to date thanks to a varied repertoire, a series of unlockables, and multiple control and accessibility options for new players.

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9.5 / 10.0
Sep 30, 2022

Taiko No Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is another welcome addition to the drum hero series. With so many different styles of songs to pick from, and not just having to play song after song with no variety, it’s one of the easiest versions of the series to pick up and play.

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