Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival Is a Welcome Addition on the PS5 

We hadn’t seen any Taiko no Tatsujin PS5 games until Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival. In fact, it’s been a while since an entry appeared on a Sony console. The last one was Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session on the PS4 back in 2017. We’re due and, while there aren’t too many changes from the Switch version of the game, it’s still a welcome and much needed addition to the PS5 rhythm game library.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is largely unchanged on platforms like the PS5 from the Switch, as most of the additions involve some adjusted songs or FPS increasing. So the Thunder Shrine Taiko Mode involves going through a story with Don, Katsu, and newcomer Kumo-kyun. You can earn rewards to do things like advance the story, get coins, earn customization items. Playing through tracks on four difficulty levels is the main point, either alone or with friends. There are Taiko Land minigames, in case you can get the band together to have up to four people play with you. But it’s fairly typical fare for the series.

So one of the biggest selling points Bandai Namco drummed up with Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival ahead of launch was the increased FPS on PS5. It promised it would run at 120FPS ahead of launch, and after playing I can confirm it is true. At least, it seems like it. I might honestly start to feel difficult to tell at that point, especially with this type of game. But I will say that it runs smoothly and there’s no hesitation during the more difficult tracks with packed note patterns such as “Into the Night” and “Colorful Voice” on Extreme.

Speaking of songs, that’s another area in which the Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival PS5 version differs, as the track list is larger and features some different exclusives compared to the Switch version. One of these is one you might not notice unless you played both games and really pick through things. See, the Anime section now includes Spy x Family’s “Mixed Nuts.” The more obvious are the Game Music section alterations. As you’d expect, “Kirby Star Allies Medley,” “The Legend of Zelda Main Theme,” and “Super Mario Bros” from the Nintendo Switch version are gone. These are replaced by “Dr. Wily Stage 1” from Mega Man 2, “Last Surprise” from Persona 5, and “Monster Hunter World Medley.” It brings the Persona 5 base game song count up to two, which is nice, and I prefer “Last Surprise” to “Life Will Change,” so I appreciated that! 

The other main addition is Run! Ninja Dojo, one of the minigame modes, being present in Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival on the PS5 at launch. It’s found in the Taiko Land section. It’s fine? Like it is a drumming game more about accuracy and inputs than enjoying the music. If you aren’t planning to play the game locally with others, it might not come up. If you do play it, it is fine. It’s a race to stay ahead of the other players and get to the other side of the screen with your perfect timing, as failures set you back. 

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is an enjoyable entry in the series, and it’s a fine place to start on the PS5 if you haven’t played before. There’s a lot to do if you play alone, given you have over 70 songs and the option to subscribe to the Taiko Music Pass for more. You can compete with others in minigames or by playing through tracks. The four song additions and increased FPS are a nice enough perk. However, if you do own the Switch version, you don’t need to buy it again.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival is available on the PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X, and PC.