Patapon, by putting two genres together, rhythm and strategy, Patapon is a completely new type of Playstation 2 Video Game. Playing as Patapon, you beat the war drums that lead the patapons into battle against their foes, the Zigatons, in order to reach earth end, where they hope to find the mysterious “It.” From the onset, you might find the game to be simplistic, but don’t be fooled by the art design and music ; this is an immensely challenging and rewarding game.

The game seems deceptively easy from the start. It quickly gives you the first drum beats as the signal for marching forward and attacking. The screen is outlines by a thin screen, which beats with the beats of the background music; this time Is used to time your button presses. Timing is the key, and to execute the moves you want you must input the correct sequence with the beat.In-game controls amount to little more than this, so you’ll be able to give your full attention to issuing commands. Building up combos lets you activate fever mode, this boost your stats which is necessary for the implementing other drum commands later in the game.

It can be very tricky anticipating your enemies movements. If you think a boss will attack, you should tap the beats for a defensive maneuver before it moves. This might cause you to replay certain levels a few times, since your enemies can deplete your army.

The layout for your troops should be well planned for each mission. The replaying of some levels is the key to success, which enables you to earn more money, supplies and Armour so as to properly outfit your Patapons for war. You should have the right formation for the task at hand. Because if you are going hunting, it would serve you best to have the ax-wielding Patapon away from the front, because of the possibility of scaring away the prey. Also if your are going up against a dragon breathing fire, another Patapon is susceptible to fire, you might want to make sure they’re in the rear for that level.

It might sound a bit burdensome, especially if you don’t usually get your kicks from strategy games, but this is not a game that gets bogged down in the details. You will have to do some management between levels, but the interface is clean and fun to use. Furthermore, the battles themselves are a delight, and using music to perform all of the commands is such a unique and enjoyable experience that just about anyone can get into it.

Kemmei Adachi, the man behind Loco Roco, provides the music which immediately is a treat.
Patapon’s soundtrack isn’t as robust the game, because the focus is more on drum beats than melodies, but the tunes are still catchy, and it won’t take long for “pon pon pata pon” gets engrained in your brain. What the visuals lack in substance, they make up for in style. The Patapons themselves are incredibly personable, and the environments and enemies look like they were ripped straight from the classic children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are.

Replaying levels gives you the opportunity to unearth new treasures and stories.
Patapon is obscure, hopefully not to the point that the casual gamer will not overlook it, for it’s one of the most original and refreshing Playstation 2 Video Game.