Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session!

Without having the drum to test out, it is difficult to tell if Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session! is an inferior game without it, but it is still most definitely a fun rhythm title in its own right with the regular controller. With only a few note types - and, therefore, buttons - to remember, this is simple to pick up, and the support options make it highly accessible to rhythm casuals. The higher difficulties and plentiful options to add handicaps allow experts to test themselves freely, too. For a very Japanese themed rhythm game that is chock-full of tracks, Drum Session! is well worth a beat.

When you get down to it, Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session is a two-button rhythm game with an obscure soundtrack. It certainly has a lot of personality, but there's just not enough to the game to hold your interest once the novelty wears off. Perhaps it would be different if you had the opportunity to play it with a drum controller, but we're not being given the opportunity to find that out for ourselves.

Taiko no Tatsujin’s return to the western hemisphere should have been cause for celebration. Instead it’s a capable but antiquated rhythm game that feels lost and out of place without its natural hardware.

The decision not to release the drum controller in the West is a baffling one, as it robs Taiko No Tatsujin: Drum Session of its identity. However, if you're willing to give it a shot with a regular pad, there's a challenging rhythm game here for you to master, with a wide variety of tracks and seamless online play. The lack of extra modes is a shame, but if you get hooked on this game's unique brand of beat-matching gameplay, the climb towards better scores should keep you going for a good while.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session! has rock-solid drumming mechanics and a fair difficulty curve, but the amount of DLC available at launch is a little extreme. Buyer beware – this is one game that will cost completionists a pretty penny.