It’s always fun to be able tohandle an instrument while gaming, even if that instrument is a seriously simplified version of the real thing. WhenTaiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festivalwas first released on the Switch in 2022, it was pretty well received as an immersive drumming game, thanks to theuse of Joy-Cons.
Since then, its popularity hasn’t waned, and Hori released a drum controller for the switch last year for players who wanted to have something a bit more reliable than standard Joy-Consfor their drumming sessions. Now,Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festivalis finally making its way to Playstation and Xbox consoles, and Hori is following suit.
Available for pre-orderon Amazonand onHori’s own website, the HORI Taiko No Tatsujin Drum Controller will be released on November 7th, 2024 for the firm price of $100. This may seem steep to some players, but it’s actually quite reasonable among specialty controllers. Plus, there’s just no beating using an actual drum to playTaiko no Tatsujin. The game is extremely fun precisely because it gets you into a good rhythm that includes most of your body, and using a drum instead of Joy-Cons or other motion controls really helps you get into a good flow and hit those notes perfectly every time.
The dependency on motion controls is likely the reason an Xbox and Playstation port took so long. Both consoles, despite both utilizing motion controls at some point in their evolution, have moved far from their motion-based gaming on their flagship consoles, particularly Xbox, who just completely discarded their Kinect and other motion controls, with no signs of returning to the technology.
However, Hori’s drum controller is officially licensed by Bandai Namco and more than ready to take on hours of drumming fun. The wired controller is built on a super stable base, which positions the drum diagonally to players. The base has a ton of cute and stylish decorations engraved along the front and sides that tie in to the game itself. Just as the Switch version of the controller has a red base, these new drum controller bases will correspond to their compatible consoles: Xbox gets a black base, while Playstation gets a white one.
The base also includes storage slots for the drumsticks, helping to prevent breakage to both the sticks and the controller in busy households. The sticks share the same fine engraving as the base, which is a nice touch against the light wooden finish. The controller promises to be very responsive to these drumsticks and, being equipped with a pressure-sensitive drum pad with left and right sections of the rim, plus Hori’s good track record, one is inclined to believe the hype.
The HORI Taiko No Tatsujin Drum Controller can be pre-ordered for players on Playstation 4, PS5, and PC for $100. Hori has not opened pre-orders for the Xbox Series X version yet, but it should also be released on November 7th, along with the Playstation version.
Taiko No Tatsujin Drum Controller
Officially Licensed by Sony & Bandai Namco, the Taiko No Tatsujin Drum Controller is the perfect way to play everyone’s favorite drum game on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, and Windows 11/10. A dual-sided pressure pad accurately detects location of each tap, while the sturdy drum stand provides a stable playing experience, plus storage space for Taiko Drumsticks. The wired Taiko Drum Controller, drum controller stand, and a set of drum sticks all come complete with stylish engravings of in-game motifs, too!
