Game Hype: Taiko Drum Master Comes To America & New Nintendo Labo

After a bunch of hints online we have some big news for fans of the Japanese Taiko Drum Master series. It's coming back to North America this November with two recent console games released in Japan coming here. Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum ‘n’ Fun! just came out on the Switch in Japan and earlier this year  Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum Session! came out on PS4. Both games are scheduled to come out here in the US in November.

Taiko Drum Master is a series of rhythm games that have you hammering on a taiko drum, a special drum played mostly at festivals or for ceremonies in Japan. The arcade version has two massive drums so you can compete with friends. We first got an American version for the PS2 in 2004. That was the last time the game was officially released here. You might have been lucky and gotten to play the arcade machine version at a local arcade. The only ones we know about even close to LA are at Round 1 arcades surrounding the city.

Details are still thin on the games prices, they come out November 2nd. The other issue is what songs will be allowed for the North American version due to licensing. We want to play Pop Team Epic's theme song, for the Switch version, but that means possibly get the blessing of Funimation and the right holders in Japan. We also might get American pop and cartoon themes it all depends on what Bandai Namco does with bringing the game here.

The other issue will be if you get the drum or drums with the game, you can buy the games separately, but the real fun is jamming on your own taiko drum peripheral.


Nintendo Labo's newest collect of cardboard comes out September for $69.99 and it's for those on the move.