Taiko no Tatsujin - Doki! Shinkyoku Darake no Haru Matsuri (Japan)
PlayStation 2
🇯🇵
Reviewed in 2003
70
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✪ Reviewed on December 8, 2023
62
Doki! Shinkyoku Darake no Haru Matsuri is the spring Taiko edition with fresh songs. Festive, short but joyful, perfect for joining the April fun.
Your verdict
Category
Rhythm2 players3+
Description
A Namco rhythm game released in 2003, the special Doki Shinkyoku Darake no Haru Matsuri (Spring Festival Full of New Songs) Taiko no Tatsujin franchise release in Japan. Seasonal edition celebrating the arrival of spring with a new roster of 30+ J-pop and contemporary anime songs, festive matsuri atmosphere. One of the franchise's many annual special releases in Japan.
Taiko no Tatsujin - Doki! Shinkyoku Darake no Haru Matsuri review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Drum in hand, you strike in time to an avalanche of J-pop hits, anime tunes and revisited standards, in a fairground atmosphere. The lively, colourful arrangements stick to the motion and keep up a gleeful energy. This festive musical generosity is the whole infectious joy of the Taiko series.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Striking a drum to the beat of Japanese hits and catchy tunes, in a colourful, good-natured world: the fun runs through the gesture and turns instantly infectious. The handling is immediate, but aiming for a flawless run pushes you to outdo yourself. With several players, the party is guaranteed. Festive, accessible and furiously catchy, a rhythm game that gets everyone moving.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Striking the skin or the rim of the drum in time to catchy tunes delivers an immediate tactile pleasure that pushes you to chain songs together. Earning a crown, aiming for a perfect score and unlocking songs sustains a joyful progression. Without the dedicated drum the experience loses something, and the tracklisting varies, but this rhythmic drumming stays irresistibly catchy.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
A batch of new tracks, varied in genre, enriches an already hearty repertoire to drum relentlessly. Mastering the charts, aiming for the full combo and improving your grades drives sessions that chain together. That constant flow of musical challenges explains a lifespan enthusiasts stretch indefinitely.
Technical info
💾0,46 GB📅27/03/2003
Published by Namco Bandai Games
Taiko no Tatsujin - Doki! Shinkyoku Darake no Haru Matsuri (PS2) price, value & rarity
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
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Is Taiko no Tatsujin - Doki! Shinkyoku Darake no Haru Matsuri still worth playing in 2026?
A rhythm game from Namco, this Taiko no Tatsujin transposes the Japanese drum arcade cabinet to PS2, where you hit the centre and rim of a taiko to the beat of J-pop, anime and classics, ideally with the dedicated drum controller. The crystal clear simplicity, the generous tracklist and the physical joy of hitting make it a fiercely convivial festive game. The language barrier in the menus and the reliance on the peripheral temper access. An excellent rhythm game for fans of drumming and Japanese music to share.
