We do this pro bono so we don't have the money to make a Fall **** pun for the title, so instead we'll cut the chase. As we tap into the traditionally autumn months, a pretty thematic firmware update is coming to arcade Taiko no Tatsujin (March 2020/Nijiiro ver.) on September 16 2020.
March 2020/Nijiiro ver. New Songs: September 16 2020
Key: red = series debut; blue = arcade debut
| Title |  |  |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PP | Yoru ni Kakeru 夜に駆ける／YOASOBI | ★? | ★? | ★? | ★? | |
| KD | Smile! Smile! Smile! Shounen Ashibe GO! GO! Goma-chan 「少年アシベ GO!GO!ゴマちゃん」より | ★? | ★? | ★? | ★? | |
| NO | Fly again! feat. Takayoshi Tanimoto feat. 谷本貴義 | ★? | ★? | ★? | ★? | |
| NO | Genkai Creator Ouenka 限界クリエイター応援歌 | ★? | ★? | ★? | ★? | |
| NO | Clapolpolska クラポルポルスカ | ★4 | ★5 | ★7 | ★10 | |
| NO | Rei-wadaiko Hisui 令・和太鼓／翡翠 | ★4 | ★4 | ★7 | ★8 |
Song previews are again available for some of our Namco Original additions:
- Fly again!: https://youtu.be/NUhpgQAacWM (Fly away sequel?)
- Genkai Creator Ouenka: https://youtu.be/5MFbEtIjGRA
- Clapolpolska: https://youtu.be/G045nERqviI
- Rei-wadaiko: https://youtu.be/yV5ogxIZ6Oo
Don Medal Shop Season Change
This update also brings the Don Medal Shop to Nijiiro ver. Autumn (2020), giving us the four Namco Originals to spend your Don Medals on. Remember the usual Don Medal reset with season changes though; your Summer Don Medals will not be usable after September 15.
Like last season, the Summer (2020) songs will still be available to purchase at a slashed rate after the season change, as well as older revivals (Green Winter and AI Battle Performance) that are already in the lineup.
New additions:
[NO] Fly again!
[NO] 限界クリエイター応援歌 Genkai Creator Ouenka
[NO] クラポルポルスカ Clapolpolska
[NO] 令・和太鼓 Rei-wadaiko
To be newly discounted:
[NO] エリンギのエクボ Eryngii no Ekubo
[NO] Freeway3234
[NO] 愛なんだぜ Ai Nandaze
[NO] memoria ficta
Already discounted:
[NO] カッティアワールの宝剣 Kathiarwar no Cutlass
[NO] via lactea
[NO] ナマハゲノウタ Namahage no Uta
[NO] クラシックメドレー（ロック編） Classic Medley (Rock ver.)
[GV] TD -28619029byte remix-
[NO] 流浪の琥珀姫 Rurou no Kohaku Hime
[NO] UFO Swingin’
[NO] 氷竜 ～Kooryu～
[NO] カラフルボイス Colorful Voice
[NO] 疾風怒濤 Shippudotou
[NO] Goldfish City
[NO] What's in the box?
[NO] アムピト♢リーテー Amphit♢rite
Back to the Future and the Artificial Intelligence
As foreshadowed in the New Asian Version product presentation, AI Battle Performance mode is due to return in the 4th generation after a brief suspension to work on improvements. For Japan, the return will be in this upcoming update.
A quick recap for the uninitiated, Machina (まきな) and her creation AI Don (AIどん) hails from the year 2765 to challenge our present-day Don-chan in battle. AI Don can simulate your actual drumming skill level by adjusting his performance in realtime. Each song is divided into either 3 or 5 intervals, and you have to win over AI Don on Great hits for a majority of the intervals to be considered overall victorious.
Looks like we will have a fully-fledged tutorial too, instead of just still-shot explanations
Aside from a refreshed list of rewards including titles, outfit items and songs, the return of the mode brings us more detailed by-interval results at the end screens. One main new addition is the Interval Crown (区間王冠), where for each interval:
- Silver Interval Crown = at least 70% hit rate (i.e. less than 30% missed)
- Gold Interval Crown = Full combo
- Rainbow Interval Crown = Donderful Combo
The Interval Crowns will also be recorded (only for 4th-generation scores) and can be viewed at the AI Battle Performance song select and credit conclusion.
Other things to note with the big revamp and return:
- Battle Rank is removed
- Only wins attained in Nijiiro ver. onwards will be counted in the "number of wins" count (for the purpose of rewards)
- Your AI Battle results from Green ver. AI Battle Performance is still kept and later viewable from Donder Hiroba
- Some of the titles awarded through Green ver. AI Battle will NOT be obtainable again, but Nijiiro ver. AI Battle also has its fair share of new titles for you to get
- In addition, all titles that you can get from Nijiiro ver. AI Battle will have a new design (which one of the above shots has already revealed)
- You can now get Don Medals as usual from AI Battle Performance as well
- You can also buy Don Medal Shop songs straight from the AI Battle song list as usual too
- The use of gameplay modifiers in AI Battle Performance is still fair game as from Green ver.
The Finish Line is Near
...for the Start Dash 2020 Campaign that is, given we are two seasons in already. The original deadline was expected to be August 31, but since the actual summer vacations have been cut short by [you know what], the campaign will be extended to September 15.
Small right-aligned text is a recap on the New Asian Version for Nijiiro
See our previous coverage for details
