Thursday, May 20, 2021

Namco Taiko Blog (2021/05/20): Winning at the Even Starting Line: Nijiiro May 2021 Update


Another version update for the 4th-generation Taiko no Tatsujin arcade is going public... but why is there two release dates?

If you haven't been keeping up with our coverage for the last two months, let us remind you that the Nijiiro ver. firmware has been in service outside of Japan (only in select locales) since early April 2021. Subsequent version updates in Japan has also seen corresponding updates overseas usually within the week (minus some licensed picks). This is already the case for the previous April 21 update in Japan and the April 22 update in other locales, and will again be true for this update (2021/05/26 in Japan, 2021/05/27 overseas). It is the first time that the official Namco Taiko Blog acknowledged the overseas update schedule, so that's a welcoming start.

With that primer out of the way, let's get to the meat of the update after the jump!

March 2020/Nijiiro ver. New Tracks: 2021/05/26 (Japan only)

Title

Hadaka no Kokoro
  TBS Series Tuesday Drama "My Housekeeper Nagisa-san" Theme Song
裸の心/TBS系 火曜ドラマ「私の家政夫ナギサさん」主題歌
★? ★? ★? ★?
Viva! Spark! Tropical-Rouge! PreCure
Viva! Spark!トロピカル~ジュ!プリキュア
★? ★? ★? ★?
Zenryoku-zenkai! Zenkaiger Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger
全力全開!ゼンカイジャー/「機界戦隊ゼンカイジャー」より
★? ★? ★? ★?
KING
  Kanaria feat.GUMI
★? ★? ★? ★?
Key: red = series debutblue = arcade debut

March 2020/Nijiiro ver. New Tracks: 2021/05/27 (all locales)

Title
Amber Light BNSI (Junichi Nakatsuru)
  BNSI(中鶴潤一)
★? ★? ★? ★?
Bokura no Mae ni Michi wa Aru
ボクらのまえに道はある/HONOKA
★4 ★5 ★7 ★8
Don-chan Ondo
どんちゃん音頭
★2 ★3 ★5 ★7
Key: red = series debutblue = arcade debut

Don Medal Shop Season Change
As the weather heats up, it's time for the next season (Summer 2021) of Don Medal Shop (even though it has only been two months). The season change will happen on 2021/05/27 for all locales, given all Donders across the world an even starting line to earn Don Medals and snatch the newly added tracks:
   Amber Light (preview)
   ボクらのまえに道はある Bokura no Mae ni Michi wa Aru (preview)
   どんちゃん音頭 Don-chan Ondo (preview)

If you are wondering why there are only three songs instead of four, your suspicions are not misplaced as there will be a fourth reward track at release, only it is kept secret as of this writing. Hmmm...

Meanwhile, the 20 reward tracks from the previous year (Spring 2020 to Spring 2021) are still available at the discounted rate if you have missed them before:
   あまてらすJK AmaterasuJK
   赤と白薔薇の魔女 Aka to Shiro Bara no Majo
   傾奇者、罷り通る! Kabukimono, Makari-tooru!
   LECIEL GLISSANDO
   Stick Trick ShowTime!!
   螺旋周回軌道 Rasen Shukai Kidou
   儚姫は原初に舞う Hakanaki wa Gensho ni Mau
   Vixtory
   Fly again!
   限界クリエイター応援歌 Genkai Creator Ouenka
   クラポルポルスカ Clapolpolska
   令・和太鼓 Rei-wadaiko
   エリンギのエクボ Eryngii no Ekubo
   Freeway3234
   愛なんだぜ Ai Nandaze
   memoria ficta
   カッティアワールの宝剣 Kathiarwar no Cutlass
   via lactea
   ナマハゲノウタ Namahage no Uta
   クラシックメドレー(ロック編) Classic Medley (Rock ver.)

Ranking Dojo 2021 (Part One)
Since the 4th generation has demolished the structure of major version revamps, the Ranking Dojo is now changed to being hosted in a yearly manner.

After about two months of hiatus, Ranking Dojo 2021 will be going public with this update featuring a fresh set of trials (up to Tenth Dan), again starting on 2021/05/27 for all locales for the even starting line. To keep some level of mystery, only some of the tracks will be shown as of this writing.


Conclusive Title Parts for Ranking Dojo 2020
For those who have taken on last year's Ranking Dojo trials, title parts specifying the highest rank attained will also be distributed at this year's opening (2021/05/27).

As the Ranking Dojo in this generation now tracks whether Donderful Combo/Full Combo is attained, the title part will also reflect that. Going forward, the title part will take the format of "Year attained + Passing grade (red/gold) + Full Combo status (silver/gold/rainbow)". For example, a Donder that has attained a normal pass with Full Combo in Shodan last year will get the title part "2020 Red Gold Shodan" (2020赤金初段). The best title would then be "2020 Gold Rainbow Tatsujin" (2020金虹達人), for a gold pass on the top Tatsujin trial while getting Goods on all notes.

The title parts will also be distributed to greater-Asian Donders that have ventured up the ranks of the Green ver. 2.0 Ranking Dojo, which is mostly the same as Japan's Ranking Dojo 2020 albeit some minor tweaks.

★   ★   ★

And finally, all things must come to an end, and for two licensed tracks it will come in about a month:

March 2020/Nijiiro ver. Farewell Tracks: 2021/06/23 07:00 (all locales)

Title
Minna ga Minna Eiyuu au Three Tarous Series CM Song
みんながみんな英雄/au「三太郎シリーズ」CMソング
  Still in: 3DS3⬇, iOS/Android
★2 ★3 ★4 ★6
365-nichi no Kami-hikouki
365日の紙飛行機
  AC0/ACN exclusive
★3 ★3 ★4 ★5

Other removal details are as follows:
  • Usage of these songs in Donder Hiroba tournaments and challenges are terminating earlier, starting 2021/06/03 00:00
  • Crown totals will be adjusted with the removal as of 2021/06/23 02:00
  • Scores and rankings on Donder Hiroba will be closed off starting 2021/06/23 07:00
  • If you have set any of these songs as a favourite, the slot will be changed back to unspecified as of 2021/06/23 07:00