Taiko no Tatsujin: Waku Waku Anime Matsuri song list

The first of two PS2 Taiko anime-only compilations, and the last Taiko console game styled after the first arcade generation's graphical style. Waku Waku Anime Matsuri does what it says on the tin: it's jam-packed with nothing but anime songs (and one secret Namco Original).

Released just two months after Sandaime, this Taiko game doesn't have any of the console-exclusive modes from the first 3 Taiko console games. It's also one of the few titles of the series that doesn't feature a single Oni 10* difficulty song in its songlist.

~ Opening/Ending song ~
Wadaiko Sentai Don-Ranger (和太鼓戦隊ドンレンジャー)

Taiko no Tatsujin: Appare! Sandaime song list

The 3rd PS2 Taiko no Tatsujin game, and the last one to feature the Arcade, Battle and Survival modes. Basically, the game is the same as the previous one, featuring the same modes and a new list of songs, together with three new minigames to play with. It's also the only one to feature different Game Over screens at the end of Arcade mode, based on the run being a successful one or not.

While, once again, the game was nothing but an updated/tweaked version of the first two games, it's a remarkable release due to the fact of introducing Linda AI-CUE's infamous 2000 song series, with Saitama 2000 being one of the unlockable tracks.

~ Opening song ~

Kyou wa Taiko-youbi (きょうはたいこ曜日)

~ Ending song ~ 

Mekadesu. (メカデス。)

Variety Showcase: YMCK Songs

A series started in Taiko Wii 2, featuring songs composed by the Japanese chiptune band, YMCK.
Formed on May 2003, YMCK has published six albums, sold from Japan to Korea and USA. The band is comprised of three members: Midori Kurihara (栗原みどり; vocal), Yokemura Takeshi (除村武志; music, lyrics, arrangement) and Nakamura Tomoyuki (中村智之; music video) and their primary specialty is songs that sounds like they come from 8-bit or 16-bit videogames of old. YMCK's name is based on a subtractive color model: Yellow, Magenta, Cyan and Black. Aside from their own discography, they also composed the retro NES-style soundtrack for DSiWare game ArtStyle: PiCTOBiTS.

In Taiko, the songs created by YMCK have not been seen on any of their albums (which means they were composed specially for Taiko), and all feature the YMCK members and Don-chan, in 8-bit form, dancing on the bottom of the screen.

Namco Taiko Blog (26 August 2010)- Taiko 14 release date + Secret song

Read on for the full Taiko scoop!

Console Taiko, in order of release

2002
-October: Taiko no Tatsujin: Tatacon de Dodon ga Don (太鼓の達人 タタコンでドドンがドン) (PS2)

2003
-March: Taiko no Tatsujin: Doki! Shinkyoku Darake no Haru Matsuri (太鼓の達人 ドキッ！新曲だらけの春祭り) (PS2)
-October: Taiko no Tatsujin: Appare! Sandaime (太鼓の達人 あっぱれ三代目) (PS2)
-December: Taiko no Tatsujin: Waku Waku Anime Matsuri (太鼓の達人 わくわくアニメ祭り) (PS2)

2004
-July: Taiko no Tatsujin: Atsumare! Matsuri da!!Yondaime (太鼓の達人 あつまれ！祭りだ！四代目) (PS2)
-October: Taiko Drum Master (US) (PS2)
-December: Taiko no Tatsujin: Go! Go! Godaime (太鼓の達人 ゴー！ゴー！五代目) (PS2)

2005
-March: Taiko Drum Master (JP) (PS2)
-August: Taiko no Tatsujin: Tobikkiri! Anime Special (太鼓の達人 とびっきり！アニメスペシャル) (PS2)
-August: Taiko no Tatsujin Portable (太鼓の達人 ぽ〜たぶる) (PSP)
-December: Taiko no Tatsujin: Wai Wai Happy! Rokudaime (太鼓の達人 わいわいハッピー！六代目) (PS2)

2006
-September: Taiko no Tatsujin Portable 2 (太鼓の達人 ぽ〜たぶる2) (PSP)
-December: Taiko no Tatsujin: Doka! to Oomori Nanadaime (太鼓の達人 ドンカッ！と大盛り七代目) (PS2)

2007
-July: Taiko no Tatsujin DS: Touch de Dokodon! (太鼓の達人DS タッチでドコドン!) (DS)

2008
-April: Meccha! Taiko no Tatsujin DS: Nanatsu no Shima no Daibouken! (めっちゃ!太鼓の達人DS 7つの島の大冒険) (DS)
-December: Taiko no Tatsujin Wii (太鼓の達人Wii) (Wii)

2009
-November: Taiko no Tatsujin Wii: Dodon~! to Nidaime! (太鼓の達人Wii ドドーンと2代目!) (Wii)

2010
-February: Taiko no Tatsujin iOS (Other)
-July: Taiko no Tatsujin DS: Dororon! Youkai Dai Kessen! (太鼓の達人DS ドロロン!ヨーカイ大決戦!!) (DS)
-December: Taiko no Tatsujin Wii: Minna de Party Sandaime (太鼓の達人Wii　みんなでパーティ☆３代目) (Wii)

2011
-April: Taiko no Tatsujin Android (太鼓の達人（Android版）) (Other)
-July: Taiko no Tatsujin Portable DX (太鼓の達人ぽ～たぶるＤＸ) (PSP)
-November: Taiko no Tatsujin Wii: Kettei-Ban (太鼓の達人Wii 決定版) (Wii)

2012
-July: Taiko no Tatsujin: Chibi Dragon to Fushigi na Orb (太鼓の達人 ちびドラゴンと不思議なオーブ) (3DS)
-August: Taiko no Tatsujin Shinkyoku Tori Houdai! (太鼓の達人 新曲取り放題!) (Other)
-November: Taiko no Tatsujin Wii: Chogouka-Ban (太鼓の達人Wii 超ごうか版) (Wii)

2013
-November: Taiko no Tatsujin Wii U Version! (太鼓の達人 Wii Uば～じょん！) (Wii U)

2014
-June: Taiko no Tatsujin: Don to Katsu no Jikuu Daibouken (太鼓の達人 どんとかつの時空大冒険) (3DS)
-November: Taiko no Tatsujin Tokumori! (太鼓の達人　特盛り！) (Wii U)

Back to console Taiko page

Game Music Showcase: Ridge Racer

Ridge Racer is Namco's signature racing game series, released on the arcade first in 1993. While it has never been known for being extremely standout, it was one of the pioneers of the 3D racing genre and still holds an important spot in today's gaming lineup. Look for any console's launch games, handheld or otherwise, and high chances are Ridge Racer will be there, whether it's being an important pivot game to show off a console's technical capabilities or simply to fill in the gap for a much-needed racer. It looks authentic, but everything from the cars to the tracks used in Ridge Racer are actually fictional, with inspiration drawn from real-life models. The handling and physics also deviates from most serious racing sims, with drifting being a common occurrence in the game.

Namco freely uses the Ridge Racer songs in Taiko no Tatsujin as many of the songs chosen have high difficulty potential, in fact there isn't a single Ridge Racer song on this list that has below 8* on Oni. The song series began in Namco Original but was shifted to its rightful place in Game Music somewhere in the Taiko 10 generation, with a few songs being left out of the change simply because they were not included in the new songlists. The songs are composed by different people, as opposed to one person coordinating an entire song series.

Taiko no Tatsujin 7 song list

One of the most major turning points for the Taiko series. The slogan of Taiko no Tatsujin 7, which speaks of renewal, doesn't lie. Aside from a huge graphical overhaul, thanks to an arcade board upgrade from Namco System 10 to the much more powerful, PS2-grade Namco System 246, all songs can finally be played on all difficulties, and streamlined into the genres we know today, except for Game Music, which is partially split between Namco Original and Variety until a little later on.

Modern frills were added such as the Go-Go Time and the ability to play with all the notes invisible (Doron mode). Donderful difficulty is renamed to Oni, in line with the name the PS2 versions had been using since the first day. General performance is improved and loading times cut down. The number of songs is stepped up enormously. Taiko 7 marked the beginning of the new Taiko engine, the one which we play today.