Across Japan: No Need To Be Blue for Blue Ver.... Eventually

To be named one of the greatest victories in "overseas human rights" in recent history is today's update on the official AC0 Asia ver. Facebook page after the excruciating hiatus, about the eventual coming of Blue ver. to the greater Asia in a late April 2018 time-frame.

With the update, the greater Asian Donders can also finally try their hands on most Blue ver. debuts (except Splatoon 2 Medley) and many Yellow ver. licensed additions that were missed in the last version (not all though :( ), totalling 38 new songs to greater Asia. No new features are mentioned as of now.

Yet, as you might be aware of the previous server maintenance blunders, not all cabinets would be able to receive the firmware update immediately. Keep an eye on your local arcades and/or local Donder communities for more development on the actual update progress.

 

Look, Psyk from the Taiko Discord server already found a local cabinet in Hong Kong with Blue ver., even showing that Performance Battle Mode promotional sequence!

NB. Arcades in Hong Kong usually costs HK$6 (slightly less than 100 yen) and requiring all one-dollar coins, and it's pretty much the only place with Taiko AC0 that would reasonably ask for 6 coins per credit.

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PS4-1 Update: More DLC along with a Very Vernal Happening

While the official fronts of Taiko no Tatsujin remain sile... oh wait, this is from the official PS4-1 website. Hey, at least they are still kicking, although not to the extent fans may hope.

Today's update comes in two parts: the first is the confirmation on the future of DLCs in this game with a sort-of "second season" for the Donder Pack line. In addition to six more monthly song packs coming your way, there is another season-pass-style set deal that features a slashed price and a bonus song. The set deal doesn't have pre-order arrangements this time, but if you are down for it you can make your purchase as the next monthly pack releases on April 26 2018.

Donder Pack Vol. 7~Vol. 12 Set Bonus: April 26 2018 (3000→2500 yen+tax)

 Taiko Drum Monster Console debut

　　　steµ feat. siroa

Donder Pack Vol. 7: April 26 2018 (500 yen+tax)
 やわらか戦車 Yawaraka Sensha

 亡き王女のためのパヴァーヌ Pavane pour une infante défunte

　　　～きみのこどう～ ~Kimi no Kodou~
 SAKURA EXHAUST Console debut
 Blue Rose Ruin
 春竜 ～Haryu～

Donder Pack Vol. 8: May 24 2018 (500 yen+tax)
 ネクロファンタジア ～ Arr. Demetori Necrofantasia ~ Arr. Demetori
　　　東方Projectアレンジ Touhou Project Arrange / Demetori
 New World
　　　「シンクロニカ」より Synchronica
 HARDCOREノ心得 HARDCORE no Kokoroe Console debut
　　　DJ Myosuke
 クルクルクロックル Kurukuru Kurokkuru
 Black Rose Apostle

The other announcement is a completely new thing: an event for the Taiko Ranked Match mode! Running from April 26 12:00 through May 7 12:00 (Japan Time), the Spring Festival (春祭り) event have Donders play ranked matches for Fest Points (フェスポイント, FP). Reaching designated FP goals nets you rewards including titles, outfits and even a free song.

Taiko Ranked Match Event: Spring Festival Rewards
1 FP - Title: 春祭りはじめました Spring Festival Is Here
15 FP - Greeting: いちご大好き I ♡ Strawberry
50 FP - Outfit (Full Body): いちご Strawberry
80 FP - 15 Don Kobans
150 FP -  さくら（春） Sakura (Spring)
999 FP - Title: 春祭りの達人 Spring Festival Master
Addendum (2018/04/14): Updated with official names from the English version

The FP you get is determined by your results of the match: +3 for wins, +2 for draws and +1 for losses. Playing DLC songs gives a +1 bonus to FP. Before you play, you also have a choice of whether to use 3 Don Kobans to get a FP Boost (FPブースト) that doubles the FP for that round. This is a time for you to use those leftover extra Don Kobans after you unlocked all the items.

Across Japan: Blue ver. Blues Making Asia-wide Debut

While the official fronts of Taiko no Tatsujin remain silent, it is from the Taiwanese arcade importer and agent Sume that we get this emergency breaking scoop. Remember them before we have the official Asian ver. Facebook page? (And before you ask, yes we are seriously considering reusing this lede pattern over and over until Namco steps up their game in talking)

But yes, after receiving the heads-up, Sume has swiftly published statuses on their Facebook page regarding connection errors that disabled access to online functionalities in Asian ver. AC0 cabinets since April 11 2018 resulting from server upgrade work. While there is no estimated time of resumption, Sume was promised that Blue ver. firmware would be pushed forth with the hotfix to the connection problems. For now, keep your eyes peeled from the above two sources of information for further updates.

Genuinely hoping that it is some significantly new stuff that botched things up for Namco...

The Yamata no Orochi of Taiko no Tatsujin Original Soundtracks (not official name)

While the official fronts of Taiko no Tatsujin remain silent, it is from the familiar game-soundtrack publishing label Clarice Disc that we get this eight-headed scoop.

So what's the deal? Clarice Disc is setting off an eight-installment soundtrack project for Taiko no Tatsujin. Not just as small featurettes like the Sotsu Omeshiki one (2014) or the Girls Pop Mania one (2014), but full-length "legit" soundtrack albums like the Donderful/Full Combo pair (2012) standing for different themes.

The first of the eight, subtitled Ringo-ame (りんごあめ, lit. candied apple), features a tightly packed collection of peppy and vivid vocal tracks (official description) and will be released on May 30 2018. We have translated the 28-song track listing below the fold.

The soundtrack is now available for pre-order at the native Clarice Shop or on Amazon, both of which are linked in the main site of the soundtrack project.

Thanks to our familiar crystalsuicune, who found the label's Tweet retweeted into her Twitter timeline.

Shin Zombie Lyrics

Artist: GLAY
　　　Composition, Lyrics: HISASHI

Sonority Scouts - Collaboration AD Deja-Vu

As a follow-up to the latest Song of the Week feature, here's another curious tidbit about the sound company INSPION to share with our readers. The latest video to date from the company's Youtube account is the announcement of a music collaboration for Rayark's Cytus II mobile game, with Daisuke Kurosawa joining forces with Hideyuki Ono in order to compose IOLITE-SUNSTONE, one of the two original INSPION-spawn tracks for the rock music-based IAP character music pack of Xenon.

... what's the link with the Taiko grounds this time, you ask? Well, take a look back at the Infinite Rebellion reveal video and see if you can spot any similarities within the two clips!

Song of the Week! 7 April 2018

With the April Fools shenanigans out of the way once again, we have two fresh features for you: the real one for last week's song and what lies ahead of this very post...