The PlayStation Portable came with a lot of memorable games for a handheld device, and one of the hits was the rhythm game from Pyramid and Japan Studio—Patapon.
The Patapon franchise has long been dormant, with the remaster coming out in 2017, but a crowdfunded spiritual sequel called Ratatan is set to have its closed beta test this week.
Ratatan v Patapon
Check out the official gameplay trailer for Ratatan:
Ratatan looks to have the basic gameplay mechanic compared to Patapon, which has minimalist visuals. However, the game has fully designed characters and environments instead of shadowy figures, adding more color to the screen.
The rhythm commands are still there for the game, and the Fever mechanic is still present. Even the bosses seem to be remixes of original ones from the Patapon games, like a giant crab.
Instead of the original game’s drums, which go ‘Pata,’ ‘Pon,’ ‘Chaka,’ and ‘Don,’ the new instrument this time is a trumpet. It makes the sounds ‘Rata,’ ‘Tan,’ ‘Zun,’ ‘Taka,’ ‘Yah,’ and ‘Hoi.’
Tribes also seem to be much more customizable in the game. Players can gain special items and choose the members who build up their tribe.
A Roguelike Remix
Producer of the game, Kazuto Sakajiri, also explains that the new game now has some roguelike elements added, plus the potential for multiplayer. He tells VGC, “The three main game concepts are over 100 cute characters fighting it out on screen, four-player simultaneous battles, and more adventure and roguelike elements than Patapon had.”
It’s also worth noting that Hiroyuki Kotani, the creator of the original Patapon, is developing Ratatan. Kemmei Adachi, the original musician, also provides the music. Thus, despite some changes in the gameplay elements, the game pretty much feels like the original.
The Original Patapon
The original Patapon launched for the PSP in 2007. It was a rhythm game in which players controlled a tribe of warriors commanded by music. Using the game’s unique commands; players could order their little collectives to push forward, retreat, and attack whatever came their way, be it an enemy tribe or giant monsters.
Here’s a look at the remaster that was released back in 2017:
The game had won multiple accolades around the time it came out, including the Best PSP Game of 2008 from IGN. Patapon managed to spawn up to two sequels—Patapon 2 and Patapon 3—and the remaster released for the PS4.
It’s unclear what platform Ratatan will be released on yet, but based on the format, it seems like the game is meant to be played on a handheld. However, with all the new mechanics and details, it’s possible that this could be made to be played on a bigger screen.
Fans will just have to wait and see until the devs reveal more.
No release date has been announced for Ratatan, but the game is expected to launch sometime this year on unspecified platforms.