The first aspect any gamer will notice when they play is the unique controls in Patapon. All commands in the game are given from the Almighty to the Patapons through the magic of mystical drums that ring from the heavens. With each strike of a face button, the player taps these drums in different rhythmic patterns (circle for tap, square for double-tap, etc.) following the used to enlighten their followers. Commands range from defend and retreat, charge and attack to intricate songs used to evoke ancient elemental spirits to help your army.
Patapon demands your strict attention during gameplay. To keep the proper rhythms to make your mini-legions proud requires some slight mental push-ups as you progress through the learning curve to acquire new songs and commands. There is a slight visual cue to the timing in the form of a pulsing overlay on the screen, but playing with the sound down is a hindrance. Even though the phrases are formed in quartets (four drum strikes for each command), the challenge lies in repeating and interchanging command while keeping the rhythm to earn a Fever pitch among your soldiers.
Once you get into a groove and tap out a nice combo (usually 10 in-a-row, as low as 6 strikes for very accurate timing), your cycloptic posse enters the spirited Fever mode with noticeable power-ups. Archers and Spearmen will fire nearly three times faster and foot soldiers will chop even harder. The Fever mode is the key to every battle, allowing you to call the aforementioned spirits and have your Patapon army charge quickly. All strategy and war games aside, Fevered soldiers make the battleground in Patapon a much nicer place.
Speaking of battlefield strategy, the units you field in the game’s battlegrounds can cause a lot of pain despite their tame appearance. You start your quest with a handful of followers, including Tatepons (front-line blade warriors) and Yaripons (spear throwers). That field slowly expands to include the Yumipon with bows and arrows, Kibapon that strike from horseback, large hand-to-hand fighters called Dekapons and Megapons who fire, what else, sound waves at the enemy. Only three different squads can be sent out at a time so players have to make careful choices in each unit type they lead into battle.
While the game itself sometimes feels like a stroke of genius, one can’t help but slap their forehead at some of the downfalls to behold of Patapon. While the game is an entertaining rhythm-based mobile game, I think at times the developers lost sight of its mobile platform. Perhaps the most frustrating feature of the game is one that it lacks: a pause button. Missions usually take an average of somewhere between six to ten minutes to complete and if you happen to encounter any distractions in that time (phone call, friend passing by, fire alarm, bus stop), your Patapon army is rendered impotent as it waits for your drumming guidance amidst burning deserts or enemy attacks. Seeing as how the PSP is tailored for use on the go, this is a curious exclusion from an otherwise satisfying game.
Rhythm gamers should not miss this unique entry to the PSP’s library. Any gamer for that matter will be hard pressed to find a game that employs such unique controls with the slick visuals the powerful PSP handheld can deliver. For the gamer on the go, Patapon is a welcome distraction that just might last after you’ve gotten home.
Overall: 7.0 – Good