Gamers Go 'Pata' 'Pon' 'Chaka' 'Don'

By Connect Mason Reporter Daniel Sims
Photo under Sharealike license on 'hyku's Flickr page

Patapon blends toe-tapping music and war strategy to create a charming yet surprisingly deep gaming experience.

Patapon, an in-house project from Sony (LocoRoco), is a music game crossed with a strategy game. As a deity called the Great Patapon, players must lead the Patapon tribe into battle against enemy tribes and various monsters by issuing commands through war drums.

Each of the PSP’s action buttons represents a “Pata,” “Pon,” “Chaka,” or “Don,” drum that can be played in sync with the Patapons’ chanted commands. For instance, “Pata Pata Pata Pon” means “march forward” and “Pon Pon Pata Pon” means “attack.” If players keep the rhythm, the Patapons will enter a state called “fever,” where their attacks are more effective and where players can create “miracles” through special commands. As the battles progress, the music changes to reflect the Patapons’ shifting morale.

Playing Patapon requires players to throw themselves into the beat and stay there. The game doesn’t pause during battle - trapping players in its rhythm.

Patapon’s cute art style and tribal-themed sound design give the game a presentation that’s charming and catchy. But don’t let the pop-up book backdrop fool you. A serious, challenging strategy game lies within Patapon.

Through hunts and battles, players gain items, equipment and money to recruit more Patapons of different types. In addition to maintaining the rhythm, players have to be mindful of weather conditions, unit strengths and weaknesses and proper command timing. The game becomes difficult at times, requiring players to bolster their forces by revisiting previous stages.

Bottom Line

It’s one of the better games on the PSP. Patapon's $20 price tag makes it one of the best deals this spring. Make sure to play with headphones.