PatapatapataPON! Pon Pon Pata Pon!

Anyone that hasn’t been living under a rock for the last few years will have heard of Loco Roco.  For reasons best left described in as bare terms as possible, I’m not allowed to play it.
I spent three days hallucinating after playing it, and couldn’t sleep.  That’ll teach me for playing it last thing at night.

Patapon appears to be from some of the same people. Its the same 2d, cute, shouty, rythmic singing type game that makes you wonder if you’re quite sane.  Probably not to be honest, its a hilariously off the wall take on rythm and tactics, strategy and platform that doesn’t quite fit into any category, but busts them wide open and leaves you feeling both invigorated and exausted.

The story is basically that you – the Almighty – have come back to your tribesmen, and they can only march and fight, and do other things with the aid of you playing thier drums.  Six levels in and I’ve only got two so far, but that’s ok, because its a blast to play the two tunes they’ve taught me.  Square-Square-Square-circle gives you thier marching orders (and they sing it back to you, before you play the next sequence) whilst circle-circle-square-circle makes them attack.

Got it so far?
Its deceptively simple.
A tree, very reminicent of what I remember of the Loco Roco horror (which is, to be fair, an amazingly good game – it kept my other half amused for weeks) loves Jazz, and you make a trumpet player to play to him – and seemingly, there are other mini games too.  I haven’t unlocked them yet – though I did pick up something interesting, so I should check my inventory.

I have found a couple of downsides.  Y’can’t skip the speeches.  So whenever you want to play the tree mini game, he eulogises at you for a minute, which you can’t skip.  Its irritating.  As is the propensity of your presitess to spout information when you’re passing through her screen.
You can ‘ress’ your men too – and collect food (essential to supporting your army) and more.

First impression score – 9/10