PS2 Drum Master With Drum Peripheral Confirmed for US Release

For those aspiring digital percussionists yet to get their hands on a set of Donkey Konga bongos, or indeed a Gamecube to play them on, news that Namco are translating their Japanese version of Taiko Drum Machine for the PS2 will come as music to their ears (apologies). The original Taiko Drum Master sold well in Japan, thanks to its selection of en-vogue, strawberry flavoured J-Pop ditties and a big drum peripheral, but its export value is considerably more questionable.

At E3, the only soundtracks available were a tune from Soul Calibur 2 and some orchestral compositions. That’s hardly sufficient to get feet tapping, heads nodding and fingers a-strumming on a worldwide scale. However, the fact that the original Japanese soundtrack had been removed would imply that Namco intend to replace the existing kitsch’n’kooky soundtrack with something more culturally relevant to the US market, like ‘college rock’ or ‘rural rap’. Although no PAL version has been confirmed as yet, it is hoped that - in that event - there would also be a Euro-specific soundtrack, as seen with Nintendo’s Donkey Konga.

Drum Master is due out in the US before Christmas this year, so hopefully an announcement regarding a European release will follow not too long afterwards.