Patapon 1+2 Replay Review

Patapon 1+2 Replay is a fun rhythm game that incorporates a variety of elements that, while not always, function as a nice addition. It also features an interesting story in both entries, which has bits of comic relief and lore-building scenes.

Patapon 1 and Patapon 2 have a very similar structure of gameplay and story. Differences include the exclusion of the evolution tree, heroes, masks and eggs in Patapon 1. There are also differences in gameplay style; for example, the rhythm is more forgiving in Patapon 2, despite settings for both games being equally adjusted.

Patapon 1+2 Replay is set in Patapole, the home of the Patapon. The Patapons have rival tribes that try to get in their way of finding the IT. The Zigatons, Karmen, and The Sasoritans are the three main antagonists. Each presents nice lore-building dialogue with some comic relief added in on occasion.

The most prominent aspect of Patapon 1+2 Replay is the rhythm gameplay. The rhythm felt very responsive and satisfying when done precisely to the point of going into Fever Mode. As mentioned before, Patapon 2’s rhythm is more forgiving, allowing Fever to last longer. This made fighting enemies more constantly satisfying.

The variety of Patapon types is very impressive. You can form squads consisting of Patapons with bows, spears, sword & shield and many more unique types. In Patapon 2, a hero Patapon joins your squad as the leader. The hero, who can be named, has a unique, powerful ability when you are in Fever mode. Another cool feature is the many different versions of each type of Patapon that provide many advantages and disadvantages depending on the mission you do, which creates a great risk-reward ratio.

The minigames are an engaging source of vital items and in-game currency (cha-ching) for upgrading Patapons. The egg bosses allow you to revisit bosses (that progressively get harder after you defeat them) with your hero Patapons to earn masks, items, cha-ching and new allies.

Now, moving on to the negatives. The most glaring issue this game suffers from is the monotonous grinding for items to upgrade your Patapons. The difficulty wasn’t in passing levels with the right rhythm; it was getting a certain number of items from a specific mission or minigame. This is far worse in Patapon 2 because it has an evolution tree that requires a larger set of items and cha-ching. The evolution tree was very annoying to navigate when trying to find the right Patapon to upgrade. These issues are small in number, but they are major issues that really obstruct the flow of the game.

Patapon 1+2 Replay had no game-breaking bugs or glitches. The game performed smoothly, except on occasions, especially during the egg bosses. The overall look of the game expressed the simple, 2D style very well. The sound design is strong, too. The density in the sounds of your Patapons’ weapons coming into contact with enemies is a highlight.