Patapon is a criminally overlooked franchise, one that I’m a little surprised hasn’t seen more of a resurgence in the wake of popular rhythm games like Hi-Fi Rush. Perhaps this is because of the relatively straightforward nature of Patapon’s rhythm-based gameplay, though fans would tell you this is precisely what makes the franchise special. At any rate, Patapon‘s spirit is being revived this year, thanks to a Kickstarter-funded game called Ratatan.
Ratatan comes from the creators of the original Patapon, although this shouldn’t come as a surprise if you’ve taken a look at the game’s artwork or trailers: it has Patapon written all over it. From the striking 2D art design to the mythology-inspired narrative premise, Ratatan is clearly a love letter to the original Patapon games, filling a comfortable role as spiritual successor. But rather than just being a basic rehashing of ideas from the original Patapon trilogy, Ratatan is getting experimental and building outwards, ostensibly drawing inspiration from the likes of Hades-style roguelikes.
Ratatan launches on all platforms on July 16, 2025, but it’s been in early access on Steam since September 18, 2025.
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Ratatan Is a Loud and Proud Patapon Successor
So much of Patapon’s charm comes down to its presentation. Through the use of simple colors, flat 2D character models, exuberant cartoon animation, and of course, pulsating musical numbers, the Patapon games never fail to delight. Thankfully, these strengths haven’t been lost in Ratatan, whose art style retains the same simple-but-striking quality. However, Ratatan is also a clear progression of Patapon’s aesthetic, building upon its foundations with more detailed backgrounds and slightly more complex character designs as well. In short, it’s a stunning game, especially for those who appreciate 2D art design.
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Gameplay is fundamentally similar to Patapon’s as well. In Ratatan, players command small armies of creatures called Cobuns during battles. Commands are issued by way of musical beats, with different buttons on the gamepad correlating to different beats of a drum. It’s an interesting blend of rhythm game and real-time strategy, and with an injection of roguelike mechanics, Ratatan is able to be even more distinct than its predecessors were.
Is Ratatan Just a Roguelike Version of Patapon?
A lot of gamers are getting a little wary and weary with respect to the roguelike genre, and I can’t say that I blame them. Despite Hades 2 and Slay the Spire 2 being among my favorite releases of the last few years, I too feel a bit skeptical of roguelikes these days. For better or worse, roguelikes are a massive trend, one that’s arguably more widespread than the likes of the battle royale and forced multiplayer mode, due to its appeal in the indie scene. It’s natural to feel a bit cynical when something is this ubiquitous.
But in Ratatan, roguelike systems actually make a good bit of sense. The best roguelikes are ones that build upon gameplay that is immediately addictive and satisfying, and Ratatan certainly has that, courtesy of its Patapon roots. And besides, Ratatan actually has a number of other differentiating features as well, such as four-player co-op and the Ratatans themselves, which are essentially various leader characters that the player controls in real time. It’s certainly shaking up the Patapon formula quite a bit, which makes the roguelike framing feel much less forced.
How Is Ratatan Looking So Far?
Ratatan might not come out until July, but we can check its temperature by looking at its Steam page, where early access participants have made their feelings known. Thankfully, this paints an optimistic picture of Ratatan, as it sits at a comfortable 91% Very Positive (English reviews), according to Steam’s review aggregate system. Some players have expressed concerns about the game’s progression and difficulty, among other things, so that might be worth keeping in mind. But all in all, Ratatan looks promising, and will hopefully stick the landing when it arrives in 1.0 this summer.
- Released
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July 16, 2026
- ESRB
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Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Alcohol Reference, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
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Ratata Arts, TVT Co. Ltd.
- Publisher(s)
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Game Source Entertainment
- Engine
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Theory Engine
