Ratatan

Pata-Pata-Pata-Pon? Nope. Not anymore. It’s 2025, we’re doing Rata-Tata-Tata-Tan now. Got it? Good. We spoke with the developers behind Patapon’s spiritual successor, Ratatan, to learn plenty more about the new rhythm game 14 years on from the last iteration.

For those of us who grew up on the right side of history, the PSP was the ultimate escape. Anywhere you went, Kratos, Daxter, Snake, and of course, your legion of Patapons were always there by your side. But now, well, it’s been a while since we’ve Pata’d any Pons.

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The last Patapon game landed on the PSP all the way back in 2011, and since then, there’s been little movement in the rhythm-action game landscape. That is, until now, as those responsible for the adorably murderous little guys couldn’t hold out any longer. It’s finally time for a return to form.

Ratatan may be different in name, but it shares plenty in common with the classics that kept us entertained for hours on end, even when we weren’t playing. I still hear their voices in my head!

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With an Early Access build now out, we’ve been hands-on and have spoken to Producer Saisu Sakijiri Kazuto in order to learn all about it.

What is Ratatan?

If you’re unfamiliar with Patapan, it may all look a bit…strange, on the surface here in Ratatan. Who are all these odd little creatures, and why are they so hungry for blood? Well, you see, the answer is rather simple.

As the reveal trailer explained all too well, “rhythm fuels your fight.”

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Music underpins everything you do in Ratatan. By listening to the soundtrack and timing your button presses to the beat, your army of critters, known as Cobuns, will then be compelled to fight on your behalf.

By tapping a sequence of buttons to the rhythm, your Cobuns may lunge forward and attack, or perhaps they’ll enter a defensive position. The choice is yours as you effectively layer notes down on a track and create a musically-driven battle sequence in the moment.

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When you lose yourself in the flow state, it’s utterly sublime, and no gaming experience has ever really tried to replicate it since Patapon.

Ratata Arts / Tokyo Virtual TheoryPicking the right commands in the right moments is the key to victory in Ratatan.

Think of it like how so many millions committed Helldivers 2’s Strategems to memory. Up, Right, Down, Down, Down. If you know, you know. Here in Ratatan, it’s the same thing in many respects. As you upgrade your arsenal and acquire new skills, you’re learning the cadence of new input chains and watching as they destroy dozens of enemies at a time.

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But what makes this new iteration different after all these years? As we learned not just in playing the game, but in speaking to the Producer, the dev team couldn’t just re-record their greatest hits again. Instead, they’re eyeing a new genre, something with a bit more chaotic energy.

Ratata Arts / Tokyo Virtual TheoryCobuns look charming, but we advise staying out of biting distance.

This go around, gameplay systems have been remixed. With roguelike qualities, every time you load into a level, you can expect something different. Whether it’s unique attacks like dealing explosive damage or a game-changing upgrade, you’re always kept on your toes.

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But that’s just the start of it. From top to bottom, the experience has been given a fresh coat of paint with richer RPG systems allowing for weapons to be unlocked and upgraded, stats to be boosted, and plenty more.

With classic boss fights thrown in as well, it perfectly recaptures the essence of the original series while bringing it forward in interesting ways.

What the devs say about it

(The following interview was conducted by Dexerto’s Virginia Glaze over Summer Game Fest 2025)

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Honoring Patapon with a modern remix

“We’re very pleased there is still enthusiasm for [the series]. We want players to feel that legacy of Patapon, but also experience something new with Ratatan.

“I’m good friends with the original creator [Hiroyuki Kotani]. One day we were just hanging out, having some drinks. We thought ‘Hey, what if we revisit this type of game? That’s how it started.

“We’re just really happy to come back together and make a new game.”

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Finding a new flow

“Things have changed over the last 14 years. We wanted to go with a more modern approach.

“Roguelike has become a very popular genre. So we wanted to keep it true to the original but have that modern angle.

“Patapon had a lot of RPG elements involved. With Ratatan, we wanted to head more towards an action style. Transitioning into action created a lot of challenges.

“We respect titles such as Hollow Knight. We wanted to combine elements from games like that with the flavor of Patapon.”

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Multiple artists

“The development team for Ratatan is made up of two teams. One of the teams, Ratata Arts, their contribution is to the multiplayer aspect. One of the reasons for making multiplayer was that we wanted to bring players together through music and have it be global.”

Early Access playlist

“Early Access is available from September 19 on Steam. It has five stages and all eight characters.

“We plan to release across PC and consoles in future, but we have two major Early Access updates planned before the final release.”

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Currently, there’s no clear indication when Ratatan may launch in full, but we’ll certainly be listening in throughout Early Access which you can check out here.

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