The New Taiko Drum Master RPG Has Some Interesting Crossovers

Banking on the huge popularity of crossovers in Japan, Bandai Namco's Taiko Drum Master: Don and Katsu's Great Space-Time Adventure features a number of interesting tie-ins. The gameplay itself features a crossover as well, blending the tried and true rhythm genre with classic RPG trappings à la Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy.

Perhaps most notably, the game allows felynes — companions from the wildly popular Monster Hunter series (including the soon-to-be-localized Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate) — to join the party and take on fearsome Monster Hunter 4 alumnus Gore Magala.

Other properties are making their way to the handheld rhythm-RPG as well. Level-5's Yo-kai Watch brings the adorable kitty Jibanyan on board, a good sign considering the game's rapid sales have been a primary factor for growing 3DS ownership in Japan. The list goes on, however: Kumamoto Prefecture's mascot Kumamon is available in costume form; a costume and song appear representing simulation phenomenon The Idolmaster; and most strangely of all, the very jolly pear mascot for the Japanese city of Funabashi is recruitable as a party member (and can fight along to its official theme song, "Funa Funa Funassyi").

Only one Taiko no Tatsujin game has ever been localized for North American audiences (and it was a PlayStation 2 title), so it's unlikely we'll ever see this game in the West. Nonetheless, what do you think of these seemingly random crossovers? Would you like to take a crack at Bandai Namco's rhythm-RPG?