Patapon 1 + 2 Replay Review (PS5, Switch, & PC)

Sometimes it’s as though the oddball games are the ones that imprint themselves in memory the most. Take Patapon, for instance, first released in 2007, and ever since, it has still been clinging steadfast to the tunes you find yourself singing randomly in the shower. 

The original launched on the PlayStation Portable (PSP) under Sony. And it sure was successful worldwide. Thus, it made sense to remaster the original game on the PlayStation 4 in 2017. But Sony did such a shoddy job, I wouldn’t be surprised if you never even heard about the remaster. 

But now, we might actually have a decent second try at a new remaster. And better? Combining the first and second game into one package and going for a reasonable $29.99. 

Whatever group you fall into, the old timers who relished in the addictive playthrough of the original PSP version, the curious newbies who jumped on the bandwagon in 2017, or those who’ll be venturing into the franchise for the first time ever in 2025, we have a deep-dive Patapon 1 + 2 Replay review for you all down below. 

Out of This World

It’s abundantly clear that Patapon 1 + 2 Replay’s intention is to remain faithful to the original story and gameplay. The only difference is gameplay updates that enhance accessibility, alongside a smoother and more seamless playthrough. 

Nevertheless, let’s do a quick refresher: A one-eyed species is looking up to you, the Mighty One, for guidance on their journey to Earth’s end. Apparently, Earth’s end is where your new followers will find a mysterious artifact called IT.

But the journey that lies ahead won’t be easy. On your path lie resistant forces, ranging from foot soldiers to powerful bosses, all of whom you must defeat to forge a way through. And they come in plenty of variety, from the Tatepons wielding powerful shields to the spear-wielding Yaripons, and the Yumipon archers. 

And in addition to enemies, you also have environmental hazards and stage gimmicks like devastating weather to contend with. So, how then do you successfully lead your Patapon army to Earth’s end? Why, through music, of course. 

Just Four Drums

Don’t worry, it’s pretty easy. The Patapons sing the most catchy tune, with the easiest lyrics to learn. They repeat “pata, pata, pata, pon” over and over. Sometimes transitioning to “pon, pon, pata, pon.” And then “chaka, chaka, pata, pon.” And these are your cues to hit the corresponding button.

The first chant is the “move forward” command, the second “attack,” the third “defense,” and so on. These are your most basic commands. However, they can grow complex. For instance, “don, don don, don don” summons miracle juju, which are special totems that can invoke incredible effects. 

Although easy to learn, Patapon 1 + 2 Replay is difficult to master. You have to pay close attention to the music and listen to the chants that determine your button presses. And while the timing isn’t particularly strict, it does require some level of precision to successfully relay the command to your troops. 

The Latency Problem

And here comes the first prominent issue: input lag. The 2017 remaster was admittedly worse, punishing you for lag issues beyond your control. However, the issue remains unresolved in Patapon 1 + 2 Replay. You still experience input lag, especially on TV or docked Switch mode. 

Rhythm game lovers might recall a working fix for input lag using latency calibration. It’s unfortunate that Patapon 1 + 2 Replay lacks the feature that offers a more accurate way to resolve input lag. In its place is a feature that allows you to adjust the timing of your inputs in the menu.   

While it does help ease the problem at hand, it isn’t always easy to use. Often, you’ll have to adjust and readjust the timing until you find that sweet spot. And even then, you may have to readjust it when you progress, facing challenges requiring new strategies. And even then, you may have to readjust it again when you switch from TV to docked mode, for instance. 

I stress a lot about this because, ultimately, Patapon 1 + 2 Replay is a rhythm-action game, and much of mastering its gameplay relies on perfect timing. And when the audio and visual cues don’t align, your input performance often pays the price. 

Second Nature

That’s not to say that Patapon 1 + 2 Replay isn’t a fun and addictive game. If you can get over the input issues or use handheld mode, which seems to experience little to no input lag, you’ll truly have a blast. After all, this is the same game that took the gaming community by storm when it launched nearly two decades ago. 

The music itself is so catchy, you’ll find yourself jamming to it on your daily routines, possibly days and weeks after you’ve put the controller down. And the chants are easy to keep track of. In fact, the gameplay becomes second nature, mindlessly listening to the tunes, watching out for the visual cues, and hitting the corresponding button inputs. 

The Tough Get Going

Onward into the game, however, things grow a little bit trickier. You’ll be slaying monsters and picking up upgrade materials and equipment. So now, your Patapons don’t simply move forward and attack, but they also group themselves into units.

You have those specializing in close-range battles, with shields to protect against massive damage intake. Archers, on the other hand, fire arrows from a safe distance. Patapon 2, additionally, adds more unit types. It introduces flying Patapons, launching aerial attacks. Some play musical instruments, motivating the army to keep pushing. 

Thus, managing your troops and strategizing their next move becomes more involved. The start may feel like a breeze, but at times, it can be grindy to unlock the new equipment and tools you need to enjoy a more challenging playthrough. And in Patapon 2 is where the momentum truly picks up, providing more ways to experiment, a deeper inventory system, and unleashing stronger monsters. 

Feverish

This is where you’ll desperately want your Patapons to “catch a fever.” It happens when you successfully string together combos, entering into a state where you’re unleashing stronger, more potent attacks. Even your Patapons will be singing and chanting on a higher pitch, signaling a more intense battling session. 

During the Fever state, you can trigger a Juju Rhythm, which unleashes more incredible effects, including manipulating the weather to your advantage. Miss a beat, though, and the Fever state will end, which you definitely don’t want happening, as it can take a while to build enough perfect combos to enter back into Fever state.  

What’s New?

Evidently, there’s plenty more under the hood of Patapon 1 + 2 Replay’s deceptively fun and easy playthrough. Even the best rhythm gamers have struggled on some of the more difficult stages, with the timing of the more complex combos proving particularly frustrating to input accurately. In that case, don’t be afraid to take the difficulty down a notch. 

Patapon 1 + 2 Replay, indeed, adds support features to make your playthrough more seamless. Besides adjusting input timing and difficulty settings, you can display the commands you’ve learned unobtrusively at the bottom of the screen. 

Although the visuals are largely the same as the original games, which frankly remain impressive in their stylish and minimalist design, Patapon 1 + 2 Replay is cleaner and maintains a steady 60 fps. Even on the TV, the images have scaled well, providing you with the charming and adorable experience you’ve hoped for.

Verdict

With Ratatan just around the corner, it’s a welcome chance to get our fiddly fingers up to speed with button pressing and our heads to head bopping with Patapon 1 + 2 Replay. And not just because the two games share the same creators, but that the newly remastered Patapon package actually pleases on all fronts.

It’s a delightful rehash of the charm and wonder of the Patapon one-eyed species in their relentless pursuit of the IT artifact, whatever that is. And their unquestionable reliance on our guidance, inputting basic to complex commands to urge them to keep moving forward, attack, defend, or retreat to safety. 

While there are input lag issues on docked and TV, the freedom to adjust the timing of your inputs does ease any unwanted latency a bit. Otherwise, all else looks and feels top-notch to interact with and manipulate. Even the varied Patapon and enemy types challenge you to strategize your next move. 

It’s not just pressing button inputs on time, but carefully considering the unit types, weapons, and resources at your disposal. Moreover, you’re often aiming to enter Fever state, successfully stringing together combos, to unleash stronger, more potent moves. And the music and visuals are, as always, ever so rewarding, in their chaos, cheeky, charming, and brilliantly designed nature. 

“Pata, pata, pata, pon,” you’ll be singing along way past the game’s credits, even when you butcher the lyrics, though I suspect you’ll have the lyrics down to a T by the time you’re done with Patapon 1 + 2 Replay.