Tam Tam Paradise

Here we have Tam Tam Paradise, a music game that got literally no recognition when released in the summer of 2001. Perhaps it was overlooked by many due to the strange premise? Maybe it was because the only press I'd ever seen for the game was negative. Whatever the case may be, it's a shame. Tam Tam Paradise is one of the better rhythm games available on Ps2. There are more enjoyable alternatives out there, but there are certainly worse. *Cough*Dog of Bay*Cough*

For the most part, Tam Tam plays like every other rhythm game. You have to hit the proper button as the descending notes hit the line. Simple tried and true gameplay. As the grammatically incorrect saying goes "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" I know this is said in nearly every rhythm game review, but I really mean it this time. The special controller is required to get any enjoyment out of this game. It's just not the same without it. Thankfully for you, they don't sell the game separate, so if you want the game, you get the controller. Likely due to the unpopularity of this title, the package is relatively inexpensive. I got mine for a measly $45. The included controller is meant to resemble a pair of Bongo drums, only they are small, thin and look like angel wings. Each drum has two places you can slap with your hand and one button on the side. There are two possible ways to use the controller. On the underside of each drum is a small piece of Velcro. You can attach the two drums to a small square piece of Styrofoam for play on a table. If you don't have a table, you can attach a strap to each of the drums. You then affix the straps just above your knees. This way, you can play with the drums resting upon the top of your legs. The resulting gameplay is similar to slapping your knees to the beat of a song. I much prefer this method. The drums work well and respond perfectly. If they didn't come packed with the game, I'd definitely recommend purchasing them. They really make the experience a lot of fun and they are well built. The included straps are nice and long, so there is no need to worry if you have thick legs.

Tam Tam Paradise shook things up a bit by adding a story mode to the mix, something rarely seen in the genre. You are an angel and it is your job to bring the joy of music to the people of Earth. Along the way, your arch nemesis (a devil girl) tries to stop you from completing your mission. The game is laid out in stages. Each stage consists of three parts. You begin by playing a song and about halfway through you are whisked away to part two. Part Two is a stage specific mini game. For instance, on the Japanese level you have to take part in a Kabuki play and on the Ocean level you have to guide a dolphin though the rough waters. These mini games are nice diversions from the main gameplay but admittedly feel out of place. Just as you are getting into the song, you are interrupted by a mini game. It throws off the game's flow and they feel as though they were simply tacked on. The games are often simple in nature and usually have nothing to do with music, barring the dancing mini game. Whether or not you pass the mini game, you still proceed to part three. In part three, you are dropped where you left off on the song. You then finish the song and the stage ends. You receive a score and either pass the stage or fail, depending on your success or failure of the mini game.

The fact that mini games feel tacked on is not my complaint. I take issue with their importance to passing the stage. Let's say the object of the mini game is to collect eighteen fish. Well, no matter how well you do on the music portion of the game, if you fail to get all eighteen, you fail the entire stage. This shifts the focus from being good at the music portions to being good at some lame mini games. Like I said above, they are nice diversions, but they hardly deserve to take such an important role in the game. Ideally, the mini games would simply help or hurt your score depending on how well you do. Or even add a bonus to your status bar if you manage to complete them. To look on the bright side, once you complete a stage, you have the option to play it in Expert mode. Expert mode eliminates the mini game section of the stage, and adds to the overall difficulty of the song. For fans of the genre, Expert mode will likely receive the most playtime. It's just a shame that you have to beat each stage on normal, with the mini games, to unlock the Expert version.

The difficulty in Tam Tam Paradise is surprisingly low when you take the amount of songs into consideration. Barring the mini game in the final stage, you should easily be able to proceed steadily through the game with little to no problems. Unlike most games that compensate the lack of stages with a ramped up difficulty, Tam Tam Paradise stays easy throughout. Even the expert versions of the songs can be passed on the first or second play through. The lack of challenge really shortened the game's lifespan. You eventually get to a point where it's just no fun because yo've mastered all there is to master. Granted, this happens in all games, just not usually this quick.

The music in Tam Tam Paradise really fits with the theme of the game. Though all of the songs sound different, they all sound as though you are actually playing them. It always feels as though you are truly playing your instrument. Not once during my entire play through of this game did I feel as though I were slapping a couple pieces of plastic hooked up to my Ps2. Throughout the entire game I really felt as though I was creating the music. The music fits each individual stage, and the game in general, perfectly. You have a traditional Japanese piece of music for the Kabuki level, Caribbean style music for the ocean level, jungle style music for the Congo level and so on. My only complaint is the utter lack of songs. Just when you start to enjoy the game, it's over. When games like Beatmania have upwards of fifty songs, there is just no excuse to have a mere eight. All eight are good, which is rare for a rhythm game. However, I can't ignore the blatant song deficiency. This really hurts the replay value of the game and ultimately, the game in general.

Tam Tam Paradise continues the rhythm game tradition of focusing on the gameplay rather than graphics. As such, Tam Tam Paradise has graphics that could probably be recreated on a 16bit platform. It is strictly in 2d with the story unfolding in the background of the gameplay with Neo Geo style cinemas. This game features an anime inspired art style with an Angel/Devil theme. It is filled with bright colors and looks nice, but hardly takes advantage of the Ps2. The scrolling of the descending notes are quite smooth and I noticed no slowdown. Which means the graphics have no adverse affect on the gameplay. You may not be impressed with them, but they serve their purpose.

There is a bit of a language barrier that can present itself at a couple points in the game. Your task in a couple of the mini games is rather vague and without a knowledge of Japanese you will be clueless. Before each mini game you receive a briefing screen explaining what to do. For the most part, understanding what it says isn't needed as there are pictographs detailing the basics. Not to mention, many of the mini games are very straightforward. However, a couple of them are somewhat difficult to figure out based on the pictographs alone. With some trial and error, you will get them, but it is rather time consuming and annoying. Also, it should be noted that all of the menus are in Japanese. A knowledge of katakana would really come in handy, but it's not needed. The menus are far from complex and shouldn't give you many problems once you get used to them.

Despite it's flaws, Tam Tam Paradise is a knee slapping (Pun intended) good time. While it lasts, that is. Fact of the matter is, it's just too short. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time with it. The game just left me wanting more, and not in a good way. In a way, the game felt unfinished. If the lack of songs and difficulty don't bother you, by all means pick this up. It's one of the cheaper rhythm games out there and it comes packed with the controller. The mini games can get annoying, but they aren't bad enough to make you want to quit. Besides, once you pass them you can play the expert mode which focuses on the music side of things. What's here is great, there just isn't that much here. Overall, I'd call Tam Tam Paradise a fun, relaxing music game that is lax on the length and challenge.

©2002 Ed Finnegan

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