In a galaxy of video games boasting state-of-the-art graphics and prohibitively complex play, an offering with the surprisingly simple object of beating a drum has been a long-running smash hit.
The unexpected popularity of "Taiko no Tatsujin," or master of the Japanese drum, has many in the domestic game industry questioning their quest for ever-more complicated games amid a shrinking market.
"Taiko no Tatsujin" was developed by Namco Ltd. and first introduced as an arcade machine in February 2001. Some 4,500 units have since been installed in 3,000 arcades across the country, making it one of the industry's biggest hits ever.