Pon-Pon-PATA-Pon!

When Patapon 2 came out I got all excited. I adore Patapon in a way unlike almost any other game. It amuses me on so many levels, from the ego boost from being called "Mighty" all the time by those funny little eyeballs to the way the Patapon's react to my drumming. I'm trained in percussion, so obviously I'm a bit predisposed towards it, although you would think that means I play other rhythm games and I haven't tried them. Nope, not even Guitar Hero or Rock Band.

But back to Patapon 2. I was all set to buy it and realized that I had never finished the first game. I got close, but set it aside for a time. It just didn't seem right to move on to part two without getting all the pleasure I could out of the original, and of course, I hadn't played for awhile so I didn't want to start right where I had left off. On a rainy Saturday I pulled it out and started all over again, tutorials and all. I'm so glad!

I'm back to near the end of the game again and played it so much smarter this time. Careful material holding has allowed me to build a fantastic army with lots of rarepons and everything is both easier and more fun. I've worked out the secrets to all of the bosses' movements. I have lots of materials to build more rarepons before I enter the final stage and am confident I'll have this thing beaten soon, even though I can't help but dither around with the bosses a little more.

It's just too much fun! Now, that is a great game value. When a game only gets MORE fun after months of play it's pure magic. Even better, the game makes me smile, which is sort of rare these days (a lot of fun games are a little depressing, you know? Serious subject matter and dark graphics can be wonderful but hardly make you smile a lot).

I just hope the sequel lives up to it.