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Donkey Konga - The Drums, The Majesty

Thanks to Nintendojo for revealing new details regarding the previously rumored, Namco/Nintendo co-produced GameCube-exclusive rhythm game, Donkey Konga. The site has pictures of the "new Congo Drum peripheral dubbed as 'Barrel Konga Drums'" which will be shipping with the game, and the 4-player, 32 music-track title may include the Super Mario Bros theme alongside "Latin beats, pop music, dance, classical, Anime and children's tunes." Adding to the fun, "the drums will include a microphone that's designed to pick up the sound of claps thus making the game require you to clap as well as bang on the drums", but Nintendojo reckon a U.S. release to be "highly unlikely" since "it caters too perfectly towards the Japanese audience" weaned on games like Taiko No Tatsujin.

31 comments

  1. Now... by NanoGator · · Score: 2, Funny

    ..if they'd just make a spanking game like that. They could call it Spanky Kong.

    --
    "Derp de derp."
    1. Re:Now... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      well if your going to do that, you might as well lose the kong and throw in a couple of monkeys.

  2. U.S Sales == Bad by The+Head+Sage · · Score: 0

    I doubt this game would be successful in the US market. But I agree that this is very well suited to the Japanese market!

    --
    To NULL or not to NULL.
  3. Just a thought... by jargonCCNA · · Score: 1

    Did anyone else notice that those drums pictures are actually plastic bongos and not congas?

    --
    Matthew G P Coe
    http://mgpcoe.blogspot.com/
    1. Re:Just a thought... by Gothic_Walrus · · Score: 1

      Yes, but Donkey Bongo isn't a very catchy name.

      --
      Goo goo g'joob.
    2. Re:Just a thought... by daeley · · Score: 2, Funny

      Kongo Bongo would be. ;)

      --
      I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
  4. yeah, right by BortQ · · Score: 1
    Americans don't like to play the drums???

    I predict a petition and eventual US release of this game. And I am excited to see it when it arrives.

    --

    A Multiplayer Strategy Game for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux
  5. Speaking of tabs by edwdig · · Score: 1

    Now that that tab has made me take out my guitar, anyone know of tabs for other classic games? Like Zelda or Metroid?

    1. Re:Speaking of tabs by Mekabyte · · Score: 1

      Yes, Deezer's other site, Video Game Jam.

  6. Already been made. by Blackwulf · · Score: 1
    1. Re:Already been made. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Japanese culture really creeps me out sometimes.

  7. US Release ENTIRELY possible by Blackwulf · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Let me first say that I am a big, biased fan of rhythm games that don't use your legs. Even though my favorite game, Beatmania IIDX, will NEVER see a stateside release because of it's insane difficulty and learning curve (in fact, the home versions aren't all that popular in Japan either) a game like Donkey Konga could so easily be released AND successful in the US. Here's why.

    Nintendo.

    I DO own Taiko no-Tatsujin, and I recently ran it at Anime Weekend Atlanta this past weekend...And it was a HUGE BIG SUCCESS with everyone there. And they weren't just Anime fans that are used to the Japanese culture. It's just a FUN game to play. EVERYONE asked me how they could get it for themselves...Unfortunately it's not seeing a stateside release anytime soon...

    ...Or is it?

    Namco also ran the home version of Taiko no-Tatsujin at the G-Phoria awards (Yes, I know the awards sucked on TV, but there is a point here) to "gauge interest" of the American audience towards a game like it. And it was a hit there as well.

    THEN I hear about Donkey Konga not long after G-Phoria.

    But, nobody would buy a game based on traditional Japanese Taiko drumming. HOWEVER, they WOULD buy a game base on bongo drumming if it had the right marketing power behind it.

    Enter Donkey Kong and Nintendo. If ANY COMPANY can get an innovative game to sell here in the US, it's Nintendo. Hopefully, they WILL release Donkey Konga in the US and let it open the doors for other rhythm games to enter the market so I don't have to always import the suckers.

    If you have any musical ability at all and have never played a good rhythm game like Taiko no-Tatsujin, Beatmania IIDX, or even the US released Guitaroo-Man, you're missing out. You don't NEED to have musical ability to enjoy it or be good at it. I hope Donkey Konga gives the exposure the genre needs...Realize that the rhythm game genre pretty much stands next to the fighting game genre in Japanese arcades and that's why there's still arcades on every block in Tokyo.

    1. Re:US Release ENTIRELY possible by Eamon+C · · Score: 1
      I was pretty disappointed to see that it wouldn't be coming here after reading the headline. Then I RTFA (!), and saw the source (emphasis added):
      It is highly unlikely in this reporter's mind that we'll ever see this game domesticated as it caters too perfectly towards the Japanese audience...

      So basically, the submitter took the opinion some idiot "game journalist" (that one still cracks me up) as gospel. What a relief.

  8. Maybe Now we can play games online by ePIsOdEOnline · · Score: 4, Funny

    TCP/IP over bongo drums

    just a thought.

    1. Re:Maybe Now we can play games online by exick · · Score: 1

      I'm surprised it took this long for someone to say this. Kudos to slashdotters on their restraint.

  9. Samba de Amigo by Farscry · · Score: 1

    We've had one game similar to this released in the US: Samba de Amigo for the Dreamcast. It was the one that was best played with the maracas that could be purchased as an accessory instead of the standard DC controller.

    Samba de Amigo was a blast, and it says something that it is well-night impossible to find the maracas for purchase anywhere.

    Sure, the game may not have sold as much as many others, but having what must be relatively near a 100% sales rate on the maracas should give pause to the nay-sayers.

    --
    Mmmmm.... Pigeons. Sometimes, they come with notes attached...it's like...a fortune cookie with wings.
    1. Re:Samba de Amigo by May+Kasahara · · Score: 1
      I might add that the US versions of theses maraca controllers was limited to something like 10,000 sets, which also made them collector's items.

      I have them, and it's a blast to play the game with the maracas, as opposed to a controller.

    2. Re:Samba de Amigo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Hong Kong ripoff maracas are technically superior, just as the Interact/Performance VGA boxes are technically superior to the official Sega VGA boxes.

      Hope you didn't pay too much for your maracas.

    3. Re:Samba de Amigo by May+Kasahara · · Score: 1

      Nah, I lucked out and got them used at a game store-- 50% less than retail ^_^ No way I was going to spend $100+ on eBay!

    4. Re:Samba de Amigo by Gizzmonic · · Score: 1

      I don't know which pair you got, but I was trying to play some Samba at a party the other week-I brought my Sega Maracas, and someone else brought their "Cha Cha Amigo Maracas." We had to quit 2 player because their controllers would stop being detected after about 2 minutes of play...it happened about 8 times in a row. My Sega maracas have taken 3 years of beating and they still work almost perfectly (besides a tangled cord which I can't seem to straighten).

      --
      (-1, Raw and Uncut is the only way to read)
  10. I wanna move by Omega037 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I wanna move to Japan. They get all the coolest stuff; Anime, Ninjas, Godzilla...

    1. Re:I wanna move by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They GET all the coolest stuff because they MAKE all the coolest stuff. FACT.

  11. So it's an import then... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Put a switch in your gamecube, or buy Freeloader. Hey, it's not that difficult. And for the menus there is always gamefaqs.com .

  12. Why licensed music? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A large part of my enjoyment of the Smash Bros games was the classic music remixes. Maybe this is too obvious, but with Nintendo's library of outstanding games, why not use songs from those classics instead?

  13. Japanese type games in america not selling well by Zed2K · · Score: 1

    Wasn't there just an article earlier this week about how Japanese style games not making the best sellers lists in the US very often?

    This game will sell in Japan because those people are crazy, but it won't sell in the US. It will be a very very small group of people who buy it and then will spout off about how such a great "game" it is and they don't understand why people don't like it.

  14. Konga de amigo? by AzraelKans · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Gee, now try to convince me the Gamecube is not following Dreamcast steps.

    Dont get me wrong Im going to get a gamecube eventually Im just waiting for the price drop to $50 or less

    Come on Nintendo enough suspense already announce the next GBA and the next backward, dvd compatible console you have in the wraps is not like we didnt knew you have one.

    --
    Go ahead MOD my day!
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  15. Imports... by Saige · · Score: 1

    Let me just say this. I've never bothered picking up import games or for that matter figured out how to go about running them.

    But if Nintendo doesn't get this released in the US, I just may have to go hunt an import copy down and figure out what I need to do to play it. I've really enjoyed the rhythm games I've played - I was a serious DDR addict for a while, still enjoy it though my legs STILL hurt from playing one day and going to the gym the next day, and I loved Drum Mania the one time I got to play it. Something playable at home would be great.

    I suspect they'd be suprised at the level of acceptance the game would get here in the states.

    --
    "You know your god is man-made when he hates all the same people you do."
    1. Re:Imports... by MeThOdXxX · · Score: 1

      Absolutely. I would play the freaking game. It sounds like a really fun game that 4 friends would love to play at the same time. I mean, acceptance shouldn't be an issue; these type games have shown that they have alot of potential with U.S. gamers. It would be a terrible mistake for Nintento not to release a game that sounds this fun in the States.

      --
      HaHaHaHaHa