Namco Bandai Developing A New Kind Of Drumming Game

By Spencer . January 8, 2010 . 3:09am

Move over Taiko no Tatsujin! Namco Bandai is working on another drum game, one that doesn’t require a plastic drum.

A patent filed by Namco Bandai with Pac-Man Championship Edition Executive Producer, Nobutaka Nakajima, as the inventor outlines a drum game with Wii remote drumstick shells. OK, the patent doesn’t single the Wii out, but it requires a remote shaped controller with an accelerometer. In other words, this game system is designed for a Wii remote.

After you insert two remotes into Namco Bandai patent pending drumstick shells you can use a desk or any flat surface like a drum. Don’t worry, your remotes are safe from percussion damage. The shells have a stick that absorbs the shock. Aside from the unique controller, this drum game plays more or less like any other music game — you hit moving notes on beat.

Well, there is a key difference. The type of drum sound made depends on the drumstick angle on impact. Hit it straight down for a tom drum sound. Tilt the controller left and you have a snare drum. A bunch of motions, sounds, and sketches for the controller are shown in these diagrams.