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Confession time: this is my first rhythm game, and my first attempt was… overwhelming. My exact words? ‘’Too much ADHD on screen.’’ Colours, movements, effects, just too much chaos at once, so I set it aside, thinking I wasn’t cut out for it. Stepping away, though, and coming back to it with well-rested eyes, that’s when it started to click, and the initial chaos morphed into something surprisingly fun and addictive.
Ratatan: Characters & Combat
There are currently eight playable Ratatans: Mashuma, Mimizukyun, Buttonda, Pyokorappa, Nyandola, Harigittan, Kamonelo, and Keroronpa. I went with Nyandola first, because cuteness, while subjective, wins. Each Ratatan has unique stat bonuses - e.g. Nyandola boosts movement speed and CRT by 10%, Mashuma increases status-effect damage by 50% - and a signature Melodium, essentially their own musical weapon.
Then you have these tiny little minions called Cobuns following you into battle and dishing out attacks on your command. Combat revolves around your Ratatan directing this small army with a three-beat rhythm, using Rata, Zuntaka, and Yahoi commands which, when combined, can execute several actions - you can call your Cobuns into formation, unleash Hustle Tech attacks, perform basic attacks, shield, or jump.
Each command input is graded as Just, Good, or Bad, with three consecutive Just inputs enhancing the effects of commands. These inputs also fill the Tension Gauge bar, which rises with successful commands and decreases with failed ones. Successful commands ultimately activate Fever Mode, boosting attack damage while the music becomes more intense.
But you’re not just sitting back and barking orders, your Ratatan moves, jumps, and dodges incoming attacks too, keeping combat lively and hands-on. Fair warning: it can, and will, get delightfully chaotic.
Progression
Each run takes players through several stages filled with enemy armies, mini-bosses and main boss fights. Starting each run with no special upgrades, you're going to be collecting loot and passing through Goodie Gates, which present pick-and-choose rewards like Ratakaruta cards. Ratakaruta are collectable cards that grant passive buffs like damage boosts, HP recovery, and elemental effects - Water, Wind, Fire, Lightning, Ice, and Poison. Stacking the same element multiplies the effect, encouraging experimentation with builds.
Cobuns also respawn periodically when they die, keeping you from feeling too fragile, especially early on, before you’ve acquired rare or legendary weapons for them to equip.
Between runs, you can spend materials on weapon upgrades, some other useful boosts like healing stations that will appear in future runs, swap Cobuns’ equipment in the Squad menu, or even change your Ratatan entirely - meaning you don’t need to finish the fully with the Ratatan you picked at the start. Once prepped, you jump back into action, starting from the first, technically second boss.
Co-op is also supported, allowing up to four players. I haven’t tried it yet, but I can already tell it’ll be either pure joy or pure sensory overload (again).
Visuals & Sound
Ratatan’s 2D art is flashy, vibrant, and ridiculously cute. At first, the screen felt super overcrowded - it literally hurt my eyes - but once I settled into it, I began noticing all the little details, and it all became quite appealing. The upbeat, catchy music is also fun, and Ratatans shouting along with their own little voices makes it even better.
Final Thoughts
Yes, I quit on my first try. But I came back, and it landed. What started as ''too ADHD'' turned into ''okay wait, this is actually fun'' and then, inevitably, ''oh no… I’m addicted.''
Even in Early Access, it lets you experiment, offers plenty of replay value, and overall it's a solid mix of fun and challenge - not brutally punishing, but just grindy enough to keep you invested.
From the perspective of a first-time rhythm-game player, Ratatan hits all the right notes. Rhythm-game veterans will likely enjoy it even more. For me, it’s now my go-to pick when I want something lighthearted and easy to pick up without overthinking.
And honestly, it's a lot of fun watching your tiny Cobuns charge in shouting “MURDER!”
