Taiko 3DS 2 Speedrun FAQ

Taiko no Tatsujin: Don to Katsu no Jikuu Daibouken for Nintendo 3DS

(the 2nd Taiko game for the console, I will call it "Taiko 3DS 2" for short)

Speedrun FAQ

 

The main focus of the speedrun in Taiko 3DS 2 is a mode called Big Space-Time Adventure. It is primarily an RPG which does have a beginning and an ending. BSTA plays a LOT like a typical RPG. There is an overworld you walk around on, a first in a Taiko game. There are towns, shops, NPCs, random battles, boss fights, equipment, companions, leveling system... everything a RPG usually has. There are actually a lot of rhythm games with a mode similar to this for unlocking songs, like a few other Taiko games and some Pop'n Music games, but BSTA has one VERY IMPORTANT THING that most of these do not have: You can end the song early.

 

Ending the songs early is done by reducing the enemy HP to 0 before the song ends. Your companions will attack after a certain amount of combo which resets after every attack. This number is different for each companion depending on their speed value. Accuracy doesn't seem to matter in terms of attacking, but it does if you want to stay alive. Getting "Good"s will keep your combo however it will allow the enemy to build up their "combo" to attack you (same with Misses or bomb hits but you drop your combo). Hitting nothing but "Great"s will prevent the enemy from attacking at all.

 

Here are the differences between a New Game and New Game+ categories in terms of speedrunning:

New Game: Starts time after confirming the name on a brand new save slot. No QR codes or DLC costumes / companions are permitted as they count as obtaining costumes / companions before you even start the Story Mode (New Game needs to be completely fresh).

New Game+: Starts time after deleting Story Mode data in the options (because a save file already has been made). QR codes and DLC costumes / companions are allowed. You are allowed to get any costumes from playing the Main Game mode (like Funassyi).

 

 

 

######## Progression: ########

Progression through BSTA is fairly easy. Is it mainly traversing the overworld, triggering certain events to progress, fighting bosses, and either running away from or forced to fight random encounters. I believe the ability to run away from a battle is dependent on the level of Don-chan. If it is low, it is harder to run away. It is a big RNG factor of the run and can cause a lot of time loss.

 

 

 

######## Equipment: ########

Full list (up to the first few DLC, the guide is incomplete):

https://www.gamefaqs.com/3ds/784669-taiko-no-tatsujin-don-to-katsu-no-jikuu-daibouken/faqs/69590?page=1#Dress-Up List

 

For the most part, the equipment gives HP+ / Attack+, but a lot of these have very unique attributes. Equipment is obtained through buying them from the vendors, beating challenges in story mode, doing sidequests, playing certain songs in normal play, QR codes, or DLC.

 

For the speedrun, I will be using Funassyi (ふなっしー) for 50% increased movement speed on the overworld, which is obtained by playing the song Funa Funa Funassyi (ふな ふな ふなっしー♪) in normal gameplay mode, not story mode.

 

There are two additional items I had considered using, called Matsuri Happy (お祭りはっぴ) and Headband (はちまき). Each gives 20% increase to attack, together will be 40% increased attack. This is a DLC item (500yen plus tax) included in Popular Songs + Extra Quest Pack 7 (人気曲+追加クエストパック 7). The time it takes to equip these in the menus then back to Funassyi takes about 27 seconds. In all of the scenarios I tested, I do not save 27 seconds between fighting a boss with Funassyi equipped compared to with the Matsuri Happy/Headband equipped, so even though the 40% sounds nice, I do not believe it saves time.

 

 

 

######## Companions: ########

Full list:

https://www.gamefaqs.com/3ds/784669-taiko-no-tatsujin-don-to-katsu-no-jikuu-daibouken/faqs/69590?page=1#Companions

 

As you play, you can recruit companions to fight for you. You have space for 4 normal sized companions. Large companions take up the space of 2 normal sized companions (so you can have 2 big, 1 big 2 normal, or 4 normal). Each companion has a different HP / Attack / Speed value. Companions are obtained through either the story, through beating them in battle (random chance of recruitment), or through QR Codes.

 

I will be using the 3 highest attack companions I can get from the start, which are obtained from QR codes. These are Shishimai (ししまい), Tatsudon (たつドン), and Gawain (ガウェイン). These 3 have the highest damage per square of the QR code companions.

 

Each of these companions has a special ability. Gawain has "Full Throttle", which is "When speed increases, attack from smaller combos." I end up replacing this one as it seems to only affect songs with speed increases. The new one is given by a Deadly Book, which is "Satisfactory Blow", which is "When attacking, damage is sometimes higher." Shishimai has "High Spirit Power", which is "After every attack, your attack increases." Tatsudon does not have a special ability so I will be getting a book about halfway through the run (called Support Book) which raises all companions attack every time he attacks.

 

 

 

 

More to be added, ask me a question.