The Ratatan project, a spiritual successor to the game Patapon, successfully raised funding on Kickstarter in less than an hour

The game Ratatan, serving as the spiritual successor to the beloved PlayStation cult-classic series, Patapon, is being led by Hiroyuki Kotani, the creator of Patapon. The original Patapon musician, Kemmei Adachi, is contributing to the game's music.

The Kickstarter campaign for Ratatan reached its funding goal of $141,098 at its lowest level in just over 45 minutes. At the current moment, the project has received a total of $347,378 from 2,844 backers.

The project offers various stretch goals, including an online mode at approximately $347,000 and a console version at approximately $527,000. As of now, it is uncertain if the online mode stretch goal has been met as the project's page has not been updated.

For an entry-level standard tier on Kickstarter, priced at around $48, approximately 1500 players have contributed to gain access to the game.

Originally released for the PSP handheld console in 2007, Patapon is a rhythm-based 2D platform/action game where players command an army of adorable anthropomorphic eyeballs known as "Patapons" using drum beats to move forward, attack, defend, and retreat.

The producer, Kazuto Sakajiri, explained that the three main game concepts include having over 100 cute characters battling on-screen, featuring four-player simultaneous battles, and introducing more adventure and roguelike elements compared to Patapon.

Hiroyuki Kotani expressed his desire to create a Patapon-like experience with new elements for Ratatan. He also mentioned the possibility of working with Sony on a traditional Patapon sequel in the future.

Reflecting on Patapon's initial release, Kotani described it as a unique experience that captured the essence of its development era. The team aims to create another game with a similar charm adapted to the modern age.

Kotani added that while they might consider a Patapon sequel down the road, their primary focus is currently on creating their own game with a distinct style and gameplay that aligns with their vision. If the opportunity arises to discuss a Patapon sequel with Sony later, they will explore that possibility.