# Ratatan Beginner Guide

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Written for the 1.0 launch build (October 15, 2026). Systems may change with post-launch updates.

Ratatan is a rhythm roguelike from Ratata Arts, published by Game Source Entertainment, released as version 1.0 on October 15, 2026 for PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. From the team behind Patapon, led by producer Hiroyuki Kotani, it is a spiritual successor, not a sequel. You lead a Ratatan and an army of Cobun across the world of Redo, marching from the island of Rataport toward the Everafter to meet the Goddess. This guide covers your first runs: rhythm commands, Fever Mode, Cobun armies, roguelite progression, and co-op.

Launch facts: US $34.99 for the Standard Edition, $39.99 for the Deluxe Edition. Early Access ran on Steam from September 19, 2025 to October 15, 2026, and Early Access owners keep their copy and their save data. The PlayStation 4 and original Switch versions were cut during development. Version 1.0 adds Episodes 3 and 4, the final world and final boss, every Dark Ratatan, and the orchestral soundtrack. Single-player plus online co-op for up to 4 players; there is no local co-op.

## How rhythm commands work

Ratatan uses three command sounds: RATA, ZUN-TAKA, and YA-HOI. Each command is three inputs inside a four-beat measure, leaving one beat of rest, so do not mash a fourth press. There are six commands: three attack variations, guard, jump, and Fall In, which repositions your army to your Ratatan. Watch the beat bar along the bottom of the screen and press on the beat. On Switch 2, reviewers report pressing Y three times rallies your Cobun to your side and pressing A three times orders an attack. Normal attacks restore MP, while special attacks spend it, so weave basic attacks between specials.

Two things make Ratatan harder than Patapon. First, you directly move your Ratatan around the 2D battlefield, so positioning matters as much as timing: you can walk into danger while your eyes are on the beat bar. Second, a mistimed input can leave your Cobun standing idle while enemies hit them. If the rhythm feels off, the game offers an Advanced rhythm command mode and a Classic rhythm gauge mode for a more Patapon-like feel. Try Classic if you keep dropping combos in the default mode.

## Fever Mode: your damage engine

Chain commands without dropping the beat to fill the tension gauge at the center of the screen. When it fills, you enter Fever Mode, which boosts the music, your Cobun response, attack damage, critical rate, and hustle tech damage. Keep the chain going for Super Fever, a higher tier. Dropping the beat loses the chain, but the game gives you slack: depending on your Fever level, you can last up to two measures without any input before the momentum dies. Use that pause deliberately. When a boss winds up a big attack, it is better to stop, read the telegraph, and guard than to force another command and eat the hit.

## Your first run, step by step

- **Pick a Ratatan.** There are eight playable Ratatans, each with unique stats and unit types. For a first run, pick whichever description fits how you like to play: there is no wrong starter, and you will unlock more as you go.

- **Learn the commands in the opening stages.** A crow-like guide named Crow explains the basics. Practice Fall In, attack, and guard until you can issue each without looking at the button prompts.

- **Clear sections and pick upgrade cards.** Each stage is broken into sections, and clearing one usually offers a choice of three ability upgrade cards. Abilities grant effects such as attacks that cause a burning status or increased critical damage. Higher-rarity cards give bigger benefits. Pick cards that stack with each other rather than grabbing something new every time.

- **Expect to fail, and spend between runs.** Runs restart at Stage 1 when you fall. Between runs, use the resources you collected to level up, upgrade your base, and craft and improve weapons, so each attempt starts stronger. Decide each run whether you are pushing for a clear or farming resources for upgrades.

- **Use the village between runs.** Review each unit's equipment, donate expendable items at the Altar for points (1,000 points buys one Gacha pull for a random item), and spend resources at the support desk on permanent unlocks. Reviewers highlight two early support desk unlocks: a healing spring that always spawns in the Pirates of the Paraddean region, and a Cobun House Annex that lets you deploy 4 Cobun per run.

## Cobun armies: keep them alive

Your Cobun are your damage. There are over 100 Cobun characters fighting in a massive melee, and they follow the orders you give to the beat. Fallen Cobun respawn eventually, according to Steam forum players, so when your army thins out, retreat and regroup instead of throwing the survivors at the boss. Keep Cobun close with Fall In before a boss attack lands, and check their equipment in the village: reviewers recommend reviewing every unit's weapons and accessories and equipping the best stat boosts before each run. Players report that different Cobun types interact with different obstacles, so a diverse army covers more situations than a one-type stack.

## Bosses and defense: learn the answer

Bosses telegraph their attacks with red circles on the ground. Steam forum players note that some telegraphs leave almost no time to react, so the correct response is often to know the answer in advance: for a red-circle blast, the guard command is usually the only defense that lands in time, because you cannot run away fast enough. Treat each boss attack as a puzzle with one right command, and learn the pattern across attempts rather than improvising mid-blast.

## Co-op: online only

Ratatan supports online co-op for up to 4 players. There is no local co-op, so each player needs their own copy and system. Cross-play availability varied by platform at launch, so confirm the current status before planning a cross-platform session. If you are playing solo first, that is the intended way to learn: co-op adds coordination on top of an already busy rhythm loop.

## Launch day notes

Early reviews praise the catchy soundtrack, the colorful 2D animation, and the rhythm combat loop, while noting that roguelike upgrades can feel elementary, that boss fights demand exact answers, and that dodging while keeping the beat is a genuine multitasking challenge. PS5 Pro players report framerate dips when transitioning between areas. Expect patches in the first weeks, and treat exact numbers above as launch-build figures. If a tip here conflicts with what you see in your game after an update, the in-game descriptions win.

Sources: THQ Nordic / Game Source Entertainment launch announcements (Oct 15, 2026 1.0 launch, $34.99, platforms, Episodes 3 and 4), Game Informer product info (developer, publisher, genre, release date), Nintendo Life (Switch 2 release, price, 100+ characters, co-op), Nintendo Everything review (Y three times to rally, A three times to attack, five stages, three-card upgrades, MP system), NookGaming Early Access review (three sounds, six commands, three inputs per four-beat measure, two-measure grace, Fever sing-off), Life is Xbox review (roguelite structure, resources between runs), Press Play News PS5 review (direct control, tension toward Fever), CGMag review (eight Ratatans, three inputs, Patapon comparison), PS4Blog Switch 2 review (village equipment check, Altar Gacha at 1,000 points, support desk unlocks), Cat with Monocle review (no local co-op, PS5 Pro framerate dips, soundtrack), HowToVideoGame (1.0 timing, Advanced and Classic rhythm modes), Steam forum (red-circle telegraphs, Cobun respawn). Written for the October 15, 2026 1.0 launch build; systems may change with updates.

## Otras guías de Ratatan

- [**Beginner Guide**First-run priorities, rhythm commands, Fever Mode, Cobun armies, roguelite progression, and co-op.](/es/guides/ratatan/beginner-guide/)

[Ratatan centro de guías](/es/guides/ratatan/) · [todas las guías](/es/guides/)

## Frequently asked questions

### How do rhythm commands work in Ratatan?

Ratatan uses three command sounds: RATA, ZUN-TAKA, and YA-HOI. Each command is three inputs inside a four-beat measure, leaving one beat of rest. Combining them issues six commands: three attack variations, guard, jump, and Fall In, which repositions your army to your Ratatan. Watch the beat bar at the bottom of the screen. On Switch 2, pressing Y three times rallies your Cobun and pressing A three times orders an attack. Normal attacks restore MP and special attacks spend it.

### What is Fever Mode and how do I trigger it?

Fever Mode triggers when you chain commands without dropping the beat, filling the tension gauge at the center of the screen. Fever boosts the music, your Cobun response, attack damage, critical rate, and hustle tech damage. Keep the chain going for Super Fever, a higher tier. Depending on your Fever level, you can last up to two measures without any input before the momentum dies, so use pauses to read the battlefield instead of panicking.

### What happens when I die or fail a run in Ratatan?

Ratatan is a roguelite: when a run ends, you restart at Stage 1, but you keep meta-progression. Resources collected during runs go toward leveling up, upgrading your base, and crafting and improving weapons, so each attempt starts stronger. During a run, fallen Cobun respawn eventually, so retreat and regroup when your army thins out. There are five stages to clear to reach the Everafter.

### Is Ratatan a sequel to Patapon?

No. Ratatan is a spiritual successor to Patapon from the same team, led by producer Hiroyuki Kotani, not a sequel. You do not need to have played Patapon. The rhythm-command idea carries over, but Ratatan adds direct control of your character, a roguelite run structure, and a new world and cast. A Classic rhythm gauge mode is available if you want a more Patapon-like feel.

### Is Ratatan multiplayer, and how much does it cost?

Ratatan supports online co-op for up to 4 players. There is no local co-op. It costs US $34.99 for the Standard Edition or $39.99 for the Deluxe Edition, and it launched as version 1.0 on October 15, 2026 for PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Cross-play availability varied by platform at launch, so confirm before planning a cross-platform session.

### What is the best Cobun army composition for beginners?

There is no single best army. A diverse Cobun composition covers more situations, since different Cobun types interact with different obstacles. Keep every unit's weapons and accessories up to date in the village, donate expendable items at the Altar for Gacha pulls, and buy support desk unlocks such as the Cobun House Annex. Pick upgrade cards that stack with each other rather than grabbing something new every time.