Tap Tap Revenge Tour proves that rhythm games can still be fun... and expensive

While games like Guitar Hero or Rock Band may have dominated the console rhythm game scene, the genre had another master on mobile, as Tapulous' Tap Tap series is arguably the leader on the iOS space. Mixing popular bands and songs with relative unknowns, the company's newest title, "Tap Tap Revenge Tour," offers more symbols to challenge you while playing, but the remaining focus on in-app purchases might turn you off.

Tap Tap Revenge Tour is, as the name suggests, set around the idea of touring with your virtual band. You'll complete songs that are either heavily remixed pop hits, or songs from folks that most players will have likely never heard of. It's disappointing that you'll start with so few "free" songs in your catalog, but you can purchase a multitude of other songs if you're willing to pay real money for them. There are also some free songs available to download in the store, but you can easily miss them if you don't know they're there.

Whether you're playing a free or paid song, the gameplay is the same, as you'll watch notes travel down bars and must tap on the bottom of the screen when the "notes" arrive in the active area. Different symbols correspond to different actions, from simple tapping to holding down your thumb on the screen or even slicing to split a symbol in half. There are multiple difficulty levels to choose from for each song, which correspond to how hectic your note patterns ultimately are, and you'll forever have an accuracy gauge in the bottom corner of the screen that alerts you when you're making mistakes.

If you perform well on a song, you might see yourself at the top of that song's particular leaderboard, but regardless, you'll make your way further and further the Tour or "story" mode and will unlock new goodies for your "Wall." This wall serves as a sort of pad for your band when they're not playing on tour, as you can customize it like you would a home.

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All told, Tap Tap Revenge Tour doesn't break the franchise's own mold, but it still offers responsive, polished rhythm game action. If you think of the game as more of a "music discovery" experience, perhaps the questionable music library will work more to the game's advantage, but if you go in expecting every hit you'd find on the top charts on iTunes, you'll likely be disappointed.

Click here to download Tap Tap Revenge Tour on iTunes --->

Do you still play Tap Tap games on your iPhone? What do you think of this newest installment in the series? Sound off in the comments!