CATCH THE RHYTHM AND FEEL THE BEAT! NAMCO RELEASES NEW SCREENSHOTS FOR TAIKO: DRUM MASTER (working title) New Drum Game Scheduled to Hit Store Shelves Holiday 2004 San Jose, Ca., (June 16, 2004) - Get ready to hone your drumming skills! Leading video games developer and publisher Namco Hometek Inc. released today a variety of new screenshots for TAIKO: Drum Master, the new game that challenges your rhythmic skills through fun and challenging game play. Developed by Namco Ltd. in Japan, TAIKO: Drum Master will release in time for the holiday season. TAIKO: Drum Master challenges players to learn the art of the Japanese drum by way of a miniature drum controller attachable to the PlayStation®2 console. Players earn points to clear each stage by tapping along with the song rhythm on the surface and edge of the drum controller. With whimsical graphics and beautifully orchestrated music, TAIKO: Drum Master allows players to perfect their drumming either alone or with a friend in two-player mode, where two people can go head-to-head in a battle of skill. With more than 30 different songs and a variety of skill levels, TAIKO: Drum Master delivers a unique game play experience filled with flexibility and fun. Think you’ve got rhythm? Test out your skill with TAIKO: Drum Master – a new game for the whole family! Attach the miniature Japanese drum controller to your PS2 and you’re ready to drum to the music. Play alone or go head to head with a friend and see who will be crowned the ultimate Drum Master. Features: • LEARN THE SKILL. Perfect the art of the Japanese drum (taiko.) Tap on the surface and the edge of the taiko controller – either on one side or both sides simultaneously according to the play instructions on the screen. You can choose songs at varying difficulty levels, so as you advance, challenge yourself to the most difficult songs! • MULTIPLE MODES OF PLAY. Hone your taiko skills, and play to the song of your choice – if you can tap to the rhythm of the song, you’ll accumulate enough points to clear the stage! Other modes include competition with friends and mini-games where you use the taiko controller to clear non-musical objectives. • COMPETE WITH A FRIEND. Ready for more? Go head to head with a friend for the battle of the drums. Play with an additional taiko controller, or with the Dual Shock 2 analog controller. You’ll be able to monitor your performance against each other real-time. • VARIETY OF MUSIC. Drum to a wide variety of music – there are over 30 songs to play! For more information about TAIKO: Drum Master, please visit www.namco.com.