Sony's critically acclaimed mix of rhythm, action, and strategy marches back to the PSP with a slightly darker tone and an emphasis on and multiplayer gaming in Patapon 3. Rather than acting as a omnipresent God, Patapon 3 puts gamers in the role of a slightly oversized Superhero Patapon sent to resurrect its fallen comrades, who were felled by seven evil spirits. However, the basic game mechanics remain the same, with players once again pressing the face buttons on their PSP to the beat of a throbbing drum in order to goad their army of cyclopean silhouettes into marching, jumping, and attacking giant monsters. There are more than 80 single-player missions that culminate in 20 different boss battles, and gamers can collect plenty of loot along the way to upgrade their squad. Multiplayer options let up to four friends each take control of a legendary superhero and join forces in local or online co-op action, while up to eight gamers can go head-to-head in four-on-four competitive battles.