It is the first game to be developed by CyberConnect, as well as the first installment in the Little Tail Bronx series, which takes place in a steampunk fantasy world of floating islands populated by anthropomorphic dogs and cats. Though it received a generally positive response from critics, the title was met with low sales in Japan, falling short of the publisher's expectations.

The Story Behind Tail Concerto

Tail Concerto was first released in Japan in April 1998 and the following December in France, with an English version released in North America in November 1999 by publisher Atlus USA. Although no soundtrack originally accompanied the game's 1998 release, an album called the Tail Concerto Perfect Sound Track was eventually released on January 30, 2015 featuring 47 tracks, including a new version of "For Little Tail" performed by Tomoyo Mitani, who provided the vocals for the theme songs to Solatorobo: Red the Hunter and Little Tail Story. Tail Concerto spent nearly two years in development before being released in Japan in April 1998, and would make an appearance at the 1998 Tokyo Game Show where it "drew a crowd for its looks and playability", according to website IGN.

While Bandai of America had originally not confirmed an English release in the region, the company remarked that the title "had a very good chance" of coming to the West as early as June 1999. As the deadline passed, publishing rights changed hands between multiple US studios, including Activision, before Atlus USA announced in July 1999 that they would be releasing the North American version of Tail Concerto as part of their company strategy to "broaden its domestic library through eclectic acquisitions", and to release it by the end of the following September. Animosity between the two species has led to a history of conflict, with dogs now representing the majority population.

How Tail Concerto Plays

The game features support for the PlayStation's DualShock controller's analog sticks, which can be used for movement instead of the directional pad, as well as its built-in vibration feedback function. Players control the character Waffle, who pilots a semi-humanoid mecha called the "Police Robo" with the ability to run, jump, climb on ledges, and hover in mid-air for brief periods. "For Little Tail" was recorded in 1997 specifically for the game, one year before Kokia's musical debut, and was regarded by her as an "illusion song" since it was never released on any album until 13 years later, when it appeared as the B-side of her 2010 single "Road to Glory ~Long Journey~".

Animosity between the two species has led to a history of conflict, with dogs now representing the majority population. Some areas require the use of different means of travel, such as mine carts and a jet pack, or attacking enemies using heat-seeking missiles. It is the first game to be developed by CyberConnect, as well as the first installment in the Little Tail Bronx series, which takes place in a steampunk fantasy world of floating islands populated by anthropomorphic dogs and cats.

Why Players Still Load It Up

Tail Concerto received a 30 out of 40 from the staff of Famitsu, earning the publication's Silver Award, as well as a 77.5% average score from Dengeki PlayStation, based on individual reviews of 75, 85, 75, and 75. The game received above-average reviews in the west according to the review aggregation website GameRankings. It was released in 2021 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam.

In June 2007, CyberConnect2 released promotional artwork for a new video game, which was confirmed to be a spiritual successor to Tail Concerto called Solatorobo: Red the Hunter, which takes place in the same world, and was released for the Nintendo DS in 2010. He also felt that although the spoken dialogue was "very well done", the translation became "curiously awkward" as the story progressed, and that certain voice samples had a tendency to play over the wrong text. With a serious-mindedness that belies its whimsical appearance, these games brilliantly embody the essence of Hayao Miyazaki's directorial ethos." The game sold approximately 97,000 units in Japan, falling short of CyberConnect and Bandai's original goal, and would reach a grand total of around 150,000 units sold worldwide.

Tail Concerto — Frequently Asked Questions