The Rhythm Is Gonna Get You

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Posted by Zonk on Monday January 30, 2006 @06:10AM from the shake-shake-shake-senora dept.

If shaking your groove thing or laying your thing down is something you enjoy, you might be interested in Gamespot's Rhythm Game 10 Spot, looking at the 10 Best Rhythm games. From the article: "Some of these rhythm games never made it outside of Japan, and others require you to purchase an expensive peripheral controller, but all of the greatest rhythm games are characterized by a few elements--a noteworthy soundtrack, a unique method of interaction, and an addictive gameplay. To be truly great, the game can be responsible for pioneering the genre or merely perfecting the established formula, and whether you're using your feet, hands, or stylus to map out the beat, we guarantee that in the following 10 games, the rhythm is going to get you." Played Guitar Hero for the first time this weekend, and it is as good as everyone says it is. Highly recommended.

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PaRappa the Rapper.... by joe+155 · 2006-01-30 06:14 · Score: 1

For me that was the ultimate rythem game, it was also the first rythem game i ever saw/played, it was nice that you didn't have to physically dance like you do with some of the dance mat games, so you didn't feel too stupid, with fun graphics and a mental story it had everything you could ever want... even cool music

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1. Re:PaRappa the Rapper.... by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-30 06:17 · Score: 0
  
  So you are pretty much saying that you beat your meat to the music? I can't belive you admit that on a public website!
2. Re:PaRappa the Rapper.... by bk_veggie · 2006-01-30 06:25 · Score: 1
  
  I agree, although I do think that his lesser known cousin UmJammer Lammy was quite an improvement in both challenge, art, and music. Also features the entire games playable as PaRappa after you first go through with Lammy.
3. Re:PaRappa the Rapper.... by twoallbeefpatties · 2006-01-30 17:00 · Score: 1
  
  Lammy had a bit better interface, but it just didn't have the moments. With Parappa, you walked away with "Kick, Punch! It's all in the mind!" stuck in your head for days. Lammy was a lot of fun, but the music just didn't have the hook that Parappa did - with the massive exception of the maternity ward episode ("Mamamamamamamamamamamamaaaa mamama!").
  
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rhythm games are too easy by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-30 06:19 · Score: 0

As someone who trained as a percussionist for 9 years (that's orchestral - snare plus keyboards [marimba, xylophone, vibes, glock, etc] plus tympani plus all the fun whosit gadgets, etc etc) and who also picked up guitar, bass, and piano, I have yet to come across a rhythm game that is actually difficult. I mean, they're fun, but they're not particularly challenging in the least.
1. Re:rhythm games are too easy by bk_veggie · 2006-01-30 06:22 · Score: 1
  
  Don't Worry. From what I've been reading on usenet, the Japanese hit 'Dance Dance Autoharp Hero' will be making it overseas for the PS3 launch.
2. Re:rhythm games are too easy by Vacuous · 2006-01-30 06:31 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Have you tried any of the more hardcore rhythm games? DDR/In the Grove are far from easy. If they aren't your style take a look at Beatmania IIDX, It's coming out in North America in march I believe, it's supposedly one of the most insane difficult rhythm games in existance. Stuff like Guitar Hero, donky conga, etc tend to be pretty tame.
3. Re:rhythm games are too easy by wedgewu · 2006-01-30 07:49 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  Try Karaoke Revolution on Expert mode. :) Along with the dance pad. I guarantee you won't find that easy, and your percussionist skills won't increase your ability for that game.
One to stay away from by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-30 06:22 · Score: 0

Dexy's Midnight Runners Funk Parade confirms the white person rhythm vacuum is not a stereotype. And that the USB tambourine will never be associated with a successful game.
Extreme power metal by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-30 06:23 · Score: 0

I'm not playing Guitar Hero until Dragonforce's "Fury of the Storm" is in it, preferably as an "end boss."
Play Amplitude instead of Frequenc y by hellomynameisclinton · 2006-01-30 06:26 · Score: 3, Informative

Though frequency is an awesome game in its own right, they fixed a lot of the awkwardness of the game with Amplitude. It's the same game, but with some of the more frustrating features removed (like tracks only being cleared until checkpoints).
1. Re:Play Amplitude instead of Frequenc y by Depris · 2006-01-30 19:38 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah I thought Frequency and Ampltitude were both equally good though Amp did fix some annoyances.
  
  I'm not a game developer so I don't know if it's unrealistic or not but I always thought it would be cool to have an Amplitude style game that could analyze any song and create a level based on it. My main beef was the limited soundtrack and also I liked Frequency because it focused more on Techno ....Amplitude seemed more like a showcase for all kinds of genres and songs for the RIAA. Who needs stuff like Pink...
  
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My Favories by MBCook · 2006-01-30 06:27 · Score: 1

I've become a big music game nut. PaRappa got me hooked.
I agree with the list for the most part. My personal favorite would be Amplitude, I'd love to see another sequel. I got Guitar Hero right before Christmas it was fantastic. However, the game got hard for me (the difficulty REALLY shot up fast for me at a specific part). I basically can't play on hard mode (5 buttons) past the few two or three songs. I'll practice more when I get more time.
I'd love a sequel to Guitar Hero too.
And, I have to give a BIG nod to Guitaroo Man. That game is also amazing. It's hard to find, but it's worth it. Not only is it a blast, but it has about the weirdest storyline you'll ever see (With the possible exception of a Bobobo-bo-bobo-bo game).

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1. Re:My Favories by XaXXon · 2006-01-30 06:54 · Score: 1
  
  I'll second the difficulty jump issue. I had the same problem.
  
  However, my biggest issue with Guitar Hero was the lack of (good) music. After you've played the standard songs, all you can do is unlock a bunch of mediocre Boston underground music. It's like a bunch of people in Boston thought their music was really cool and made a game about it. However, when they tried to get funding, the money people said, "Uhh, you have to use music people know." So they threw in some mainstream songs but as few as they had to.
  
  Guitar didn't teach me how to play guitar, but it did teach me that I don't like the Boston music scene.
2. Re:My Favories by geminidomino · 2006-01-30 14:50 · Score: 1
  
  Few? All of the "out of the box" music is known stuff. Though I agree that the "unlockables" aren't really worth the effort. =\
  
  Shocked the hell out of me that they didn't have "Jukebox Hero" as one of the songs, though... maybe Foreigner is another Zepplin, in that they rarely, if ever, license.
3. Re:My Favories by prockcore · 2006-01-30 15:21 · Score: 1
  
  However, the game got hard for me (the difficulty REALLY shot up fast for me at a specific part). I basically can't play on hard mode (5 buttons) past the few two or three songs. I'll practice more when I get more time.
  
  This is the one thing that pisses me off about Guitar Hero (well, one of three things really). There is no way to practice. I don't want to play the same 2 minute chorus over and over again just to get the solo that I always fail on!
  
  The fact that there is no practice mode really sucks. I've gotten up to the Fret Burners on Hard mode, and it seems ironic that Spanish Castle Magic is the only one I can beat. (Ironic because I can't even come close to playing that on a real guitar, but I can play the others)
  
  The other 2 things that annoy me about guitar hero is that you can't do arpeggios on a 1 string guitar so the fake version is actually harder to play than the real version, and the fret buttons are pretty cheap.
  
  I'd kill for a pressure sensitive fretboard instead of plastic buttons that feel cheap.
  
  I'm guessing that when they designed Guitar Hero, they expected their core audience would be 15 years old. I doubt they expected a lot of adults would play.
  
  Here's hoping they come out with a sequel that contains more variety, as well as a practice mode.
Conspicuously absent.. by Sunrun · 2006-01-30 06:38 · Score: 2, Insightful

REZ

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1. Re:Conspicuously absent.. by ewhac · 2006-01-30 06:56 · Score: 1
  
  REZ is also conspicuously absent from the shelves. I can't find the dratted thing anywhere in the States.
  Schwab
  
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2. Re:Conspicuously absent.. by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-30 07:23 · Score: 1, Informative
  
  Actually, if you RTFA
  
  So while games like Rez require attention to rhythm, it's almost as much of a shooter as it is a rhythm game.
3. Re:Conspicuously absent.. by gEvil+(beta) · 2006-01-30 07:32 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Actually, apparently a company called GameQuestDirect has landed the rights to reprint Rez and a few other games. They go for their original full price ($50), but it's cheaper than getting a used copy off of eBay.
  
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4. Re:Conspicuously absent.. by nakedsushi · 2006-01-30 09:16 · Score: 1
  
  It's not odd that Rez is absent from this list. While Rez is a game driven by music and rhythm, you don't actually need to have rhythm to play it. Your shots fire on beat in rhythm with the music automatically.
no Beatmania??? by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-30 06:44 · Score: 0

Boooooo-urns!

It's the game that started the entire BEMANI lineup, even though Guitar Freaks and DDR are on the list. Admittedly, Beatmania's interface is a bit rough, but surely they could have included IIDX, which is just about to enter its thirteenth incarnation...
What about the biggest rhythm game of 2005? by dacaffinator · 2006-01-30 06:51 · Score: 3, Funny

That is of course, GTA: San Andreas Hot Coffee Mod!
1. Re:What about the biggest rhythm game of 2005? by ClamIAm · 2006-01-30 07:04 · Score: 1
  
  I'm not sure that "bow chicka bow-wow" can be technically considered a "rhythm". Well, "motion of the ocean" and all that, but I'm not letting you off on a technicality.
2. Re:What about the biggest rhythm game of 2005? by damsa · 2006-01-30 17:59 · Score: 1
  
  In the hot coffee mod you have to move your character to the rythm of the "act" to get points. It gets really boring fast. Good thing they removed it from the real game.
What about the drums?!? by iamjoltman · 2006-01-30 07:05 · Score: 4, Interesting

They didn't even mention Donkey Konga/Donkey Konga 2 or Taiko Drum Master on their list. (OK, they're on the vote thing at the end, but not mentioned in the article!)
Anyway, as a drummer, I was drawn to the Donkey Konga games, and liked them as much as I expected. As for TDM, I've been wanting to get it, I'm still just waiting for the funds to be available for it :)
1. Re:What about the drums?!? by dimension6 · 2006-01-30 11:49 · Score: 1
  
  I was also surprised about this...TDM is a great game (played the PS2 version as well as the latest versions in Japanese game centers). Definitely need the physical drums...
2. Re:What about the drums?!? by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-30 19:13 · Score: 0
  
  Konami's Drummania is better then both of those... it's upsetting that the game wasnt even on the voting list.
  Also, they didn't have Beatmania, Beatmania IIDX, or Beatmania III on the voting list, despite referring to them on the first page (turntables).
  Not to mention the other inconsistencies... Is the DDR Max in the vote list the American or Japanese version? etc.
3. Re:What about the drums?!? by VxJasonxV · 2006-01-30 22:59 · Score: 1
  
  "Is the DDR Max in the vote list the American or Japanese version?"
  
  You know you're a DDR geek whenever you see a comment like this.
  The game doesn't change, the music does, and that's the biggest difference ever.
  
  (Not that I disagree!)
Miami Sound Machine... by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-30 07:06 · Score: 0

got me first. (1st step to recovery here)
1. Re:Miami Sound Machine... by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-30 07:14 · Score: 0
  
  "You failed to heed Gloria Estefan's warning; now the rhythm really is gonna get you." -- X-Play
Terrible list by EggmaniMN · 2006-01-30 07:19 · Score: 2, Insightful

I'm absolutely confounded as to why Beatmania IIDX isn't listed in there. Boasting amazing music, unbelievably challenging gameplay (telling me that it's easy would mean that you're a total liar) and it's hitting its 13th release in Japan in March. Not only that, but it hardly concentrates on "dance-friendly music" as it says in the article. Can't say I've ever seen anyone dance to Gabba or any sort of Click House. There's zero reason for it to not be on the list, especially when you have something like Samba de Amigo in there (which had very little music and almost no variation to the gameplay). Vib Ribbon doesn't deserve to be on there either. There just wasn't anything to the game to put it that far up the list. Ouendan certainly deserves recognition though. The game is amazing, with a great list of songs and great replay with its 4 different difficulties. And I'm almost offended that they'd say that early Guitar Freaks sounds better than the later installments. The earlier stuff doesn't even sound professional in comparison to some of the greater and later works in the series, not to mention how further spread the genres of music got by the 9th game (8th for Drummania).
1. Re:Terrible list by wedgewu · 2006-01-30 07:55 · Score: 1
  
  Beatmania has amazing music... if you like that style of music. I don't prefer it, though I do enjoy Beatmania from time to time... I'd rather play Pop'n Music - which is just as challenging as Beatmania. (And Pop'n gets its 12th release in March...) If you look at the list, some of them are there not just because of the game, but because of the impact it had on the genre or its pure innovation. I can't speak for Samba de Amigo, but VibRibon was (and still is) different in the fact that you actually can use your own songs. The game might be simple, but it had a lot of charm and if you think about it, infinite replayability since you are no longer confined to a singular songlist. Many of the Bemani games are difficult to get into if you don't start at the very early editions (I started Pop'n Music at #9, and I'm still pretty bad at it despite a LOT of playtime) so I'm not surprised that more didn't make the list. They're all rather similar when you come down to it - I'd rather that Pop'n was the representative one than say, Guitar Freaks, but they are all very very similar.
2. Re:Terrible list by Gizzmonic · 2006-01-30 09:31 · Score: 1
  
  Boasting amazing music, unbelievably challenging gameplay (telling me that it's easy would mean that you're a total liar) and it's hitting its 13th release in Japan in March. Not only that, but it hardly concentrates on "dance-friendly music" as it says in the article. Can't say I've ever seen anyone dance to Gabba or any sort of Click House.
  
  The problem with Beatmania is that it's less of a music game and more of a rhythm/timing game. Games like Samba de Amigo or Guitar Hero roughly simulate the experience of playing an instrument. Whereas the music in Beatmania is completely superlative. The speed at which the notes pass shatters the illusion of "playing along." Add in the fact that the music is largely throwaway J-Pop, and you've got a game that doesn't stand out much among rhythm games (besides its incredible challenge). Not to mention the mixing is BAAADDD in some of the Beatmania arcade games I've played.
  
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3. Re:Terrible list by EggmaniMN · 2006-01-30 09:45 · Score: 1
  
  In that case, you haven't played enough of it and you've only seen the earlier stuff. The very early 5key stuff is mostly very bad but the later games has an incredible assortment of music. I don't even know where you're getting the throwaway J-pop stuff. There are maybe 1 or 2 songs like that in each mix (sometimes zero). It just shows that you don't know what you're talking about.
  
  And how is the music is Beatmania superlative? You're the one playing it. You don't play along because you're the one actually creating every track, as it happens within the song, as opposed to the laying down of each track separately as Amplitude/Frequency does.
  
  And it doesn't stand out? Check out Bemanistyle.com or perhaps www.vjarmy.com/iidx and try to tell me that it doesn't stand out. It was one of the 10 top ranked arcade games in Japan. It has a HUGE following.
4. Re:Terrible list by twoallbeefpatties · 2006-01-30 16:31 · Score: 1
  
  I could suppose that Guitar Freaks made the list while IIDX didn't because Guitar Freaks is a bit easier to get a grip on, is a bit more accessible, whereas the easiest IIDX tracks can horribly confuse people for quite a while. Or it could be that this is just another Gamespot wankfest that doesn't truly give credit where credit is due. But still, how the hell did Bust-A-Groove get a better score than Parappa?
  
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5. Re:Terrible list by Moogy0 · 2006-01-31 03:02 · Score: 1
  
  lol sup eggman PS I agree
Game-Journalism Idiocy by ClamIAm · 2006-01-30 07:22 · Score: 2, Interesting

Though rhythm games arguably had their heyday 5 to 10 years ago
1995? Yeah, it's 2006 now, but I don't think lots of rhythm games came out in January of '96. I guess I'm bugged by the fact that the author presents this as a common opinion, yet I've never run across people saying this before. It's not a well-known thing like the "Crash of '84" or the golden years of 2-D platform games (which I consider the NES/SNES/Genesis days).
1. Re:Game-Journalism Idiocy by EggmaniMN · 2006-01-30 08:09 · Score: 1
  
  I didn't even see that line in the article and I have to say, it makes me laugh. Parappa came out in Japan in December of 96 but aside from that, no music games were released until DDR/Beatmania in 98 and Pop'n Music in 99. Not only that, but music games increased in popularity since that point until DDR kinda died out in Japan, though the Beatmania IIDX/Pop'n Music/Guitar Freaks/Drummania series are all still wildly popular and are still getting arcade and home releases (Beatmania's being released here in March-April). Yeah, they did some in-depth research there.
2. Re:Game-Journalism Idiocy by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-30 23:25 · Score: 0
  
  "5 to 10 years ago"
  
  2001 to 1996
  
  It's a period, not simply one year.
  
  Can you not read?
Vib Ribbon by Dunx · 2006-01-30 07:38 · Score: 1

Glad to see Vib Ribbon get a mention. A wonderful game that I miss; worth looking for if you have a European- or Japanese-region capable Playstation.

Two particularly challenging ideas for "levels":

- "Good Vibrations", the Beach Boys
- anything by Mozart

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Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix by funny-jack · 2006-01-30 07:46 · Score: 1

Does anybody out there have any information about what happened to Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix for the GameCube? It came out back in November, sold out, and hasn't been seen since. Of course Nintendo is only giving out boilerplate responses, but something has to be up. Anyone out there have any inside information? (And no, I'm not talking about Gamestop/EB Games/Best Buy employees who "heard it was discontinued" or some such junk—I mean real info.)

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1. Re:Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix by Arcanis+the+Rogue · 2006-01-30 08:33 · Score: 1
  
  To be honest, I was wondering the exact same thing. I have no clue on the status of the game, but I have heard that it was morbidly easy compared to the other Dance Dance Revolution games.
PaRappa wasn't the first Rythm game by Anonymous Coward · 2006-01-30 08:34 · Score: 0

Dragon's Lair was... it came out in 1983. Had to time your joystick movements to flashing floor tiles and and doors, but it was still about timing and not interactivity, so it qualifies in my book.

and prior to that we had Simon. Kick, Kick, Punch is no great leap from red, red, blue.
What about Dragon's Lair? by c0d3h4x0r · 2006-01-30 09:34 · Score: 2, Interesting

Didn't all of these "rhythm games" really begin with the arcade game "Dragon's Lair"? Unlike all other video games before it, the gameplay was all about pushing the correct direction at precisely the right moment and stringing together and memorizing sequences. It was radically different from the "real time" movement of all other video games. It might not have been about "dancing", but it's a classic "rhythm game" in my opinion.

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1. Re:What about Dragon's Lair? by MBCook · 2006-01-30 10:57 · Score: 1
  
  No.
  The closest thing would be Simon. While you did have to press specific buttons at specific times in Dragon's Lair, it wasn't tied to music, and it was just one button (or direction) that you had to press each time, as opposed to long strings of button presses in these games. I remember there being an old game (Atari 2600?) where you were a little guy who would have to copy the dance moves of another little guy by pressing the right direction (up, down, left, right). It was simon, but with dancing.
  The first "modern" rhythm game I remember ever seeing was PaRappa.
  I wouldn't consider Dragon's Lair a rhythm game because there was no rhythm involved, at all. However, it was the first quick-time event game. There are many names for it, but I mean the cinematic in Shenmue (where you would suddenly have to press a button). They also had these kind of things in God of War and many other games lately (they seem to have been rediscovered recently, perhaps as a way of making cinematic more interesting).
  
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Available in Europe by LKM · 2006-01-30 09:41 · Score: 2, Informative

It seems to be easily available in Europe. I own a copy and ordered a second copy a few days ago on amazon.de. They had it in stock.

The game itself it pretty cool. The story mode is a lot of fun (with plenty of minigames, like four-way mole whacking), but a bit too easy. The music is mostly well done, with some of techno-styled Mario tracks.
I am disappointed. by kevin.fowler · 2006-01-30 15:12 · Score: 1

I had my hopes up that this was going to be announcing a Miami Sound Machine comeback.

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Dragon's Lair?! by loqi · 2006-01-30 18:19 · Score: 1

No, you're thinking of all these "mind-numbingly sadistic games", of which there is only truly one.

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Daigasso! Band Brothers by dmauro · 2006-01-31 03:50 · Score: 1

I don't understand how this game didn't get a mention on the top ten let alone how it wasn't even an option in their voting list.

You can play wirelessly with your friends (even on the subway if you'd like because it's portable), you get to actually play the music, the selection of songs is pretty good and includes greats like the Legend of Zelda theme, the art style is a lot of fun, and the game gets sufficiently difficult for all the maniacs out there.

As much as I love Ouendan, Band Brothers gets more play on my DS.
Bo-BO-bo-bo bo-BO-bo ??!?!?!?!?!??! by ClioCJS · 2006-02-01 05:26 · Score: 1

Sir, Please direct me to the BoBoBo game!

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Good News! by funny-jack · 2006-02-01 16:07 · Score: 1

Good news! I just received an update from Nintendo! Sweet Dance Dance action is set to hit store shelves again in April!

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