I just imported a Japanese PS2 so that I could more easily play Beatmania imports. I have almost everything in IIDX 6th Mix unlocked, and also unlocked everything in The Sound of Tokyo in a single night. IIDX completely kicks my ass, though. I can complete most of the songs in beginner mode, but even in Light7 (the equivalent to "normal" from the other games) it's really freaking difficult, and I can't even imagine being able to finish most of the songs in 7Key ("hard") mode, much less Another (the equivalent of "Maniac" in DDR, but it's always been called "Another" in Beatmania).
I hope that IIDX 16 Empress has a bit more enjoyment to be had at levels other than RIDICULOUSLY INSANE.
Re: Beatmania
Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 10:10 am
by BBABM
That is ridiculous, I have never even heard of this game. Guitar hero on meth. That whole rig in the video is obviously the controller, where would one find this thing? Just the finger dexterity alone is mind boggling. Too cool
Re: Beatmania
Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 10:25 am
by ujnhunter
BBABM wrote:That is ridiculous, I have never even heard of this game. Guitar hero on meth. That whole rig in the video is obviously the controller, where would one find this thing? Just the finger dexterity alone is mind boggling. Too cool
Probably because Konami's Bemani games rarely left Japan. Guitar Hero and later Rock Band are pretty much just streamlined versions of Konami's Bemani games with Mainstream Rock music.
Re: Beatmania
Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 10:36 am
by fluffy
Yep. Beatmania is the predecessor to every instrument-based rhythm game, and is still the best one IMO. They did release a couple US versions (one arcade, one ps2) but they were too little, too late. Also somehow MTV games got some patents on Beatmania stuff in the US even though it had already been out for 10 years in Japan.
Re: Beatmania
Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 11:55 am
by fluffy
Oh, I should also mention that the game those videos came from (IIDX 6th Style) came out in 2002, and were recorded on the arcade version which came out in 2001. You know how excited people are about Rock Band 3? Yeah, about that.
Today I got my copy of IIDX 16th Style (which came out last year), just in time for me to bliss out during my vacation.