The Great Gaymathon Review #70: Rhythm Tengoku The Best Plus (3DS)

Game: Rhythm Tengoku The Best Plus

Genre: Music/Rhythm

Developer: Nintendo SPD

Publisher: Nintendo

System: 3DS

Release date: 2015

Despite the fact that a lot of people consider video games to be synonymous with "fun," amusement sadly doesn’t seem to be the aim of a whole lot of the cartridges and discs that find their way onto physical and virtual store shelves these days.

Which helps explain why I've found the grin-inducing Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus to be so refreshing thus far—even though a good portion of its content is recycled from earlier entries in this vaunted series of rhythm games.

I’m not sure why my reaction to The Best Plus surprised me, I’ve got to admit. After all, I’ve adored every Rhythm Tengoku title the folks that make up Nintendo’s SPD department have spit out to this point—which includes the GBA original from 2006, 2009’s Gold and 2012’s Fever (known as Minna no Rhythm Tengoku in Japan).

I guess I just assumed that this latest iteration’s status as a “best of” release would make it less enjoyable than its predecessors. Thankfully, after putting more than 13 hours into it (and getting all the way to its credit roll) so far, I can say without hesitation that this is far from the case and that The Best Plus is just as likely to put a smile on your face as those earlier titles.

That’s partially due to the all-new mini-games that are on offer here (with "Te Te Te Pan Pan," or "Neko Clap," being the best of the bunch), but it’s also due to the fact that this iteration does things differently than the ones that came before it.

Granted, some folks—long-time fans of the series, especially—aren’t as fond as I am of the some of the changes introduced in Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus. The main culprits: the surprisingly text-heavy story that holds everything together this time around, the older mini-games that kick things off and feature songs that have been re-worked in mostly unappealing ways, and the many hours of play that have to be put in before you can access the first of the series’ vaunted “remixes.”

Although I can see where they're coming from with their complaints, I personally like that this release's developers had the balls to take some liberties with the series' heretofore tried-and-true formula.

It helps, of course, that after The Best Plus' somewhat slow start, everything progresses at a nice, increasingly enjoyable clip. That's especially true after a bunch of old favorites show up to the festivities (with the exception of "The Bon Odori"--harrumph) and a slew of fabulous remixes do the same.

Also helping matters is that controls in The Best Plus are as simple and straightforward as those that can be found in the GBA original. In other words, all you're asked to do is press a single button (two, on rare occasions) in time with the music that's on hand. There's no swiping of DS' touchscreen or pinching of the Wii remote's A and B buttons, as was the case with Gold and Fever, respectively--news that's sure to please a lot of the Rhythm Tengoku lovers who weren't big fans of those entries.

Admittedly, I found myself kind of missing the aforementioned touchscreen swipes while playing through some of the updated iterations of Gold's mini-games that are on offer here, but it wasn't enough of a bummer for me to considering downgrading this "review" as a result.

Speaking of which, if you've played the first Rhythm Tengoku or Fever on the Wii and got a kick out of those experiences, you'll probably react similarly to this one. Or, if you played Gold and hated it because it forced you to use your DS' stylus, you'll likely find yourself a lot less grumpy this time around.

Unfortunately, a lot of people who fall into one or both of those camps won't be able to see if my predictions are spot-on or off the mark unless Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus is released in their particular locale (thanks to Nintendo's idiotic decision to region-lock the 3DS hardware), so here's hoping Australian, European, North American and other localizations are announced--and sooner rather than later.

See also: previous 'Great Gaymathon' reviews

Wubbadubbadubba, it's true: a Rhythm Tengoku 'Ringside' theme just hit the Japanese 3DS eShop

An alternate headline for this post, if you're the kind of person who gets a kick out of that sort of thing: "If Nintendo doesn't add this Rhythm Heaven 'Ringside' theme to the North American 3DS eShop, and soon, somebody's probably going to get hurt."

After all, who wouldn't jump at the chance to replace their 3DS' generic menu screen with a theme that features the iconic--and more than a little homoerotic--wrestler who appeared in Nintendo's last Rhythm Heaven (Rhythm Tengoku in Japan) title?

Speaking of Rhythm Tengoku--or Heaven, depending on which way you swing--the latest entry in this fabulous series, Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus, just hit Japanese store shelves (as well as that region's 3DS eShop).

Here's hoping it's announced for release in other countries and territories soon. (You can count on me to chat about it even if it isn't, by the way, as the Japanese copy I pre-ordered ages ago should find its way into my grubby paws within a week or so.)

This new teaser video for Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus (3DS) is nice and all, Nintendo, but where the hell is 'The Bon Odori'?!?

Seriously, this latest trailer for the game, which is due out on June 11 in Japan, looks utterly fabulous to these eyes--except for the fact that my all-time favorite Rhythm Tengoku mini-game, "The Bon Odori," is nowhere to be seen in it.



The good news (for weirdos like me, at least) is that, along with 30 new ones, The Best Plus will feature 70 "old" mini-games (ones that appeared in previous Rhythm Tengoku titles), so at least there's a chance that my personal fave will be in there, right?

On or around June 11, I'm going to be all over Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus like dust on an OG 3DS screen

You could say I'm a bit of a fan of Nintendo's Rhythm Tengoku series. After all, not only do I own a copy of its first entry, a Japan-only GameBoy Advance title, but I also own three different copies of that game's DS sequel--its European, Japanese and North America releases, basically--as well as a copy of the back-to-its-roots Rhythm Heaven Fever for Wii.

Considering how much joy all of the above-mentioned games have brought to my life over the years, there's pretty much nothing that could keep me from adding the next iteration of this technicolor triumph to my collection as soon as it hits Japanese store shelves on June 11.

As you've probably already gathered from the beautiful piece of cover art seen above, this fourth entry, which will go by the name Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus in its home region, is being prepped for the good old 3DS.

Amazingly, The Best Plus' in-game graphics look to be even more gorgeous than its box art. Don't believe me? Take a gander at its most recent trailer:



Sadly, Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus wasn't even mentioned in yesterday's European or North American Nintendo Direct broadcasts, so it probably isn't going to see the light of day in either of our necks of the woods this spring or summer.

Here's hoping Nintendo's Western arms bring it up at E3 2015 or some other upcoming event, because this really isn't the kind of title that should only be enjoyed by people who own Japanese 3DSes.

(Cover art via japanese3ds.com)

Five games I'd recommend playing as part of #RhythmMonth

January is half over, and I've yet to do more than ogle (and only briefly, at that) the game I'm planning to play as part of Anne Lee's #RhythmMonth extravaganza.

(The game I'm eyeing up, both figuratively and literally, by the way, is Osawari Detective Ozawa Rina Nameko Rhythm, a wacky 3DS spinoff of the Touch Detective series.)

I'm going to do my best to devote some time to the above-mentioned title this weekend (and then share my impressions here next week, of course), but in the meantime I thought I'd write up a few blurbs about some of my favorite rhythm games--games I'd highly recommend to anyone who is keen on participating in Anne's game-along but hasn't a clue as to what to play.

HarmoKnight (3DS eShop)--This choice could be called controversial, considering I wasn't entirely enamored with the game after my first encounter with it, but I still think it's worth checking out if you're looking for a vibrant-looking game that combines elements of the platformer and rhythm genres. I probably wouldn't make it my first #RhythmMonth pick, though, unless I'd already played the other titles discussed in this post.

Patapon (PSP)--Whereas the Game Freak-made HarmoKnight mashes together the platformer and rhythm genres, this Pyramid-developed title does the same with the rhythm and strategy genres. It, too, has an altogether appealing art style, plus it's far less aggravating than the aforementioned 3DS game, so you'd do well to consider it if you own a PSP or Vita.

Rhythm Tengoku (GBA)--Of the three Rhythm Tengoku (Rhythm Heaven and Rhythm Paradise in other regions) that have been released so far, this is my favorite. Its purposely rough graphics are sure to put a grin on your face, as are its maddeningly catchy tunes. The highlight, though, is the one-button gameplay, which keeps frustration to a minimum. That said, the DS and Wii sequels are well worth experiencing, too, so if they're cheaper and easier for you to obtain, don't feel bad about going with one or both of them instead.

Space Channel 5 (Dreamcast, PS2)--I've had a ridiculously good time playing the original (Dreamcast) version of this game over the years. The soundtrack is stuffed full of songs you'll be humming long after you power down your system, and the aesthetics are as pleasing as any Sega has produced in its long and tumultuous history. Should you not have a Dreamcast or PS2 handy, or should you simply not want to invest in those iterations of this title, though, you can't go wrong by picking up the sequel (shown in the screenshot above), which has been available via PSN, Steam and XBLA for ages now.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy (3DS, iOS)--Based on everything I've heard and read so far, you'd be wise to purchase and play this game's Curtain Call follow-up rather than the original. I've yet to play the just-released sequel, though, so I can't say anything about it here. If it's anything like the first Theatrhythm, though, it's a thrilling addition to the genre that deserves the attention even of folks who aren't Final Fantasy fans.

A handful of rhythm games I've heard are good but have yet to play myself: Gitaroo Man (PS2/PSP), any/all of the Hatsune Miku titles, Maestro! Jump in Music (DS), Magical Beat (Vita), most of the Taiko no Tatsujin titles and Vib Ribbon (PS1/PS4/Vita).

A few thoughts on this morning's Japanese and North American Nintendo Direct broadcasts

Let's get this out of the way right at the beginning: Nintendo revealed during this morning's Nintendo Direct broadcast (watch it here) that it's finally bringing the New 3DS to North America on Feb. 13.

Unfortunately, it appears the company's only giving us the XL version of this stopgap system, as the smaller New 3DS--the one that can be personalized with all sorts of fun and colorful "cover plates"--was completely ignored.

I'm hopeful we'll get the non-XL New 3DS eventually, but I'm not sure I care one way or the other at the moment. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to own one of the smaller New 3DSes some day, but I'm plenty happy with my pink-and-white XL and I'm not in any particular hurry to replace it (or my red OG 3DS)--especially since I have yet to buy a Vita.



Anyway, four New 3DS XLs will hit North American store shelves on Feb. 13: a black one, a red one and two special editions (one of which is gold and features a Majora's Mask design and the other of which is silver and features a Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate design).

Oh, and speaking of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, both of those 3DS games will launch alongside the New 3DS XL in North America. Sounds good to me.

A few other 3DS games were revealed during this morning's North American Nintendo Direct, namely the New 3DS port of Xenoblade Chronicles (due out in this region in April), Puzzle & Dragons Z + Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition (coming in May) and a new entry in the Fire Emblem series (see screenshot below) that's being called Fire Emblem If in Japan and supposedly will see the light of day sometime between now and the end of 2015.



I'll be picking up the latter two titles, no question, although I'll very likely pass on Xenoblade Chronicles 3D even if I change my mind and pick up a New 3DS XL at some point down the road. (I liked what I played of the Wii version of Xenoblade Chronicles a year or two ago, but I don't have much interest in revisiting the experience.)

The Japanese Nintendo Direct (watch it here) was far more thrilling for me thanks to a single announcement--that being that a new Rhythm Tengoku game will be released for the 3DS this year.

As far as I can tell, it doesn't yet have an official name or a solid release date. What is known is that it will feature more than 100 mini-games, with around 70 of them being taken from earlier Rhythm Tengoku titles and 30 of them being new (including the one seen below).



I'll be pre-ordering this sucker as soon as amiami.com allows me to do so, of course.

Another interesting 3DS-related announcement made during the Japanese Nintendo Direct revolved around the Girls Mode series, known as Style Savvy in North America. Specifically, the 3DS' home region will be getting Girls Mode 3 on April 16.

It's been a while since I played my copy of Style Savvy: Trendsetters (the North American version of the second Girls Mode), so I can't really say what's new about this entry, but it looks interesting all the same, so fingers crossed that it somehow makes its way to our shores in the coming months.

Other than the above, I continue to be impressed by a trio of upcoming Wii U games--Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, Splatoon and Xenoblade Chronicles X--that were shown as part of the North American Nintendo Direct.

All three look absolutely marvelous, although I have no idea when I'll actually get to experience any of them myself, as my home remains a Wii U-free environment. Who knows, maybe that finally will change later this year.

Now that I've had my say, what did all of you think about this morning's broadcasts? Did they satisfy you? Anger you? Or maybe they made you feel some other emotion entirely?

I'm surprised Nintendo has yet to release these games for the 3DS

There's no question that Nintendo has pumped out an impressive number of top-shelf games for the 3DS since its release back in early 2011.

Still, so far the company's failed to produce sequels for a number of previously successful titles, with the following seven being especially surprising omissions, in my opinion:

Mother Collection--I know Nintendo of America's disinterest in this series practically is legendary at this point, but even so I'm a bit shocked that its Japanese counterpart has yet to conjure up either a 3DS compilation that includes all three previously published Mother games or a 3D remake of the second or third title. After all, each of these endearing RPGs were able to rack up more-than-acceptable sales in their home country, and while North American sales of the second (EarthBound) were far from stellar, it's since gone on to develop an impressively cultish following. Surely some sort of well-packaged re-release or remake would garner enough interest (and consumer dollars) to warrant its development?

Ouendan 3--Here's another series that surely sold enough copies in Japan to deserve a 3DS follow-up, yet here we are, seven years after the release of Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2, waiting for its third entry. Sadly, I have a feeling that of all the games discussed in this post, this one is the least likely ever to see the light of the day--and even if it does see the light of day in Japan, it probably won't earn a Western release.

Rhythm Tengoku sequel--Unlike the pair of titles mentioned above, I have little doubt that folks who own Japanese 3DS systems will be able to play a Rhythm Tengoku made specifically for their dual-screened handhelds before this "gen" has ended. Why? Because the previous two entries in this short-lived series sold like gangbusters in their country of origin. Again, though, I won't be surprised if said title fails to find its way across the pond--although it might serve as an easy-to-localize, late-generation release for Nintendo's American and European arms.

Super Princess Peach 2--OK, so I'm not actually "surprised" Nintendo has yet to make or release a sequel for this pastel-slathered platformer, as it hardly received universal praise following its release in 2006. There's so much about Super Princess Peach that could be improved upon in a "part two," though, that I personally think it would be a crying shame if the company that made Mario into a mascot that rivals the great Mickey Mouse didn't take a stab at some or all of them.

Tetris 3DS--Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Tetris DS a really popular pick-up for DS owners around the world? If so, why can't those same folks go out and purchase Tetris 3DS from their friendly neighborhood big-box store as we speak? Yes, I'm sure getting the go-ahead from the Tetris Company is a pain in the butt, as well as a pain in the pocketbook, but if the resulting game recoups its investment (and then some), who really cares, right?

Wario Land 7--This supposed next installment in the vaunted (by me, at least) Wario Land series would be its seventh, assuming you consider Wario: Master of Disguise to be its fifth and Wario Land: Shake It! to be its sixth. So, why am I surprised Wario Land 7 has yet to be published for the 3DS--especially when neither of its predecessors met with a whole lot of success? Because every Nintendo handheld before the current one has received at least a single Wario Land title, that's why.

WarioWare 3D --Although I'd love to be able to play Wario Land 7 on my trusty pink-and-white 3DS XL sometime soon, I'd love it even more if I could play a new WarioWare title on that two-toned system. Here's hoping we hear about one later this year or early next. I'd be pretty shocked if we didn't hear about one before the 3DS calls it a day, to be honest, as both the GameBoy Advance and the DS received multiple WarioWare games.

Now that I've had my say, what do all of you think? Are there any sequels you'd like to see Nintendo publish for the 3DS between now and when the company bids it a fond farewell?

Detana!! TwinBee x Loopop Cube: Lup ★ Salad x Rhythm Tengoku stickers

Scanning Loopop Cube: Lup ★ Salad's instruction manual last weekend--for yesterday's "Manual Stimulation" post--reminded me that stuffed inside of said manual was a small sheet of stickers featuring  this PlayStation puzzler's characters in a number of adorable settings and situations.

It also reminded me that I owned a few other sheets of stickers that were packed inside import games I purchased long ago--namely the PC Engine port of Konami's Detana!! TwinBee and Nintendo's Rhythm Tengoku (for the GameBoy Advance).

Detana!! TwinBee's sticker sheet can be seen below. I think my favorite is the one in the upper-left corner, showing Pastel cleaning WinBee's windshield, although the one in the opposite corner is awfully sweet, too.

And here, of course, is the sheet of stickers that came with my copy of Rhythm Tengoku:

Being the huge Rhythm Tengoku (aka Rhythm Heaven) fan that I am, I love all of these stickers, although I can't help but love the onion ones a bit more than the rest.

As for the Loopop Cube: Lup ★ Salad stickers: they're nice, too, aren't they? They're probably my least favorites of all the stickers shown here, but that doesn't mean I dislike them. In fact, I find the one's at the very top of the sheet to be really adorable. I'm not sure what you're supposed to do with the little labels in the lower-right corner, though. Any ideas?

See also: 'Manual Stimulation: Loopop Cube: Lup ★ Salad (PlayStation)' and '12 import games I bought in 2012 but didn't tell you about until now: Loopop Cube: Lup ★ Salad (PlayStation)'

Did you know that Japanese Game Gear boxes are about the same size as WonderSwan boxes?

Well, you do now--courtesy of the following pair of photos that I recently snapped with my trusty digital camera.

For those who are curious, the games included in these photos are (clockwise from the upper-left): Pokémon Red (GameBoy), Engacho! (WonderSwan), Ganbare Gorby! (Game Gear), Guru Logi Champ (GameBoy Advance), Balloon Kid (GameBoy), Tane wo Maku Tori (WonderSwan), Magical Puzzle Popils (Game Gear), Rhythm Tengoku (GameBoy Advance) and Flash Koibitokun (WonderSwan Color).

I decided to take these photos when I discovered that the boxes that house Game Gear games are nearly the same size as those that house WonderSwan games. Also, I thought some of you might like to see how those boxes compare in size to the boxes of other portable gaming systems, like the GameBoy and the GameBoy Advance.



I'm planning to take more photos like the ones above (and these) in the coming months as I continue to acquire additional 3DS, DS, GameBoy, Game Gear and WonderSwan titles, by the way, so be on the lookout for them if you're curious about that sort of thing.

See also: 'WonderSwan cartridges (and boxes) in context'

I think I'm in love (again)

With whom? Or with what?

Interestingly, both questions are applicable in this case, since I'm both in love with a what (the flute-and-trumpet-centric cover of Rhythm Heaven's "Munchy Monk 2" that can be found below and here) and a who (the adorkable guy who created it).



Don't worry, I'm not seriously considering leaving my husband for this guy (who calls himself The 8-Bit Dreamer, by the way). For the sake of our marriage, though, let's hope he doesn't decide to take things down a notch, so to speak, and cover Rhythm Tengoku's "Bon Odori."

(Via tinycartridge.com)

The Great Gaymathon Review #54: Rhythm Heaven Fever (Wii)

Game: Rhythm Heaven Fever

Genre: Music/Rhythm

Developer: Nintendo, TNX

Publisher: Nintendo of America

System: Wii

Release date: 2012

Is it really possible that the folks who make up Nintendo's SPD Group No.1 and TNX have been able to produce three Rhythm Heaven (aka Rhythm Tengoku) games in just six years? I don't pose that question because I've had enough of these titles; rather, I pose it because I can't believe they're so full of creative juices that they could create the 150 or so mini-games that have been crammed into each release. Are the ones that were made for Rhythm Heaven Fever--which returns the series to the Simon-esque, "press the A button (and sometimes the B button, too) to the beat" gameplay of the original--on par with those made for its predecessors? Yes, for the most part. As is often the case in such games, some are better and some are worse. The ones I consider to be the best--Air Rally, Double Date, Flipper-Flop, Flock Step, Launch Party and Samurai Slice--share a number of similarities: Charming and colorful graphics, a catchy-as-hell backing track and a sense of momentum that not only grabs the player's attention but also helps him or her quite literally feel the beat. Rhythm Heaven Fever's least appealing and successful mini-games, most of which look and even sound nearly as good as the mini-games I just mentioned, tend to fail when it comes that final bullet point. (I'm looking at you, especially, Love Rap--although Cheer Readers, Exhibition Match and Shrimp Shuffle are getting a bit of a side-eye from me, too.) Thankfully, the standouts outnumber the duds by quite a wide margin, and even the less-than-stellar mini-games tend to be enjoyable enough to keep you coming back for more. All that said, I don't consider this game to be the best point of entry into the Rhythm Heaven/Tengoku series. Although Rhythm Heaven Fever's graphics are both clean and cute, for instance, they lack the minimalist charisma that's present in pretty much every one of the first title's mini-games. Another thing keeping this iteration from reaching the heights of its precursors, in my eyes: It's far too lenient, not to mention inconsistent, when it comes to the rewarding of medals. So, I'd personally suggest starting with the import-only original, Rhythm Tengoku, or its cheap-as-sin, DS-based follow-up, Rhythm Heaven, before moving on to Fever if you want to get the most milage out of this toe- and finger-tapping trilogy. If you've already played one or both of those titles, though, by all means drop the $19.99 needed to pick up this one, too.

See also: Previous 'Great Gaymathon' posts

Reason #403 I could be considered an 'eccentric' (aka bat-sh*t crazy) gamer

Thanks to the North American copy of Rhythm Heaven that I picked up on the cheap a few weeks ago, I now own three copies of this wonderfully wacky music game.

Why on earth did I decide to buy three copies of this DS title? Well, I didn't set out to own three copies of it, for starters. When it was first released in Japan--as Rhythm Tengoku Gold--three-and-a-half years ago, I doubted it would make its way to the West, so I picked up a copy via play-asia.com.

After the folks at Nintendo of America announced that it would, in fact, be brought stateside, I added it to my to-buy list ... and promptly forgot about it, especially after a I read a number of negative comments about its English vocals.



Later, I came across a cheap copy of the UK version--renamed, for some strange reason, Rhythm Paradise--and purchased that one instead. (In part because it was cheap, and in part because I wanted another Euro DS game. See this post for more on that.)

At that point, I pretty much gave up on adding the North American release to my collection. When I saw that a sealed copy of the game was being sold via Amazon for less than $5, though, I couldn't help but snatch it up.

See also: Other reasons I could be considered an 'eccentric' (aka bat-sh*t crazy) gamer

Five additional games I'm looking forward to playing in 2012

If you failed to see yesterday's post--which covered the first five (of 10) games that I'm looking forward to playing in 2012--check it out here.

For those of you who read (if not thoroughly enjoyed) that post, here are the final five games I'm hoping to get my grubby little hands on at some point in the next 12 months:

Mario Tennis (3DS)--I've mentioned before that I'm a tennis nut, right? If not, now you know. I'm also a huge fan of Nintendo's Mario Tennis games--especially its portable ones. The 3DS iteration looks to be the best of both worlds: It's got the great graphics of the console versions and the take-it-anywhere fun of the handheld versions. Will it have an RPG mode, too? My fingers and toes are crossed in the hopes that it will.

Ni no Kuni (PS3)--The Japanese version of this Level-5 RPG--made in partnership with the folks at Studio Ghibli--bombed and reviews of it weren't much better, but you know what? I'll probably buy the North American version regardless shortly after I finally obtain a PS3 (hopefully sometime in 2012). It simply looks too good to pass up, even if it ends up being a bit of a bore.

Rhythm Heaven Fever (Wii)--In all honesty, this may be the game I'm most looking forward to playing in 2012. Why? I enjoyed the hell out of its predecessors--the import-only original, made for the GameBoy Advance, and its DS-based sequel, released in 2009--and I'm fully expecting to love the hell out of this one, too, especially since it takes the series back to its roots and uses buttons only (as opposed to waggle).

Sugar Shooter 2 (Mac/PC)--I've never had as much fun shooting the clothes off of a muscle-bound baddies as I did while playing the original Sugar Shooter last year. As such, I'm chomping at the bit to do more of the same as soon as this sequel--which will be made available to Mac as well as PC owners this time around--hits the streets (or at least the Internet) sometime next year.

Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)--Can you believe this open-world RPG will be coming to North America in 2012? I can't. I'm glad it is, though, as I desperately want to play it. Don't tell anyone, but this will be my first Monolith Soft-developed game. Yep, that means I've never played any of the Baten Kaitos (GameCube) or Xenosaga (PS2) titles. Just proves there's a first time for everything, eh?

Now that I've rambled on (and on and on) about the games I'm itching to play in 2012, which ones are all of you looking forward to experiencing in the coming year?

Screw waiting, (I think) I'm going to buy Minna no Rhythm Tengoku, too

I was planning to wait and buy Rhythm Heaven Wii when it arrives on North American shores sometime later this year, but after reading these impressions and seeing these videos of the just-released Japanese iteration of the game I'm seriously considering changing those plans and buying the Japanese version now and the North American one this fall.



Another reason I'm considering altering those plans: You just know the folks at Nintendo of America will screw up the vocal tracks when they go to localize them--just as they did when they localized the tunes that appeared in the North American version of the DS-based Rhythm Heaven title. (Don't believe me? Watch this video and then this video. Yikes!)

(Photo above courtesy of true-gaming.net)

Two reasons tomorrow will be the best day of 2011

Good news for those of you who lack patience: Both of the above-mentioned reasons are covered by and in the following video:



Yep, tomorrow will be the best day of 2011 because that's when Minna no Rhythm Tengoku (aka Rhythm Heaven Wii) will hit the streets in Japan.

Real talk: Based on what I've seen of it thus far, I fully expect Rhythm Heaven Wii--which has yet to receive a European or North American release date (harrumph!)--to compete with the GBA original for the title of "Best Rhythm Tengoku Game."

Admittedly, it'll only be competing against two other games--the first of which was released for the GBA in 2006 and the second of which was released for the DS in 2008/2009--but both of those titles are among the best rhythm games ever released, so the winner of said contest shouldn't be considered chopped liver.

(Via tinycartridge.com)

July 21 can't come quickly enough

What will happen on July 21, you ask? Why, Minna no Rhythm Tengoku (aka Everybody's Rhythm Heaven, aka Rhythm Heaven Wii) will hit store shelves across Japan on that date, that's what.

In order to increase awareness about the soon-to-be-released title, the folks at Nintendo of Japan cobbled together the following commercial, which shows off a number of Minna no Rhythm Tengoku's wacky mini-games.



I'm especially looking forward to playing the ones that involve dancing crawfish (or are they shrimp?), mustachioed pigs spinning in chairs and shirtless wrestlers with odd-looking six-packs. Oh, and of course I'm looking forward to playing that Kid Icarus-esque mini-game shown at the 1:25 mark, too.

Two more Minna no Rhythm Tengoku commercials--the first of which is centered around the wrestler mini-game mentioned above while the second focuses on a mini-game that involves rolling seals--can be watched on the game's official Japanese site.

(Via gonintendo.com and tinycartridge.com)

More like Rainbow Tengoku, amirite?

Before you ask, yes, this is the third post in a row that includes the word rainbow in the header. Also, no, that isn't an indication that this is "Rainbow Week" on The Gay Gamer.

With that out of the way, let's move on to the subject of this particular rainbow-focused post: The art that will grace the cover of Minna no Rhythm Tengoku (aka Rhythm Heaven Wii) when it's released in Japan on July 21.

I found out about said cover art yesterday morning after the folks at importer NCSX announced that they were accepting pre-orders for the TNX-developed title.

I'd take them up on their offer in a heartbeat if: 1) They weren't charging just over $80 (not including shipping) for the game and 2) If it hadn't been announced--during the recent E3 event--for North American release.

Will the art that appears on the cover of the US version of Minna no Rhythm Tengoku be as colorful as its Japanese counterpart? I sure hope so. That said, I wouldn't mind at all if Nintendo of America's designers got rid of those odd-looking alien people parading across the bottom of the box before the game hits the streets in the states.

See also: Other Rhythm Heaven Wii posts

Rhythm Heaven Wii's Japanese logo

I was hoping to share the box art for this game--which will be called Minna no Rhythm Tengoku, or Everyone's Rhythm Heaven, in Japan--but it's not out yet. So, I'll just share its logo.



Here's the supposed logo for the North American version of the game, by the way. I say supposed because I really can't see the folks at Nintendo using the same name and logo for two releases (the DS and Wii iterations of Rhythm Heaven, respectively).



Anyway, while you (and I, of course) wait for Nintendo to release the box art for Minna no Rhythm Tengoku, which will be released on July 21, and the official name and logo of the game's North American counterpart, why not check out the Japanese title's official page (here) to hear a funky little tune that, if you're anything like me, will bring back blissful memories of previous Rhythm Heaven/Tengoku playthroughs.

(Via andriasang.com)

I really hope this means a Rhythm Heaven game is in the works for Wii U

The folks at Nintendo of America have been using a handful of demos to show off the capabilities and possibilities of their company's just-announced Wii U system to E3 2011 attendees.

One of these demos is called "Shield Pose" and, surprisingly enough, it seems quite Rhythm Heaven/Tengoku-esque to these eyes and ears.



I know Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime has said that these demos are not necessarily of in-the-works Wii U games, but I sure hope he's fibbing in the case of "Shield Pose."

By the way, videos of Nintendo's other Wii U demos can be viewed here.

(Via gonintendo.com)

The Gay Gamer x Tiny Cartridge, take two

The second of four posts I wrote for Tiny Cartridge has been published on the handheld-focused site.

The headline I wrote for this post--"Three GBA imports (not Mother 3/Rhythm Tengoku) that should hit the eShop"--does a pretty good job of describing what it's all about.

Basically, I suggest that, assuming they eventually decide to sell GameBoy Advance games via their 3DS eShop, the folks at Nintendo should give Westerners access to a few first-party releases that have never seen the light of day in our neck of the woods.

Photo by Wayne McManus

To see which games were included on my list--and to hear why I selected them--check out tinycartridge.com when you have a chance.

See also: 'The Gay Gamer x Tiny Cartridge, take one'