I think I'm going to back another Kickstarter (for a musical puzzler called Bit Band)

You may remember the post of mine from mid-October in which I declared my interest in a Kickstarter that, if successful, would bring the curious Order Land! (for Steam, Switch and Xbox One) to the West in early 2018.

Sadly, developer and publisher Poisoft pulled the plug on the campaign on Nov. 1. It's vowed to try again after retooling its appeal, but who knows when that'll happen or if it'll succeed during its second go-round.

Why am I bringing that up here? Because it was the first Kickstarter I actually attempted to back. Which means that if I back the one highlighted here, for a musical puzzler called Bit Band, it would be my second such attempt.

What's so great about this crowd-funding effort that I'm willing to throw some of my hard-earned money at it? I'm mostly into Bit Band's aesthetic, to be perfectly frank. I know some are over the whole "chunky sprite" retro look, but it's done so well here that I can't help but be impressed by it.



Don't get me wrong, I'm also pretty keen on Bit Band's gameplay. The developers describe it as being like "Tetris meets Rock Band," and I'd say that's pretty apt based on the gameplay displayed in the trailer above.

The only thing giving me pause at this point is that I'm not thrilled the project page mentions a "goal for the Nintendo Switch console," but then never explains it further. That bothers me because I'm not interested in backing the campaign, only to receive a Steam key in return.

Gavin Reed, who's handling Bit Band's art, animation, music, and game design, told me on Twitter the other day that a Switch version is this Kickstarter's first stretch goal. That makes me feel a bit better, but not entirely.

Anyway, despite my misgivings, I'll probably toss some money at this campaign before it ends on Dec. 8. If you'd like to do the same, or if you'd simply like to learn more about Bit Band, visit kickstarter.com.

Fabulosity alert: Crypt of the NecroDancer will soon sashay onto the Vita (and PS4)

The Vita is really hitting it out of the park, as the saying goes, lately.

Taiko no Tatsujin: V Version just hit Japanese store shelves, and the intriguing "enforced side-scroll RPG" known as Mystery Chronicle: I Won't Look Back Until I Win will follow in that game's footsteps in a couple of weeks.

And then there are the slew of North American Vita titles that will be released between now and the end of the year that also look mighty interesting, including Hatoful Boyfriend (due out on July 21), Persona 4: Dancing All Night (Sept. 29) and the one that's the focus of this blog post: Crypt of the NecroDancer.



Unfortunately, all that's known at the moment is that this much-heralded rhythm-based roguelike, which previously only could be played on a PC, is that it's coming soon.

Here's hoping "soon" means within the next couple of months, because I'm really itching to (finally) experience this sucker. Even if it doesn't hit the PlayStation Store--or whatever Sony calls its digital store these days--until later this year, though, I'll still pay whatever I have to in order to add Crypt of the NecroDancer to my slowly expanding collection of Vita titles.

Are any of you excitedly planning to purchase this game, too?

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.)

Feast your eyes on Taiko no Tatsujin V Version's first trailer

Considering it was announced almost a month and a half ago, it's kind of shocking that it took the folks at Bandai Namco until a couple of days ago to release the first trailer for Taiko no Tatsujin V Version.

That's the name of the latest entry in the company's vaunted series of music games, by the way. Oh, and it's about to be released for the Vita--a fact that's made patently obvious about four seconds into the following, three-minute-long clip.



Despite the fact that I pre-ordered this sucker the first day I was allowed to do so at amiami.com, I can't say I'm completely thrilled by what I see here. I mean, it all looks nice enough, but it's also very ... "more of the same," I guess?

At any rate, I'm still looking forward to getting my hands on it--in part because it'll provide my only other physical Vita game (the first Danganronpa) with a bit of company.

See also: 'Taiko no Tatsujin V Version, eh? If it were up to me, it'd be called Taiko no Tatsujin VI Version...'

Taiko no Tatsujin V Version, eh? If it were up to me, it'd be called Taiko no Tatsujin VI Version...

If the headline above is causing you to send a side-eye in my general direction, hopefully the following will help explain things: basically, in the last few months, I've acquired a whole slew of Taiko no Tatsujin games.

Specifically, I've acquired five of them. I started with the initial Taiko no Tatsujin DS title, as some of you may remember, and it so pleased me that I quickly ran out (or ran to various places on the Internet) and bought the second and third Taiko no Tatsujin DS releases as well as the first to hit the 3DS. A month or so later, I added the third PSP iteration, called Taiko no Tatsujin Portable DX, to my ever-growing collection.

Given all of the above, it should come as no surprise to hear that the recent announcement that a Taiko no Tatsujin title was being prepped for the Vita prompted me to bellow with delight.

This particular entry in the long-running series is going to be called Taiko no Tatsujin V Version, of course--which I guess brings us back to my lame-ass header. (After all, in it I'm implying that this Vita cart should be re-named Taiko no Tatsujin VI Version, because it would be my sixth Taiko no Tatsujin game--har har. Don't worry, I'm not planning to give up my day job.)

As for when Taiko no Tatsujin V Version will hit the streets in Japan, how much it'll cost and all that jazz: the game's release date is July 9 and the price tag attached to it at that time will be 5,690 yen. Oh, and according to sources like gematsu.com and neogaf.com, it'll feature 80 songs and an RPG-esque mode called "Donda Quest."

If all of that sounds swell to you, and if you've got a Vita and some cash to blow, you can pre-order this sucker right now via amiami.com for just 5,200 yen (about $44).

See also: my 'A Decade of DS' post about Taiko no Tatsujin DS

#ADecadeofDS: Maestro! Jump in Music

Amount of time devoted to this game in the last week--One hour, 38 minutes.

Most recent boss toppled, location reached or milestone achieved--I finished all 24 of the game's stages (each of which is backed by a different tune, from "ABC" to Beethoven's "Symphony No. 5") at least once, but only on the "easy" difficulty level.

Overall comments on the experience--If I were forced to sum up my impressions of this import-only music game in just one word, the word I'd choose would be "sigh."

That's because Maestro! Jump in Music has so many things going for it--the most noteworthy being its Disney-esque art style, which loses nothing in its translation to the DS' low-res screens, and its admirably diverse soundtrack--yet a few flubs keep it from being the thoroughly enjoyable experience it really should be. Even worse, these missteps actually make the game kind of frustrating--to the point that I'm not sure I'll spend as much time playing this one as I imagined I would before I bought it.

The main misstep, in my opinion: the touch-screen-centric gameplay (the pink bird shown on the cover art above walks from left to right across the screen, which is made up of a series of strings, and you "pluck" them along with music to make him jump, nab items and the like) on offer here isn't always the most responsive.

Actually, it's responsive enough when there aren't a ton of strings to pluck, items to grab or baddies to tap, but when things speed up or the screen becomes too densely packed, things deteriorate pretty rapidly. (As in, it becomes seemingly impossible to do everything you need to do to perfect, and sometimes just to complete, a particular level.)

Another of Maestro's missteps: for me, it features a few too many gameplay elements. Plucking strings so your feathered friend can nab items or change paths is fun, as is tapping certain enemies along with the beat (Taiko no Tatsujin-style, basically), but some of the other elements are far less so.

Specifically, near the end of the game, there are stages (or portions of stages) during which you have to repeatedly strum (rub) a number of strings, while in other stages you have to make continuous circular motions with your stylus--and neither activity ends up being very enjoyable or effective.

That said, the Simon Says-ish boss battles that pop up every fourth stage are a real breath of fresh air and rarely frustrate or annoy, so you'll always have those to look forward to (even if some of the levels that precede them don't enamor you).

Will I continue to play this game in the coming days, weeks and maybe even months?--I'll likely come back to it every now and then so I can experience some of my favorite stages a second, third or even fourth time, but other stages I'll avoid like the plague from here on out--which means I'll probably never play through the entire game again. Which is too bad, as it's a top-notch product in almost every way and it really should have been a much more enticing experience than it has been so far.

Do I recommend it to others?--Considering complete-in-box copies are somewhat pricey, and not all that easy to find outside of Europe (the only region that earned a physical release of the game, I believe), and considering playing it is a hit-and-miss affair, I don't think I would, unfortunately. If you tend to go totally bonkers for music or rhythm games, though, it may still be worth your while.

Next up--Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales

See also: previous 'A Decade of DS' posts

Lights, camera, Taiko no Tatsujin DS!

Early last week, I shared some impressions (in this #ADecadeofDS post) of my weeklong playthrough, of sorts, of Taiko no Tatsujin DS.

Although that was my first experience with the vaunted Taiko no Tatsujin series, it was more than enough to get me to fall in love with it.

In fact, I fell in love with it to such an extent that I've since bought (but not yet received) copies of the second and third Taiko no Tatsujin DS games, and I'm seriously considering picking up one of the PSP Taiko titles soon as well.



While we all wait for those copies to make their way to my doorstep, why don't we ogle some of the physical products that are associated with Taiko no Tatsujin DS?

The front cover of this 2007 release can be seen in the photo above, of course, while the back cover can be seen below.



Copies of all three of the DS games--and the first 3DS one, which is known as Taiko no Tatsujin: Chibi Dragon to Fushigina Orb--come with a pair of Taiko-themed styli packed inside their cases, in case you weren't aware.

Here are the two that came with my particular copy of Taiko DS:

Completely adorable, right? Strangely, I've yet to actually use them. Instead, I've used the stylus that came with my original (red) 3DS and the stylus that came with my pink-and-white XL.

As for Taiko no Tatsujin DS' cartridge, well, it's far from amazing in terms of label art, but I snapped a photo of it anyway.

This game's instruction manual is rather nice, though, despite the fact that it was made for a DS title. (In general, I'm not a fan of DS instruction manuals, as they tend to be too long, with too many words and too few photos and illustrations. Of course, the same could be said of most manuals made since about 2001.)



The page above isn't one of the manual's best, mind you, but I'm sharing it here anyway because I love how, in the last of the three boxes explaining how to use the included Taiko styli while playing this game, the document's designers felt the need to point out that you shouldn't stab your 3DS' bottom screen like it's one of the eyeholes in Jason Vorhees' hockey mask.



Pages like the ones above, on the other hand, are nearly worth the price of admission, if you ask me. In fact, I'd do some pretty nasty things if it would net me a poster-sized (and text-free) version of this illustration.

How will the second and third Taiko no Tatsujin titles for DS stack up to this effort? I don't know, but I'm very much looking forward to finding out--and soon. And of course I'll let you know the results of that fact-finding mission as soon as I am able (likely in a post similar to this one).

See also: my #ADecadeofDS write-up about Taiko no Tatsujin DS

Acquisition #146: Otocky (Famicom Disk System)

My initial idea was to begin this post by saying, "I have no idea why I recently bought this game." I thought that because, truth be told, although I own a rather wonderful Twin Famicom system--a cherry red one; here's a photo of it, and here's another--I rarely play it or the many cartridges and disks I've acquired for it thus far. (Yes, that means I tend to play said games via emulation these days.)

As such, picking up yet another Famicom game--especially a disk system one, as I play them even less than their cart-based counterparts--seemed to me to be a waste of money at best.

So, why'd I go through with this particular purchase? Well, beyond the fact that this game--ASCII's Otocky, which was released in Japan in 1987--is completely awesome, I went through with it because I'd never before seen a complete-in-box copy of it for sale and I was worried I'd never come across one again.

Before I move on to some of the photos I snapped of this acquisition, I probably should share a detail or two about Otocky with those of you who've never heard of it. The main thing you should know: It was conceived and designed by the great Toshio Iwai, who later made Electroplankton for the Nintendo DS.

Otocky is every bit as experimental as the aforementioned DS game, although I personally find this one--which conceals its musical aspects within the confines of a side-scrolling shmup--to be both more accessible and more fun. (To catch a glimpse of the game in action, check out this gameplay video.)

With all of that background information out of the way, let's get to what most of you likely clicked on this post to see: Otocky's packaging. Here's the front of the game's box:



And here's the back of its box:



The game's box is larger than most Famicom games, by the way. In fact, I'd say it's nearly the size of a PC game box. Why? Don't worry, I'll get to that in a second.



The photo above shows off the case that contains the Otocky disk. Sure, the art is the same as what was used on the game's outer packaging, but it's so cute and colorful I'm not going to complain.



So, here we get to the reason for the outer box's girth: Otocky's manual. If someone were to tell me that it's the largest instruction manual to be included with a Famicom game, I wouldn't bat an eye. Not only is it large in terms of dimensions, but it's also large in terms of number of pages. It's 72 pages long!



Thankfully, it's not simply 72 pages of text. In fact, it includes a number of completely adorable illustrations--one of which can be see above, and one of which can be seen below--that are nearly worth the price of admission all on their own, in my opinion.



I also really like the pages shown in the photo below, which shine a light on a few of Otocky's enemies.



If you somehow haven't gotten your fill of Otocky information in this post, head on over to my Flickr photostream to see a few more photos of its outer packaging and its disk.

See also: Previous 'Acquisition #123' posts

The Great Gaymathon Review #58: Theatrhythm Final Fantasy (3DS)

Game: Theatrhythm Final Fantasy

Genre: Music/Rhythm

Developer: Indies zero

Publisher: Square Enix

System: 3DS

Release date: 2012

Although I can't quite remember my reaction to hearing that the folks at Square Enix were working on a Final Fantasy-based rhythm game, I have a feeling it involved scrunched eyebrows and a puckered mouth. Well, after playing the finished product for more than 30 hours, I can say without hesitation that my initial skepticism was unwarranted. That's because Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is one of the most enjoyable--and most polished--rhythm games I've played in a long time.

As for why that is: First, there's the art style. I know some hate it, but I see it as a welcome evolution of the style that was used on the packaging produced for Final Fantasy IV and V. Second, there's the music, which includes 70 (or so) songs that were gleaned from the 13 "mainline" Final Fantasy titles. (If you're anything like me, some of the tracks featured here will push you to play the Final Fantasy releases you've thus far avoided.) Third, there's the gameplay, which loosely--and rather addictively, I should add--apes the mechanics used in Nintendo's Elite Beat Agents. (Basically, you tap, slide or hold the stylus against the 3DS' touchscreen in time with the above-mentioned tunes.) Fourth, there are the many modes and stages that wrap around the gameplay and provide Theatrhythm with a much-needed sense of cohesion. (The "Chaos Shrine" mode is where this cart truly shines, by the way, and where it shows the prowess of its designers and developers. Some of the rhythm patterns highlighted here are confounding at first, but stick with them and they'll not only "click" but blow you away with how well they, er, harmonize with the songs in question.)

Like pretty much any game, this one features a few missteps--although in this case, they're fairly small ones. For starters, the opening and ending theme segments of the "Series" mode are a bit pointless. Also, that mode's "Event" stages--which task players with tapping to music while Final Fantasy FMV scenes run in the background--don't quite gel, if you will, with the "Battle" and "Field" stages. (That said, I consider the "Waltz for the Moon" event sequence to be a stand-out.) Finally, it has to be said that things are sure to become at least a tad (if not more so) repetitive after about the seven-hour mark, since that's when you start spending the bulk of your time in Theatrhythm's "Chaos Shrine" (in order to bolster the abilities and stats of your existing characters as well as to unlock a handful of "hidden" ones).

I can't say I've minded playing certain tracks over and over again (in fact, in most instances it's the opposite), but I'm guessing that won't be true for everyone. As long as you go into it knowing that--and as long as you have at least a passing interest in the Final Fantasy series--you should get a lot of enjoyment out of this melodious 3DS title.

See also: Previous 'Great Gaymathon' posts

Acquisition #138: Rhythm Thief & The Emperor's Treasure (3DS)

Considering my enthusiastic reaction to its eShop demo, you'd think I would have ripped the Rhythm Thief & The Emperor's Treasure cart from its packaging and slammed it into my trusty 3DS system as soon it arrived on my doorstep late last week.

That's exactly how I would have reacted, actually--had Theatrhythm Final Fantasy not beaten Rhythm Thief & The Emperor's Treasure to the punch (not to mention to my mailbox) by a few days.

You see, I've quite literally become entranced by Square Enix's Final Fantasy-themed rhythm title. In fact, I've played little else since I obtained my copy of the game nearly two weeks ago.

I didn't want to leave you guys and gals hanging with yet another "yeah, I added another game to my collection, but I haven't had a chance to play it yet" post, though, so yesterday I forced myself to replace Theatrhythm Final Fantasy with Rhythm Thief & The Emperor's Treasure for a while.

As for what I thought of my rather cursory experience with this Sega-developed release: Well, for starters, all of the folks who have described Rhythm Thief as "a mash-up of Professor Layton and Space Channel 5" deserve some sort of prize, because that's pretty much how this peculiar title plays out.

Which means, of course, that I'm loving it. That said, it's far from perfect. For instance, the game's currently a bit too skewed toward the Professor Layton side of things for my liking. (I'd prefer it to be more evenly divided between the adventure/puzzle/story segments and the rhythm ones.)

Not only that, but the rhythm segments, while enjoyable, aren't as deep as I'd hoped they'd be. Granted, I've only played five of them thus far, so it's altogether possible that they'll gradually increase in complexity.

Given all of the above, I think it's fair to say that I'm currently on the fence about Rhythm Thief. I'm enjoying it, but I'm also feeling a bit disappointed by it. I'll keep plugging away at it, though, and I promise to share my final thoughts on the matter (in an upcoming "Great Gaymathon" review) as soon as possible.

See also: 'Deep thoughts (or not) on a quintet of recent 3DS demos'

When it comes to ol' Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, I'm clearly 'part of the problem'

Any of you who have spent even a bit of time on sites like NeoGAF should be well acquainted with the phrase that makes up the tail end of the headline above.

And if you're not? No worries. Basically, some gamers tell other gamers they're "part of the problem" when they, say, buy Super Mario Bros. via the 3DS eShop after they've already bought it via the Wii Virtual Console or bought the "Classic NES Series" version released for the GameBoy Advance back in 2004.

I'm often "part of the problem," by the way--although I'm guessing a good portion of you already knew or guessed as much.

Anyway, why am I "part of the problem" when it comes to Theatrhythm Final Fantasy? Why, because I've already started buying DLC tracks for this more-addictive-than-it-has-any-right-to-be 3DS title, that's why.

Specifically, I just bought three delicious (in my opinion, of course) DLC tracks for 99 cents a pop: Final Fantasy IV's "The Final Battle," Final Fantasy V's "In Search of Light" and Final Fantasy VI's "Battle."

I'm having an especially good time with "In Search of Light"--although, really, that shouldn't be much of a surprise, as I've always been gaga for anything related to the fifth iteration of Final Fantasy.

I'm finding myself similarly smitten with Final Fantasy VII's "One-Winged Angel." That one does surprise me a bit, to tell you the truth. Of course, I've never been the biggest fan of this 1997 release, so that's probably why.

All that said, playing through the Final Fantasy VII tracks that are included here has me itching to give the game a second chance. Maybe I'll do just that--and then play through both Final Fantasy V and VI again, just for kicks--as soon as I've tried of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy.

Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Better?' (Theatrhythm Final Fantasy edition)

In exactly two months, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy will hit the streets in the U.S. (This music-based 3DS title will be released in Europe a few days later, on July 6. I'm not sure when it will be made available elsewhere.)

Surprisingly, the graphic designers at Square Enix have used the three months since the game's Japanese debut to rework its box art.

Below, for instance, is the rather classy illustration that graces the cover of the Japanese version of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy.

The North American release (which can be pre-ordered here), on the other hand, will feature the following, re-jiggered box art:

Although initially I was impressed with the latter iteration's colorful cover art, after reflecting on it a bit I think it's just a bit too cluttered. Also, the logo is kind of tiny, don't you think?

So, I'm giving the nod to the Japanese packaging this time around. How about you--do you prefer one piece of box art over the other? Also, are any of you planning on picking up Theatrhythm Final Fantasy after it hits store shelves in your particular territory?

See also: Previous 'Which Box Art is Better?' posts

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

Can you feel the Theatrhythm?

I sure can--or maybe I should say I'll be able to feel it soon, since Square Enix's Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is set to be released stateside sometime this summer.

For those of you who've never heard of this game, it's a tap-and-swipe-the-touch-screen rhythm game--not unlike Nintendo's criminally under- appreciated Elite Beat Agents--that features characters and music from the Final Fantasy series.

I've had my eye on Theatrhythm Final Fantasy since it was first announced (for Japanese release) last July mainly because of its oddly charming art style, although I'm attracted to its filled-to-the-brim-with-classic-tunes soundtrack, too.



As far as I can tell, the folks at Square Enix have not yet announced a solid release date for this 3DS title. (All they've said thus far is that it'll hit the streets in Europe and North America "this summer.")

They also haven't revealed the Western version's box art, which I'm hoping will be an altered-as-little-as-possible rehash of the art that graced the cover of the Japanese release.

Are any of you similarly excited that Theatrhythm Final Fantasy will soon be available outside of Japan?

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

It seems Rhythm Heaven Fever's North American localization won't be completely terrible

I've watched more gameplay videos of the Japanese version of Rhythm Heaven Fever--called Minna no Rhythm Tengoku, or Everybody's Rhythm Heaven--than I'd like to admit. As a result, I've already come to love quite a few of this wacky Wii release's mini-games.

The mini-game I'm most in love with at the moment: The one many people are calling "Wrestler Interview." Here's a video of the Japanese version, in case you've yet to see it:



Given my propensity to worry about things that are completely pointless (not to mention beyond my control), I've been fretting for the last few months as to how this mini-game's vocal track will sound after it's been translated into English and re-recorded by an American voice actor. (Rhythm Heaven Fever will hit store shelves in North America on Feb. 13, by the way. Unfortunately, the European version of the game, which will be called Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise, is still without a firm release date.)

Well, I can stop worrying. Someone just uploaded to YouTube the localized (for North American audiences) version of this mini-game, which apparently will be called, "Ringside." Here it is:



Although I can't say I find the English vocals to be as cute or as energetic as those that appear in the Japanese version, I also can't say I find them completely terrible. What do all of you think?

In related news: The fabulously altered version of this mini-game that can be viewed here and that features a Brazilian "male escort" named Ricardo Milos continues to bring a smile to my face more than three months after it was first appeared on YouTube.

Pre-order: Rhythm Heaven Fever

(Via gonintendo.com, by way of tinycartridge.com)

Just in case anyone cares: Here's a teaser trailer for Rhythm Heaven Fever

I know most of you aren't all that interested in the North American release of Rhythm Heaven Fever, but those of you who are interested in it should get a kick out of the following teaser trailer, which I believe is the first to shine a light on the game's English translation.



As much I like it, I wish it included clips of a few more mini-games (especially those featuring vocals). Of course, maybe the marketing wizards at Nintendo of America are saving them for a second, even wackier teaser trailer? After all, the game isn't due to hit store shelves until Feb. 13. (Pre-order a copy of it here.)

(Via gonintendo.com)

Samba de Amigo + Space Channel 5 = another game added to my too-long 3DS wish list

I'm pretty fond of rhythm games, so you'd think I would have added Sega's upcoming 3DS release, Rhythm Thief & The Emperor's Treasure, to my wish list long ago.

Not so. I couldn't tell you why that is, to be honest, although I think it has something to do with not being all that interested in the game's rather colorless protagonist.

Anyway, my interest has soared thanks to the just-released videos below, which suggest Samba de Amigo and Space Channel 5 segments will be included in Rhythm Thief.

Here's some footage of the Samba de Amigo segment:



And here's some footage of the Space Channel 5 segment:



When will you be able to get your grubby little hands on Rhythm Thief & The Emperor's Treasure? Well, if you're American or Japanese (or you own an American or Japanese 3DS), you'll be able to pick up a copy of the game on Feb. 25. (Pre-order the North American version here.)

I'd guess Europeans will gain access to it on that date, too, but I can't say that with any certainty.

Let's Play: 'Which Box Art is Better?' (Rhythm Heaven Fever edition)

I've been looking for a reason to publish a post about Rhythm Heaven Fever ever since I read (a few days ago) that the game was going to be released in North America on February 13 with a so-low-everyone-who-owns-a-Wii-had-better-buy-it-or-I'll-scream price tag of $29.99. (Pre-order it here. Don't worry, I did so on Tuesday.)

Well, Nintendo of America gave me that reason on Wednesday night, when it unveiled this wacky Wii game's official North American box art.

Is it possible for a piece of box art to induce a seizure? I wouldn't have thought so before I saw Rhythm Heaven Fever's cover (above), but now I'm not so sure. Regardless, it's certainly busy, isn't it? And colorful. Both of which make sense, I guess, based on what I've seen of and read about this crazy music game.

Anyway, moving along. We can't play "Which Box Art is Better?" without comparing the cover above to its European or Japanese counterparts, can we? Unfortunately, the game isn't due to be released in Europe until the second quarter of next year, so no box art is available for that region yet. Thankfully, it was released in Japan--as Minna no Rhythm Tengoku, or Everybody's Rhythm Heaven--long ago (on July 21, to be exact). Here is that version's less-cluttered cover:

I'll be honest: I initially hated the North American art. Like I said earlier, it's really busy--almost too busy, in my opinion. Also, I'm not a fan of mixing fonts, and seeing that bubbly "Fever" butting up against the angular "Rhythm Heaven" sort of makes me want to slam my head into the nearest wall. Oh, and that band of screenshots and text along the bottom? I tend to despise that tactic, too.

All that said, I actually think I prefer the North American cover to the Japanese one. Don't get me wrong, I love the latter art's simplicity, as well as that lovely rainbow banding, but it's a bit barren, isn't it? Also, those three little ... things beneath the logo seem out of place to me. I'd rather see more of them or none of them, you know what I mean?

Do you guys and gals have a preference for one version's box art over the other? Also, will you be buying a copy of this game when it's released in your neck of the woods?

See also: Previous 'Which Box Art is Better?' posts

Mark your calendars, folks!

Rhythm Heaven Fever will hit store shelves in North America sometime in February, according to latest issue of Nintendo Power.

The third game in Nintendo's vaunted Rhythm Heaven series--the first one, Rhythm Tengoku for the GameBoy Advance, only saw the light of day in Japan, while the second, DS-based one was released around the globe in 2008 and 2009--hit the streets in Japan back in July and has sold somewhere around 600,000 copies since.



Will the North American and European versions--the latter of which has yet to receive an official name or release date--of the second Rhythm Tengoku sequel sell anywhere close to that amount? I doubt it, but who cares? All that really matters is that those of us who want to play yet another iteration of this wacky game will be able to do so in our native languages (and without spending an arm and a leg on an import), right?

Anyway, while we wait for Rhythm Heaven Fever to "drop," as they say in the record business, may I suggest watching the video above, which turns a spotlight on the mini-game I'm most looking forward to experiencing?

(Via joystiq.com)