Beatmania 2 Game by Konami Reviewed by dM97 p_nguyen@ix.netcom.com Size: 16 megabits (2 megabytes) Save: passwords (to unlock extra songs) Released: 1999 Works with: works with all GameBoy hardware (classic, Pocket, Light, Color) **************************************************************************** Opening Snide Remarks: One of the most unique games to ever be released on the GameBoy, now has a sequel. Wannabe DJ's are still wannabe's, so even if you're good at this game, don't try to front like you're the gonna be the next big thing to hit the DJ scene. **************************************************************************** Gameplay Descripion: The game starts off with the Konami logo and some fairly bounsy music. If you played the original Beatmania, then you're in for the same thing here. The main screen gives you a few different options, ranging from 2-player DJ battle, to entering passwords and unlocking extra songs. You can also costumize the button lay-outs and select the number of buttons you want to use in the game. The object of Beatmania is rather off-the-wall to be an enjoyable game, but it turns out to be one of the more addicting games ever created for the GB. Notes fall from the top of the screen and it's your job to tap the correct buttons corresponding to the falling notes. Timing is crucial in the game and miss playing on the notes will cause the side animations to stop and flash 'miss' or 'bad' statements. The button layout is similar to a musical keyboard (albeit, a very castrated keyboard). On the screen, you will see 3 white keys with 2 black ones sandwiched in between them and on the right of the keys is a turntable that you will 'scratch' in certain parts of a song. If you play the song correctly enough, then you will move on to the next song. Words probably don't do this review justice, Beatmania 2 along with the original have to be played to be appreciated. Liked: How all the menus and options were retained from the original. Hated: How all the menus and options are in Japanese this time around. **************************************************************************** Graphics Description: The graphics in Beatmania 2 are very similar the the original, so that's a very good thing. The notes that fall from the top of the screen are simple enough and the animations that play to the side of the screen are colorful and clean. Why Konami didn't make this game GB-Color Only is beyond me, though? To put it another way, if you don't own a GBC, do NOT buy this game. Everything that makes Beatmania so great looking in color will wind up being many shades of grey on you GB. To top that off, there is way too much blurring of the notes that on the faster songs, it's very hard to see how many times you have to strike a certain note. The keys that make up the black part of the keyboard are impossible to see because grey on a grey background is simply not a good option. Beatmania is also passable on the Super GB, but after playing the game in full color, it's a bit of a letdown. Liked: Everything looks as good as it should. Hated: How Konami thinks they're doing people a favor by making Beatmania backwards compatible. **************************************************************************** Sound/Music Description: If there is one thing Beatmania 2 should be good at, it had better be the music. There are a lot more songs in the sequel when compared to the original Beatmania and most of them are longer, too. I personally would have liked to see some songs from the first Beatmania get re-mixed, but I can understand that it's probably wiser to give the consumer more original songs than re-hashing older ones. About the one thing I can really gripe about is not something that I have any right to whine about, though. Most of the tunes in Beatmania 2 have a J-pop feel to them, so I don't really get into them as much as I did in the original, but since this is a Japanese import game, then it's probably hitting it's most proper audience. The original had more music variety, which is lacking in this sequel. Liked: Pretty much everything. Hated: The lack of more music variety. **************************************************************************** Play Control/Game Design: Beatmania plays a litte awkwardly on the Gameboy due its lack of buttons, but once you get it down, it can become a very fun game. The gameplay is simple to understand and is downright addicting. The only thing I didn't like about the game design compared to the original is how much more Japanese text is in Beatmania 2. Everything from the title screen to the options menu was almost entirely in English in the original game. For this reason alone is why I would recommend picking up the first Beatmania and then buying Beatmania 2 (just to get used to the options and such). Liked: The addictive nature of the game. Hated: How insanely difficult some of the songs can be. **************************************************************************** Improve: There isn't much to really improve upon since the game is about as good as it gets. Konami must have known that, since they didn't change anything from the original. It's now a matter of Konami giving us more songs to play. RIYL: Beatmania and maybe, the GB Camera DJ mix mode. **************************************************************************** Final Words: Why Konami doesn't release this game in North America is a travesty. There is nothing on the current GameBoy market like it. It's so unique and addicting that everyone should give it a shot. Although I didn't enjoy Beatmania 2 as much as the original, it's still a very good purchase. Pray that Konami will release the Beatmania series in the US, otherwise, be prepared to pay an inflated price importing this title. **************************************************************************** Score Gameplay: **** Graphics: ***** Sound/Music: ***** Play Control/Game Design: **** Personal Opinion: ***** Total: 23 out of 25 stars Final Score: 92% **************************************************************************** Currently Known Codes: supercool splendid.