Posts tagged Rhythm at DS Fanboy

Posts with tag rhythm

Plugging in the Guitar Hero: On Tour peripheral

Posted May 7th 2008 8:00PM by David Hinkle
Filed under: Screens

You know, for how much we've seen on Guitar Hero: On Tour, we haven't seen too much on the peripheral. But now, thanks to a German gaming site that got their hands on the device, we all have something to look at. The images not only show an up-close look at the peripheral that attaches to the DS so that you may rock out, but also the whole set-up all ready to go and in someone's hands.

Click the image to the right (or right here) to check out the images of Guitar Hero: On Tour's peripheral.

Gallery: Guitar Hero: On Tour

Siliconera catches the Oshiri Kajiri Mushi bug

Posted May 6th 2008 10:30AM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: News, Imports

Siliconera's Spencer Yip picked up a copy of Oshiri Kajiri Mushi Rhythm Lesson DS, possibly the only game this year on the DS about learning rhythm from a cartoon bug who bites people in the rear to help motivate them. He has written up some details of the rhythm gameplay found in the single-player Rhythm Lesson mode. Unsurprisingly, the game isn't a revolution in anything but concept, but it does sound like a cute multi-instrumental rhythm game.

The many instruments are played identically -- by tapping on the screen in response to audio and visual cues. Said visual cues include the Butt-Biting Bug flying towards groups of stars; when he contacts a star, the player is to tap the screen. Successful taps increase a meter, which, when full, triggers a butt-biting vignette. The lessons unlock special games like the voice-training lesson, in which players actually sing into the mic.

We're still a bit flabbergasted that the weird song about biting butts became popular enough to support a game, which is now a real thing that someone bought.

Ba-dum! Taiko No Tatsujin Clay Anime

Posted May 1st 2008 9:45AM by Eric Caoili
Filed under: Video, Imports

We already knew Taiko no Tatsujin's characters are pretty darn cute from playing the games, but this clay anime series, officially produced by Namco, makes sure we'll never forget it. Though it's supposed to be a show for children -- it originally aired on Japan's Kids Station channel, if that's any indication -- we've found ourselves totally drawn into the adventures of Wada Don, Wada Katsu, and their clay friends.

A total of 26 episodes were put out over two seasons in 2005-2006, and the first seven are subtitled and available to watch on Youtube. Like the clip above, each Taiko No Tatsujin Clay Anime episode is only four minutes long, so you could feasibly watch the entire collection of translated videos in the time it takes you to watch a single episode of a much less interesting anime.

On the topic of Drum Master, Siliconera has an excellent preview and walkthrough of Taiko no Tatsujin: 7 Islands' Adventure, which shipped to stores in Japan just last week. Combine that with these menu translations, and you've got nothing stopping you from importing the rhythm game!

[Via GameSetWatch]

Guitar Hero track listing revealed, ranges from great to Maroon 5

Posted Apr 30th 2008 3:00PM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: News

Like Bigfoot, fairies, and (sob) unicorns, the perfect Guitar Hero soundtrack simply doesn't exist. There'll always be stuff we love and stuff we hate on the damn things, and so it is with Guitar Hero: On Tour. Activision just revealed fifteen of the tracks that will appear in On Tour (there'll be 25, eventually), and it's the usual mixed bag. "Breed" by Nirvana? Great choice! "Helicopter" by Bloc Party? We like! "Rock and Roll All Nite" by Kiss? Fair enough. "All Star" by Smash Mouth? Umm ... "This Love" by Maroon 5? What?

Head past the break to see the full list (complete with handy YouTube links) and feel varying degrees of satisfaction/rage.

Gallery: Guitar Hero: On Tour

Continue reading Guitar Hero track listing revealed, ranges from great to Maroon 5

Taiko Drum Master DS: 39 Songs' Adventure

Posted Apr 21st 2008 5:00PM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: News, Imports

Taiko no Tatsujin: 7 Islands' Adventure comes out in Japan -- and ships out to happy importers -- this week. Along with more screenshots, GAME Watch included the full (as far as we know) song list. We thought it might be nice for people interested in the game to know what's in the game, so we translated, or transliterated, the song titles and linked to a video of each one. Except for the Fukoumori theme, which we couldn't find.

The game's music falls into six categories: J-Pop, game music, Namco originals, children's songs, classical music, and anime. Well, functionally, they fall into one category: stuff with beats. Check after the break for the list, and please watch some videos so we don't feel like we've wasted our time.

Continue reading Taiko Drum Master DS: 39 Songs' Adventure

Friday Video: One more time!

Posted Apr 18th 2008 8:00PM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: DS Daily, Friday video

We love the kind of hyperenthusiastic trailers that Japanese game companies produce. When such a chipper announcer tells us how awesome a game is, we're inclined to believe them. And we have no reason to believe that Meccha! Taiko no Tatsujin DS: 7-tsu no Shima no Daibouken is anything but great, between the tried-and-true fake-drumming gameplay and the endless march of beloved characters.

But even if we didn't care about the game, or didn't even know what the hell it was, the super-adorable moment at the end of the trailer when the boy, dejected after a loss, raises a drumstick stylus and sleepily asks for another game would have sold us as our hearts were melting.

Taiko Drum Master ships 500k

Posted Apr 12th 2008 4:15PM by Candace Savino
Filed under: News, Imports

Those of you who pay attention to Japanese sales have probably noticed that week after week, Taiko Drum Master DS sits comfortably in the top thirty. It may not sell absurd quantities (according to Famitsu, usually around 6,000 copies per week as of late), but it can't be argued that the game has legs, especially considering that it debuted nine months ago. In fact, it's the only third-party game for a Nintendo system that shows up on the charts with such consistency.

It was only a matter of time, then, before the game hit the 500k landmark. We're glad to see Namco's game doing so well, and hopefully the DS sequel will find similar success.

[Via GoNintendo]

Band Brothers DX: Now with 100+ downloadable jams

Posted Apr 9th 2008 12:45PM by Eric Caoili
Filed under: News

After Daigasso! Band Brothers' release in Japan over three years ago and its subsequent expansion pack, it's time that Nintendo of America follow through with its Jam With the Band plans and bring the rhythm game to the US. Perhaps with this new entry to the series, Band Brothers DX, stateside gamers will finally trade licks with the series' curvy mascot, Barbara the Bat, outside of Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Japanese magazine Famitsu revealed the sequel in this week's issue, detailing plenty of additions to the original's offerings: 30 classical/J-pop tracks, 50+ playable instruments (including an NES/Famicom?!), a guitar which you can strum via touchscreen, and a new "Karaoke Bar" mode. Interestingly, according to initial translations, DX will only allow for six players in its multiplayer jam sessions, two players less than what the first Band Brothers supported.

As for its online features, DX will also have over 100 downloadable songs for players to add to the included tracklist. We're assuming that this is for-real downloadable content and not faux downloadable content, as seen with Professor Layton and the Curious Village, but you never know! Band Brothers DX is scheduled to ship in Japan this June 26th. We'll let you know if we hear anything about a US release!

Bring your axe and pick past the post break for the scanned Famitsu pages.

Continue reading Band Brothers DX: Now with 100+ downloadable jams

EA announces Zubo for the DS

Posted Mar 28th 2008 12:45PM by David Hinkle
Filed under: News

EA has a new DS game lined up and it's called Zubo. While it sounds like some kind of long-lost martial art, Zubo is, in fact, a rhythm-based game aimed at "teh kiddiez." Geared toward boys and girls age 7 through 11, EA's Casual Entertainment Label is hoping they have a winner on their hands here. Zubo is currently set to ship this fall.

In the game, the player aids the fine inhabitants of Zubalon against the evil Zombos. There's also more to the title than just that, as players will also be charged with recruiting, feeding and overall training their Zubos before sending them into musically-driven battles. Sounds like fun!

[Via Joystiq]

Gamestop shreds out Guitar Hero price, release date

Posted Mar 21st 2008 9:45AM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: Rumors

A listing for Guitar Hero: On Tour has appeared on the site of retailer Gamestop, revealing both a release date and price for Vicarious Visions' shred-a-thon. While neither has been officially confirmed by publisher Activision, Gamestop's date (June 29th) does at least fall in line with Activision's announcement from Wednesday regarding a summer release.

What's probably of greater interest is the price. Because the title is to ship with the much-discussed Guitar Grip, Gamestop has On Tour listed for $49.99. Which begs the next, obvious question: will you pay the extra monies to rock out portably?

[Thanks, Max!]

Guitar Hero: On Tour to feature Nirvana, No Doubt, OK Go

Posted Mar 20th 2008 3:00PM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: News

Okay, so maybe they don't look all that elated to hear about Nirvana's inclusion in Guitar Hero: On Tour, but we struggled to contain our glee upon reading that Kurt and co. would be appearing in the game (despite some reservations about how it actually plays). We consider ourselves experts, don'cha know.

Nirvana will be joined by west coast warblers No Doubt and OK Go, but there's no news on which songs will feature. That said, we're going to go out on a limb and suggest that the OK Go song will be the only OK Go song that anybody knows anything about. Bet we're not wrong.

We'll be able to play as one of six characters, and there'll be five different venues for us to get kicked off stage at. Don't think the DS's other features are getting neglected, either -- the microphone can be used to "extinguish a pyrotechnics effects gone wrong," (hark, do we hear the sound of barrels being scraped?) and it's possible to autograph the shirts of your adoring fans in the middle of a set (which actually sounds quite novel).

[Via Games Press]

DS Daily: A less-than-perfect solution?

Posted Mar 20th 2008 9:00AM by Chris Greenhough
Filed under: DS Daily

For so long, the prospect of a Guitar Hero game on the DS was a source of intrigue to this blogger. During long, sleepless nights, I would ponder how such a game could reproduce the magic of the home console versions with just two screens, the DS's tinny speakers, and no guitar peripheral.

Yesterday, Activision revealed its solution to these conundrums: the "Guitar Grip." The idea seems straightforward enough: plug the above accessory into the GBA slot of your DS, grab your guitar pick stylus, and strum away on your touchscreen while pressing buttons to coincide with cascading on-screen notes. Fair enough. Considering the limitations of the DS, this isn't a terrible idea.

But here's what irks me: a considerable -- no, a huge -- part of Guitar Hero's appeal is the guitar controller itself. When I'm (cough) "rocking out" on one of the home console versions of Guitar Hero, I'm Brian May on stage at Live Aid, at least in my head. In reality, of course, I'm a deluded cretin, but the point still stands: Guitar Hero is at its best when it's letting us live out our rock star fantasies, and that's fun. Yours truly is going to struggle to get the same sensation of being a total rock god just by plugging in the Guitar Grip.

I hate to say this but ... perhaps Guitar Hero should have stayed on home consoles, if the Guitar Grip truly is the best solution. Is that too harsh?

At last: Guitar Hero on Tour, now with wacky peripheral

Posted Mar 19th 2008 1:55PM by Alisha Karabinus
Filed under: News

More like Tiny Accordion Hero, amirite?

Dying to know how you'll shred in portable fashion? The wait is over, Guitar Hero fans -- at least, the DS peripheral has been revealed, along with some screenshots from the title. It's called the Guitar Grip, and it will fit snugly into the GBA slot and wrap around while players hold the system sideways. Gameplay-wise, it's -- no surprise here -- Guitar Hero, as it should be. The touchscreen is where it all happens; you follow the song on the left screen, and strum on the right. You even get to throw down with Star Power, and for those of you who take your throwdowns seriously, there's a strap to ensure that your handheld stays held. The Grip also includes a slot for a special pick stylus. However, as you can see, there are only four buttons for the DS version ... and we can't help but wonder how the different slot on the Lite vs. Phat will be handled.

On Tour features multiplayer via local wireless, in which players will have access to unique powerups that disrupt their opponents by, among other things, setting their guitars on fire and forcing them to extinguish the blaze with the microphone.

Guitar Hero on Tour is set for some time, some day this summer -- all we know is that it's not soon enough. For now, hit the jump for some additional shots, as well as a video.

Continue reading At last: Guitar Hero on Tour, now with wacky peripheral

Fill your cuteness quota with this Taiko Drum Master 2 DS trailer

Posted Mar 13th 2008 2:15PM by Candace Savino
Filed under: Video

If this trailer doesn't melt your cold, embittered hearts, then you might as well resign yourself to a life alone, never loving anyone because you're just a tin man. Okay, maybe we took that too far, but come on! Smiling drums, happy music, ninja cats ... it's all one giant bundle of cuteness.

We told you yesterday about the various instruments in Taiko Drum Master: 7 Islands' Adventure, and this video shows them in action for a few seconds. We also love the customizable elephant Taiko drum, and -- can we reiterate -- ninja cats!

Rhythm games and quirky Japanese titles are right up our alley, so we enjoy this series because it incorporates the two. Is anyone else getting pumped for the next Taiko Drum Master?

Taiko Drum Master sequel needs more cowbell

Posted Mar 12th 2008 2:15PM by Candace Savino
Filed under: News, Imports

Further securing its place on our list of games that need to be imported, Taiko Drum Master: 7 Islands' Adventure will feature more than just a drum. Siliconera reports that the game will include six other percussive instruments, like a tambourine, a bell, and, well -- some other types of drums. There may even be more instruments at hand, but we're going to guess that it stops at seven, since there's a "seven" in the game's title (eat your heart out, Sherlock Holmes).

It may be a rather simple addition, but it's a nice enough change to add a little bit of freshness to the Taiko Drum Master series. If your looking to import this game, you won't have to wait long; it's set to release in Japan on April 24th.

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