Jam Sessions Review

Jam Sessions Review

One of the fastest rising genres in the video game world are rhythm games, sometimes known as music games. Some of the more popular examples of this genre include titles like Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution.

What makes Jam Sessions different is that there is no score involved. There are no conventional levels or goals to achieve. When you play through a song in this particular game, you are provided with the correct chords to play. However, you have the opportunity to set your own tempo and enjoy the tune at your own rhythm. This will be quite a shock to most people who are more accustomed to timed arrows and timely riffs.

The presentation found in Jam Sessions is remarkably simple. There are no fancy graphics or animations, nor are there really any characters. It's just you and a virtual guitar, as represented by a single string on the touchscreen display. You choose which chord to play by holding a direction on the directional pad on the left. If you are left handed, the same effect can be achieved through the corresponding buttons on the right (A, B, X, and Y). You hold one of these directions (or buttons) and strum the virtual guitar string. Strumming upwards or downwards result in different sounds, just as it would on a real guitar.

This Is Not A Game

In some ways, Jam Sessions is a variation on guitar tabs, because you don't need to read traditional sheet music to play through the variety of songs. Simply look at the chord selection at the top of the screen and hold the corresponding direction on the d-pad.

Departing even further from the conventional video game framework, as mentioned earlier, Jam Sessions doesn't have any sort of scoring system. In this way, it's even less conventional than a title like Nintendogs. At least with the puppy simulation game, there is the goal of learning new tricks and it is plainly obvious when you have achieved certain goals. This is not the case with Jam Sessions.

For this reason, it is perhaps more appropriate to think of Jam Sessions as a tool, rather than as a game. It's great for people who want to play the guitar, but don't want to learn the fingering for all the different chords. The sensation is similar, albeit not nearly as "full" as a real guitar.

Game Modes

There are four game modes available from the main menu:

• Tutorial teaches you the basics of how to "play" this game.
• Warm Up includes a series of introductory exercises.
• Songs is the main game mode where you can play through the song list.
• Free Play is a completely open-ended jam session.

Jam Sessions Song List

Some songs come with full demos, so that you can hear the song as it was meant to be played. Others offer the chord and lyric information only, leaving it up to you to find the appropriate melody and pacing. Obviously, you will want to familiarize yourself with the former before approaching the latter.

• Songs with Full Demos
  • Beck - Jack-Ass
  • Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone
  • Bob Marley - No Woman, No Cry
  • Coldplay - Yellow
  • Death Cab for Cutie - I Will Follow You into the Dark
  • The Fray - Over My Head (Cable Car)
  • Nirvana - The Main Who Sold the World
  • Avril Lavigne - I'm With You
  • Rascal Flatts - Life Is a Highway
  • Blind Melon - No Rain

• Songs with Chords and Lyrics
  • James Taylor - How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You
  • Johnny Cash - I Forget More Than You'll Ever Know
  • Janis Joplin - Me and Bobby McGee
  • The Jackson 5 - Never Can Say Goodbye
  • Cheap Trick - Surrender
  • Marvin Gaye - What's Going On?
  • Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good

The Verdict

With quite the selection of songs ranging a variety of genres -- where else will you find Bob Marley next to Beck or Nirvana next to Johnny Cash? -- Jam Sessions for the Nintendo DS is a wonderful departure from the everyday. It is a truly unique "game", if you can even call it a game. It comes highly recommended for anyone looking to play the guitar without an actual guitar.

One thing that you will have to bear in mind is that if you are hoping for a portable Guitar Hero experience, you will not find it in Jam Sessions. If you want to jam to your own tune, then this title just may be for you.

Rating: 8.0/10.0