Music Games

Music games, sometimes referred to as rhythm games, are games where even the most musically inept (such as myself) can establish some sort of rhythm and produce rockin’ tunes.

Let There Be Music Games

The music/rhythm genre was born in 1996 with the creation of Parappa the Rapper for the original Playstation. Parappa was created by a Japanese video game company named Nanaon - Sha. You played the role of Parappa, a rappin’ dog, facing off against other rappers one by one. Each level would pit you against a different rapper and you would have to mimic their moves and keep up with them. You would do this by pressing the button combination at the top of the screen at the correct time and in the correct order.

Benami

Konami of Japan publishes the Benami series, which itself makes up a significant portion of the genre. The series is known for utilizing controllers that are made to look like instruments. Very few games from the Benami line ever see the light of day outside of Asia, but the most recognized one that did is Dance Dance Revolution, known to most people as DDR. DDR is similar to most rhythm games in that you must hit the correct buttons in the proper sequence and at the proper time. The big difference, however, is that instead of using a small game controller, you use a large floor pad where you step on the correct buttons, simulating dancing.

Music

The music used in music games can be custom music developed for that game, edits of existing songs, and popular licensed music. Games such as Frequency and Amplitude, for example, allow you to play along to popular rock songs while gliding along multi-colored tracks.

Toys

With the addition of peripherals, music games are getting more and more diverse. Dance Dance Revolution uses giant pads that you step on (in the case of the arcade game, it’s a platform). For games like Guitar Freaks and the newer Guitar Hero, the controller is in the shape of a guitar, complete with buttons on the neck and a strum bar. Karaoke Revolution utilizes a microphone, where players sing along to on-screen lyrics a la karaoke, and are scored on correct pitch.

Rez

One game that has certain elements of the music game genre was Rez. Rez was a strange little game released for the Dreamcast and the Playstation 2. Although Rez was technically a rail shooter, the visual and audio aspects of the game also play a huge part. Whenever you shoot an enemy or use one of your unique abilities, a musical effect as well as a visual effect occurs in time with the currently playing track, which is either techno or break beat. The controller also vibrates and pulses with the beat. Rez garnered much love from reviewers, but still managed to sell poorly.

Here to Stay

Music games have definitely made their mark in the US market, and with all the new innovations, it won’t be long until your house contains a grand piano that’s hooked into your Playstation 2. [[[Karaoke Revolution Games]]]

Let There Be Music Games

The music/rhythm genre was born in 1996 with the creation of Parappa the Rapper for the original Playstation. Parappa was created by a Japanese video game company named Nanaon - Sha. You played the role of Parappa, a rappin’ dog, facing off against other rappers one by one. Each level would pit you against a different rapper and you would have to mimic their moves and keep up with them. You would do this by pressing the button combination at the top of the screen at the correct time and in the correct order.

Benami

Konami of Japan publishes the Benami series, which itself makes up a significant portion of the genre. The series is known for utilizing controllers that are made to look like instruments. Very few games from the Benami line ever see the light of day outside of Asia, but the most recognized one that did is Dance Dance Revolution, known to most people as DDR. DDR is similar to most rhythm games in that you must hit the correct buttons in the proper sequence and at the proper time. The big difference, however, is that instead of using a small game controller, you use a large floor pad where you step on the correct buttons, simulating dancing.

Music

The music used in music games can be custom music developed for that game, edits of existing songs, and popular licensed music. Games such as Frequency and Amplitude, for example, allow you to play along to popular rock songs while gliding along multi-colored tracks.

Toys

With the addition of peripherals, music games are getting more and more diverse. Dance Dance Revolution uses giant pads that you step on (in the case of the arcade game, it’s a platform). For games like Guitar Freaks and the newer Guitar Hero, the controller is in the shape of a guitar, complete with buttons on the neck and a strum bar. Karaoke Revolution utilizes a microphone, where players sing along to on-screen lyrics a la karaoke, and are scored on correct pitch.

Rez

One game that has certain elements of the music game genre was Rez. Rez was a strange little game released for the Dreamcast and the Playstation 2. Although Rez was technically a rail shooter, the visual and audio aspects of the game also play a huge part. Whenever you shoot an enemy or use one of your unique abilities, a musical effect as well as a visual effect occurs in time with the currently playing track, which is either techno or break beat. The controller also vibrates and pulses with the beat. Rez garnered much love from reviewers, but still managed to sell poorly.

Here to Stay

Music games have definitely made their mark in the US market, and with all the new innovations, it won’t be long until your house contains a grand piano that’s hooked into your Playstation 2.