Music has always had a certain power to me. I think sometimes I underestimate it or perhaps even forget about it, but there's something to it. I've found that a lot of fond memories are attached to certain songs and when they're connected to a song both the song and the memory itself bring that much more of a smile to myself whenever they cross my mind.
Building off that, I've found over the years that I've had an interesting relationship with music/rhythm video games. Early on I never actually found them all that exciting. I remember a general feeling of "So you just hit a button to the beat? Sounds boring" and while that may still technically be what music video games are at their most basic level, I've started to find that they can be so much more than that and that there can be so much variety among them.
Over the past year or two, one newer music game I've encountered is DanceRush Stardom. When I first saw the game, it quickly perked my interest because of the cabinet floor. Unlike Dance Dance Revolution, there were no actual "buttons" or "arrows". It was simply a single connected floor that detects where your feet are. It seemed to me like something that would allow a lot more freedom of movement and interesting steps.
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| Don't look into the light! |
While it definitely did that, it also quickly reminded me of something else from DDR and those music games of old... which is that they can be quite a workout. Unlike those, this one actually even requires you to jump and duck as it detects whether or not you do. I don't even think I realized how much I was moving over the few songs that I did. You quickly realize something else missing compared to DDR as well, that being the back bar. That's right, DanceRush Stardom doesn't care if you fall on your face. DanceRush Stardom isn't here for your bullshit.
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| Joke's on them, now I can hit steps with my FACE. |
I do have to say though, between the jumping, ducking and weaving, sometimes I can't help but feel pretty "slick" when I'm playing DanceRush Stardom. It's a really nice feeling, though I certainly wouldn't want to watch a video of myself playing as I can only imagine it would ruin the illusion. What feels cool at the time would probably look more in hindsight like a combination of a drunk goose and a panda having a seizure.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, another music/rhythm game I've found myself greatly enjoying lately is Theatrhythm Final Fantasy. Unlike DanceRush Stardom, Thearhythm doesn't require you to use your whole body. Although the controls different slightly based on if you're playing on 3DS or in the arcade, for the most part you'll just be using your hands and wrists.
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| Something about it still makes me think of a DJ turntable... |
No one would ever mistaken Thearhythm for a workout but it's not supposed to be. I've often found it to be quite calming. There's probably something to be said for it being the first (though now not only) arcade game I've ever seen where you can plug in your own headphones. The Final Fantasy music for the most part can be pretty relaxing and the nostalgic aspect helps too.
I think one thing over the past years that slightly pulled me away from music games is my increasing backlog and increasing tendency to be a bit of a "completionist". Now that I track all my games on my backloggery, I find that I like to try to 100% as many of them as I can. The thing is though... as much as I enjoy rhythm/music games, I've realized over the years how insane they can get and that I will never, ever 100% complete one. I would be more likely to 100% complete an Animal Crossing game than I would a rhythm one.
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| Do you realize how much STUFF they shove in here? |
But... maybe I don't HAVE to get that 100% in a rhythm game. Maybe I can always come back to it down the line and do a little better, the same way you're supposed to come back to a game like Animal Crossing months and even years later. Maybe I can go back to the days of old where not everything had to be measured by "completion" and "play time" and just get lost in the music, whether that music is relaxing or exhilarating.
All of this brings me to something that keeps catching my eye... Cadence of Hyrule. I kept hearing Crypt of the NecroDancer was very good, but something, perhaps the backlog and completionist tendencies, prevented me from ever actually picking it up. I kept telling myself "maybe on a sale" but a few sales have come and gone without me grabbing it. Suddenly though, Cadence of Hyrule was announced and up'd the ante by suddenly adding The Legend of Zelda to the mix. Considering everything, how could I resist that?
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| You interrupted their band practice, who's the real bad guy here? |
There's been some rumors that Cadence of Hyrule will release this week and I am definitely hoping that's the case! DanceRush Stardom might have brought my rhythm game joy back to the forefront but perhaps Cadence of Hyrule will expand it even more in the comfort of my own home... and this time without having to use my face.
