Page 41 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #7

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Konami’s ongoing Bemani that if William Hung can find success at an instrument as a guitar, piano, or violin
series (short for the com- murdering songs, maybe you can too. (in Fran Drescher’s case, an instrument of
pany’s first interactive music Also in the game’s favor is the cruel reality destruction), but who would have thought
game, Beatmania) has proven that plastic guitars, turntables, maracas, it could be a joystick as well? Previous
that rhythm-based games are and drum kits required in other titles are voice-activated games like Seaman and
more than the flavor of the too much of an added expense to reel in Hey You, Pikachu! involved coaxing a
month. Yet their overall the casual gamer—the demographic most character to initiate actions instead of di-
appeal caters more to likely to embrace music titles to begin rectly controlling the activity yourself.
Japanese tastes than with. By bundling an accessory that can Karaoke Revolution has you as a singer
the American palate, es- be used for multiple games, Konami has and conductor, guiding the on-screen con-
pecially when peripherals cleared one giant hurdle that has stigm a- tent using nothing but the pitch of your
are added into the mix. Only tized the genre. voice. Instead of a character, you control
Dance Dance Revolution, with Available with a Logitech USB head- an arrow, which rises and falls according
its Power Pad-like floor mat, has set or as a standalone purchase, Kara- to how you sing. If you want to move the
created a buzz-worthy following oke Revolution earns kudos for not arrow up, you simply sing higher, and vice
here in the States, as other com- being packaged in a box the size of versa. Even if your last time reading notes
panies are left trying to woo fans Rhode Island, meaning it can be was in high school study hall, you will be
with quirky variants like Samba tucked safely inside a bag for those able to learn a song’s proper pitch simply
de Amigo, the upcoming Don- fearing dire repercussions from by watching the on-screen feedback. The
key Konga, and the oddly com- friends or significant others. Unlike game may even improve your vocal abil-
pelling Amplitude. It is a genre unfurling a large dance mat on the ity.
on the brink of busting out of floor or wiggling a pair of maracas, In addition to controlling pitch—and
its niche and bursting into the players won’t look silly donning the you Barry Whites or Michael Jacksons out
mainstream. Konami, along headset microphone. Well, not that there can still sing the song “correctly” in a
with U.S. developer Har- silly anyway. The microphone can, lower or higher octave—players must
monix, may have done just after all, be used for Electronic breathe correctly so notes are hit at the
that with Karaoke Revolu- Arts’ online games as well as proper time and for the proper length. This
tion. Sony’s SOCOM and other aspect follows the standard formula for
Even before a single copy hits the hits, so the accessory rhythm games, where points are earned
shelf, Karaoke Revolution has the ad- won’t be gathering dust in for precise timing. The object here is to
vantage of instant recognition: you have, a closet. It also works on PCs and as an sing the word, as it scrolls from right to left
willingly or not, experienced karaoke in integral part of your very own *NSYNC/ across the screen, at the moment it
one form or another at some point in your Backstreet Boys/Britney Spears/ crosses a vertical line. So you only have
life. And a little show called American Idol McDonald’s drive-thru clerk Halloween three things to worry about in any given
is scorching up the ratings charts, teach- costume. song: singing in the right pitch, using your
ing ordinary folks the dangerous lesson Most would agree the voice is as much voice to move a cursor up and down while

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