Beatmania at ToysRus

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Erikph2

CAGiversary!
Picked up two copies of Beatmania controller and game package for $35 each
lastnight at Toysrus. It was located at the under the bottom shelf behind the cash register in the electronics section. When I asked the clerk to see them he said "Oh those have been there for months I don't know how much they are". Scanned in for $34.99 each so it should be nationwide.
 
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Pretty good price for the controller. Throw the game out though, it's complete turd. Butter off playing imports for IIDX, or sims on the PC even.
 
I have checked at three different Gamestops and they charge $19.99 for the controller and $35 for the game. They take the game out of the box and don't even bother mentioning that on the outside of the package. I don't know about Gamecrazy though I will check.
 
That's why I was pleasantly surprised when BeMani came to the USA. Now I have a turntable controller I can use with all the older Jap BM games.

I will now resume waiting for GH 1-2 bundles to drop to this price level as well. :drool:

kspiff
 
Is the game really that bad? I saw it at BB for $30 and considered buying it, but I've never played Beatmania and I have no idea what kind of songs are in the US version anyway.
 
Beatmania's great, it's totally worth it at any price. Don't listen to the import elitists -- you're "butter off" with the US's improved controller and IIDX-greatest-hits-styled songlist.
 
[quote name='Sardoose']Beatmania's great, it's totally worth it at any price. Don't listen to the import elitists -- you're "butter off" with the US's improved controller and IIDX-greatest-hits-styled songlist.[/QUOTE]

As someone who just got into Beatmania with this US release, it's not the song list on the US version that sucks, it's the EXTREME difficulty curve of the game.

The game goes from easy to impossibly hard VERY QUICKLY... there is no in between, and the game dosen't gradually increase difficulty.

Something like Guitar Hero 1 + 2 are perfect at this and gradually ease you into harder stuff, Beatmania just plops you into it.
 
I hated almost every US DDR game because I preferred the Japanese equivalent of the game (preferred Japanese Max to US Max, Japanese Max 2 to US Max 2 etc.). Even with that preference, I still enjoyed the US version of Beatmania a lot. I liked how it was easy (comparitve to the Japanese versions) and I found the game a lot of fun.

Even if someone was going to get the import mixes, it's worth picking up the US version for the controller alone.
 
i bought it on preorder. played it only once. waste of money. game sucks bad. didnt know its going to be that bad. many of those beatmania are great.
 
[quote name='YoshiFan1']I hated almost every US DDR game because I preferred the Japanese equivalent of the game (preferred Japanese Max to US Max, Japanese Max 2 to US Max 2 etc.). Even with that preference, I still enjoyed the US version of Beatmania a lot. I liked how it was easy (comparitve to the Japanese versions) and I found the game a lot of fun.

Even if someone was going to get the import mixes, it's worth picking up the US version for the controller alone.[/QUOTE]

Why wouldn't you? Most of the licensed music on DDR is better than the garbage they play on the radio that Konami licenses for some of the U.S. songlist. I wholeheartidly believe World Pop is infinitely better than what we hear.
And speaking to anyone who likes BM, give Ez2DJ a chance if you ever get the opportunity to play it, especially if you're a 90's R&B/Rap type of fan.
 
I just get the idea that some people prefer the US DDR mixes. Like on DDR Freak, I hear all the time about how much better Max USA is than the Japanese version of Max even though I thougt it had one of the best songlists of any game and had the exact songlist of the arcade version and the US version was a huge dissapointment to me. Same with Konamix and 4th Mix (I know they are different games but use the game game engine and had some of the same songs). Konamix is such a highly acclaimed game yet it was another US mix I hated.
 
these were $45 during the buy two get one free deal a couple weeks ago, as well, I got a couple and traded the games in. That was a good deal
 
I hate Japanese pop...I wish they'd give us a DDR with all US songs instead of 5-10 US songs and the rest Japanese pop crap. I'm not a huge fan of most of the American pop they throw on there either, but at least I know the songs for the most part and enjoy dancing to them. Personally, I'd like a rap/hip hop version of DDR and an 80s retro version of DDR. I play the game several times a week for exercise and the song list is my least favorite part of the game. Oh, a latin DDR would be nice too. They usually throw ONE latin song on each DDR mix. What's better to dance to than Latin music? Hell, at this point I'd even settle for DDR Disco Mix.

As for Beatmania, I agree on the difficulty thing. It's just not fun for new players to pick up the game like it is with Guitar Hero. My 50+ year old mom came to my house and loved Guitar Hero. She can barely play it in beginner mode but she can play it.
 
i dont mind the j-pop but i do wish they had a few more american songs. call my bluff i swear i saw beatmania at gamecrazy for 19.99
 
[quote name='Sardoose']Beatmania's great, it's totally worth it at any price. Don't listen to the import elitists -- you're "butter off" with the US's improved controller and IIDX-greatest-hits-styled songlist.[/quote]

Oh, quite the opposite, I hardly play Beatmania that much now days, I've only played the first series mostly. So I wouldn't call myself an "elitist".

The US version of Beatmania is a little disapointing, considering the ammount of time it took for it to get here. Like Roufuss mentioned, most of the medium dificuulty songs aren't there, so the dificulty jumps insanly easy to very fucking hard. Not that I have a problem with that, though it will kill the series for newcomers.

While I don't exactly like the addition of the new songs, I don't hate them either, but the keys for them doesn't seem to fit the music that well, as if they didn't really seem to giving them much care while arranging. It probably would also have been a better idea to leave in the medium songs instead of spending time on the new ones.

I as mentioed, I havn't played IIDX that much, but I do know the movies in the first series was somewhat interactive, telling you when you mess up. I found that not only helpful, but also more enjoyable that the non interative moives in the US version.

The only good thing is the controller, nice build and buttons don't stick.

The bundle is a good buy, that I already mentioned, but it's not worth it if you're just getting it for the watered down US version. Getting into Sims and The Japanese version (both the original and IIDX) is definatly a butter idea.
 
I picked it up at target for 29.99 also. I gotta agree with the diffculty curve with this game is so random! Also there's a thread on gamefaqs on how to make the spin table turn easier. Look into it if your looking to mod the U.S. beat mania controller as the spin table does feel a bit stiff...
 
The US release is a good song list for what it is, but the grading was way too easy in that version. Likewise, I wasn't sure, but it seemed like the timing was off, but don't quote me on that.

If you're gonna play to get better, I suggest importing other IIDX Styles and investing in an ASC (arcade-style controller) like I did. But since those average ~$400, you may even consider getting a $225+ customizable one at destkoparcade.com. I dunno, I been playing for years and I still love the game, but as everyone has noted, the learning curve is pretty high. However, if you're willing to put the time into it, it's the kind game that will continue to entertain for years to come.

:)
 
[quote name='kiwixstyle']The US release is a good song list for what it is, but the grading was way too easy in that version. Likewise, I wasn't sure, but it seemed like the timing was off, but don't quote me on that.

If you're gonna play to get better, I suggest importing other IIDX Styles and investing in an ASC (arcade-style controller) like I did. But since those average ~$400, you may even consider getting a $225+ customizable one at destkoparcade.com. I dunno, I been playing for years and I still love the game, but as everyone has noted, the learning curve is pretty high. However, if you're willing to put the time into it, it's the kind game that will continue to entertain for years to come.

:)[/quote]

Do you post on SOWS?
 
[quote name='Roufuss']As someone who just got into Beatmania with this US release, it's not the song list on the US version that sucks, it's the EXTREME difficulty curve of the game.

The game goes from easy to impossibly hard VERY QUICKLY... there is no in between, and the game dosen't gradually increase difficulty.

Something like Guitar Hero 1 + 2 are perfect at this and gradually ease you into harder stuff, Beatmania just plops you into it.[/quote]

I don't know what you're talking about. Guitar Hero goes from easy to difficult after medium. Many would also say that GH is too easy because people were going through everything within a month not to mention the only thing to really do in the game is complete a song with a full combo. In beatmania it sure is hard in the beginning but when you get the hang of it you'll fly through. With a grading system one game can go a long way for beatmania because even if you can complete every song you strive for a better flashing great score.

Beatmania US does suck in comparison to the imports but it's a great mix to start out with. Also I have yet to buy GHII and everything is based of the first and what I know and played.
 
[quote name='sephiroth1215']I don't know what you're talking about. Guitar Hero...not to mention the only thing to really do in the game is complete a song with a full combo.[/QUOTE]

I don't know much about Beatmania, but you mention getting higher and higher scores. Do you mean that getting high scores is somehow not important in Guitar Hero?
 
[quote name='SDC']I don't know much about Beatmania, but you mention getting higher and higher scores. Do you mean that getting high scores is somehow not important in Guitar Hero?[/quote] I think he's not saying it's unimportant but too easy. I guess I sorta see what he's saying, I was able to complete expert songs easily after playing guitar hero for a few days while with beatmania I had more way more trouble getting the hang of things.

edit: My toysrus doesn't have any left : (, hope they get more in stock.
 
[quote name='SDC']I don't know much about Beatmania, but you mention getting higher and higher scores. Do you mean that getting high scores is somehow not important in Guitar Hero?[/quote]

Well...it's more irrelevant in GH. Once you reach the point where you are perfect combo'ing the songs, your score is only a function of where you use your starpower, which is trial and error until you find the best place to use it.

In beatmania, getting perfects on every note on the more difficult songs is almost impossible. Just look at the EX scores at vjarmy.com. There is more room for human error in beatmania, and therefore more room for improvement.
 
[quote name='Rictor']I hate Japanese pop...I wish they'd give us a DDR with all US songs instead of 5-10 US songs and the rest Japanese pop crap. I'm not a huge fan of most of the American pop they throw on there either, but at least I know the songs for the most part and enjoy dancing to them. Personally, I'd like a rap/hip hop version of DDR and an 80s retro version of DDR. I play the game several times a week for exercise and the song list is my least favorite part of the game. Oh, a latin DDR would be nice too. They usually throw ONE latin song on each DDR mix. What's better to dance to than Latin music? Hell, at this point I'd even settle for DDR Disco Mix.

As for Beatmania, I agree on the difficulty thing. It's just not fun for new players to pick up the game like it is with Guitar Hero. My 50+ year old mom came to my house and loved Guitar Hero. She can barely play it in beginner mode but she can play it.[/QUOTE]

You're joking right? Some of the best songs on Japanese DDR AREN'T J-Pop, they're Euro and Dance with some stuff being House and some Techno as well.
Case in point EVERYTHING on DDR from X-Treme pretty much: "Wonderland", "A Minute" and "My Fire". Also E-Rotic with "Do It All Night", "Turn Me On" and that song from 5th Mix I can't remember right now. Yeah there's Smile.dk and the remixes which are big but then there's Atomic Kitten with "Right Now" and Rebecca with "Young Forever" on 5th Mix. Oh and one of the BEST songs on DDR is Hip-Hop based, it's the Matronik edit of "Strictly Business" by EPMD on 2nd Mix which is the only reason I plan to buy the original console Japanese DDR mix since I have the DC 2nd Mix. Here's another giant artist you missed everyone seems to love who's European, Captain Jack.
Past all of what I've listed the only J-Pop left is Joga MAYBE and the stuff by Judy Crystal like "Baby Love Me" and "God Of Romance". Jenny ROM maybe but she might be European too.
What you're saying is you don't like the music which comes from Dancemania which I'd say is a shame since most of the Pop the world gets is a LOT better than the garbage we hear on the radio right now. I can tell you Zipmania 2 from the Dancemania series is one of the few cd's where I like almost EVERY track on it.
Now Yoshi as for those DDRFreak that like the American versions better I'd say they're idiots for the most part except when it comes to MAX2 US which I feel DID have a lot of good stuff on it. Ultramix overall has been a bloody disappointment pretty much, licenses and frame rate is one of the biggest outrages considering the XBox hardware which means that game should be chugging at a constant 60 FPS.
 
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