8000+ Reviews Since 1998!
 |
Rhythm Tengoku reviewGame: Rhythm TengokuPlatform: Game Boy Advance Genre: Music Developer: J.P. Room |
Reader review by hobunn
August 29, 2007 Rhythm Tengoku was the first game I ever imported from Japan.What a waste of money.
To say that the game is a blend of WarioWare and the rhythm genre is a fairly accurate description. Packed with typical wacky visuals and Japanese charm, each mini-game (lasting a minute or so) has you timing button presses in time with the beat – a concept seen in pretty much every rhythm game. But instead of having DDR's arrows or Guitar Hero's circular notes as visual aids, you must pay attention to what's happening on-screen. In one mini-game, you're hitting baseballs syncopated to the background music, while in another, you're doing the same, but slicing incoming arrows with a ninja sword instead.
Progressing through Rhythm Tengoku is remarkably straightforward, as it implements a basic column system. Clear the first five mini-games and you unlock a remix, a combination of them played over one song. Clear the remix and you unlock the next column. It's so easy to pick up and play that the language barrier is barely a problem. Sure, the instructions are in Japanese, but you can get away with a little bit of trial and error. It doesn't take long to figure out how to swing your bat.
But that's also its downfall – it's too simple.
Though at first glance the mini-games look different from one another, many of them are practically identical. Plucking hairs off onion faces, shooting arrows at ghosts, and swinging your baseball bat – all supposedly different mini-games – can all be achieved by pressing the A button. The only difference is the timing. Hitting baseballs is more upbeat than the other two, which means you get to hit the A button more times!
What's baffling is how the developers don't seem to properly realise that another seven buttons exist on the GBA. Though the D-pad is occasionally used, you're never asked to use the shoulder buttons, and the B button is used in only four of the forty mini-games. For that reason, the game never gets challenging and is a breeze to finish.
Just when you think it can't possibly get any duller, a little over the halfway point, the mini-games repeat themselves – as in, they're actually identical, save for the slight increase in difficulty. This means you get to pluck, shoot, and swing with the A button all over again, but in time with a more bizarre beat! Paying for forty-eight mostly short mini-games isn't great value at all, but for thirty, it's a plain rip-off.
Only the remixes are the game's saving grace. They require you to keep on your toes; one second you're clapping as part of a trio of cats, the next, you're marching with three other mannequin soldiers. The changes in rhythm throughout breaks up the monotomy and are fun to play a few times. They also have the privilege of being the only mini-games to have a proper J-pop song pumping in the background. Obviously, if you're looking for Japanese music, you're better off getting Ouendan.
Really, there are barely any reasons to import Rhythm Tengoku. Unless you fancy giving the A button a workout, there's nothing inspiring to see here. Rhythm Tengoku is a waste of money, and that's all that needs to be said.
Rating:
|
|
|
|
More Reviews by hobunn
|
|
 |
Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened (PC)
Remember playing Grim Fandango or The Longest Journey and getting stuck? Remember trying to find that needle in the haystack by moving your mouse ... |
 |
F-Zero X (Nintendo 64)
Though it’s tough not to love Mario Kart’s frantic multiplayer, there’s one thing it doesn’t have over F-Zero: the joy of competing in futuristic ... |
 |
Guild II (PC)
Welcome to 1400, a time when everyone bribes, spies, and blackmails for personal benefit. It just so happens, though, that life in medieval times isn’t everythi... |
If you enjoyed this Rhythm Tengoku review, you're encouraged to leave feedback and talk about it with members of the site's community. You don't even need an HonestGamers account to get involved in the discussion. Please remember to keep your comments respectful and on-topic or they may be deleted by a moderator. Thank you for your understanding!
comments powered by Disqus
Info | Help | Privacy Policy | Contact | Advertise | Links
© 1998-2013 HonestGamers
None of the material contained within this site may be reproduced in any conceivable fashion without permission from the author(s) of said material. This site is not sponsored or endorsed by Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Microsoft, or any other such party. Rhythm Tengoku is a registered trademark of its copyright holder. This site makes no claim to Rhythm Tengoku, its characters, screenshots, artwork, music, or any intellectual property contained within. Opinions expressed on this site do not necessarily represent the opinion of site staff or sponsors.
None of the material contained within this site may be reproduced in any conceivable fashion without permission from the author(s) of said material. This site is not sponsored or endorsed by Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Microsoft, or any other such party. Rhythm Tengoku is a registered trademark of its copyright holder. This site makes no claim to Rhythm Tengoku, its characters, screenshots, artwork, music, or any intellectual property contained within. Opinions expressed on this site do not necessarily represent the opinion of site staff or sponsors.