A regiment of geese receiving barked instructions from a pelican. Two Easter Island statues howling at each other. A frog chorus wiggling their backsides. Just three of the minigames in mental music mashup Rhythm Tengoku Gold, the sequel to a GBA game which redefined rhythm-action.

Eschewing the Simon Says note-matching of the likes of Guitar Hero, the original Tengoku made it all about the beat, forcing players to follow a pattern by tapping buttons in time, all the while playfully trying to throw your concentration off with wacky visual cues, or turning the sound down so you relied on your own natural rhythm. It’s one of the purest examples of the genre in that respect that I can think of - reliant less on memory or reaction time but the simple ability to follow a beat perfectly. Sadly, while its touchscreen-based sequel is just as wildly inventive, some of its wrinkles detract from that magic formula that made the original so special.

The first few minigames have you convinced that the Wario Ware team have struck gold again - flicking a bolt to join two blocks together to a brain-invading tune is great fun, while destroying spaceships with well-timed taps feels gloriously intuitive. The music’s still great, and it’s still funny - witness the disapproving looks from your wide-mouthed chums for a missed yelp in the acapella trio stage. There’s the same addictive allure in returning to earn a gold frame for each minigame on the game select screen. Sadly, this perfect blend is spoiled by the games which involve stylus flicks - it’s not such a problem early on, but the later games are much quicker and tougher. The second table tennis minigame becomes difficult to pass, let alone achieve gold on. Tengoku was tough, but rarely frustrating, as you always knew it was your own fault when you failed. Here, the touchscreen doesn’t always recognise your flicks in time - and the very fact that you’re conscious of what your right hand is doing goes against what the game should be all about. And the guitar lessons are no match for the drum tutelage in the original.

Don’t be put off - Rhythm Tengoku Gold has enough lovestruck chameleons, guitar-playing ghosts and DJ’s shouting ’scratcho’ to keep you amused. Just temper your expectations a little if you adored the first.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, August 7th, 2008 at 8:23 pm by Chris Schilling
DS, Music, Reviews.