The fact that this never made it to America until the special edition for PS2 is a crime. I love Space Channel 5, and this game improves on it in every way. The low resolution prerendered backgrounds are gone, the side characters and bosses got fleshed out, and there are fun bonuses like endless mode and unlockable costumes. It's my favorite rhythm game of all time, which isn't REALLY saying much because I haven't played many, so I guess I'll say it's my favorite game released for Dreamcast. It's really, really cute, and equally fun. It's also on Steam for some reason, so really, you should give this game a try.

Space Channel 5 is one of the my favorite rhythm game franchises, bar none. I've sunk a ton of hours into both 1 and 2 despite being real short games. However, I grew up on the first game while I didn't get to play Part 2 until very later in life on Steam. I was fascinated to see the differences between both games. Part 2 is way more forgiving with the timing, has way more background animation going on, and introduces a lot of extra game modes and secrets. It's a grander and more sleek package compared to the original. I especially love the return of the original cast with the addition of new characters and villains you get to meet. This comes with some sacrifices, with the game not being as challenging even on the Extra Report missions. The voice acting is also awkward as it seems to use clips from different voice actors for the same character (correct me if I'm wrong on that but it's noticeable on the Steam version). Part 2 is also a hassle on Steam when the audio and game inputs don't synchronize. I would recommend the original console version for this one, but otherwise you're experiencing the game as intended.

Love everything about this game. The gameplay does take a minute to get used to, but once you do you'll be rewarded with a quick, but incredibly charming, sweet, bubbly and unforgettable experience.

Even though the graphical fidelity of the game is dated, the art style and environments are just gorgeous in my opinion, pair this with an awesome soundtrack, charm oozing out of it and great replayability and you've got a perfect game in my eyes. It's a shame more people haven't checked this out, I'm not a massive rhythm game fan (love me some Guitar Hero) but wow, this game is awesome.

This game is the best remedy if you're feeling down especially, every character is so friendly and enthusiastic but in a wholesome and humorous way, not an annoying one.

Play this game!

no other game experiments with diegetic rhythm gameplay like space channel 5 part 2. eschewing the opaque freestyle gameplay of the similar parappa series, space channel 5 instead presents easy-to-grasp rhythms conveyed via creative visual cues. the call-and-response challenge paradigm is accented with twists that extend beyond pure memorization: long strings of inputs may be symbolized by the movements of a boss robot's appendage, or panels featuring dance poses lighting up in time with the backing beat. once basic concepts are established, the designers throw curveballs to screw with the player and add some much-needed challenge to the experience. you may have to single out an out-of-place opponent who sings the wrong input, or carefully count spores crashing down from a gargantuan mutated plant. as each stage goes on the music gets progressively faster and the commands begin demanding better reflexes all the way up until a climatic motif that ends each stage. even with its simplicity it's an absolute ball to play.

the game also oozes a retro sci-fi style that showcases go-go boots, smooth curved architecture, and rave-tinged big band tunes. I absolutely need to shout out director yumiko miyabe, who created the original design for protagonist ulala in the first game as well as having art/CG credits on other sega staples like panzer dragoon saga and NiGHTS. it's obvious that she was a primary influence on the game's unique vibrance and campy encounters. this game also boasts fully 3D environments that vastly outdo the crunchy FMV backdrops of the first game. there's a much heavier focus on environment interaction in this one given that elements can change on the fly much more quickly, and towards the end it segues into some truly abstract areas filled with gripping tessellations. these combined with the extensive choreography and the eclectic musical themes work fuse in a way that absolutely screams "Dreamcast."

the game is not long, but at the very least they added some neat extra content on to satiate those wanting to squeeze more out of the campaign. there's a pseudo hard-mode that's unlocked after finishing the main story; I wouldn't call it a true hard mode since not all sections have more challenging patterns, but at least they tried to stretch it as far as they could. there's also a special survival mode with a hand-selected set of rhythms that will truly test a player's mettle given that a single mistake will send you right back to the start. setting high scores on the main stages and getting far in survival mode will unlock extra costumes, which functionally serve as a proto-achievement system. to add an extra layer of complexity, there are also multiple hidden inputs in each stage that can be subtly noticed by additional accents present in the backing tracks even when left unsaid in actual gameplay. that commitment to unorthodox ways to extend the replayability of these short titles is exactly what I expect from a sega title, and part 2 absolutely leapfrogs the first in that respect.

it helps that this is the only one available on modern platforms, as the aforementioned FMV backdrops of the original have seemed to let it fade into obscurity. this is the superior game by any metric anyway, so stream it live with your friends. revel in the charmingly awkward localized singing and cheerful grooves present throughout. indulge in one of the best early console rhythm titles available!!