If this game proved anything, is that I for sure ain't got rhythm.
Considering that I basically grew up with the DS game and Megamix is one of my favorite 3DS games ever, it’s almost heresy that I haven’t even touched none of the other two games in the franchise, and the timer for Fever will arrive, but now I’m nothing but amazed at how Rhythm Tengoku, with flaws and all, manages to be an excellent starting point for the franchise… tho an admittedly pretty hard at that.
Rhythm Heaven as a whole always had really challenging sections, and Tengoku is no exception, but unlike the rest, this one has The Bon Odori and Polyrhythm, or to put it in another way, it holds pain in store. I believe those and their sequels (seriously, when I saw that there was a Polyrhythm 2 I began to hear the Godskin Apostle theme out of sheer dread ) are the most egregious cases where the game just goes batshit insane and asks of you perfection for certain segments, but they are not the only example of this. I’d say overall that this is the most imbalanced selection of rhythm minigames out of all the series, which might be a bit of a mean comparison considering this was the first one, but it still doesn’t fully excuse how some of these challenges can be extremely frustrating and sometimes weirdly dependent on the visuals (Toss boys is a great example of this), which is a issue considering how depth perception can be a bit messy on some of these and it’s a problem that none of the other later games would ever face (at least not that I know of, but I’m sure Fever will also stick the landing in that department). And yet, despite the frustration, despite the occasional uninteresting minigame, I just couldn’t stop being captivated.
The music pushes the GBA sound-font to its limits and it’s pleasant as it is a joy to listen to; there are some incredible themes here, specially on the remixes, as is as almost everything in the game itself is dancing at the music, which it’s a feeling that the game is going for, but no other GBA release that I’ve seen has been able to even come close. I may have trashed The Bon Odori a bit before, but it’s a musical stun as it is visually. Even if only the best games on here where the ones able to achieve the joy and satisfaction that I associate with the series, I can’t deny that them all are a pleasure to the eye, visually varied and incredibly imaginative: you may have a color-book style in one game, but in the next they might even use 3D. Despite everything, Tengoku made me feel the joy of getting a superb, of being one with the rhythm, of discovering what the next challenge has in; it’s still a damn good rhythm game one that since it’s inception it was made to be a challenge as well as an experience everyone can enjoy, and I think there’s something beautiful in that that sincerity was present from the very first moment.
Also I’m contractually obligated to say that Remix 6 is a banger, which it is, but I would also like to point out Remix 5’s theme, ‘cause HOLY NOW THAT’S A BANGER AND IT HAS COOL PINK MONKEYS, PEAK I TELL YOU, PEAK.
Considering that I basically grew up with the DS game and Megamix is one of my favorite 3DS games ever, it’s almost heresy that I haven’t even touched none of the other two games in the franchise, and the timer for Fever will arrive, but now I’m nothing but amazed at how Rhythm Tengoku, with flaws and all, manages to be an excellent starting point for the franchise… tho an admittedly pretty hard at that.
Rhythm Heaven as a whole always had really challenging sections, and Tengoku is no exception, but unlike the rest, this one has The Bon Odori and Polyrhythm, or to put it in another way, it holds pain in store. I believe those and their sequels (seriously, when I saw that there was a Polyrhythm 2 I began to hear the Godskin Apostle theme out of sheer dread ) are the most egregious cases where the game just goes batshit insane and asks of you perfection for certain segments, but they are not the only example of this. I’d say overall that this is the most imbalanced selection of rhythm minigames out of all the series, which might be a bit of a mean comparison considering this was the first one, but it still doesn’t fully excuse how some of these challenges can be extremely frustrating and sometimes weirdly dependent on the visuals (Toss boys is a great example of this), which is a issue considering how depth perception can be a bit messy on some of these and it’s a problem that none of the other later games would ever face (at least not that I know of, but I’m sure Fever will also stick the landing in that department). And yet, despite the frustration, despite the occasional uninteresting minigame, I just couldn’t stop being captivated.
The music pushes the GBA sound-font to its limits and it’s pleasant as it is a joy to listen to; there are some incredible themes here, specially on the remixes, as is as almost everything in the game itself is dancing at the music, which it’s a feeling that the game is going for, but no other GBA release that I’ve seen has been able to even come close. I may have trashed The Bon Odori a bit before, but it’s a musical stun as it is visually. Even if only the best games on here where the ones able to achieve the joy and satisfaction that I associate with the series, I can’t deny that them all are a pleasure to the eye, visually varied and incredibly imaginative: you may have a color-book style in one game, but in the next they might even use 3D. Despite everything, Tengoku made me feel the joy of getting a superb, of being one with the rhythm, of discovering what the next challenge has in; it’s still a damn good rhythm game one that since it’s inception it was made to be a challenge as well as an experience everyone can enjoy, and I think there’s something beautiful in that that sincerity was present from the very first moment.
Also I’m contractually obligated to say that Remix 6 is a banger, which it is, but I would also like to point out Remix 5’s theme, ‘cause HOLY NOW THAT’S A BANGER AND IT HAS COOL PINK MONKEYS, PEAK I TELL YOU, PEAK.