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[daMandus]

"Video Game publisher Mastiff today announced Technic Beat, an innovative and addictive music game for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system that allows players to actually create, alter and dance on screen to their own music. Developed by Arika and featuring tunes from some of Namco's most popular games, Technic Beat is expected to release in late summer 2004.

In Technic Beat, players listen to music represented in the game by radiating concentric rings of sound. Picking up the beat, they dance into the middle of the rings and try to "catch" the music. If successful, they achieve the power to manipulate the sound rings and create entirely new music. As players progress and gain skill they are rewarded with spectacular visual displays, bonuses, and power ups.

Technic Beat features include:

* Arcade mode – use the Tension Meter to measure your performance. Push it up and you're on to the next round!
* Free mode – choose the songs you want to play. Save and replay your performances, and control the camera and music.
* Challenge mode – choose the difficulty level and let the game pick your test!
* Sudden death – Can you play all the songs in order without a single mistake?
* Supports one or two players playing cooperatively or competitively.
"

Is it any good?

 

[bobbyconover]

Yes. Before the old GAF died there was a large thread about obscure imports, and several of us (myself included) posted glowing recommendations for this game. It's one of the coolest and most unique rhythm games I've played, and the music selection - almost 100 songs, including 30-ish classic Namco songs (Ridge Racer, Pac-Mania, Dig Dug, Splatterhouse, etc) remixed by Shinji Hosoe and Ayako Saso - is unmatched.

I never, ever would've expected it to come to the US, but it's an awesome thing that it's happening!

 

[daMandus]

So all I have to do is wait for a PAL-release or get som money to mod my PS2?

Cool to hear its a good game since I'm starting to like the genre more and more. Now I should just get the possibilty to play imported games.

 

[Sho Nuff]

Aside from the coolness of the included tracks, I thought it sucked pretty bad.

 

[SpiderJerusalem]

This looks cool, I'll have to check it out.

 

[Mr. Lemming]

I first read about this in that old import game thread, and wanted it but always thought it would never show up here. I'm glad I was wrong.

 

[BuddyC]

Mastiff is on a roll.

 

[GDJustin]

I never, ever would've expected it to come to the US, but it's an awesome thing that it's happening!

Mastiff has done a fantastic job of picking products that will get them on the map. Do you have any idea how small of a company they are? First they 1up Atlus by releasing a better localization of a NIS product, and now this.

Take a look at their website and look at the stuff they did during their PS1 games to see just how far they've come.

 

[jiggle]

But...SCEA still sucks, right?

 

[BuddyC]

But...SCEA still sucks, right?

Oh yea, it's just that Mastiff gives really good head.

 

[bobbyconover]

Mastiff has done a fantastic job of picking products that will get them on the map. Do you have any idea how small of a company they are? First they 1up Atlus by releasing a better localization of a NIS product, and now this.

Take a look at their website and look at the stuff they did during their PS1 games to see just how far they've come.

Yeah, totally. In the import game gush-fest thread that was active just before the GAF crash, I and a few others gave Mastiff serious 'props.' Best logo ever, to boot. And from the web site they seem like cool guys with a good sense of humor. I'm definitely keeping an eye on them from now on!

 

[TheAdamantShot]

I just hope all those Namco tunes carry over.

 

[jiggle]

Waitaminute, this is a Namco(published) game? Or it just features some of Namco's music?

 

[hooo]

Hopefully, they'll pick up Katamari Damashi too. It's good to know that Namco Hometek isn't totally possessive about all of it's properties.

 

[bobbyconover]

Waitaminute, this is a Namco(published) game? Or it just features some of Namco's music?

It features a bunch of licensed tracks by Namco, many of which were written by Shinji Hosoe when he worked for them in the 80s. He now works for Arika, who made Technic Beat. I'm guessing he used his old connections with Namco to sweet talk them into letting Arika borrow some of their old songs.

Here are the songs, in case anyone's interested:

Namco (remixed) tracks:

Xevious
Dig Dug
Mappy
New Rally-X
Libble Rabble
Assault
Burning Force
Metrocross
Youkai Douchuki
Motos
Thunder Ceptor
Ordyne
Rolling Thunder
Pacmania
Barabo Man
Genpei Toumaden
Dragon Spirit
F/A
The Return of Ishtar
Splatterhouse
TOY POP
X-Day
Sky Kid
Ridge Racer
Galaxian3
Dragon Buster
Winning Run
Wonder Momo
Gun Bullet (aka Point Blank)
The Tower of Druaga
Cosmo Gang the Video
Sky Kid Hard ver.
PacMania Hard ver.
Burning Force Hard ver.

Tunes from other Arika games:

brisa do mar (from EverBlue 2)
The Absolute (from Tetris the Grand Master 2: The Absolute)
Stronger (from Street Fighter EX - theme of Garuda)
PURACHINA (from Card Captor Sakura)
Sakura Mankai (from Street Fighter EX2 - theme of Hokuto)
Ancient Zone (from Street Fighter EX3)
L7-A2 (from Fighting Layer)
Stronger Hard ver. (from Street Fighter EX - theme of Garuda)
LOVE MAHJONG (from Mahjong Net de Ron!)
FAKE WORLD MANIAX (from Street Fighter EX2)
Arabesque (from Street Fighter EX - theme of Pullum Purna)
Happy Happy (ending theme of Tetris the Grand Master)
TGM in the Bottle (from Tetris the Grand Master)

As well as the entire (awesome) soundtrack to the game's prequel, Technictix, for a total of 85 tracks.

 

[jiggle]

Hopefully, they'll pick up Katamari Damashi too. It's good to know that Namco Hometek isn't totally possessive about all of it's properties.

Katamari is pretty much all but comfirmed for the US, if not confirmed already.

There's no way Hometek would let anyone else publish their games. That's why I was surprised this got picked up by Mastiff, thinking it was from Namco. But guess not. No wonders

 

[Crazymoogle]

What's the control scheme like for this game? The screens tell me absolutely nothing.

 

[belgurdo]

Mastiff has done a fantastic job of picking products that will get them on the map. Do you have any idea how small of a company they are? First they 1up Atlus by releasing a better localization of a NIS product, and now this.

Censoring a game because they could is "a better localization?"

 

[bobbyconover]

These videos might provide more insight into the gameplay. If you still don't get it afterwards, I can answer any questions you might have.

http://homepage2.nifty.com/arika_download/mpeg/technicbeat00.mpg
http://homepage2.nifty.com/arika_download/mpeg/tb_prom_00.mpg

 

[Matlock]

Splatterhouse music, eh? Count me in.

 

[jarrod]

Man, I hope Arika signs on the PSP bandwagon. I want Technic Beat too.

 

[jarrod]

It features a bunch of licensed tracks by Namco, many of which were written by Shinji Hosoe when he worked for them in the 80s. He now works for Arika, who made Technic Beat. I'm guessing he used his old connections with Namco to sweet talk them into letting Arika borrow some of their old songs.

Actually, I think Arika and Namco just have a pretty good relationship. After all, Namco distributed Arika's Fighting Layer and Technic games in arcades and even lent them the Druaga license for their upcoming Nightmare of Druaga, which also has ChunSoft's Mysterious Dungeon license and engine attachted. High quality threeway on that last one there.

 

[GDJustin]

Censoring a game because they could is "a better localization?"

The text is translated better and the voice acting is MUCH better. You're not still making a big deal out of the cross removal, are you? The game's religious tone is still more than prevelent...