thegmanshouse

So, being completely out of touch with Japanese pop culture I didn't know what this was at first but I did a little research on the Oracle (all praise wikipedia). This looks cool as all get out! DJ Hero!

G, do you have access to a real one of these machines or are you mainly playing the home version? Makes me think of DDR for people (like me) who got da riddim but got two left feet.

--JD

Let me go into nerd mode here for a minute (LOL):
It's resemblance of DDR is not a coincedence.
Not only is it made by the same company, but the original Beatmania series predates DDR by a year.
Many songs used in DDR are taken directly from Beatmania, but edited to make them shorter.
There are three series total:
Beatmania
http://www.channelbeat.com/products/dj/ ... s/239.html
Beatmania IIDX
http://www.channelbeat.com/news/72.html
Beatmania III
http://www.channelbeat.com/products/dj/ ... s/251.html
Beatmania has a good number of mixes (installments) but runs on the simplest hardware of the three and is the smallest arcade variant, thus lacking the eyecandy of IIDX.
IIDX is a more refined version of the original; stronger hardware, better music (IMHO), and hot graphics.
Not to mention:
"The IIDX cabinet features a widescreen 16:9 display, more powerful speakers, and a bass platform that vibrates beneath the player's feet to the beat of the music being played." - taken from wikipedia
Beatmania III is basically Beatmania with foot pedals.
It died out, lol.
*end nerd mode*

I play(ed) the home version.
I picked up an asian ps2, several mixes, and a turn table controller from play-asia.com a year or two ago.
I was really into it late last year up until Februrary this year when I nearly lost the tip of a finger to a bench grinder.
Lord willing, it healed, but by then my stuff had gathered a bit o' dust.
I like it more for the soundtracks than anything else.

Here are several of my favorite IIDX tunes with their corresponding animations:


Xepher
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHzFArRFNNI

Attitude
http://video.google.com/googleplayer.sw ... 8536&hl=en

Resonate 1794
http://video.google.com/googleplayer.sw ... 4939&hl=en

Brightness Darkness
http://video.google.com/googleplayer.sw ... 4775&hl=en

Lower World (this song does a total 180 near the middle then melds back to it's orginal sound)
http://video.google.com/googleplayer.sw ... 1824&hl=en

I particularly like 'Lower World' (I tend to prefer the darker sounding stuff). 'Brightness Darkness' shook my booty too. There's a lot of classical elements in that music which is interesting, especially 'Xepher' with the J.S. Bach style organ bits. Good stuff!

I'm just picturing you in your Pyro suit doing the scratchin' thing on the controller

--JD

OOOOOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

--JD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxQvG2yOSmY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhYEpp_rVgA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYUhK9g2r64
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-AvgCz_KVo (amusing video and catchy beat)