DS Import Review: Ouendan 2

DS owners ought to be thankful for the lack of region coding on DS games. We’ve seen some amazing, import-worthy titles over the last couple of years, including Daigasso! Band Brothers, Bleach: Souten ni Kakeru, and Jump Super Stars. Another popular import game, Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan, is a cult classic here in America and was the reason for creation of the first DS rhythm game to hit the US; Elite Beat Agents. Ouendan charmed importers with simple yet challenging gameplay, whimsical comic-style storytelling, and excellent music. The game recently received a sequel, and Ouendan 2 (full name: Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Tamashii: Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2) is just what Ouendan fans were clamoring for; more of the same greatness with some well-introduced improvements here and there.

The game’s basic premise has you in control of a Cheering Squad, the Ouendan. Around the world map, you will see people yelling out for assistance. You will help a kid to stop wetting his bed, a salesman to expand his shoes market to outer space, and a writer to finish a best-seller on time. And how do you help these people, you ask? By dancing, of course; how else could you accomplish such extravagant feats?

The game’s stories are told through a sort of interactive Manga. At the start of each level a comic-esque introduction shows you what’s going on and why the main character is in need of your aid. Although some Japanese text is present, part of the game’s charm comes from how well it tells stories simply by using images; it won’t take too long to figure stuff out, even with a complete lack of knowledge of the Japanese language. As you play the game, the characters in need either succeed or fail, depending on your rhythm-gaming skills. The game’s underlying story involves the first game’s Ouendan challenged by another cheering group new to the series. Some of the game’s levels are danced to by one group and some by the other, but the story isn’t a major part of the game, and frankly it shouldn’t be, as any rhythm game must shine in gameplay and audio, as Ouendan 2 does.
For those unfamiliar with the Ouendan series and its gameplay style, the games have a really simple goal; tap circles or drag spheres across the DS touch screen with the beat of the music. This video shows how simple Ouendan games are and how a lack of Japanese knowledge isn’t an important factor to consider:

There are three basic ways of playing, known as Markers. The first is a sequence of numbered circles that are enclosed by outer circles that gradually shrink; when they overlap the numbered circles, you must tap them in order along the beat of the song. The second Market is the dragging sphere; tap and keep your stylus on the screen as you follow a sphere that moves according to the song’s timing. Last but not least is the spinner Market; simply spin circles on the touch screen, on any direction, as fast as you can, and fill up the meter before time runs out. Markers are very easy to learn, and the game’s combinations of Markers make for a really fun and addictive challenge for players of any skill level. The game does a fine job of introducing you to the gameplay mechanics via the game’s tutorial. As you progress through the game’s difficulty settings, more sophisticated Marker patterns are thrown at you. The game’s Hard and Insane Mode can be pretty challenging, and you will fail many times before you can master some of the game’s 19 songs. Instead of proving frustrating and repetitive, however, Ouendan 2’s challenge is very well balanced and adds a lot of enjoyable replay value.

The game’s graphics have a comic style that suits the game very well and does a great job of letting you know what’s going on. The game’s character sprites are well animated and dance accordingly. The game’s songs are covers rather than original performances, but most of them are very faithful to their standard versions. If there’s any problem with Ouendan 2 it would be the fact that songs are hit or miss; you will either like them or dislike them, but it all depends on your personal taste. Faithful to the first Ouendan, the sequel offers a good amount of songs, mostly J-pop, that are catchy and sound great. You will have a blast attempting to ace every song on all difficulty levels, shooting for your personal highest score and ranking up as you do so, allowing you to unlock extra levels and even a different style of play that we won’t spoil for you.

Ouendan 2 also includes multiplayer features. Using single-card download play or multicard multiplayer, you can challenge up to three friends to a cheering contest on any of the game’s songs, or for multicard multiplay you can all cooperate and take parts of a song, as you work together to save the day. You can also save a replay of a good performance on the single player mode, which you can save for later to fight against it if no friends are around. You can also send a demo to a friend’s DS, or send a copy of the game’s tutorial for anyone interested.

Ouendan 2 is just what fans wanted; more songs, more value, and nice twists to the formula. Ouendan and / or Elite Beat Agents supporters have no reason to skip this game. New gamers entering the series are encouraged to try any of the three games, but Ouendan 2 offers the most replay value out of them, making it easy to recommend. The series’ standards—great music, an enjoyable, addictive challenge, and lots of replay value—are back in Ouendan 2, and anyone with the slightest interest is likely to love the game. Buy! Game! Now!

Things we liked:
• Great audio and value
• Fun, addictive challenge
• New, well-implemented twists to the old formula

Things we didn’t like:
• Hit or miss song covers and background stories

Import Friendly? Yes; stories are well told though pictures, and menus are very easy to navigate.

Final Score: 9 / 10

Import From:

Pink Godzilla Games: $49.90 + shipping
Fast shipping from Seattle, WA

Play-Asia: $48.90 + shipping
1-2 weeks shipping from Japan

Yes-Asia: $44.99
Free 2-3 week shipping from Japan