GuitarFreaks V

is a music video game series produced by Konami. It is a rhythm game where the player uses a controller to simulate the playing of an electric guitar. The game consists of music predominantly from the rock music, rock and roll and J-pop genres. It is considered one of the most influential video games of all time, for having laid the foundations for popular guitar-based rhythm games, such as the '' Guitar Hero'' series. Working Designs attempted to bring ''Guitar Freaks'' PlayStation 2 games in the U.S., but patent problems with the guitar controller prevented the project from moving forward.

is a drumming music video game series produced by Bemani, the musical division of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. It first released in 1999 as an arcade game, then subsequently ported to the Sony PlayStation 2 in Japan in 2000 as a launch title. Subsequent mixes have been released approximately once a year. In 2010, a series XG was introduced, adding a floor tom, left cymbal and a left pedal to the cabinet setup. To focus on the new game, development ceased for the original version, with the last mix V8 released in 2011.

The game can be linked to its guitar-version sibling Guitarfreaks, allowing for session play as long as they are from the same release. Earlier versions of the game could also be linked with Keyboardmania. From 7th mix onwards, the game has been linked to Konami's ''e-Amusement'' system, allowing for online competitive play.

The most recent arcade version is GITADORA HIGH-VOLTAGE, which was released on April 21, 2021.

History

System 573 era (1999–2004)

''GuitarFreaks'' was released on February 16, 1999. It included a dozen of songs and uses the Bemani System 573 Analog hardware. ''DrumMania'' was released on July 10, 1999 along with ''GuitarFreaks 2ndMix''. These versions included 26 and 33 songs, respectively, and could be linked together to play 14 common songs. Subsequent versions used digital hardware and featured larger song lists, eventually surpassing 120 songs. The ''GuitarFreaks'' version number continued having an increment of one compared to the equivalent ''DrumMania'' version until ''GuitarFreaks 11thMix'' and ''DrumMania 10thMix'' on April 22, 2004.

Although the series saw 11 main arcade releases for the System 573, only the first four received home ports. Two of these are ''GuitarFreaks'' games for the original PlayStation console:
* ''GuitarFreaks'' was released on July 29, 1999. It features a total of 18 songs: 12 from its arcade counterpart, 3 previews from ''2ndMix'' and 3 unique songs. It features Key Disc technology to allow play of ''GuitarFreaks Append 2ndMix''.
* ''GuitarFreaks Append 2ndMix'' was released on February 24, 2000. It features a total of 45 songs: 17 from its predecessor (J-STAFF is omitted), 17 from its arcade counterpart and 11 original songs. As an Append Disc, ''2ndMix'' functions like an expansion pack, requiring the first ''GuitarFreaks'' to be loaded as a Key Disc before play.

''DrumMania'' home ports are exclusive to the PlayStation 2. The first is simply ''DrumMania'', the drum counterpart to ''GuitarFreaks 2ndMix''. The game's two immediate sequels were also released as ''GuitarFreaks & DrumMania'':
* ''DrumMania'' was released on March 4, 2000, as a launch title for the PlayStation 2.
* ''GuitarFreaks 3rdMix & DrumMania 2ndMix'' was released on September 13, 2000.
* ''GuitarFreaks 4thMix & DrumMania 3rdMix'' was released on September 20, 2001.

No home ports were released for the seven other System 573 sequels. Instead, songs from these arcade games are included in future titles for the PlayStation 2: the ''Masterpiece'' series, with a total of 150 songs split between two releases, and home ports of the ''V'' series, with 46 revivals split between three releases and unavailable in ''Masterpiece''.

''V'' to ''V3'' (2005–2007)

In 2005, the ''GuitarFreaks & DrumMania'' series was upgraded to Bemani Python 2 hardware, which is powered by the PlayStation 2, the same hardware that later became used in the '' Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova'' series. This eased the development of home ports, which saw a reduced song list, but functioned nearly identically to their arcade counterparts. Three versions of the guitar and drum games utilized this platform:
* ''GuitarFreaks & DrumMania V'' was released on February 23, 2005, for arcades and March 16, 2006, for the PlayStation 2. The arcade version features 271 songs: 118 new additions, 125 from the previous version (« super "shomin" car » was removed) and 28 from older versions. The home version of ''V'' is limited to 68 songs, of which 49 are from the arcade version ("Misirlou" is missing), 16 are revivals from GF5/DM4 to GF11/DM10 (excluding GF6/DM5) and three are ''V2'' previews.
* ''GuitarFreaks & DrumMania V2'' was released on November 24, 2005, for arcades and November 22, 2006 for the PlayStation 2. The arcade version features 363 songs: 93 new additions, 270 from ''V'' ("Mountain à Go-Go" was removed) and 25 from older versions. The home version of ''V2'' is limited to 67 songs, of which 44 are from the arcade version, 18 are revivals (seven of these revivals are also in ''V''), three are ''V3'' previews and another two are unique songs later featured in ''V4''.
* ''GuitarFreaks & DrumMania V3'' was released on September 13, 2006, for arcades and October 4, 2007 for the PlayStation 2. The arcade version features 417 songs: 46 new additions, 357 from ''V2'' (six songs were removed) and 14 from older versions. The home version of ''V3'' is limited to 80 songs, of which 46 are from the arcade version, 21 are revivals, 12 are console originals (including "You ~Meaning All Orbit~", later featured in ''V6'', plus three ''V5'' previews and six ''V4'' previews) and one ("Misirlou") is from ''V''.

Two other home versions of ''GuitarFreaks & DrumMania'' were released: ''Masterpiece Silver'' on August 31, 2006 and ''Masterpiece Gold'' on March 8, 2007. Each features 74 and 76 songs, respectively, from older releases that lacked a home port.

''V4'' to ''V6'' (2007–2009)

''GuitarFreaks & DrumMania V4'' was released on August 8, 2007, in Japan and received a location test on September 30, 2007, in the United States. This instalment is the first in the series to forego PlayStation-based hardware, replacing it with a Bemani PC running Windows XP Embedded. This is in contrast to '' Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova 2'', which was released on August 22, 2007, in Japan and continued to use the PlayStation 2-based Python 2.

''V4'' is also the first international release in the series, the second location test of ''GuitarFreaks'' in USA, and the first location test of ''DrumMania'' in USA. The test was short-lived in the United States, concluding in just over a month.

''XG'' to ''XG3'' and ''V7'' to ''V8'' (2010–2012)

The ''XG'' series features guitar and drum controllers with extra frets and pads, respectively. ''V7'' and ''V8'' were released concurrently with ''XG'' and ''XG2'', respectively.

''GITADORA to GITADORA HIGH-VOLTAGE'' (2013–present)

GITADORA became a continuation to the XG Series of GuitarFreaks and DrumMania. The first release of GITADORA seies was February 14, 2013, with lots of modification in the game-play. The "Mattix" Sereies of GITADORA had a lot of improvements (like for example, Phrase Combo has been added to the Song Progress), similar to the following GITADORA series. By December 16, 2020, Konami announced that they have already a PC version of the Game called "コナステ GITADORA" (Konasute GITADORA) with a Monthly Fee of 1480 yen to play the game. From February 1, 2021, to February 28, 2022, Konami made a promo for players that they will have a free month of playing the PC version of GITADORA by purchasing a Yamaha DTX 402KS or 452KS drumset and then introducing the serial code included with them. GITADORA HIGH-VOLTAGE is the latest arcade series.

Controller

''GuitarFreaks'' is played using a controller designed to imitate the shape of an electric guitar, most like the Fender Jazzmaster or Fender Mustang. The neck houses three buttons, colored red, green, and blue. During XG series up to recent GITADORA, two buttons were added such as yellow and pink. On the main face of the guitar, a pick lever is used to simulate the picking and strumming of an actual guitar. A small metal knob near the pick is used to alter the sound produced by the game, such as adding Chorus/Delay effects.

Gameplay

The interface is similar to other games in the Bemani series. Two ''note scrolls''—one for each player—are displayed at the left and right sides of the screen. Colorful animations for each song are displayed in the center of the screen. Each note scroll consists of four columns: one each for the red, green, and blue buttons, and a fourth column, known as the Wailing Bonus column. Individual notes and chords are represented by small colored bars that scroll upward in the columns. To play the correct note, the player must hold down the buttons corresponding to the colored bars, and move the fret lever when the bars reach the yellow fretting line. When a guitar icon is displayed in the Wailing Bonus column along with an associated note, the player can tilt the guitar upright while playing the note to receive bonus points.

The player's accuracy is judged for each note played. The current system uses the names ''Perfect'', ''Great'', ''Good'', ''OK'', and ''Miss'' to indicate a player's accuracy. Ratings of Miss will deplete the player's Groove Gauge, while Perfect, Great and Good ratings will replenish it. If the Groove Gauge is emptied completely, the player fails, and the game ends. Players are allowed to play anywhere from one to five songs depending on the game cabinet's configuration, with the ability to earn additional songs in certain versions of the game. Furthermore, if "fast/slow" (advanced judge) is enabled, then there will be additional indicator of judge (Just/Fast/Slow/Miss). Just Perfects are called "X-Perfect"s (rainbow color) while Fast/Slow Perfects are regular Perfects (yellow color).

Upon successful completion of a song, players are graded on their performance. When the game ends, the player's total score across all songs played is tabulated.

''DrumMania'' simulates real life drumming. It is played using a controller designed to imitate a drum set. Five pads are arrayed from left to right for the hi-hat, snare drum, high tom, low tom, cymbal and bass drum. On XG series, a left cymbal, left pedal and a floor tom are added. During play, the player presses the pads and steps on the pedal in sync with the notes falling vertically from the top of the screen in time with the music.

DrumMania uses a modified Yamaha DTXPRESS electronic drumkit. This drumkit is used for players for gameplay and navigating through select screens. Navigating can also be done by pressing Select and Start button on the right side of the machine. On home releases, a drum controller made by KONAMI can be used, although rather than separating each buttons on their own pads, home controllers place the pads on a single place, more resembling a palette. PlayStation 2 DUALSHOCK Controllers may also be used.

Session linking

One of the major selling points of ''GuitarFreaks'' is its ability to be linked to another of Konami's Bemani games, ''DrumMania''. This allows up to three players to join together to play simultaneously in ''Session Mode''. During a session, the music will play simultaneously from both games, and the players' guitar and drum sounds are relayed between the two games.

Because the second version of ''GuitarFreaks'' was released prior to the first version of DrumMania, GuitarFreaks is one "mix" number higher than the ''DrumMania'' version it links up to. For example, ''GUITARFREAKS 6thMIX'' is designed to be linked with ''DrumMania 5thMIX''. The mix versions were synchronized with the release of ''GuitarFreaks V & DrumMania V'' eschewing the long-standing number system, and replacing what would have been the 12th and 11th mix, respectively.

Super Session

Seen only in two releases each of ''GuitarFreaks'' and ''DrumMania'', Super Session allowed the games to be linked up with Keyboardmania 3rd Mix as well. In addition to having three players control the guitars and drums, two more could be added playing along on keyboards. However, when linked with ''Keyboardmania'', only about a dozen songs are available to play. ''Keyboardmania 3rd Mix'' can be linked with ''GuitarFreaks 5th Mix'' and ''DrumMania 4th Mix'', or ''GuitarFreaks 6th Mix'' and ''DrumMania 5th Mix''.

Soundtrack

As with DrumMania, the current version of GuitarFreaks features 500 songs in total. Most songs are either crossovers from other Bemani games, and Japanese pop and rock. Some mixes also contain covers of popular North American songs.

The game's songlist has steadily grow with each release, with the final version V8 containing over 500 songs. Songs are primarily in-house original compositions, covers of popular Japanese or English songs or edited master tracks licensed from the artists. Most songs are pop and rock in style, although there are often a wide variety of musical genres available.

Reception

The arcade game was popular and played in arcades throughout Asia.

The PlayStation port of ''DrumMania'' received a positive review from Dave Zdyrko of '' IGN'' in 2000. He said that, while the game lacks realism and that it was "nothing at all like playing real drums," it "provides for one of the most addictive and enjoyable videogame experiences since '' Tetris'' was first unearthed."

Legacy and impact

It is considered one of the most influential video games of all time, for having laid the foundations for popular guitar-based rhythm games, such as the '' Guitar Hero'' series.

''GuitarFreaks'' is believed to have inspired Namco's similar rhythm game ''Guitar Jam'', released later in April 1999.

''GuitarFreaks'' and ''DrumMania'' inspired the development of popular North American console game franchises ''Guitar Hero'' and ''Rock Band''. The Huangs raised $1.75 million for the effort, despite being turned down by some investors who "thought /nowiki>the idea/nowiki> was too weird".

In 2008, Konami sued ''Rock Band'' developer Harmonix for allegedly violating three patents for its drum and guitar based music games. The lawsuit was eventually settled in 2010 and its claims dismissed.

Konami also partnered up with Activision for post-2007 ''Guitar Hero'' games to comply with Konami's drum and guitar games patents, and eventually in 2009, the two, along with Raw Thrills, released ''Guitar Hero Arcade'' in North America.

Releases

In Asia, outside of Japan, DrumMania releases from 1st to 10thMix are known as PercussionFreaks.

The PlayStation 2 port of ''GuitarFreaks 4thMix & DrumMania 3rdMix'' is known as ''ギタドラ! GuitarFreaks 4thMix & DrumMania 3rdMix''. It is the first game with Gitadora in the title.

See also

*'' Guitar Hero''
*''Rock Band''

References

External links

*
*, with arcade cabinet details

{{Konami franchises

1999 video games
Arcade video games
Bemani games
Konami franchises
Guitar video games
Drumming video games
Video games developed in Japan