''Osu!'' (stylized as ''osu!'') is a
freeware
Freeware is software, often proprietary, that is distributed at no monetary cost to the end user. There is no agreed-upon set of rights, license, or EULA that defines ''freeware'' unambiguously; every publisher defines its own rules for the free ...
rhythm game
Rhythm game or rhythm action is a genre of music-themed action video game that challenges a player's sense of rhythm. Games in the genre typically focus on dance or the simulated performance of musical instruments, and require players to pres ...
originally created and self-published by Australian developer Dean Herbert. It was released for
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
on 16 September 2007, with later ports to
macOS
macOS, previously OS X and originally Mac OS X, is a Unix, Unix-based operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 2001. It is the current operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. With ...
,
Linux
Linux ( ) is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an kernel (operating system), operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically package manager, pac ...
,
Android and
iOS
Ios, Io or Nio (, ; ; locally Nios, Νιός) is a Greek island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea. Ios is a hilly island with cliffs down to the sea on most sides. It is situated halfway between Naxos and Santorini. It is about long an ...
.
''Osu!''s gameplay, based on the ''
Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan'' series of rhythm games, primarily involves clicking notes, which appear as circles, using the
cursor. Since the game's release, three other
game modes have been added, taking inspiration from ''
Taiko no Tatsujin
is a Japanese video game series created by Namco. In the games, players simulate playing a taiko drum in time with music. The series has released games for the Arcade video game, arcade and for console and mobile platforms including PlayStation ...
'' and ''
Beatmania''. Unlike many rhythm games, levels in ''osu!'' are created and uploaded by users, increasing the range and volume of the song library, which is a factor contributing to the game's popularity.
The game has a significant connection to Japanese culture and
anime music. It has also had effects on the
esports industry—professional gamers use ''Osu!'' to warm up and practice, and the community frequently organizes tournaments between players.
Gameplay
''Osu!'' is a
rhythm game
Rhythm game or rhythm action is a genre of music-themed action video game that challenges a player's sense of rhythm. Games in the genre typically focus on dance or the simulated performance of musical instruments, and require players to pres ...
in which ''hit circles'' appear as notes over a song's runtime, and the objective is to click on the circles at the appropriate time and in the correct order,
aided by rings called ''approach circles'' that close in on the hit circles to visually indicate the timing; more points are awarded the closer the approach circles are to the hit circles.
The core gameplay is inspired by the
Nintendo DS
The is a foldable handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens worki ...
rhythm game ''
Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan'' and its sequel ''
Elite Beat Agents.
'' Slider and spinner notes require that the player click and hold while moving the cursor.
If the player misses too many circles, they fail the song and must retry.
In-game settings, called ''mods'', can change gameplay in different ways—for example, by speeding up the song or decreasing the size of circles.
Songs are mapped to
levels called ''beatmaps'',
and the same song can have multiple beatmaps of varying difficulties.
Some beatmaps, including a tutorial, are bundled with a new installation of the game, but more can be downloaded from the game's website.
Beatmaps can be created and uploaded by all users.
In the game's
single-player
A single-player video game is a video game where input from only one player is expected throughout the gameplay. Video games in general can feature several game modes, including single-player modes designed to be played by a single player in add ...
mode, scores on beatmaps can be compared with other players, who are ranked on an online leaderboard.
Scores are primarily measured using their ''performance points (abbreviated as PP)'', which account for various aspects of a player's skill.
Users can add others as friends and
chat
Chat or chats may refer to:
Communication
* Conversation, particularly casual
* Online chat, text message communication over the Internet in real-time
* Synchronous conferencing, a formal term for online chat
* SMS chat, a form of text messagi ...
in-game,
and the
multiplayer
A multiplayer video game is a video game in which more than one person can play in the same game environment at the same time, either locally on the same computing system (couch co-op), on different computing systems via a local area network, or ...
mode allows groups of people to play beatmaps synchronously with each other.
Game modes
The game's original and most popular mode, based on ''Ouendan'',
is also known as ''osu!standard''. There are also three alternative
game modes, ''osu!mania'', ''osu!taiko'', and ''osu!catch''.
In ''osu!mania'', a mode based on rhythm game series such as ''
Beatmania''
and ''
Guitar Hero
''Guitar Hero'' is a series of rhythm games first released in 2005, in which players use a guitar-shaped game controller to simulate playing primarily lead guitar, lead, bass guitar, bass, and rhythm guitar across numerous songs. Players match ...
'',
the player must press the correct keys on the keyboard when notes reach the bottom of the screen.
''osu!taiko'' is based on ''
Taiko no Tatsujin
is a Japanese video game series created by Namco. In the games, players simulate playing a taiko drum in time with music. The series has released games for the Arcade video game, arcade and for console and mobile platforms including PlayStation ...
''; it involves circles moving from right to left, requiring keypresses when they reach the left side.
''osu!catch'' is based on EZ2Catch, a game mode in
EZ2DJ. In it, fruits fall from the top of the screen and the player controls a character at the bottom whom they can move left and right with the goal of catching as much fruit as possible.
Devices
''Osu!'' has been noted for encouraging the use of unique
input devices
In computing, an input device is a piece of equipment used to provide data and control signals to an information processing system, such as a computer or information appliance. Examples of input devices include Computer keyboard, keyboards, Compu ...
—although the game can be played with a
computer mouse
A computer mouse (plural mice; also mouses) is a hand-held pointing device that detects Plane (mathematics), two-dimensional motion relative to a surface. This motion is typically translated into the motion of the Cursor (user interface)#Po ...
, it is often recommended to use a
graphics tablet
A graphics tablet (also known as a digitizer, digital graphic tablet, pen tablet, drawing tablet, external drawing pad or digital art board) is a computer input device that enables a user to hand draw or paint images, animations and graphics, w ...
with a pen, which more closely emulates the gameplay of ''Ouendan''.
The accessibility of using a mouse and keyboard is another reason given for the game's popularity.
Gaming keyboard manufacturer Wooting released a three-key keyboard dedicated to playing ''Osu!'' due to the popularity of their keyboards among the game's players.
Development
''Osu!'' was created by Dean Herbert, an Australian developer known online as "peppy" or "ppy",
as a computer version of ''Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan'' and ''Elite Beat Agents''.
One of his goals was to create longevity through enabling users to generate beatmaps.
Herbert had experience creating video games prior to ''Osu!'', having made some during high school and university,
but has said he did not think it would become his job.
He began developing ''Osu!'' while attending university and had a working build of the game after a few hours, which he shared with friends.
It was written in
C# using the
XNA framework.
The game's first public release was on 16 September 2007,
and an open beta was officially available starting on 17 October.
Due to the game's growth in popularity as well as user feedback, Herbert later added the extra game modes ''osu!mania'', ''osu!taiko'', and ''osu!catch''.
After releasing ''Osu!'', Herbert, who had been working full-time for an
IT company, gradually reduced his work hours to focus on maintaining ''Osu!''.
According to Herbert, as of a July 2014 interview for the official o''su!''
YouTube
YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
channel, the
user interface
In the industrial design field of human–computer interaction, a user interface (UI) is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur. The goal of this interaction is to allow effective operation and control of the machine fro ...
of the game client and official website were undergoing full "revamps".
In the same interview, he expressed interest or intentions to add major features to the game, such as a multiplayer
power-up
In video games, a power-up is an object that adds temporary benefits or extra abilities to the player character as a Game mechanics, game mechanic. This is in contrast to an Item (game), item, which may or may not have a permanent benefit that ca ...
system inspired by ''Ouendan'' and ''
TetriNET'',
3D rotation of the field of play,
and expanded multiplayer lobbies.
''Osu!'' has two different builds, one being named ''osu! Stable'', the original build, and ''osu! lazer'' which is a rewrite of the original game with new features and bugfixes, with the end goal being for ''osu! lazer'' to replace the stable build of ''Osu!''.
Reception and legacy
Critical response
''
Jeuxvideo.com'' reviewed ''Osu!'' favorably with 18/20 points in 2015, praising its simple gameplay and its expansive community, but complaining about a high skill floor and its unoriginal gamemodes, as well as the prevalence of Japanese music, which they felt was excessive.
In 2010, ''MMOGames.com'' reviewer Daniel Ball said that while the game was similar to ''
Elite Beat Agents'', it was differentiated by its community's large library of high-quality community made content and customization.
Community and popularity
''Osu!'' has continued to gain popularity since its release, being widely shared on video and
live streaming
Livestreaming, live-streaming, or live streaming is the streaming media, streaming of video or Digital audio, audio in real-time communication, real time or near real time. While often referred to simply as ''streaming'', the real-time nature ...
platforms like YouTube and
TikTok
TikTok, known in mainland China and Hong Kong as Douyin (), is a social media and Short-form content, short-form online video platform owned by Chinese Internet company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which may range in duration f ...
.
An artificial intelligence
VTuber
A or is an online entertainer who uses a virtual Avatar (computing), avatar generated using computer graphics. Real-time motion capture software or technology are often—but not always—used to capture movement. The digital trend originated i ...
called
Neuro-sama became famous for playing the game, beating the world's best ''Osu!'' player, mrekk, in a 1v1. The game works on a model of community-generated beatmaps, which has been cited as a significant factor in its popularity and longevity.
A large portion of the available music consists of
songs from anime—the game itself is aimed at foreign fans of Japanese culture and is influenced by it, particularly due to its inspiration from ''Ouendan'' and the general continuing association of rhythm games with Japan since the 1990s.
Tournaments are held frequently as another mode of competition.
The ''Osu!'' World Cup is an annual tournament which comprises a
group stage
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
and bracket of the 32 highest-seeded national teams in the world, usually with 6 to 8 players on each team.
Due to the game's emphasis on quickly moving the mouse cursor to precise points on the screen, some players of
multiplayer online battle arena
Multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) is a Video game genre, subgenre of strategy video games in which two teams of Gamer, players compete on a structured battlefield, each controlling a single Player character, character with distinctive abilit ...
games and
first-person shooter
A first-person shooter (FPS) is a video game genre, video game centered on gun fighting and other weapon-based combat seen from a First person (video games), first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action directly through t ...
games use it to improve reflexes and mouse control,
and it has been specifically recommended by some esports professionals like
Ninja
A , or was a spy and infiltrator in pre-modern Japan. The functions of a ninja included siege and infiltration, ambush, reconnaissance, espionage, deception, and later bodyguarding.Kawakami, pp. 21–22 Antecedents may have existed as ear ...
.
Notes
References
External links
* {{Official website, https://osu.ppy.sh
Official ''osu!'' wiki
2007 video games
Indie games
IOS games
MacOS games
Music video games
Open-source video games
Rhythm games
Software using the MIT license
Video games developed in Australia
Windows games
Windows Phone games