Sound miracle: DJ Max 2 Portable collector's edition

(tags game, music, PlayStation Portable, rhythm, import)

This is my new obsession:

No, not the girl in the A1 poster, but the PSP game DJ Max Portable 2. (디제이맥스 포터블2). This is a music game that has you tapping the buttons in time with the music.

As far I'm concerned, this is the system selling game for the PSP. No other game I've played has made me feel as good for buying the PSP. Then again, I'm pretty much a newcomer to music games. Even though I have two Dance Dance Revolution pads and games for the PS1, I never got a chance to use them, and now they're at my sister's place collecting dust. I was enthusiastic in the same way for the more casual Rhythm Tengoku on the GBA. But the PSP has more space for music and variety (47 songs!) and plus it has the fantastic screen to back up the visuals.

I saw the demo video playing on the upscan widescreen and also the PSP upscan unit at Game Hollywood, so I decided to first evaluate the regular version on Saturday. They were running a really cute video, moe anime style with a fun beat (turns out it was for the song "Seoleim", pictured above). After a relaxing bath, I started the game. I slowly but surely came to the conclusion that I would get totally hooked (ハマっちゃいました！), so on Sunday of my Akihabara trip, I decided to get it with the 3 disc soundtrack. But the only way to get it is to get the limited edition for new:

I chose the DJ Max 2 Portable black "Orpheus" Limited Edition (Japan release but not Japan-only). It came with the poster shown above. I chose it over the Silver Limited Edition because there's a portrait inside the same poster gal. Ha ha. The Silver's portrait is the twin girls, which is ok but not as fabulous. Also the Japan-only "Champagne Gold" wasn't anywhere and I wasn't aware of it. The goodies look like this. It was only 2_5000 yen, ha. (Korean Limited Edition was around 1_0000 yen for the same thing, and at GDEX it is about 2_0000 yen, ouch)

But before I got the black case, I saw the predecessor game, DJ Max Portable "Prestige" Limited Edition at one of the Liberty stores. This one comes with a 2 disc soundtrack CD set as well. It wasn't there on Saturday. I decided to get that too, but there was some other guy looking at it for what seemed to be a long time. It was a nerve-wracking minute or two. When he gently put the box back on the premium shelf and shuffled away, I quickly grabbed it up. Only 1_7800 yen at mint used price. It also seems to be that you can play the tracks from the first game on the second game. I'll have to check this out later.

Well, how does it play? Here's a sample user video from the GDC. More to the point, how do I play? Of course, I'm doing "Easy Mode" and "4 buttons for the beginner". I am not even close, although I did get some perfect "max combo" at the level 1 and 2 after practicing non-stop these last few days. I really like the music, well at least most of it, and the videos have high quality anime feel. Like I said, I'm spending most of my time on "Soleim" (a level 5 song) and I'm not going to rest until I perfect that one (because I want to and because it unlocks a downloadable background). Just prepping this blog I finally got under a 5 Break after spending most of yesterday and today at under 15 Break (shown above).

I have to say though at the beginning, I wished there were more beginner songs. But after spending more time with it, I started to warm up to playing fast, or at least faster than what my Sudoku-induced atrophied fingers are used to. So bring on the level 5s and 6s LOL (FYI level 5 is still beginner) Plus I love the feeling from learning something. Also I seem to be able to read that falling bar thing without hesitation now.

Ahh, I need to play this more until my thumbs bleed. Two or three buttons per thumb? Surely you jest.