No, that’s not a typo.
I’ve learned a couple things about used game shopping recently.
1. If you see something you even kinda think you might want it – buy it. Odds are it won’t be there next time you go back.
2. If you see a good price on something, even if you may not play it for a while – buy it. Odds are you won’t see it at that price again.
3. If you see something that falls under items 1 and 2, buy it immediately. You will never see the same item for the same price again.
Ever.
Case in point – Samba de Amigo for the Dreamcast.
What the hell is Samba de Amigo?
I’m glad you asked. It falls under the “rhythm action” category, which consists of things like DDR, Taiko Drum Master, Donkey Konga, Beatmania, Drummania, etc. All of which use a non-traditional peripheral to control the action on-screen.
In the case of Samba, it’s maracas.
Yes, a videogame you play with maracas. I saw a set of them for ¥1,980 while I was out game hunting last month and snapped them up. This was a rule 3 situation. I’d heard a lot of good stuff about the game over the years since it came out, but never got around to picking it up.
Mostly because of cost.
The maracas are usually hella expensive. Even now, they used ones fetch high prices on ebay. ($60 is usually the minimum you’ll see a set of maracas go for – and that’s without the game.) When I saw the set for less than $18, I knew I had to pick it up, so I did.
It was only after I got home that I realized I’d only bought the maracas and not the game.
Not to worry though, since I found the game for ¥504 on another shopping trip. So after getting it all together and giving things a whirl (or a shake, in this case), how is it? Pretty damned cool.
And rather silly-looking, I’d wager.
I mean, I am standing in front of the screen, shaking a pair of maracas while a spastic monkey dances on the screen.
^.^
The aforementioned monkey, Amigo.
But it’s all in good fun. The songs are a jumble of Latin sounds and regular pop, and they all work well within the context of the game. The samba songs are good, but my favorite one to do is probably “Tubthumping.”
Yes, by Chumbawumba.
It’s a very hyper mix of the song, and the monkey seems to enjoy it too. While you’re playing, and Amigo is doing his thing, there are other characters on the screen as well, doing things of their own.
The way the game works is that that six circles indicate a side (left or right) and position (high, medium and low) in which the maracas can be shaken. The blue dots move towards the circles, and the player must shake the appropriate maraca in the right spot when the dot enters the circle.
It sounds simple, but it can be anything but.
The early songs are easy. You only have to shake one side at a time, or both sides in the same position. Progress into the game and it becomes trickier. Left-low and right-high at the same time takes some coordination, especially when the blue dots are coming fast and furious. I doubt it’s a game I’ll ever truly master, but it’s fun to pick up and play every now and then.
And it’s not a bad workout for the arms, either. ^.^