Osu! Tatake! Ouendan! (Import Review)
Format: DS | Released: 07/28/05 (Japan) | Reviewed: 08/01/2006 | Words: Stephen Kelly
As I write this, Ouendan sits in my DS, imported, untranslated, and generally unheard of. What is easily one of the best games on any platform in the past year may never see the light of day to most DS owners (apparently there are a lot of you these days). This is something of a curse to almost every importer of the game, because immediately after playing there is an indescribable need to inform others of its existence, to show them that yes, it really is this good.
The mechanics give away nothing about the joy of this game; you hit numbered circles with the DS stylus with the correct timing. Occasionally you will have to drag a ball along a track on the touch screen. Like GitarooMan before it, Ouendan is the perfect mass market game that nobody has heard about. The controls place everybody on a level playing field. All that really matters is your rhythm. This isn’t Dance Dance Revolution, there is no real scene dedicated to competition or high scores. It is all the better for it. Ouendan is simply about the pleasure of performing music. You will progress through the game even if you fluff up most of a song, as long as you muddle through to the end. This design philosophy is refreshing, and should be used more often at a time when over 50% of players do not complete their games. This makes it all the more appealing to the huge market of Singstar and Dancing Stage buyers who would lap this game up were it marketed properly here.
The game charms on all fronts; it centres around the efforts of a cheering group helping mainly everyday people with everyday problems. It frequently slips into daftness, but it is a genuinely funny game. One of these scenarios is dealt with so sincerely that it is genuinely touching (horrible pun not intended). I haven’t a clue what any of the characters are called or even what they’re saying, but the portrayal of everything on a visual level is more than enough to compensate. Just aiding the characters with their problems is satisfying. Helping the secretary girl go on a date with her office colleague is something absolutely anyone can relate to. Too often games are wrapped around the themes of teenage comic books and poorly conceived science fiction. The whole notion lately that Nintendo are making “non-games” for the DS is ridiculous; these are all games anyone can enjoy, the difference is that for once someone in the industry has moved away from pandering simply to teenage boys.
Ouendan is an utterly complete game. I never found myself asking for more modes, songs, options, anything. It is loaded with wit and charm and a knack for providing content anyone can enjoy. Learn from this game, developers!
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