Oshiri Kajiri Mushi no Rhythm Lesson DS

[Johnny]

This arrived from Playasia the other day and I've been playing it on and off.

It's a rhythm action game featuring a bug who, in order to cheers up members of the Japanese populace, bites them on the arse! It's all pretty silly but it's undeniably funny (and a bit weird) seeing him bite the arses of everyone from children to middle aged women to old men
The manual has pics of young Japanese girls and the cover is bright pink so I'm guessing the target demographic is the 7 and under crowd.

As a result, the game is very, very easy but fun to play in small doses. Basically, in the main 'story' mode, the little bug will spot someone and each person has 5 songs you need to clear before moving onto the next victim. Gold, silver or bronze medals are awarded for how well you perform on each song so there is some replay incentive to get all gold medals.
I've done 14 people which is 70 stages and there's been even more unlocked so I imagine the total is somewhere over 100. There are 'boss' bits too.

In terms of gamplay, there is a circle on the touch screen (as seen below)



and a little avatar of the bug circles round it, passing stars that indicate when you need to tap the instrument. This starts of very simply with just a bell or clacker but later levels have a taiko drum which can be hit in 2 different places, 3 bells and more (the latest one I unlocked has 5 animals so it does gradually get more complex but still nothing too challenging).

Overall it's a fun little game and well worth it if you are a fan of rhythm action games and/or uniquely bizarre Japanese titles. I didn't preorder and ordered a couple of days after it was released and managed to get the LE item, which is a handbag of sorts (although it looks like it would only fit a very young kid!) which is quite cool in a way Might give it to the girlfriend though to take the bad look off me

[importaku]

Wow thats a lot of levels, think i'll add it to the definate list i was hyped at first but then i heard nothing else about it so it sort of put me off especially as sega was doing it, nice to hear some impressions.

[Johnny]

Wow thats a lot of levels, think i'll add it to the definate list i was hyped at first but then i heard nothing else about it so it sort of put me off especially as sega was doing it, nice to hear some impressions.

The only real issue is that a lot of them are recycled tunes using different instruments and they are very short - most under 30 seconds or so.

One thing I forgot to mention is that there is a mode from the main menu where you can 'freestyle' on a piano using the stylus and can change the sound to a bass, guitar, trumpet and so on.

[importaku]

Still seems a fun game, btw is the oshiri kajiri mushi song actually in the game??

[Johnny]

Still seems a fun game, btw is the oshiri kajiri mushi song actually in the game??

Not as yet but I imagine if it is, it'll be later on or unlocked once the game is complete.

[Goemon]

Have you come across any tunes that you have to sing? I was interested in this but when thought you might have to sing into the mic to progress it put me off.

[Bort]

Have you come across any tunes that you have to sing? I was interested in this but when thought you might have to sing into the mic to progress it put me off.

I haven't come across it in the main game but there is a sub game where you have to sing (the correct pitch).

Little more on the main game. The star (note) position don't change as a song progresses. You just repeat the same notes 8-10 times. It's a little sucky until you progress further when every other loop the notes disappears and you have to play them from memory. Although it doesn't happen on every song later in the game it's a pleasant change.

Quirky game. Long way from being a must buy.