[ds] Ossu! Tatakae! Ouendan (quite possibly my GOTY!)

[TheMissingLink]

I had read about this rhythm game at a couple of places and people were professing its greatness.  So my brother and I went ahead and imported it at Lik-Sang ($50 including free two-week shipping).  As of now, it's only available overseas...I'm not sure an American version is planned BUT IT SHOULD BE and I would purchase a second copy in a heartbeat.  Here's a link to a couple of lengthy threads about Ossu!  Tatakae!  Ouendan:

Gaming-Age:  http://www.ga-forum.com/showthread.php?t=56948

Quarter to Three: http://www.quartertothree.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21427



To sum it up, you play as male cheerleaders (and female on later difficulty levels) who go around and help people in need.  This can range from a substitute teacher who is trying to gain control of his class to a boy trying to win over a girl via a dodgeball challange from a bully.  The scene above is from the first level in which you help a student pass an exam.  The game is entirely in Japanese, but the game is told through animated manga that is simply beautiful on the DS.  Possibly the most colorfully vibrant handheld game I've ever seen.  



Like said, this one is a rhythm game and you essentially tap beats, trace other beats and sometimes circle around this little wheel that comes up.  The beats you tap via the stylus go perfectly with the music and the beats vary according to which difficulty type you come across.  The easiest difficulty level posses no challange, but the beauty of this game is that while you can "beat" a stage, you get graded.  You'll need a high number of perfect hits to attain an "S."  Here's a video of how each stage unfolds.  You choose who to help from the map, then a little intro will play and you'll come right in with the music.  The link for a gameplay movie (that actually is on the hardest difficulty level [it definitely isn't that hard on easier difficulties!]) is right here.

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/aosj/175r/index.html

Just push the red play button below the DS.

This game is beautifully executed and the beats go along PERFECTLY with the music.  Plus, they change from difficulty level to level.  But they all work incredibly well and feel natural.  The music itself is really, really catchy and just great.  I have yet to come across a song I disliked.

Yep, it's $50.  And yeah, it's just a rhythm game for a handheld, but it's crafted so damn well, it's astonishing there isn't more buzz for this one.  It's truly, truly a gem.  And if own a DS, and are even just slightly into musical games, drop $50 on the most addicting game of 2005.  This one is head-to-head with God of War for my game of the year and it *definitely* has given me the most FUN while gaming in a long, long time.

[depward]

Yup it is TONS of fun.  Definately one of my favorite games this year and possibly ever.

It's just a lot of fun.  It has a pretty easy learning curve, but like TML said, in order to get really great rankings you need to be perfect.  If you hit a beat early or late, you get docked some points.  Also, as you string together combos, fire will start to surround your cheerleaders.  Pretty funny  

This game is supposidly by the makers of Gitaroo-Man, so this isn't their first attempt at a rhythm-based game.

It's a very colorful and vibrant title.  The graphics are simply beautiful too.  The manga cutscenes, although I don't really understand what they're saying, are hilarious due to the exaggerated facial expressions and just plain silliness that ensues during each stage.

Also, there are four main points during each stage.  If you do well enough, you "pass" that part with a good thing happening in the story.  Though, if you mess up a good deal and miss some beats and such, that part of the story will go "bad", resulting in, well for instance, the dodgeball stage the main character NOT catching the ball and not impressing the girl, whereas if you did well, the main character would catch the ball and impress the girl.

It's really a well-crafted game.  And, like TML said, it's just a whole lot of fun.  There are a good deal of stages as well as different difficulty levels making replayability pretty high.

Fantastic game that every DS owner should at LEAST consider and look into.

[Devil]

Will my lack of understanding Japanese hurt my enjoyment?

[Cleric7]

Nope, Devil, not in the least. It is easy to follow the instructions and the storylines because of the wonderfully animated stories.

Really, the game is totally, totally a blast!! Even my 10-year-old has been having fun on the easy difficulty level.

Oh, and the songs are fantastic!!

This is a superior product and there is NO chance that it will make it over to North America in its current form! Import today!!

[Devil]

OK - IN!

Where should I get it from?

I'm trying really hard to love my DS and this might do the trick!

[The Grue]

OK - IN!

Where should I get it from?

I'm trying really hard to love my DS and this might do the trick!

I have a stack of DS games which say you shouldn't have to try to love your DS.

[Devil]

I probably have the same stack, but to me, they are a stack of sadness.  :cry:

I know, Nintendo is making money.

[warning]

I know, Nintendo is making money.

http://www.nintendo.com/status

And apparently they're having fun at the same time.  

[depward]

OK - IN!

Where should I get it from?

I'm trying really hard to love my DS and this might do the trick!

Lik-Sang or Play-Asia both are reliable import sites to order games and other things from.

Yup and Cleric is right on the money - no understanding of Japanese needed in the least!

[Devil]

Cool - Thanks guys!!

I'll order tonight!

[TheMissingLink]

Just finished all the songs.

WOW.  The last 5 or so songs are really great.  There's one that brings back memories of Gitaroo-Man.  And the last "stage", wow, greatness.

You MUST import this game.

[Devil]

Still waiting for my copy....

[ATB]

they are a stack of sadness

 

[Devil]

Finally came - It's fun!

Now I just need a translation!

[TheMissingLink]

Awesome!!  Enjoy!

The challange really ramps up near the end of the normal campaign...about to start hard and I'm a little scared

[Devil]

I found a translation on Gamefaqs! Will probably get more into it tomorrow night.

Might bring me out of the DS dissapointment!

Thanks to all of you who suggested it!

[TheMissingLink]

Okay, who's next to import?  You won't regret it...

[wonderpug]

I'm so very tempted.  If I wasn't just about to buy Shadow of the Colossus and Civilization, I'd buy Ossu! for sure.

[Cleric7]

I have imported it, and it is amazingly good!!
My 10-year-old son has also become addicted to it.
Easily one of the best games of the year!

[wonderpug]

Stop it!  I don't have much willpower!

[Doopri]

nintendogs wasnt gay enough for you guys... so you had to look for a game about male cheerleaders?!?!?!  not that theres anything wrong with that

just playing it was too hard NOT to comment

[Nth Power]

I received mine in the mail today and I can't stop playing!   I had never imported anything before, but I'm glad I got this.  I'm so addicted.
I get a kick out of how these people in the game need help and they call these male cheerleaders to save the day.   It's even funnier without a translation since I make up what's going on in my head.  It makes an already out-there plot even weirder.

One question :
How do you do the pinwheel thing?  I try to move it around in a circle, but it doesn't seem to work out so well.  Do you need to spin around so many times before the blue circle disappears?

[depward]

When the pinwheel shows up, put your stylus on a side of it.  I mean, just touch the screen on a part of the pinwheel.  And just go around and around with it - either clockwise or counterclockwise, it doesn't matter.  You're just spinning it as FAST as you can.  And you need to do it quickly too.

If you spin it enough, you start raking up some bonus points.  And those bonus points are pretty crucial if you're looking to get some A's and S's.

But yeah, it took me awhile to get used to it.  But just spin it, like you're using the stylus as your hand and you're spinning it around as fast as you can.

[Nth Power]

Thanks depward, I think I've got it down now.  Now I just have to work on getting some rhythm.  

[TheMissingLink]

For the past two months, Depward has laughed in my face.  Why is this?

He completed the final song on hard mode (which unlocks an EXTREMELY hard mode) and I couldn't beat it.  I would try, and try, and try, and for TWO MONTHS, I couldn't pass this stage.

So today, MOCKING me, he pulls out MY DS and his copy of Ouendan and proceeds to beat "Ready, Steady, Go" right in front of me.  

I HAD HAD ENOUGH!

I took my DS and proceeded to get a PERFECT on the song, even beating his score in the process!  

Man, what a great feeling      

On to the cheer girl difficulty.  Finally, some cheerleaders who aren't male!

[depward]

Indeed.  Well done, brother.

I've been stuck on the extreme difficulty last song - Ready Steady Go!  SO hard   :?

[CrayolaSmoker]

Let me get this straight....

You're having trouble beating a stage.
Depward suddenly shows up to berate you and rub your nose in it.
When he's finally insulted you in the worst possible way, you're magically able to beat the stage in spectacular fashion.

Add some rhythym and it's the antithesis of Ouendan!  

Coming Soon...
Ossu! Tatakae! Depward! - Jeerleader Edition

[TheMissingLink]

Ossu! Tatakae! Depward! - Jeerleader Edition

 :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[Misguided]

from ds.qj.net

"This game was only released in Japan, but fans will be delighted with the news that the Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan (roughly translated as "Go! Fight! Cheer Squad!") will also be debuting in Europe this May."

[TheMissingLink]

Lucky, lucky europeans!

Maybe we'll get a U.S. release outta this one yet!

[Nth Power]

Found this on Gamespot :

And best of all it has a 4-player competitive and cooperative multiplayer mode, which features songs and stories that are not even included in the single-player mode.

More songs?!  I didn't know!

[Harpua3]

OK - IN!

Where should I get it from?

I'm trying really hard to love my DS and this might do the trick!

I have a stack of DS games which say you shouldn't have to try to love your DS.

 Same here, I don`t try to love the DS, I just REALLY do! I`m puzzled?!? :?

[Misguided]

Lucky, lucky europeans!

Maybe we'll get a U.S. release outta this one yet!

Yeah, but you could import a European copy and get it in a language you know

You guys are starting to tempt me with this one. I've never played a rhythm game before and the ones I've seen didn't appeal to me, but this one has a different style to it. It doesn't seem to be about the frantic button mashing like so many of the others.

On an ancillary note, I bought a DS yesterday...we now have silver red and, the latest, blue. I don't have to borrow one from the kids anymore

Got in a tutorial mission for Age of Empires while waiting on soccer practice.

[TheMissingLink]

I don't know, I find the quirky Japanese text and voices to be charming - I really hope they don't turn it into some weird child's game with these other versions....because I can *sort* of see that happening.

[The Grue]

I had put this down for a bit, but got to it again recently.  I made it my mission to complete Hard mode and unlock the Insande mode and get the female cheerleaders.  Well, mission accomplished!  I tried the first song on Insane mode, though, and I just got my ass handed to me.  The dots are smaller, they are more spread out, and they don't give you as much of an indication as to where things are going to be ahead of time.  Definitely a challenge and I think it will basically require me to memorize the positions of the dots to get through the songs.

[TheMissingLink]

Yeah, cheer mode is rough.  I'm on about the 4th or 5th song on that mode...

[depward]

I had put this down for a bit, but got to it again recently.  I made it my mission to complete Hard mode and unlock the Insande mode and get the female cheerleaders.  Well, mission accomplished!  I tried the first song on Insane mode, though, and I just got my ass handed to me.  The dots are smaller, they are more spread out, and they don't give you as much of an indication as to where things are going to be ahead of time.  Definitely a challenge and I think it will basically require me to memorize the positions of the dots to get through the songs.

Somehow I'm at Ready! Steady! Go! (the last song) on that insane mode.  The songs leading up to it really do require a bit of memorization with how fast they seem to zing on the screen.  But that last song, woooweee, you thought Ready! Steady! Go! was hard earlier, YIPES.

[Misguided]

Ok gang, got my copy just a little while ago. I know the basic mechanics and such from reading threads on it.
I've figured out there are two different difficulty levels at the start.
Is there a save game feature or does it auto-save? I mean...does it save your "progress" or just your records for each scenario?
Anything else I need to know?

[wonderpug]

I'm pretty sure it autosaves after every song.

I've been playing this again the past few weeks, and it's amazing what a difference the DS Lite makes.  With the original DS, I never noticed on the ghost level that the motorcycle headlight shines in the shape of a heart, or that the coffee spill is heart-shaped as well.

[Kevin Grey]

I'm still stuck on RSG on "Normal Mode".  Strangely, Ouenden is one of those games where my skills don't seem to atrophy while I'm not playing it so I can have a go through at RSG every once in a while and usually find that I get a little bit farther each time. 

Is there a save game feature or does it auto-save? I mean...does it save your "progress" or just your records for each scenario?
Anything else I need to know?

The game autosaves.  There are two difficulty levels unlocked at the beginning- Normal MODE (with the guy with the tall hair) and Easy Mode (Bald-headed guy). 

Also, in case you didn't know, you can watch a replay of a song after you've finished (one of the options in the results menu).