"Why are you reading this? Just go out and buy it already!!"

INTRO

Samba De Amigo ver. 2000 is quite simply the only rhythm-action game you need ever play. Gorgeously vibrant graphics meet an absolutely top notch track list to form Sonic Teams' greatest ever accomplishment. The real GENIUS is the opportunity to play with the best gaming peripheral ever- Maracas. More on that later...

STORY- N/A

Lets just get this bit over with, if there ever was proof that games don't need stories, then this is it. Shoe-horning a story into this game would just be wrong, wrong, wrong!

GAMEPLAY 11/10

The premise is about as simple as a rhythm action game gets, after picking a song, simply hit the beats (represented as blue coloured balls) as they enter one of six rings displayed on the screen. You may also occasionally be prompted to perform a dramatic pose. This is where the genius comes in. The six rings have a purpose in physical space, the top two rings represent shoulder hight, one ring for left-hand, the other right-hand. The next set down, elbow hight, and the lowest set waist height. This requires you to shake the real life maracas at differing heights and in rhythmic patterns (which become fiendishly tricky later on, though they remain forever fun). True you look like a complete berk but you'll be having far too much fun to care about that. The latin soundtrack fits the frenetic shaking brilliantly, and you really start to 'dance ' confidently in no time at all. Yor skills (or lack of) are judged at the end of each song and you are given an according rating:- A (superb) down to E (fail). Multiplayer is, if possible, even better. Each player is treated to mirrored patterns of each others moves and aims to perform the best. A winner is determined at the end of each song, judged on accuracy. 'Love Mode' encourages couples to dance together, before giving you a compatability rating at the end of each performance. Kerrazy. There are other distractions available, such as a mission mode, which challenges you to ever more difficult tasks- complete Samba De Janeiro with a perfect rating etc, to unlock new songs. Of lesser note is the (frankly bizarre) maraca controlled volleyball minigame. Don't ask!. I have saved the best bit for last though, the fantastic Hustle mode, new to ver. 2000, shakes (ha ha) the old formula up and asks you to wave the maracas over your head or in 360 degree rotations, in time to the music. This sounds even crazier but it all makes perfect sense in practice and you really do appear to be dancing perfectly to the fantastic tunes. If you don't fancy paying a mint for the much sought after maracas, you can always use the standard Dreamcast control pad, which isn't as much fun admittedly. It also makes things a little easier, therefore I thoroughly recommend emptying your wallet for some maracas (liksang.com still sell third party sets to this day).

GRAPHICS- 10/10

To say that this is a Dreamcast game that's knocking on a bit, it could take any current PS2 game outside and give it a damned good beating. For sheer vibrancy and character, there is no better on any game system past or present. Upon first hearing about this game, something about the mascot character Amigo had me spellbound. Character design and animation is stunning, in such a way that you see past the minor graphical imperfections (which are purely down to the fact that it's about six years old). Amigo the monkey, Linda the butterfly, Rio the cat and the rest, all come to life and bounce frantically around the screen according to the prowess of your Maraca-ing. The quality of the music video is directly dependant on how well you're doing. An A rating will achieve a beautiful psychedelic setting, complete with a frantic crowd (of dancing pickles or chefs), whereas a D or E will see Amigo stumbling around on his own on a sombre stage.

SOUND 10/10

Being a rhythm-action game, the soundtrack is the difference between a good game and a mediocre game. Fortunately Sonic Team have somehow compiled a stellar track list including frantically energetic cover versions of TAKE ON ME, TUBTHUMPING, MACARENA, LA BAMBA, TOUT TOUT POUR MA CHERIE, CHA CHA CUBA and SAMBA DE JANEIRO to name but a few. There are also some classic SEGA tracks like BURNING HEARTS, DREAMS DREAMS, LET MOM SLEEP, MAGICAL SOUND SHOWER, AFTERBURNER, OPA-OPA and LAZY DAYS. Unfortunately, a handful of these SEGA tracks are no longer available due to the demise of Dreamcasts online service. The good news is that a few eBay sellers offer memory cards with the full 42 track songlist. I mentioned the dreaded word 'cover' but do not panic, all these tunes sound absolutely fantastic and fit the pick-up-and-play style of the game brilliantly. If only Nintendo had put as much effort into the Donkey Konga tracklist as they did with the bongo peripheral itself. Well done Sonic Team!

LIFESPAN 10/10

This is one of those games that you'll play until your sick, after the initial thrill, it then becomes one of those 'dip in and out of' games. To say that I've been dipping in and out of it for nearly three years now gives some indication of it's strange compulsion. Once the 42 tracks (including downloaded ones) have been played through, you'll have your favourites, which you'll strive to perfect your routines on. Then you'll proudly plough through the Survival Mode, which challenges you to keep playing through the tracklist until you complete it, or make a certain amount of mistakes and knock yourself out. Seeing your name at the top of the leaderboard boasting the fact that you've completed Survival Mode will leave you grinning from ear to ear.

SUMMARY

What more can I say? I have just about used up all the positive comments I can bestow upon this title. The only good thing that has come of this games' obscurity from the mainstream is that it hasn't become over-exposed, something which Sonic himself cannot say, or increasingly, the wonderful Mario himself. The time is ripe for a reappearance of Amigo and chums (and I do not include SEGA Superstars in this comment). How about a Revolution remake eh SEGA? Y-Know, use two freehand controllers as maracas eh, eh? While you're at it, we haven't seen NiGHTS in a lifetime either.

PRO'S

+ Fantastically quirky control innovation.
+ Superb graphics.
+ Awesome soundtrack.
+ Did I say awesome already?

CON'S

- Rarer than hens' teeth.
- Will set you back a small fortune.
- Uh, that's it I guess.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 01/23/06