What’s life without a little bit of groove? If you engage in any kind of artistry, you probably know how valuable it is to become one with the beat. Even if you’re completing a seemingly meaningless task, you can truly enhance it by putting on a tune. That’s just the power of music, isn’t it?
Did you know that music can be used to train your reflexes? It’s true! Athletes are known to train themselves to specific playlists because it helps them synchronize their mind and body with an external force, rather than relying on one’s own ability. The science behind this phenomenon is more complex than I am describing, but this is the Icebox. We talk about video games here.
Let’s start with the first rhythm game most of us have played. For many people of our generation, it was most likely Just Dance. This was a Wii game that we all played at parties, play dates, and sleepovers with friends. Other people may have engaged in the classic arcade games such as Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero. Some people probably enjoyed karaoke, Smule or Rhythm Heaven on the DS.
All of these were ways for people to stay engaged, train their hand-eye coordination and keep up with the latest hits at the same time. The higher your score on a song, the better singer or dancer you were. The use of music to train reflexes wasn’t just limited to these activities. A lot of you may remember that in school gym classes we would often complete activities to the 2000s hit playlists.
Since that age, rhythm games have taken an entirely new approach. While games like Guitar Hero and Just Dance are still very popular, there are new developments in the genre that have surprised everyone.
I will admit that at one point I never saw the appeal in rhythm games. As a matter of fact, I hated them. That is until I discovered the new age of rhythm games. The new style of rhythm games does not force you to sing or dance, which I have always been uncomfortable with. Instead, they test your raw skill with inputs synchronized to all kinds of music that isn’t just exclusive to the pop and rock genre.
The earliest sign of these new kinds of rhythm games was Geometry Dash. A lot of children who play this game don’t even realize that they are optimizing their taps to the sound of the beat. The game is largely known for its dubstep and techno track, where lyrics don’t matter but the melodies are vital to your success.
After the success of Geometry Dash, indie developers sought to discover unique angles to a music-based game. Now, this is not to say that Geometry Dash is the kickstarter for all of these ideas. Although, I would not be surprised if that were the case.
One thing that I am sure of is that the new age of rhythm games has only been successful thanks to the ability to play video games on a PC. You may have heard of Friday Night Funkin’, which uses arrow inputs in a manner like Dance Dance Revolution. The premise of the game is rap battles on the street, where your performance depends on how successfully you can tap the arrows.
Next in line are the VR-based rhythm games. These were absolutely revolutionary for the entire music industry, since they offered a futuristic approach to performance. The notable titles here are Beat Saber and Pistol Whip. Both of these games take it to the next level with how you can immerse yourself in music. Not only are you staying with the rhythm, but you are making swift movements and being thrown into a virtual environment that visualizes the sounds for you.
Virtual environments have been really important for the music industry, offering a place for performers to get up and close with their fans on a virtual stage. Paired with artificial intelligence, we now have a dangerously immersive musical experience.
The industry of music-based video games really would not be as successful as it is today without one important factor. That would be the arcade culture in Japan. Stay tuned for next week’s Icebox to hear about my own first-person experience in Tokyo where I witnessed the insanely competitive culture of rhythm arcade games.