--beatmania best hits faq-- --version 1.0-- --revised October 04, 2000-- --by Eric French-- --jaguarandi@mindspring.com-- --http://homepage.mac.com/jaguarandi-- -TABLE of CONTENTS- 1.0 What's Beatmania Best Hits ? 1.1 General Beatmania Information 1.2 Beatmania Best Hits 2.0 Playing the Game 2.1 Game Modes 2.1.1 Arcade Normal Mode 2.1.2 Arcade Expert Mode 2.1.3 Training Mode 2.1.4 Free Mode 2.1.5 Options 2.1.6 Disc Change / Append Discs 2.1.7 Play Select (Modifiers) 2.2 Controllers 3.0 Song Lists 3.1 Song and BPM Matrix 3.2 Expert Mode Courses 4.0 Tips, Tricks, and Hints 5.0 Frequently Asked Questions 6.0 Version History 7.0 Acknowledgements/credits ------------------------------------------------- | 1 ~ What's Beatmania Best Hits? |\ ------------------------------------------------- \________________________________________________\ (1.1 - General Beatmania Information) Beatmania is Konami's contribution to the arcade and home music/rhythm game genre. Some say that it single-handedly started the current trend in rhythm games; whatever you believe, Beatmania is here to stay. There are no less than two dozen incarnations of BM spanning arcades, home consoles, portable systems, and even dedicated handheld keychain machines. Almost all of these are only available in Japan; here in the US, we've only received the strangely named 'Hiphopmania Complete Mix' game and it's sequel, Hiphopmania Complete Mix 2, in arcades (what was so wrong with 'Beatmania'?!?) It is hugely popular in Japan...it's very difficult to walk into an arcade and not find a machine or two waiting for you to pop in your hard-earned yen. =) To oversimplify, in the arcade Beatmania, you take control of a simple mock-up of a DJ turntable-and-key setup. Five large piano-style keys are on the left, three white below two black, with a spinnable turntable on the right (newer versions have additions, such as the seven-key layout in IIdx or the foot pedal in III, but I digress...) On the sides of the screen, small bars fall towards a simple diagram of your key-and-table setup at the bottom of the screen. As the bars hit the bottom, you press the appropriate key or spin (scratch) the turntable. Sounds simple? Well, it is, until you start have to playing the keys like they were on a piano, pressing two or three at a time, and trying to get a few fingers over to the turntable when necessary. Seeing a player with skill is truly an awesome sight - seeing someone who sucks is just plain funny. And you will suck the first time you play, but practice does make perfect, and before long, you'll be whipping out five, six, and seven-star songs like they were second nature. (1.2 - Beatmania Best Hits) Beatmania Best Hits was released for the Japanese Playstation on 27 July 2000 for 5,800 yen retail. For those outside of Japan, you can order it through online retailers such as NCS (www.ncsx.com), Tronix (www.tronixweb.com), or others. If you live near a store that carries import games, they also may have it in stock or be able to order it for you. It contains a total of 56 of the most popular songs from previous Beatmanias. Some popular tracks (Body, Drunk Monky) are noticably absent, but the selection of tracks is varied enough and covers all of the previous games relatively evenly, giving a balanced feel to the game. About a dozen of the 56 tracks are 'Another' versions of other tracks on the disc - the same musical background is played, but more keypresses are required, making the song sound drastically different. As you work through the game, more tracks become available, along with one hidden Expert Mode course... Best Hits also acts as a 'Key Disc'. Additional Beatmania Playstation discs, known as 'Append Discs' require a Key Disc to work (see section 2.1.6). ------------------------------------------------- | 2 ~ Playing the Game |\ ------------------------------------------------- \________________________________________________\ (2.1 - Game Modes) The first time you load the game (or if you do not have a Best Hits game save on a memory card when the game boots), you will be asked to choose a controller type. Choose 'Original' if you have one of the optional key-and-table controllers. If you're using a standard PSX controller, Dual Shock, digital, third-party, whatever - choose 'Normal'. You're then presented with the main menu. For the sake of naming, I'll refer to the 'Game Start' option as 'Arcade Mode' from here on out. (2.1.1 - Arcade Normal Mode) This is a four-stage mode that allows you to choose which song you will play for each of the stages. When you choose Normal Mode, you're presented with a list of additional options (more on this in section 2.1.7). Once you've done these and selected a song, the game starts and the aforementioned bars start falling. Tap the keys and scratch (or punch the keys on your PSX controller) to the rhythm. For each keypress, you will be rated with a quick flash towards the bottom of the screen - Just Great (rainbow Great), Great, Good, Bad, or Poor. Press the key right on time, and you'll get a Just Great. The further off your timing, the lower the score you'll get. If you're way off or miss a note altogether, you will get a Poor. Successive Just Great/Great combinations will yield 'combos', which will also be tallied in the same spot concurrently with the performance displays. If you get a Good or Bad, the combo will be broken. Strangely enough, I've found that Poor ratings usually don't break combos (don't know why.) At the bottom of the play screen are two performance meters, one for each player, that run from blue to red. At the start of the level, you'll have a few blue bars filled in. The object of the game is to perform well enough to raise the bar into the red section and keep it there. Great and Just Great ratings will raise the bar, Goods will do nothing, Bad ratings will lower it a little bit, and Poors will lower it more. If the bar is in the red at the end of the song, you'll progress to the next stage, if there is one. If it's still in the blue, you'll be booed off the stage =). Don't worry, there are unlimited continues. In addition, a small, animated dancer hangs out by the performance gauge. Do well, and he will get his groove on, going faster and faster as your bar increases. Do poorly, and he'll simply shrug, as if to say, 'you expect me to dance to this??' Your score is tabulated based on Goods, Greats, and Just Greats. Bad and Poor rankings will score you nothing. A full song played perfectly scoring all Just Greats yields 200,000 points - good luck on achieving this. All songs have a 'star' rating, from one to seven (or blank for unknown). The higher the number of stars, the harder the song. The song ratings are taken mostly intact from their original games. Since Beatmania has gotten progressively more difficult since it's inception, the star ratings across the songs are slightly out of balance. 'e-Motion', a four star track from Beatmania 2nd mix, is not nearly as hard as Miracle Moon ~L.E.D. Light Style Mix~, a track with the same rating but from 5th mix, which was released two years after 2nd mix. Beware. Harder songs will become available as you get to the fourth stage. The first stage will only let you select songs from one to three stars. By stage four, you won't be able to select anything under five stars. (2.1.2 - Arcade Expert Mode) This mode plays a little different from Normal mode in that you have to clear preset courses where the songs are chosen for you. Each course has five songs that are usually progressively difficult as the course wears on. In addition, instead of having a variable performance bar, you start out with one full orange bar. As you play, Bad and Poor ratings will decrease the bar, but the other ratings *won't* raise it. Your bar is not ever replenished for the whole course, so once it's empty, the game's over. You cannot continue in Expert Mode. The scoring system is also different. You are awarded two points for each Just Great mark and one point for every Great note you achieve. All other ranks score no points. If you make it through the whole course and have Auto-Turntable disabled, you are presented with an Internet Ranking Password. Konami's Internet Ranking for Best Hits closed on 7 September 2000, but you can see how you would have stacked up to the best on the 'Net at http://www.konami.co.jp/kcej/products/west/beatmania/besthits/bh_ir/view.html . You will need a Japanese-capable browser to view the comments and the prefectures of residence for those high-scoring DJs. (2.1.3 - Training Mode) Training mode allows you to try any song you've accessed through Arcade mode. You can slow the note scrolling down (no music will be played, but it will help you get the rhythm) and have the CPU play songs perfectly so you can hear how they should be pounded out. A review mode also lets you go back and see your rank on each note you hit in the last song you played, to help you identify trouble spots. The in-game graphics are not shown in Training Mode. (2.1.4 - Free Mode) This mode plays almost exactly like Arcade mode, except you are free to play songs as many times as you wish. You are given the option of having a Normal performance bar or an Expert-style bar; the Expert bar is refilled after each song. You can access any song that you have played in Arcade mode here. The center graphics are shown in Free Mode. (2.1.5 - Options) From top to bottom: **Game Option *Game Level: Easy, Normal, Hard, Extreme. In Normal Arcade mode, determines how generous the performance bar is. Higher settings mean longer blue bars and shorter red ones, making it harder to clear a stage. Unclear as to how it affects Arcade Expert mode, but I believe that higher difficulties increase the rate of loss from your performance bar as you score Bad and Poor marks. *Sound Mode: Stereo or Mono. Only you know which one is right for you. *BGM Volume: Scale from 1 to 9 *SE Volume: Scale from 1 to 9 *Controller 1P/2P : Original for Beatmania controllers, Normal for PSX pads and joysticks. *Auto Turntable 1P/2P : See section 4. **Key Config: Allows you to change the key assignments if you are using a PSX controller. Beatmania controllers cannot be modified. **Vibration: Set vibration settings for PSX Dual-Shock and compatible controllers. **Effect: Sets the effect type and level. The effector is toggled in the game by using the Select button. **Sound Test: Test the background music and key sounds from each track. Only for tracks you have accessed. **Records: High scores for Normal Arcade mode and each of the Expert courses, given in total score, then by Rank (Just Great, Great, Good, Bad, Poor). **Memory Card: Load or Save. Turning Auto Save 'On' saves after each Arcade Game. The system will automatically try to load from a memory card upon startup. (2.1.6 - Disc Change) This allows you to change to one of several Append Discs. Choose Disc Change, eject your Best Hits disc, insert an Append Disc and press start. What works: Yebisu Mix, 3rd Mix, 3rd Mix mini, Gottamix, 4th Mix, 5th Mix, Gottamix 2. What doesn't Work: 2nd Mix, Beatmania Featuring Dreams Come True, DDR Discs, Guitar Freaks Discs, Dancing Stage, pretty much anything else. (2.1.7 - Play Select) These options are available in both Arcade Mode and Free Mode. Select or deselect them by using a white key (Beatmania Controller) or circle button (PSX controller). *Hidden - Notes disappear 1/3 of the way from the bottom of the screen. *Double - You're manning both sides of the screen. Best of luck to you. *Battle - Both players get the exact same notes. In Arcade Mode, at least one player has to pass for both to go on to the next stage. *Random - The notes will still appear at the same time as before, but their order will be different. *Mirror - Mirrors the notes. Left white key and right white key notes will be reversed, as will all black key notes. Center white key and turntable scratches are unaffected. *Sudden - Notes appear 1/3 of the way from the bottom of the screen. *Hi-Speed - the music is at the same tempo, but the notes scroll twice as fast, giving you less time to react. Note that if you enable both Hidden and Sudden modes, all notes will be invisible. (2.2 - Controllers) There are several controllers available for Beatmania that mimic the arcade setup: *Konami DJ Station Pro. This is the controller to get. Well, that's what I've heard anyway, since I've never seen one in person. NCS is now accepting new orders for them as of this week (last week of September 2000). The controller itself has light-up keys that are also shaped like their arcade counterparts. The turntable has a grip surface on it. The unit is metal instead of plastic. And to top it all off, there are independent volume sliders for the headphone jack that's on the back (passthrough cables for your PSX are provided). What more could you want? *ASCII Beatmania Controller : This is the one I use (because up until this week, I couldn't find a DJ Station Pro. Not even in Japan.) It's relatively lightweight, and the buttons work well, but the scratch pad sucks. There's no traction whatsoever like the arcade or the DJSP, so your fingers do more sliding and gliding than you'd probably like. The buttons on mine have taken quite a beating and haven't failed yet. I've heard other people complain about this controller, but I kind of like it. **DJ Man / BeatCon: I have no experience with these. Please let me know if you own/have used one of these and give me your impressions. ------------------------------------------------- | 3 ~ Song Lists |\ ------------------------------------------------- \________________________________________________\ Follws are all the songs and Expert Courses available in the game. Not all are available at the start of the game. Some appear to be unlocked by good performance (the hidden Expert Course appeared after I beat three other expert courses), while others appear to be unlocked after you've beaten certain songs. I'll update this section as I find out more information. (3.1 - Song and BPM matrix) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Song Title |Lvl| Genre | game | | notes | notes | | | | | from | bpm | 1 p | 2 p | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | u Gotta Groove | 1 |HipHop | 2nd | 100 | 80 | | | | | | | 94 | | | | | | | | 96 | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | u Gotta Groove | 3 |HipHop Street | 2nd | 94 | | | | (Triple Mazin Dub) [b] | |Mix | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Cat Song ~ Theme of Upa | 1 |Funk | Ybsu | 127 | 154 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Do You Love Me? | 2 |Ballade | 2nd | 100 | 155 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Papaya Bossa | 2 |Bossa Groove | Ybsu | 143 | 143 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Believe Again | 2 |J-Dance Pop | 3rd | 130 | 216 | | | Hyper Mega Mix | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Believe Again | ? |Dance Pop | 4th | 130 | 216 | | | (English Version) [a] | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Overdoser (Romo Mix) | 3 |Techno | 2nd | 132 | 164 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Miracle Moon | 3 |J-Garage Pop | Gota | 128 | 274 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | NaHaNaHa vs. | 3 |DJ~Battle | Gota | 124 | 190 | | | Gattchoon Battle | | | | 152 | | | | | | | | 163 | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Hunting for You | 3 |R&B | Gota | 105 | 216 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Hunting for You [b] | 5 |R&B (Hard Vers.)| Gota | 105 | 340 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Quick Master | ? |J-Tekno | 4th | 145 | 178 | | | (reform version) | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Paranoia Max | 3 |Jungle | 4th | 190 | 150 | | | ~Dirty Mix~ | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Overblast!! | 3 |Warp House | 5th | 147 | 215 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Overblast!! [k] | ? |Warp House | Orig | 147 | 346 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Do It All Night | 3 |Dancemania | 5th | 143 | 240 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | La Bossanova de Fabienne | 3 |Bossa Groove | Ybsu | 143 | 213 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | e-Motion | 4 |Rave | 2nd | 145 | 96 | | | | | | | 140 | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Metal Gear Solid ~ | 4 |BigBeat Mix | Ybsu | 140 | 179 | | | Main Theme | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Brand New World | 4 |House | 4th | 128 | 294 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Brand New World [a] | 4 |House (another) | 4th | 128 | 309 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Believe Again | 4 |80's J-Pop | 3rd | 130 | 159 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Miracle Moon ~L.E.D. | 4 |Epic House | 5th | 138 | 389 | | | Light Style Mix~ | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Miracle Moon ~L.E.D. | ? |Epic House | Orig | 138 | 481 | | | Light Style Mix~ [k] | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 20, November (Single Mix) | 5 |House | 2nd | 130 | 301 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 20, November (Single Mix) | ? |House nagureo | 4th | 130 | 332 | | | [b] | |kidding style | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Overdozer (Driving Dub | 5 |Overdozer | 2nd | 138 | 340 | | | Mix) | |(techno) | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Manmachine Plays Jazz | 5 |Jazz Electro | Gota | 114 | 377 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Ska a Go Go | 6 |Ska | 2nd | 160 | 359 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Deep Clear Eyes | 6 |Drum'n Bass Mix | 2nd | 155 | 276 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Super Highway | 6 |Drum'n Bass | 3rd | 160 | 395 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Attack the Music | 6 |Hard Techno | 3rd | 140 | 323 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Attack the Music [b] | ? |Hard Techno | 4th | 140 | 376 | | | | |Crack Style | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Hell Scaper | 6 |Gabbah | Gota | 190 | 577 | | | | | | | 195 | | | | | | | | 200 | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Hell Scaper [k] | ? |Gabbah | Orig | 190 | 684 | | | | | | | 195 | | | | | | | | 200 | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Genom Screams | 6 |(Psychederic) | Gota | 150 | 582 | | | | |Trance | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Genom Screams [k] | ? |(Psychederic) | Orig | 150 | 662 | | | | |Trance | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Luv to Me (Disco Mix) | 6 |Eurobeat | Gota | 154 | 453 | | | Version Gotta | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Luv to Me Third Mix [b] | 6 |Eurobeat | 3rd | 154 | 312 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | R3 | 6 |Rave | 5th | 157 | 368 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Prince on a Star | 6 |Alternative Rock| 5th | 144 | 407 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Luv to Me | 6 |Eurobeat | 4th | 154 | 312 | | | (English Version) | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Luv to Me | 6 |Eurobeat | 4th | 154 | 331 | | | (English Version) [a] | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Do it All Night | 6 |Dancemania | 5th | 143 | 424 | | | (Hard Version) | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 20, November | ? |Hard House | 4th | 130 | 247 | | | (Hard Version) | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 20, November | ? |Hard House | 4th | 130 | 268 | | | (Hard Version) [a] | | | | | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Logical Dash | 7 |Happy | 4th | 144 | 433 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Logical Dash [a] | 7 |Happy | 4th | 144 | 433 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | The Earth Light | 7 |Trance | 5th | 145 | 530 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | The Earth Light [k] | ? |Trance | Orig | 145 | 657 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Deep in You | ? |Dance Pop | 4th | 126 | 323 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Deep in You [a] | ? |Dance Pop | 4th | 126 | 354 | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | e-Motion (2nd Mix) | ? |Rave | 2nd | 145 | 148 | | | | | | | 140 | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Key: [a] = Another [b] = Brother [k] = KCEJ Original Another (all three require holding SELECT on 'parent' track to play) 2nd = Beatmania 2nd Mix (original key disc) Ybsu = Yebisu Mix (2nd disc in Beatmania Package) 3rd = Beatmania Append 3rd Mix 4th = Beatmania Append 4th Mix 5th = Beatmania Append 5th Mix Gota = Beatmania Append Gottamix Orig = Original (3.2 - Expert Mode Courses) Course 1 ~ Easy 1. u Gotta Groove 2. Do You Love Me? 3. Papaya Bossa 4. Hunting for You 5. Do It All Night Course 2 ~ 2nd / Yebisu 1. Cat Song ~ Theme of UPA 2. Overdoser (Romo Mix) 3. Metal Gear Solid ~ Main Theme 4. Deep Clear Eyes 5. e-Motion (2nd Mix) Course 3 ~ 3rd / Gotta 1. NaHaNaHa vs. Gattchoon Battle 2. Believe Again 3. Manmachine Plays Jazz 4. Attack the Music 5. Genom Screams Course 4 ~ 4th / 5th 1. Overblast!! 2. Paranoia Max ~Dirty Mix~ 3. Brand New World 4. Prince on a Star 5. Deep in You Course 5 ~ Hard 1. Ska a Go Go 2. Hell Scaper 3. R3 4. Logical Dash (KCEJ Original Another) 5. The Earth Light Course 6 ~ Best 1. Miracle Moon 2. Quick Master (Reform Version) 3. 20, November (Single Mix) 4. Super Highway 5. Luv to Me (Disco Mix) Version Gotta Course 7 ~ L.E.D Light Another 1. Overblast!! (KCEJ Original Another) 2. Miracle Moon ~L.E.D. Light Style Mix~ (KCEJ Original Another) 3. Hell Scaper (KCEJ Original Another) 4. Genom Screams (KCEJ Original Another) 5. The Earth Light (KCEJ Original Another) ------------------------------------------------- | 4 ~ Tips, Tricks, and Hints |\ ------------------------------------------------- \________________________________________________\ In all modes, you are able to have the turntable notes counted automatically, allowing you to concentrate on the keys. 'Auto Turntable' mode is enabled in the options and is great for beginning players, especially those just learning the songs themselves. All turntable scratches are counted as 'Good' ratings, but like other 'Good' rankings, only add a little to your score and your performance meter. Keep this in mind as you get better - you can actually score higher and advance your meter more quickly if you scratch the turntable yourself and get Just Great and Great ratings than if you let the game do the work for you. ------------------------------------------------- | 5 ~ Frequently Asked Questions |\ ------------------------------------------------- \________________________________________________\ (coming soon) ------------------------------------------------- | 6 ~ Version History |\ ------------------------------------------------- \________________________________________________\ Version 1.0 (October 4, 2000) - initial release. All songs with 1p note counts, all Expert mode courses. ------------------------------------------------- | 7 ~ Acknowledgements and Credits |\ ------------------------------------------------- \________________________________________________\ Many thanks to Konami for putting out the Beatmania series, which keep getting better over time (they keep getting harder too). Thanks to all of the mad Japanese players that I saw in Tokyo this past summer. You haven't seen anything until you've seen someone play BM III Double Hidden! Thanks to my wife and my son for being there =) ~~~~ This FAQ is copyright 2000 and beyond by Eric M. French. It may be distributed freely across the internet, but cannot be used or sold, either in whole or in part, for profit, personal gain, or any other reason. Write your own FAQ, don't steal others'. Konami, Beatmania, Dance Dance Revolution are all trademarks of Konami Japan. Hiphopmania is a trademark of Konami America. ~~~~ This FAQ can be found at http://www.gamefaqs.com or http://homepage.mac.com/jaguarandi (click on 'Bemani'). If you have any suggestions, comments, corrections, flames, etc., please send them to jaguarandi@mindspring.com .