Samba de Amigo

A well-timed review from Paul

Before fake plastic guitars, before karaoke video games, before the tap tap tap of Ouendan. Before all this, back when the Dreamcast was still a going concern, Samba de Amigo popularised what is now the rhythm action genre.

If you've joined the gaming train since then, Samba is a rhythm game developed by Sonic Team for arcade in the late 90's. It was an instant success, not least due to its bespoke Maraca controllers. There were no buttons or sticks, the player simply shook the maracas in particular directions along with the music.

Close to ten years later and today we have the Wii version of the game in hand to review. Although there are no maracas included in the pack, the Wiimote makes a pretty good percussion replacement. You can choose to play with Nunchuck and Wiimote, or (if you want the full wireless experience) you can use two Wiimotes. I'm not sure if it was just me but this double Wiimote setup seemed to deliver better accuracy. But then, maybe that was just because I had acclimatised to the controls by the time I switched.

This acclimatisation does take a little while, probably more than the original arcade game. The Wii controllers are obviously designed for a variety of motions and do at times struggle to pick up more subtle shakes. The simple fact is that it is a tall order to get the technology to work consistently enough for the accurate demands of making music. Wii Music's musical approximations are testament to the fact that even Nintendo's own developers have to take a looser play-along approach, rather than direct one-to-one control, for rhythm action games.

But when all's said and done, most players should be able to get comfortable with the setup given a little time and practice. As with other rhythm action games you need to allow yourself a good hour for acclimatisation. It simply takes a while to get used to the nuances (and foibles) of the gesture controls. Once you are up to speed, a single song can be completed in just a few minutes. Players are likely to pull this game out as an after dinner activity - here it can easily soak up an hour or so.

Newcomers to the game are probably better served than long in the tooth fans, mainly because there isn't all that much innovation here. Some will feel a little cheated with the lack of progress over the last ten years in fact. Although it is certainly true to the original game, players may sense that rhythm action games have moved on somewhat in the intervening years. Games like Rock Band and Elite Beat Agents can make Sega's originally ground breaking game look a little tired.

That said, those who are happy to go along with the cheerful party play atmosphere and the sometime hilarious two player show downs will find a lot of value here. In my book Samba de Amigo still has what it takes. Pulling together a string of on-beat maraca hits is no mean feat and feels like a real achievement.

The game continues its Mexican carnival theme throughout, both graphics and music being styled appropriately. Popular songs (both classic and modern) are rendered in the Calypso carnival style to make them suitable for the maraca percussion. Included in the mix is Are you Gonna be my Girl (Jet), I Want Candy (Bow Wow Wow) and the party pleasing Mambo Mambo (Lou Bega).

Overall this is not a game to take too seriously - but in a good way. Go with the carnival atmosphere, get some friends over, add some snacks and drinks and you are well on your way to a great evening in. And it is this ability to bring the arcade Maraca-shaking experience back home into the living room that has always been the biggest draw for Samba de Amigo. Even if the new kids on the block have learnt a few new tricks, it certainly hasn't lost its touch.

70%

By Paul Govan