Groove Coaster (PC)

My experience with rhythm game is playing Patapon 3 on PSP...and that's it. So let's see how i'm well at playing Taito's Groove Coaster (2018). Spoiler: i'm not really good at it. 

Everyone. Meet Linka, the cheerful mascot of the game but i always keep thinking that she's Satori Komeiji that becomes mature and replace her 3rd eye with that slick headphone with space invader's alien hologram. Speaking Touhou Project, i'm interested with this game because you can play music that related to TP's character. For the sake of privacy, i redacted their name on top score. Also i save them from embarrassment of being in unpopular blog site.       

 

If you're new to Groove Coaster, the control uses 2 analog kind of button or so the setting suggests. I never see the arcade machine for real, you see. By the default, the left analog button are mapped to W,A,S, and D keys while right analog buttons are mapped to I,J,K, and L keys or arrow keys or NumPad keys. As my laptop doesn't have NumPad and i don't often use I,J,K, and L keys. So i will use the arrow keys for the right analog control.

 

Let's start with "LINK LINK FEVER!!!" track which is the beginner track plus there's picture of Linka herself. There's 3 difficulty: Simple, Normal, and Hard. Normal difficulty must be unlocked by playing Simple mode well and Hard difficulty must be unlocked by playing Normal mode well too. The difference between difficulty is: the cursor speed and pattern variety. Avatar is the cursor that move along the track. If i remember correctly the default is the space invader's alien (dubbed as "crab") and i get the bubble bobble chubby dino avatar by finishing the bubble bobble's track. I like dinosaurs and i'm as dork as the dino so i set him as my cursor.  

 

The game kindly reminds you with the instruction everytime you have chosen the track and difficulty. The simple difficulty has these 3 pattern generally. "Hit" means you have to press any direction on either analog. "Critical" means you have to press the same (any) direction on both analog. "Hold" means you have to hold down any direction on either analog along the indicator. Usually, i press 'up' on analog ('W' or ↑ key) for any of these input.

I think you get the idea how to play: do the input when the cursor reaches the marks. If you input it in precise time you get higher score. If you do it correctly within consecutive, you get chain counter that goes up everytime you do the input. The bigger the chain count, the bigger the score you get.

I find the difficulty mainly comes from graphic screen that changes color or makes mesmerizing shapes that will either distract you or hinder the input marks. But the visual trick is the charm of the game.   

Oh look! It's the symbol of the game! Heavy_positivevocalization04.wav    

and i get B rate...in my second attempt that is. In case you wonder, my steam profile picture there is the symbol of Zvezda organization from World Conquest Zvezda Plot / Sekai Seifuku: Bōryaku no Zvezda anime.

 

On Normal difficulty, we have more input method. "Slide" means you have to press the specific direction on either analog. "Scratch" mean you have to move either analog in left and right direction, maybe to simulate DJ's scratching.

 

Oh, what's this? There's red mark! There's no instruction on how to deal with it. Maybe it's "critical" mark but now in red instead of blue because the game wants to confuse me with this sudden change plus it's not so contrast with this current pink background.

Thankfully there's mini tutorial on scratching method in case you forget or anything.

 

And my performance is rated D. On next try, i get C but still fails to unlock next difficulty. Linka responds my failed performance with happy demeanor as usual. Either she's really broad-minded or deep inside of her she's angry. Either way she said "I'm sure you'll be better on next song" so i decide to change track. 

 

There's word "Recommendation" on this track called Music Plot Type Three. Medic_battlecry04.wav

 

This rail patterns makes me realize why there's word 'coaster' on the game's title. Just so you know that, i dislike roller coaster because abusing your adrenaline for fun, isn't healthy.

 

Then there's Ferris Wheel-like visual effect. Truth be told, this track is too simple for me (because there's only single-tap method along the track) as if it insults me with its easiness. I reckon i can do something more complex. Damn it!

 

See! I get "No miss" achievement but my performance is rated C for some reason. Maybe my timing is so-so or i don't get any hidden Ad-lib which is hidden note that you can hit for extra score. I'm man of obedience so i reluctant to hit any button unless there's obvious visible marks. Or you can say that i'm man with lack of creativity.

 

On to "Smash a mirror" track which kind of misleading as i see lots of windows here that later break for some reason     

 

Then we move on to highway on top and bottom. I don't which one is real or the mirror image. Lucky, there's no vehicle on either highway because that will makes me more confused.

 

Then we pass through cages. There's wolf or cat inside some of them. The image becomes elusive more and more.

 

Now, i go through mirrors or maybe a series of giant doorway.

Finally we go through that one shinning window and hopefully smash it in process.

 

Finishing a track will reward you with in-game currency named GC. I think i want to browse the store and see what i can purchase with my GC right now. There's power up that convert misses into "good" score or disable false sounds if you miss the note. Then there's this power up that makes any hit below "great" into miss. I don't think that helps anyone but those rhythm gaming gods to face greater challenge.

 

I figure i don't see any interesting power up therefore we go to next track ASAP. This time, i go with Touhou Project related track. This one name Konohazuku which means 'Scops owl' (or 'celepuk' in Indonesian) according to Google translate. It may refers to Toyosatomimi no Miko in the picture. Her hair resembles Scops owl, alright. Did you know that Miko is based on real Japanese historical figure? A crown prince, to be precise. Yes, i'm not kidding. The person who's the base of Miko is originally male. Anyway, she wears headset because it's related to her ability to hear people's desire (up to 10 people). For final boss of Danmaku/Bullet Hell game, that ability of her sounds [sic] unrelated, right?

This is new. There's "Beat" method that you have to tap the same button repeatedly for the input. I hope this won't break my keyboard.

 

Oh look! There's divine spirit above me. It's not ghost. It's people's desire which is correlated with Touhou Project 13's title: Ten Desires.

 

Sniper_incoming02.wav. This arrow probably refers to Soga no Tojiko's spellcard. There's also knives fly around that could be references to Seiga Kaku's spellcard not Sakuya Izayoi, mind you. She's not appears in this game.

 

As you expect from graphic taken from Danmaku/Bullet Hell game, you will encounter some beautiful arrangement of bullets like this. After a quick check on Touhou Wiki, i conclude that this pattern is reference to Toyosatomimi no Miko (herself)'s spellcard: Hermit Sign "Emperor of The Land of Rising Sun" which is rings of bullets that bright as the sun as they said. 

This also from her spellcard: Discernment "Lasers of Seventeen Articles" albeit there's no bullet around the laser. Which one is my 17th article? Oh it's Alley Cat review. Oh, sorry! Anyway, if you have photosensitive epilepsy, you should avoid this game and also any of vertical shooter Touhou Project for obvious reason. By the way, my performance only rated D. Engineer_negativevocalization08.wav

 

Next is track called Material of Puppets - Silver Forest. This is definitely reference to Alice Margatroid that lives in Magic Forest which also place where Marisa Kirisame lives. Basically, she's Marisa's neighbor. Related to this track's title, Alice's ability is doll manipulation. She fight indirectly by commanding her doll legion that most if not all are filled with gunpowder that's handy for kamikaze attack! Alice's doll that i know is 1) Shanghai , which dress in white and blue and carries lance and shield; 2) Goliath, which is massive doll with the same size of average giant robot. Anyway, on to the track!

 

There's Beat and also Scratch for this track. This could be the hardest course in Normal difficulty setting.  

 

Oh, yes. Some of Alice's dolls are capable of shooting laser. I almost forget.

 

I think i can foresee the slide inputs. They're always come in pair with opposite direction like: left and right or up and down. I don't think i saw left and then down or what have you.

 

Then the track ends with Alice's grimoire which she always carries around.

 

In the 2nd attempt, i manage to unlock the Hard difficulty of the track. I can come this far to prove that Alice is the my 3rd favorite of Touhou Project's character and my effort is answered well. Even though i get C grade.

 

Nice track is "Rave War" from Fighter & Attacker! I didn't expect Namco  still remember the relatively unpopular vertical shooter that i reviewed. If you are eager to know what i think of it, here's my summary: It's too boring for average vertical shooter especially there's no power up or screen clearing. You can pilot any fighter aircraft you like or fight against Metal Gear, sure. But still not worth to play. One of the redeeming factor of the game: the soundtracks. They're mostly invigorating like Disco music and 'Rave War' (which is the BGM for 2nd level) is one of them. Personally, I like the music from the 1st level named 'Desert Storm' better. But i figure the name is less Disco-ish than 'Rave War' so they put that one instead.

 

As you expect from militaristic vertical shooter, you will encounter choppers but funny thing is i remember mostly encounter airplanes than choppers in that game.

 

But i remember tanks, though. Too bad there's no ADATS along the track. Heavy_negativevocalization06.wav

 

Near the end, i encounter the giant cargo plane which is the boss on 3rd level.

Spy_positivevocalization03.wav. For the first time i get A grade! Although i can't beat some grim reaper (who's probably the one from Ghost Pilot) in high score. I feel very satisfied with my performance, nonetheless.

 

Next i play on Bubble Bobble Medley, my favorite track. Of course, you will see fruits and cute monster getting trapped by bubble around here.

Oh, no! Here comes the ghosts that appears when timer runs out!

 

I happen to unlock Hard difficulty, again. Soldier_cheers05.wav

 

Next track is Captain Murasa which is nickname for Minamitsu Murasa. She's the captain of The Palanquin Ship which next turn into Myouren temple which is named after Byakuren Hijiri's deceased brother. That's why you can see the ship here on many occasion. As why there seems to be water inside the ship. My answer will be: because Murasa is sea ghost that like to sink ships by flooding them with ladle.    

 

Wow! I get B! But my score is below Byakuren Hijiri's fans. It's reasonable, though.

 

The element of Touhou Project isn't only in the track but also in cursor setting. I got Reimu, Marisa, Sanae (which is far below on the list), and Frande Scarlet? That's not right. Her name should be Flandre Scarlet. Why the game can pronounce 'Linka' correctly while it make typo on Flandre, huh?

 

I'm tempted to try the marathon mode in Simple difficulty. I also change the cursor to Sayo as lucky charm. She's originally from Taito's arcade game Kiki Kaikai in which she act as miko/shrine maiden that fight hordes of ghost and demon. I'll consider her as Reimu Hakurei's predecessor. Some of you may not recognize the game but you probably know Pocky & Rocky on SNES, right? It's the sequel of Kiki Kaikai but developed by Natsume however licensed by Taito.

 

The first track on the mix is G Zero from Darius game which you know as horizontal shooter with fish-shaped ship as the enemies that you can see one above.

 

"Bad Apple!!" track here also related to Touhou Project somehow although there's no big event of apple related in the series, as far as i know. There's the divine gate and Sayo on the screen. This feels reasonable.

 

Then Sayo pass through Koumakan/Scarlet Devil Mansion via its interior and exterior. I know that big clock which is integer part of the mansion. I talked about it in Fighting Stage#2 review.

 

Then i see Saigyou Ayakashi which is big tree in Netherworld of Gensokyo (which is world where Touhou Project series take place). It may looks dead but if i'm not mistaken it blooms once when Youmu Konpaku give it the essences of spring that she stole. That happens in Touhou Project 7: Perfect Cherry Blossom.

 

Then i fly to the fake moon while passing The Bamboo Forest of The Lost. This scene represents Touhou Project 8: Imperishable Night.

 

I get "Ad-Lib Chief" achievement after finishing the endurance mode. That's because i discovered that there most likely hidden notes in long empty track. But that doesn't seem entirely true as i can't found any of them in "Rave War" track with that theory. Maybe some prominent visual effect (e.g., explosion) on background can be hint of Ad-Lib's presence.   

 

I think i have cover all but the Hard mode. Oh, boy! The instruction looks intimidating there. Slide Hold? What the heck is that?  

 

Oh, i see! It's the same as hold but with specific direction. In hard mode not only there's more input method on the track but also the cursor moves faster than ever. Those cakes and fruits don't do anything to ease my suffer.

 

But there's more! There's critical input method but with particular direction now. Scout_sf13_magic_reac05.wav  

 

No wonder i only get D grade. I can change the controller setting to Casual mode that only need 1 analog button but nah! Bye, Linka!

Taito's Groove Coaster (2018) is rhythm that is different that i never seen before. The usual rhythm that i know where you need to press the button with correct color and timing. But Groove Coaster uses 2 analog button that you need to press/tilt in correct direction and timing with the addition scratching or repeated beating method. The input method is very creative in my opinion. The hidden notes provides you with more creative gameplay. The main thing besides the gameplay is -obviously- the music. To be honest, i'm not interested with the default tracks. I only like the track that related to video game including "Rave War" and "Bad Apple!!" which are paid DLC except "Bubble Bobble Medley" and "G Zero". But i can't say the rest of track is bad. They're not in my taste, that's all. I wish there's more video game track that's more interesting to me like Cuphead or Streets of Rage OST. They should ask Yūzō Koshiro's cooperation immediately!

Groove Coaster (2018) is pretty good for short-time gaming. Also for professional gaming. For me, it's certainly easier to play and get good at than any Touhou Project vertical shooter game. Those are for vertical shooter gods and i'm certainly not one of them. Not with petty skill and interest of mine that as equal as in Rhythm genre.