The twelfth Pop 'n Music game features over 100 songs and new modes, characters, and a number of songs from popular animation series. Konami conducted a poll over the internet to allow fans to choose tunes in the game so no one would be angered or surprised by a final track listing if it was nominated by internal Konami decree under a cloud of secrecy. Modes featured in the game include Enjoy mode, Battle mode, Challenge mode, Study mode, and others to mix up the Bemani action somewhat.

The basic gist of Pop 'n Music is pastel-colored Beatmania. Cues rain down the screen and the corresponding button must be slapped when the cue reaches the baseline below. Two mini-games are also included for giggles and NCS found solace in the mini-game where a bicyclist rides to the cat food store in order to buy some kibble for kitty. During the trip, pedal furiously to beat the time limit and jump from time to time to avoid moles, logs, cans, and other obstructions that would impede your trajectory.

The alternative SKU # for this product is VW311-J1.
Jan Code: 4988602127652

View the back cover and screenshots on the main NCSX website.

NCS Game Notes
* In the Now Loading screen before the memory card prompt appears, two goldfish may be seen wading in a pond while ripples radiate on the surface.

* On the title screen, the two girls Mimi and Nyami holler "Hallo" while sprightly Japanese theme music plays with Taiko drum accompaniment. They also eventually intonate, "Pop 'n Music Iroha" while sashaying from side to side in their sneakers. In the background, there's little chicks that fly diagonally across the screen in a northeasterly directly.

* If you don't press anything, a "How to Play" sequence appears which teaches gamers the ways of Pop 'n Music and which cue-triggers are Great and which are Bad.

* Press START and the following selections appear:

ARCADE / Modes include ENJOY - CHALLENGE - BATTLE - EXPERT.
FREE / Free style mode
TRAINING / Practice your skills and toggle speed, phrase, repeat, etc
SPECIAL / STUDY LAND - POP 'N REQUEST - CHARACTER GUIDE - OMAKE - MINI GAME
RECORDS / Check the Charts, Secrets Unlocked, and Expert Mode wizards
SAVE&LOAD / Load and restore data from memory card and set Auto Save mode
OPTION / Set the game level, vibration, key configs, sound volumes, etc

* In STUDY LAND, a narrator gives pointers on playing the game while cues drop and you're encouraged to perform well. There are three lessons to check out if you need some tutoring on Pop 'n Music.

* The CHARACTER GUIDE features profiles of every character in the game. There's a total of 55 personalities to check out including the Vic Viper ship from Gradius. If you select a character, you can set their temperaments and animations based on the cue scoring in the game. For example, if you want to see what they look like when your action is garnering NEUTRAL, GOOD, GREAT, FEVER, and MISS ratings, just flip through the selections and the character's animation changes accordingly. For the Vic Viper, the LOSE animation shows the ship being destroyed while GREAT is depicted by the Vic destroying three enemy orbs in sequence and picking up a gold power-up. Hit FEVER and the Vic is shown destroying an Easter Island head statue. Some other characters include the cute moppet Hanao, the angelic flowflow, Ryusei Honey, Shishi Waka, Hajime, Mell, Techno Stars, Yanary, the King, Warudoc, and more.

* There are two mini-games featured in Pop 'n Music 12 that may be played immediately and don't require unlocking. The first mini-game uses five buttons and shows an animation of a dancer with one foot balanced atop a mountain followed by another animation to its upper right that shows a certain action sequence. Below, there are five cards with silhouettes of characters in a certain stationary pose. Tap the button for the card that corresponds to the action being shown in the second animation in less than 5 seconds and you're golden. Literally golden, since little golden flowers start sprouting on the bottom of the screen and begin to dominate and populate the mountainside.

* The second mini game utilizes four buttons where your little cat is hungry and it's time to rush to the store for some cat food on your bicycle. There are roughly 90 seconds for the task in each level - yes the timer shows 30 but it counts down slowly.... Since kitty is starving, you pop him in the basket located at the front of your bike and head off for the store. Pedal quickly to reach the store but jump to avoid obstacles that litter the roadway. If you should bump into an obstacle, the jolt will send kitty hurtling into the heavens and you'll have to speed the bike up to catch it. Not that it'll splatter to the ground since one of many heroes invariably rises from the ground to plop it back in the basket. Obstacles that appear include rolling cans, moles that pop out from the sidewalk, wood logs, and rocks. If you reach the destination in time, Nyami is waiting at her cathead shaped shop with a gang of canned food in front. The next scene shows cat next to an open can of food with hearts flowing from its satisfied feline face.

* If you conquer the first level of the mini-game, the second level takes place in a swamp where birds drop rocks and frogs leap out of the swamp to stand directly in front of your rampaging bicycle without fear of death. A jabbering skull, a few snakes, and a log also make an appearance. The scene after that takes place on what appears to be another planet with UFOs and aliens on the tear. In this level, meteorites from the sky, a jabbering alien skull, dropped fungi from UFOs, a rolling can, and others attempt to impede your progress for kitty kat food.

* The game play in Pop 'n Music is structured similarly to Beatmania. Yes, Konami is capable of ripping themselves off. Colorful cues with eyes drop from the top of the screen. Each cue has a white strip located at its center. The aim of the game is to tap the corresponding color button on your controller as the white strip crosses the meridian at the bottom of the screen. Perform well and you'll be ranked GREAT if each cue is hit on the mark. Fare less favorably and you'll get GOOD. Drop the ball, as it were, and you'll get smacked with BAD. Bad, in the bad sense of the word. As you hit the cues perfectly, Mimi dances and spins on the left side of the screen while Nyami performs her solo number on the right side of the screen. If you botch the cues and miss them continuously, Mami will drop to her knees in exasperation. Other characters also perform little dances and animations in later levels. A health meter of sorts sits beneath the cue action - keep up the beats and it'll continually energize. Miss to many cues and it'll drop until it reaches nada and your game ends.

* NCS enjoyed the "Gradius - Full Speed" song. The tune is recognizable at the outset but the music tempo has been bumped up so fast that its nearly unrecognizable as the tune hits full steam in the middle.

* While playing the game with a Dual Shock 2 pad is entirely possible, the use of a Pop 'n Music controller makes a world of difference in hitting the cues in a fluid and free flowing manner. The game may be played in 5-button of 9-button mode and the game basically requires the Pop 'n Controller when you're tapping in 9-button mode.

* As you play through the game, the girls will yelp, "Are you Ready," "Nice play," "Too bad," "Okay," "Here we go," "See you" and other choice English words and phrases.

* Songs in the game include:
Punkish Girl / Knock Out Regrets
Rhythm & Blues & Minyou
Healing Duo / home
Onsen Rap / Onsen Song Remixed
Blues Rock / Just you wait!
Dynamite Soul /
Posi Aco / New days
VIVID / For Dear~
J-Rock / Looking for ...
Flow Beat / CURUS
Kids March / space merry-go-round
Message Song / MY
A Cappella / Magical Voice Shower

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