What is beatmania IIDX
beatmania IIDX redirects here. For the first entry in the series, please see its seperate arcade page.
beatmania IIDX Series
beatmania IIDX (alternately beatmaniaIIDX or just IIDX, pronounced "two dee-ecks") is a series of rhythm video games introduced by KONAMI in 1999. It is the direct sequel to the beatmania game series, and part of the BEMANI line of music games.
Cabinet information
beatmania IIDX's controller layout consists of seven keys (four white, three black) along with one turntable on each player's side. The turntable for the left player's side, 1Player, is on the left of the keys, while the one on the right player's side, 2Player, is on the right.
Under the 16:9 wide display are the start button, both effector and VEFX buttons, and effector sliders (or the touch screen in the LIGHTNING cabinets). After 9th style, there is also a cardreader in order to use the magnetic/contact-less smart card of e-AMUSEMENT. Each series produced has a different mix of new songs and older returning songs; starting with beatmania IIDX 11 IIDX RED, each style has also had a different graphical theme.
beatmania IIDX features quite a few differences from beatmania, including: two extra keys, full-motion video, more powerful hardware, wide-screen display, and more powerful speakers. Three different models of the cabinet exist: a more standard one called beatmania II (hence why a lot of older games' generic videos have "beatmania II" in their background videos), a more advanced one named beatmania IIDX, and a cabinet with two screens named LIGHTNING MODEL (released on December 16th, 2019). Eventually KONAMI discontinued support for the beatmania II cabs, with the IIDX and LIGHTNING MODEL versions becoming the standard.
As of beatmania IIDX 25 CANNON BALLERS, two built-in cameras for hand-shooting have been added: one on the metal cage in front of the neon lights pointing at the controls, and one to the left of the screen pointing at the player(s). Initially the game would not boot up if the cameras were not attached; this was eventually patched out.
Home versions
KONAMI has released 18 home versions of beatmania IIDX: 15 on the Sony PlayStation 2 game console, one on PC, and two on mobile devices. The PS2 games are stored on DVD, and can be bought with a controller that matches the arcade version very closely. The controller's key insert is detachable, so the player may attach it as preferred on the left or the right side of the turntable. 14 home versions, from 3rd style through 16 EMPRESS+PREMIUM BEST, were released in Japan between 2000-2009. The series' sole North American release, simply titled beatmania (2006), loosely uses 9th style CS as the source of its interface and system BGM, but contains a completely different songlist.
The latest non-mobile version, beatmania IIDX INFINITAS (2020), is a PC release of beatmania IIDX. It uses a unique interface based on SPADA.
Gameplay
Songs in beatmania IIDX are measured by a difficulty level system, which varies from game to game. Here's a list of difficulty levels by game for reference:
- beatmania IIDX→beatmania IIDX substream: 1-5
- beatmania IIDX 2nd style→beatmania IIDX 4th style: 1-7
- beatmania IIDX 5th style→beatmania IIDX 10th style: 1-7+ (8 in 10th style)
- beatmania IIDX 11 IIDX RED: 1-8+
- beatmania IIDX 12 HAPPY SKY→present: 1-12
The gameplay is still the same as in beatmania, with the addition of two extra keys. There are eight columns on the screen, corresponding to each of the keys and the turntable. While playing, small horizontal bars fall down these columns, and the player must press the right key corresponding to the lane as it reaches the red line. Keys 1, 3, 5, and 7 are white, 2, 4, and 6 are blue, and the scratch lane is red. Every time a key is pressed or the scratch is played, an instrument is played to complement the song. In order to hear the song correctly, the player must get the bars on the right timing. Depending on how accurate you hit the note, you will receive a rating of your performance in real time above that note, going from GREAT (a flashing one, officially known as JUST GREAT, meaning perfect timing, a regular GREAT meaning very close), GOOD, BAD, and POOR (the latter for not hitting a note at all).
The typical goal of the game is to clear the song by getting the groove gauge to 80% by song's end; clearing a song at exactly 80% is known as a "borderline". The gauge starts at 22%, and increases/decreases depending on your performance in a song. GREATs will increase the gauge quickly, GOODs will slowly increase it, BADs will decrease it slightly, and POOR will decrease it significantly. The lowest you can go on the gauge is 2%. However, depending on the game mode, gauge requirements can change, as explained below.
From beatmania IIDX 6th style onward, you will also receive a grade at song's end, pass or fail. Grade level is determined by EX-SCORE. EX-SCORE is measured by the amount of GREATs (just and regular) obtained in a song divided by two: two points for a JUST GREAT, one for a regular GREAT, and zero for everything else. You will also receive a letter grade, depending on your percentage of EX-SCORE:
- F: anything lower than 2/9
- E: 2/9
- D: 3/9
- C: 4/9
- B: 5/9
- A: 6/9
- AA: 7/9
- AAA: 8/9 and higher
There is no specific grade for achieving 100% EX-SCORE.
Clear Lamps
When playing on an e-amusement account, or on any console game/beatmania IIDX ULTIMATE MOBILE, the game will record your scores and clear status on each song. This will be shown on the song select screen as a glowing light next to the song's title, known as a clear lamp.
Clear lamps will glow depending on the best result you obtained playing that particular song.
| Clear lamp | HEROIC VERSE - present | ULTIMATE MOBILE | Earlier versions | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NO PLAY | No light | The song has not yet been played. | ||
| FAILED | Flickering red | Flickering blue | Flickering Green/blue/yellow/red (BEGINNER, NORMAL, HYPER, and ANOTHER respectively) |
The song was played, but failed. |
| ASSIST CLEAR | Bright purple | The song was passed with any ASSIST modifier or the ASSIST EASY groove gauge setting. | ||
| EASY CLEAR | Bright green | The song was passed using the EASY groove gauge setting. | ||
| CLEARED | Bright blue | Bright green/blue/yellow/red (BEGINNER, NORMAL, HYPER, and ANOTHER respectively) |
The song was cleared without any extra settings. | |
| HARD CLEAR | White | The song was passed using the HARD groove gauge setting. | ||
| EX-HARD CLEAR | Flashing red and yellow | The song was passed using the EX-HARD groove gauge setting. | ||
| FULL COMBO | Strobing white, blue, and orange | FULL COMBO obtained on the song. | ||
Difficulties
- BEGINNER
- This difficulty was added as a game mode in 9th style (5th style CS for home version). Designed for newcomers to the game, the BEGINNER difficulty uses alternative note charts that are rated from levels 1 to 3. Not all songs have BEGINNER charts.
- Prior to copula, BEGINNER MODE was separate from the rest of the game modes. As of HEROIC VERSE, BEGINNER charts can now appear in level folders and select Dan courses.
- NORMAL / LIGHT7
- A degree of difficulty lower than HYPER. Was named LIGHT7 prior to HAPPY SKY. Near every song since 3rd style has a NORMAL chart.
- HYPER / 7KEYS
- This is the standard difficulty. Was named 7KEYS prior to HAPPY SKY. All songs have HYPER charts.
- ANOTHER
- The highest difficulty, ANOTHER charts range from as low as level 3 to as high as level 12, the maximum level. ANOTHER charts are near always more difficult than HYPER; even simple songs on HYPER can become notoriously difficult on ANOTHER. Prior to HAPPY SKY, ANOTHER charts were chosen in arcade installment by pressing the VEFX button when choosing a song. Also prior to HAPPY SKY, ANOTHER charts did not have individual ratings; they displayed the same difficulty level as their 7/14KEYS counterpart instead. Not all songs have ANOTHER charts.
- LEGGENDARIA
- LEGGENDARIA charts debuted in SPADA and cost 4 V-Discs (or one on certain days) to play. These are generally harder versions of ANOTHER charts or ported versions of Black ANOTHER charts from CS versions. Before HEROIC VERSE, LEGGENDARIA charts had a "†" or "†LEGGENDARIA" moniker after the song title and were displayed as separate songs. Not every song has a LEGGENDARIA chart, and some songs have only either Single or Double LEGGENDARIA charts.
Note that some tracks have certain charts that sound different from the original song.
Game modes
Note: These are the default settings for each mode. They might be changed by the arcade operator.
| Mode | Duration | Repeat songs | Hidden mode | Switch Single/Double | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEP UP | 3 songs | Yes | No | Yes | This mode gives the player a song list depending on their performance on each stage, with the range of difficulty becoming easier or harder. Three songs are guaranteed as well. STEP UP is unavailable for two players. |
| STANDARD (Asian/Korean cabinets, or earlier versions) |
Up to 3 songs, plus EXTRA STAGE | No | No | Yes | Select a song per stage and try to clear it. Some versions may also include ONE MORE EXTRA STAGE. |
| STANDARD (Japanese cabinets) |
Up to 3 songs | No | No | Yes | EXTRA STAGE is not accessible in this mode. |
| PREMIUM (Japanese cabinets) |
Up to 3 songs, plus EXTRA STAGE | No | No | Yes | Like STANDARD mode, but requires PASELI. Accessing PREMIUM in all modes, except PREMIUM FREE, adds 7 V-Discs to the account. |
| EXPERT | Up to 4 songs | N/A | No | No | Play a course of set songs in a row without stopping. Players start with a gauge at 100%; if it drops to 0%, the game is over. It uses the HARD gauge, but it drops at a much slower rate. Up through Lincle, EXPERT courses had five songs, instead of the now standard four. |
| FREE | 2 songs (3, if there are two players) | Yes | No | Yes | Like STANDARD mode, except that players can play to the end of a song without failing, and there's no level restriction. |
| TIME FREE / PREMIUM FREE | 5 minutes (7 for 2 players and 6-30 in PREMIUM FREE) | Yes | No | Yes | TIME FREE is only available certain days, replacing FREE mode, or if online ARENA MODE only detects CPU players. It works like FREE mode, except with a timer instead of stages. PREMIUM FREE is only available in Japanese cabinets, requires PASELI and, on certain days, adds an additional minute. |
| HAZARD | 4 songs | Yes | Yes | Yes | Added in EMPRESS, GROOVE GAUGE lines are turn yellow, and breaking combo will result in instant stage failure. A POOR with no notes on its line will drop the gauge by a minimal amount (2%). |
| TIME HAZARD | 8 minutes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Like HAZARD mode, except with a timer instead of stages. Only available on certain days, replacing HAZARD. |
| TIME HELL | 8 minutes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Like TIME FREE mode, except that the Groove Gauge cannot be recovered while playing. Only available on certain days, replacing HAZARD. |
| CLASS / DAN | Up to 4 songs | N/A | No | Yes | This is basically the same as EXPERT, but only HI-SPEED, EX GAUGE (yellow lines) and MIRROR can be chosen. Each course has up to four songs. The song sets differ for every difficulty. |
| ARENA | 4 songs | N/A | No | No | An online matching mode where four players compete against each other on a four song set. If only CPU players are detected, the player can choose TIME FREE instead. ARENA is unavailable for two players. |
HAZARD, TIME HAZARD and TIME HELL are available by highlighting (TIME) FREE mode and pressing the three black keys.
The availability of the modes is the following:
| Country/Game | Cabinet Version |
Availability | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STEP UP | STANDARD (songs) | PREMIUM | EXPERT/CLASS | FREE (songs) | TIME FREE (time) | Hidden modes | PREMIUM FREE | ARENA | ||
| Japan | Japanese | Yes | 3 songs | PASELI only | Yes | 2 songs (3 for 2 players) |
5 minutes (7 for 2 players) | Yes | PASELI only | Yes |
| Korea | Korean | Yes | 3 songs + 1 | No | Yes | 2 songs (3 for 2 players) |
5 minutes (7 for 2 players) | Yes | No | Yes |
| North America | ※U.S. | Yes | 3 songs + 1 | No | Yes | 2 songs (3 for 2 players) |
5 minutes (7 for 2 players) | Yes | No | Yes |
| Other | Asian | Yes | 3 songs + 1 | No | Yes | 2 songs (3 for 2 players) |
5 minutes (7 for 2 players) | Yes | No | Yes |
| EVENT MODE | N/A | No | No | No | No | Set in operator menu | No | Yes | No | Local Match only |
| Home versions | N/A | No | 3 songs + 1 | No | Yes | Infinite | No | HAZARD only | No | No |
| INFINITAS | N/A | No | No | No | CLASS only | Infinite | No | No | No | No |
| ULTIMATE MOBILE | N/A | No | No | No | No | Infinite | No | No | No | No |
※LIGHTNING MODEL cabinets only. Older cabinets use the Japanese release.
Gameplay modifiers
[NOTE: Due to the sheer number of modifiers available in beatmania IIDX, this section will divide the modifiers according to the category that each is placed in-game (as of BISTROVER). Older modifiers no longer seen in recent arcade games are also described here.]
BASIC ASSIST MODIFIERS / Beginner Options
From tricoro onwards, these modifiers are displayed first for guest players or new e-amusement pass users. Beginning with BISTROVER, this screen can also be disabled in the e-amusement website.
- HI-SPEED - change the Hi-Speed value. (see below)
- ASSISTED EASY - a variation of the EASY gauge (see below). This lowers the Groove Gauge passing requirement from 80% to 60%. Introduced in copula.
- AUTO-SCRATCH - When enabled, this automatically plays all scratch notes in a chart.
- LEGACY NOTE - Introduced in SIRIUS, this converts all Charge Notes and Backspin Scratches into regular notes. If there are no Charge Notes in a chart played with this modifier enabled, that counts as a normal clear rather than an Assist Clear.
STANDARD OPTIONS / Game Options
From tricoro onwards, this can be accessed by pressing the EFFECT button while on the Beginner Options screen.
- STYLE MODIFIERS / Note Chart Position
| Modifier | All modes | CLASS only | Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| OFF | Yes | Yes | Default notechart position. |
| RANDOM | Yes | No | Each column of notes is assigned to a random key. Scratch notes are unaffected, however. |
| S-RANDOM | Yes | No | Same as above, but individual notes are scrambled instead. |
| R-RANDOM | Yes | No | Measures of notes are frequently rotated. |
| MIRROR | Yes | Yes | The notechart is flipped horizontally. |
- GAUGE MODIFIERS / Groove Gauge Reduction
| Modifier | STANDARD / FREE / STEP UP | EXPERT / CLASS | (TIME) HAZARD | TIME HELL | ARENA | INFINITAS (2015) | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OFF | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Normal Groove Gauge. |
| ASSISTED EASY | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | See above. |
| EASY | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | The Groove Gauge refills faster and depletes slower. Same passing requirement as the normal gauge. |
| HARD | Yes | Yes (EXPERT) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | The Groove Gauge starts at 100%. POORs/BADs deplete much faster, and the song is failed instantly at 0%. All lines turn red. |
| EX-HARD | Yes | Yes (EXPERT) |
No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Same as HARD, but with a greater penalty on missed notes, roughly 16% for each miss. All lines turn yellow. |
- ASSIST MODIFIERS / Assisted Play Feature
- This includes the AUTO-SCRATCH and LEGACY NOTE modifiers, which can be enabled individually or in unison, but are disabled in CLASS mode.
- RANGE MODIFIERS / Note Chart Display Area
| Modifier | Info |
|---|---|
| OFF | Notes are fully visible. |
| SUDDEN+ | A lane cover is placed at the top of the screen. To adjust the range, hold the START button then turn the turntable in the corresponding direction. |
| HIDDEN+ | A lane cover is placed at the bottom of the screen. Adjusting method is the same as SUDDEN+. |
| SUD+ & HID+ | Combines the last two modifiers. The shutter window can be adjusted in the same fashion as the individual modifiers. |
| LIFT | This moves the judgment line up the screen. |
| LIFT & SUD+ | Combines the LIFT and SUDDEN+ modifiers. |
ADVANCED OPTIONS
From tricoro onwards, this can be accessed by pressing the VEFX button while on the Game Options screen.
| Options | Arcade | Console / INFINITAS | ULTIMATE MOBILE | Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ghost Score Display Position | Yes | Yes | No | This enables a display of the difference between the current score and a previous high score as well as the position of the number in the gameplay screen. The color of the ghost display can also be changed. |
| Judge Mode | Yes | Yes | No | When enabled, this displays a small table counting the number of judgments (PGREAT, GREAT, GOOD, BAD, POOR, and COMBO BREAK) obtained in a current stage. |
| Judgment Name Display | Yes | Yes | No | This adjusts the distance of the judgment name from the judgment line. |
| Judgment Timing Indicator Display | Yes | Yes | Yes | When enabled, this shows the FAST/SLOW indicator as well as the position of said indicator. |
| Timing Adjustment | Yes | Yes | Yes | This sets the delay offset between the screen visuals and player's input for better accuracy and/or to suit a player's preference. |
| Target Score Display | Yes | Yes | No | If a TARGET SCORE is enabled, this changes the display method of the target score difference. |
| Auto-Scratch Note Display | Yes | No | No | Shows or hides scratch notes if AUTO-SCRATCH is used. |
| Groove Gauge Display | Yes | No | No | Shows or hides the Groove Gauge bar and/or percentage number. |
| Lane Brightness | Yes | No | No | Adjusts the opacity of the player's note lanes. |
| Display | Yes | Yes | No | Changes the display method of the footage recorded from a cabinet's built-in cameras (if applicable) or video (for CS releases) in-game. |
EXTRA OPTIONS
The following options can be enabled by using the numerical keypad installed in e-amusement connected cabinets.
- M-RAN [6] - If on 2-Player Mode, both sides' charts receive the same RANDOM note column order. However, the 2P side's chart is also mirrored.
- BATTLE [7] - If on Double Play, this uses the Single Play notecharts instead on both sides.
- H-RAN (SAMURAI S-RANDOM) [8] - Same as S-RANDOM, but repeat notes on the same key are less likely to occur.
- EXPAND-JUDGE [9] - Introduced in PENDUAL. When enabled, the timing windows for PERFECT GREATS and GREATS are quadrupled. Scores and clear lamps are not saved with this enabled, but EXTRA STAGE, Tran Medals, and in-game currency are still obtainable.
Other Modifiers:
- HI-SPEED - increases the scroll rate of the note chart. The actual notes do not have to be pressed any more quickly; the scroll speed is simply increased, and the notes become further apart. Most versions of beatmania IIDX have more than one Hi-Speed setting, differentiated by numbers (a higher number means a faster speed.) The Hi-Speed modifier is traditionally abbreviated HS with the number immediately following. For example, Hi-Speed 2 is abbreviated HS2. From beatmania IIDX DistorteD 11 IIDX RED CS in the arcade and consoles respectively onward, HI-SPEED can be changed in-game. .5 mods were added in HAPPY SKY and 10th style CS for arcade and home respectively. Starting with tricoro, the HI-SPEED settings go from x0.50 to x4.00 in 0.25 increments. Since SPADA, the HI-SPEED setting can only be changed on the main gameplay screen. Rootage introduced a new HI-SPEED system, temporally replacing the old one. There are 10 HI-SPEED settings, and the chart will now scroll at the same speed on a given HI-SPEED setting regardless of the song BPM, but BPM changes will still affect the scroll speed. HEROIC VERSE re-enables CLASSIC HI-SPEED and expands Rootage's HI-SPEED option to 20 settings.
- Hi-Speed is traditionally adjusted by holding the START button during gameplay and hitting either a black or white key. tricoro introduces the Floating Hi-Speed, in which adjustments are done by one-hundredth decimal intervals by spinning the turntable in a corresponding direction. A player can switch between the classic, Rootage and Floating Hi-Speed by pressing the EFFECT button or [0] on the keypad while the Hi-Speed window is open.
- TARGET SCORE - Adjust the graphs mode with a turntable. Unavailable when two people play. ARENA target score is exclusive in ARENA mode.
- RANDOM+ - introduced in IIDX RED and 8th style CS, this is similar to RANDOM, except that the scratch column is included in the randomization process, so the scratches usually end up assigned to a key, and a key gets assigned to the scratch. Scores don't save when this is on.
- MIRROR+ - introduced in 9th style CS, this is like MIRROR, except the scratch column is included. Scores don't save when this is on.
- SUDDEN (old) - notes only become visible when they enter the lower portion of the screen. The visible portion is approximately a third of the screen. It can be enabled at the same time as HIDDEN, causing the notes to briefly blink in the middle of their respective lanes.
- HIDDEN (old) - notes are only visible in the upper portion of the screen (again, approximately a third of the screen). It can be enabled at the same time as SUDDEN, causing the notes to briefly blink in the middle of their respective lanes.
- REGUL-SPEED - Introduced as a secret modifier in GOLD, this negates the effect of tempo changes by setting the scroll speed to a constant 150 BPM. The player can then select an appropriate Hi-Speed mod accordingly. To enable this option, open the options menu by holding Start and press the keys "2-3-5-7-4-6". Scores obtained using this modifier are not recorded.
- 5-KEYS - This assist modifier disables the two farthermost keys of the player's side, thus essentially making it a 5-key chart akin to the original beatmania. Removed in Rootage.
- ASSIST NOTES / MOBILE ASSIST - reduces chords to one or two simultaneous note(s). Exclusive to ULTIMATE MOBILE, using this option counts as an ASSIST CLEAR.