beatmania

This page is for the original 1997 arcade game beatmania. For other games titled beatmania, please see beatmania (disambiguation).

beatmania

Release Information

• Release date: Late December 1997
  • Although KONAMI published a press release on December 10th, 1997, this date is not the actual release date of the game.

General Information

• beatmania is the very first BEMANI game ever released.
• beatmania has 13 selectable songs, counting the two-player versions of songs.
• beatmania is one of two games in the series (the other being beatmania 3rdMIX) where EXPERT is accessed via a button command or modifier on the PRESS START screen, instead of by selecting it on a mode selection screen.
• The song select screen does not display the title of a song, only its genre. The title is only displayed on the splash screen before gameplay.
• Once the player starts playing, the game gives you an option to enter a PRACTICE STAGE, which lets the player see a short tutorial, and then play jam jam reggae and u gotta groove.
  • If the player skips the PRACTICE STAGE, then they can choose a song each stage from a limited song list:
    • u gotta groove, jam jam reggae, and OVERDOSER are available on Stage 1 and Stage 2.
    • After clearing Stage 1 and Stage 2, you play DJ BATTLE as a Special Stage.
    • 20,novemver, LOVE SO GROOVY, and 2 gorgeous 4U/greed eater are available on Stage 3 and Stage 4, after which the game ends.
    • e~emotion is available for Stage 3 and 4 if you score high enough on DJ BATTLE.
• The lowest judgment in this game is named "WORST"; it would later be changed to "POOR" in 2ndMIX, and for the rest of the series.
  • Pressing a key or scratching the turntable at any time other than when hitting an active note will cause an empty WORST.
    • This empty WORST/POOR mechanic was later used in 2ndMIX, but modified from 3rdMIX onward to be less strict.
• Introduces the FREE ZONE mechanic, which allows you to scratch the turntable as much as you want during a FREE ZONE.
  • The four songs that include at least one FREE ZONE are: u gotta groove (1P and 2P charts); 2 gorgeous 4U (1P chart); greed eater (2P chart); e~emotion (2P chart)
  • Only a GOOD or WORST judgment can be obtained from a FREE ZONE.
  • As such, there is no way to obtain 100,000 points on a chart that has at least one FREE ZONE.
  • The FREE ZONE mechanic was modified in 2ndMIX, then scrapped entirely as of 3rdMIX.
• Introduces the Money Score system, which is comprised of a Stage Score in all modes (out of a theoretical 100,000) and an additional Bonus Score in normal mode (5,730 when a BORDER BONUS is obtained).
  • Due to the aforementioned FREE ZONE mechanic, it is impossible to obtain a Stage Score of 100,000 on a chart that has at least one FREE ZONE.
  • BORDER BONUS: Finish the stage with the minimum amount of gauge required to clear that stage; worth a Bonus Score of 5,730.
• The stage result screen in normal mode does not show judgement counts or the total number of notes.
  • However, EXPERT mode does show judgement counts in place of Money Score, between each song.
• Only beatmania game that allows EXPERT mode to be disabled (via a DIP switch setting).
• Only arcade beatmania game that does not have an Event Mode setting.

Staff Information

• Game credits: beatmania credits
• Soundtrack credits: BEAT MANIA -REMIXES-: KONAMI GAME MUSIC REMIX SERIES Vol.4 WITH beatmania ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK credits

Song List

Genre	Song	Artist	BPM	SP Difficulty	DP Difficulty
Stage 1 & 2
HIP-HOP	u gotta groove	DJ nagureo	94-100	1	1
REGGAE	jam jam reggae	jam master '73	90	2	2
TECHNO	OVERDOSER (romo mix)	MIRAK	132	4	-
	OVERDOSER (ambient mix)	MIRAK	134	-	4
Stage 3 & 4
BREAK-BTS	2 gorgeous 4U	prophet-31	150	3	-
	greed eater	The Dust Fathers	112	-	3
SOUL	LOVE SO GROOVY	LOVEMINTS	141	4	-
	LOVE SO GROOVY (12inch version)	LOVEMINTS	141	-	4
HOUSE	20,novemver (single mix)	DJ nagureo	130	5	-
	20,novemver (radio edit)	DJ nagureo	130	-	5
Hidden Song
RAVE	e~emotion	e.o.s	140-145	N/A	N/A
Special Stages
-	PRACTICE STAGE		94-112	N/A	N/A
DJ-BATTLE	DJ BATTLE		93	N/A	N/A

Codes & Unlock Information

Play EXPERT Mode

• To play EXPERT mode, follow the steps below on the title screen while it says to press either START button.

1. Press and hold 1+2+3+4+5 (all key buttons on the 1P side).
2. Press START.
   1. More specifically, press 1P START to play the one-player charts with one lifebar, or 2P START to play the two-player charts with two lifebars.

Play Any Song (or Ending)

• In beatmania through 3rdMIX, there is a hidden feature that allows the player(s) to select any song (or the ending) regardless of stage, via a combination of the test switch and specific key button(s).
  • In beatmania, there are two methods for activating this feature on the song select screen.
    • 1. Simultaneously press the specific key and the test switch at the exact same time.
    • 2. While holding the specific key, press the test switch.
    • If only the test switch is pressed, the song select screen will fade out, then fade back in (with the timer having been reset).
      • This fade-out/fade-in can be utilized to make selection easier: while the song select screen fades out, press and hold the specific key(s) before it fades in, then press the test button again after it fades in.
    • If more than one key (e.g. 1+4) is pressed at the same time, the higher key (4) will take selection priority and the corresponding song will be selected.
• The specific keys to press for selecting each song (or the ending) are as follows.
  • 20,novemver (radio edit): 6 (two-player only)
  • 20,novemver (single mix): 6 (one-player only)
  • 2 gorgeous 4U: 4 (one-player only)
  • DJ BATTLE: 9
  • e~emotion: 7
  • ENDING: 10
    • Note that the game will end immediately after the ending, regardless of which stage it was played on.
  • greed eater: 4 (two-player only)
  • jam jam reggae: 2
  • LOVE SO GROOVY: 5 (one-player only)
  • LOVE SO GROOVY (12inch version): 5 (two-player only)
  • OVERDOSER (ambient mix): 3 (two-player only)
  • OVERDOSER (romo mix): 3 (one-player only)
  • PRACTICE STAGE: 8
    • Note that in beatmania, there is no way to fail PRACTICE STAGE.
  • u gotta groove: 1

EXPERT Course

If the courses are played with two players, the alternate songs or versions are used instead of the original.

No.	Song
EXPERT Course
1.	u gotta groove
2.	jam jam reggae
3.	OVERDOSER (romo mix) / OVERDOSER (ambient mix)
4.	2 gorgeous 4U / greed eater
5.	LOVE SO GROOVY / LOVE SO GROOVY (12inch version)
6.	20,novemver (single mix) / 20,novemver (radio edit)
7.	e~emotion

Related Link

• beatmania Official Site (archived)