IIDX Glossary

beatmania IIDX Glossary

This page covers the most common terms found in beatmania IIDX and its fan community.

4KEYS

Replaced in 3rd style by LIGHT7, this was intended as a beginner-friendly mode that used only the four white keys. Available only on beatmania IIDX, substream, and 2nd style.

5KEYS (10KEYS on Double)

Available for home versions as a specific mode, this plays exactly as 7KEYS, except that the last two keys farthest from the turntable aren't used. This is probably a compatibility issue with original beatmania controllers, so that owners of the original could still somewhat play beatmania IIDX, only having the 5-key controller at hand. In arcade versions of beatmania IIDX, 5KEYS has been available from the start as a special gameplay option, most likely as an attempt to help players of the original series make the transition. Starting with 7th style (and 10th style CS), 5KEYS was turned into an ASSIST modifier, allowing it to be used with notecharts other than the ordinary 7KEYS mode. From 10th style arcade through DistorteD, songs using this modifier counted as EASY CLEARs; the CS releases didn't save 5KEY scores until ASSIST CLEAR was introduced in GOLD. 5KEY was removed in Rootage.

ANOTHER

The most difficult play mode -- harder than HYPER and much harder than NORMAL. Prior to HAPPY SKY, ANOTHER charts did not have their own difficulty ratings and would display as the same difficulty as the HYPER version. Some tracks have an ANOTHER that sounds different from the original song. ANOTHER is intended generally for experienced players and usually contains notecharts with a difficulty of 9 to 12. Not every song has an ANOTHER version, though songs without ANOTHER charts typically originate from older styles.

ASSIST

A category of modifiers that automatically play notes for the player, including 5KEYS, AUTO-SCRATCH, LEGACY, and any combination thereof. Charts cleared with ASSIST modifiers will be marked with an ASSIST CLEAR until the player achieves an EASY CLEAR or higher. Notes that are automatically played do not count towards EX score, so while ASSIST mods can help in clearing the chart, they will reduce the maximum EX score attainable due to the lower number of playable notes. CS releases prior to GOLD CS do not save scores with the ASSIST mods 5KEY and/or AUTO-SCRATCH.

ASSISTED EASY

Introduced in copula, this Gauge modifier behaves in the same way as the EASY gauge; the passing requirement is also lowered to 60%. The clear lamp while using this modifier is ASSIST Clear.

AUTO-SCRATCH

An ASSIST modifier that automatically plays scratch notes. Prior to GOLD CS, scores with this mod did not save in the home releases; from 10th style arcade through DistorteD, though, scores cleared with this mod were counted as EASY CLEAR.

BACKSPIN SCRATCH

A scratch note in which you must continuously spin the turntable and then spin it in the opposite direction at the end of the note. The initial scratch and the counter-scratch are judged separately. Introduced in SIRIUS.

BEGINNER

This mode was added in 9th style (5th style CS for home version). BEGINNER gives an alternate note chart for nearly all songs from levels 1-3. From 9th style to PENDUAL, BEGINNER was a separate mode with only BEGINNER charts, thus severely limiting the number of songs available in a game, while the difficulty levels are written in Kanji. As of Lincle, several BEGINNER charts from console versions (and earlier arcade styles) were revived. Prior to HEROIC VERSE, scores do not save for BEGINNER charts, and all songs have a generic green clear lamp.

CHARGE NOTE

A note that must be held down and then released when the note ends. The initial press and the release are judged separately. Introduced in SIRIUS.

CLASS / DAN ININTEI (DAN)

This mode serves as a skill-ranking system for beatmania IIDX players. Modeled after the Dan system for many martial arts schools, players are ranked from 7th Kyu (the initiate level; 5th Kyu on Double prior to copula) all the way through 10th Dan (the highest rank attainable). Each rank consists of a course of four songs (three on Double prior to copula), each rank being harder than the last. The highest rank a player can achieve can be considered that player's relative "skill level," and is a decent way to gauge player ability. In DistorteD, an extra rank above 10th Dan was added, called Kaiden, that is designed to truly test a beatmania IIDX master's skills. A new rank was added in copula called Chuuden, as a bridge between 10th Dan and Kaiden.

CLEAR RATE

The ratio of clears to total attempts by all players on the e-amusement network on a given chart. It is expressed as a percentage that is shown for the currently-selected chart. Introduced in IIDX RED.

DJ RANK

The grading system in beatmania IIDX, first introduced in 6th style. DJ Rank ranges in eight levels, from AAA (read as "Triple A") to F, and each rank separates by one-ninth of the maximum EX SCORE.

DOUBLE PLAY

A play mode in which the player uses both sets of seven keys and both turntables.

EASY

A GAUGE modifier that consists of a modified GROOVE GAUGE that sustains lower penalties for misses. In the arcade versions only, from 10th style through DistorteD, songs with 5KEY and AUTO-SCRATCH on also counted as EASY CLEAR.

EX HARD

A GAUGE modifier, similar to the HARD gauge but with harsher penalties missing a note (BAD/excess POOR: 10%, POOR: 18%). It has a yellow GROOVE GAUGE. Introduced in Lincle.

EX SCORE

An alternate scoring system based on the scoring mechanics used in EXPERT mode, but it has since became a norm to dictate the player's overall accuracy and DJ Rank and used as a base score to determine the player's overall strength. GREATs increases the EX SCORE, with 2 for a flashing JUST GREAT and 1 for a regular GREAT. The score displaying in the game replaces the traditional Money Score scoring system beginning in BISTROVER.

EXPERT

This mode is one in which you can play a course of songs in a row without stopping. You start with the gauge at its maximum; if it drops to 0, the game is over. The gauge is the same as that used in Hard mode in normal play, but drops at a much slower rate. EXPERT mode was removed beginning in tricoro, but has since returned in PENDUAL, this time as a software update. It did not return again since Rootage.

EXTRA STAGE

A bonus stage that occurs after the FINAL STAGE, which can be accessed after fulfilling certain criteria. When playing on TIME-based modes, each stage is named as EXTRA STAGE. First introduced in 7th style.

FREE

Similar to Standard/Arcade mode, with the exception that there is no limit on the which songs can be picked for any particular stage. On home versions, play in Free Mode will continue endlessly until the player chooses to return to the main menu. On arcade versions, Free Mode allows for the player to play two stages, but the player can pick any song for either stage without limits on difficulty and without having to worry about Game Over if a song is failed. A variant of this mode is TIME FREE, introduced in SINOBUZ, whereas the two stages is changed to five minutes.

FREE PLUS

A variant of arcade versions' FREE mode, but exclusively for two players and with three stages. A variant of this mode introduced in SINOBUZ is TIME FREE PLUS, which was set to seven minutes instead.

FULL COMBO

Clearing a song with the maximum possible combo; in other words, clearing a song with zero BADs and POORs (other than POORs sustained by excessively pressing keys). Beginning in 10th style, achieving a FULL COMBO results in a splash graphic accompanied by the text "FULL COMBO".

HARD

A GAUGE modifier that consists of a modified EXPERT gauge that sustains higher penalties for misses, 6% for BADs or excess POORs, 10% for POORs. If the gauge drops to 30%, the penalties are decreased. If it drops to 0, you immediately fail the song.

HAZARD

A variant of FREE mode, but with four stages and a new restriction: if you break combo at any point, you fail the song instantly. In arcade versions, it is accessed by highlighting FREE on the mode select screen and pressing the three black keys simultaneously. In console versions, it is a GAUGE modifier accessed by holding down the key to change gauge modifier as you select HARD gauge. A variant of this mode introduced in SINOBUZ is TIME HAZARD, which was set to eight minutes instead.

HELL BACKSPIN SCRATCH

Introduced in copula, they are exactly like normal BACKSPIN SCRATCHES, but they replenish the GROOVE GAUGE gradually the longer they are spun, and they can be started at any point in the scratch. If stopped too early, they decrease the GROOVE GAUGE gradually. In the English version of HEROIC VERSE, these are called "Special Backspin Scratches".

HELL CHARGE NOTE

Also introduced in copula, they are exactly like normal CHARGE NOTES, but they replenish the GROOVE GAUGE gradually the longer they are held, and they can be hit at any point in the note. If released too early, they decrease the GROOVE GAUGE gradually. In the English version of HEROIC VERSE, these are called "Special Charge Notes".

HI-SPEED

A modifier that affects the scroll rate of the chart. However, the chart itself and the song remain unchanged, with notes spread out to compensate. Early versions of beatmania IIDX have only one setting, but newer versions add more options; tricoro and onwards in particular allows adjusting the HI-SPEED multiplier with up to two decimal points of precision.

HYPER (old styles: 7KEYS for Single, 14KEYS for Double)

This is the standard play mode -- harder than NORMAL, and easier than ANOTHER. It is intended for intermediate players and usually contains notecharts with a difficulty between 6 and 10.

LEGACY

An ASSIST modifier that converts Charge Notes and Backspin Scratches to regular notes. If used within a chart with no Charge Notes or Backspin Scratches and said chart is cleared, it will be marked with a standard clear lamp.

LEGGENDARIA ((old styles: BLACK ANOTHER / KURO ANOTHER)

A fifth difficulty that is typically harder than ANOTHER, and first introduced as an EXTRA-STAGE exclusive for the event Spada†leggendaria. Not every song has a LEGGENDARIA chart, although returning songs are occasionally given one. The songs when played had a magenta color font and the "†" moniker, and is segregated on a LEGGENDARIA folder, which contains all the charts for under LEGGENDARIA difficulty. Beginning in HEROIC VERSE, the difficulty is now made official while the "†" moniker is removed. Not all songs had LEGGENDARIA charts, which typically rated level 12, and have astoundingly high note counts. It was first debuted on DJ TROOPERS CS and EMPRESS + PREMIUM BEST only. MENDES' Single Black ANOTHER chart is notorious for having the most notes of any Single Play beatmania IIDX chart ever, with 2626 notes.

NORMAL (old styles: LIGHT7 for Single, LIGHT14 for Double)

This mode is a degree of difficulty lower than HYPER. It is intended for beginning players and usually contains notecharts with a difficulty between 1 and 7.

NOTES RADAR

Introduced in HEROIC VERSE, the NOTES RADAR is a graphic representation of different aspects of the song's difficulty.

PERFECT COMBO

Clearing a song with all JUST GREAT's and/or GREAT's.

PREMIUM FREE

An arcade-exclusive variant of FREE mode that allows you to play as many songs as you wish for a specified amount of time, similar to console versions' FREE mode but with a time limit; by default, 6-, 8-, and 10-minute modes are available. You can quit a song any time by pressing the EFFECT and VEFX buttons. This is a PASELI-only mode, and costs more than a credit of other play modes in exchange for this convenience.

REGUL-SPEED

Modifier that makes any song played 150 BPM, ignoring any BPM changes as well. Scores do not save while this is on.

SINGLE PLAY

A play mode in which the player uses one set of seven keys and its corresponding turntable.

TIME HELL mode

Introduced in CANNON BALLERS, it is a variant of FREE mode available on every Thursdays, replacing HAZARD. The player is given 8-minutes, and is forced on a special HARD/EX-HARD gauge where it cannot be recovered, similar to the PRESSURE gauge seen in pre-DDR SuperNOVA EXTRA STAGE system. This kind of gauge was earlier debuted on copula when playing NZM during the ONE MORE EXTRA STAGE on their first try.

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