Maestro! Green Groove
Available Platforms: DSiWare, iPhone
(reviewed on DSi)
Game Developer & Publisher: Pastagames & Neko Entertainment
Release Date: June 28, 2010
Official Website: www.nintendo.com
Review Summary:
Ever played a side-scrolling music-rhythm game? Chances are, you haven’t. Not like in Maestro! Green Groove. The colorful 2D platform transcends both side-scrolling games and rhythm games in controls and presentation. It’s a pleasant surprise. The low $5 cost from the DSi Shop doesn’t ask for too much of an investment in return for a fulfilling game. Although the single-player game isn’t too long, there is plenty of room for player improvement with the stat tracking feature and a Free Play mode. Maestro! Green Groove offers a colorful cast of characters (such as Peppy to Stacatto), in a unique game worth adding to your digital DSi game collection.
Rating:
4.25 out of 5
Maestro! Green Groove review
Maestro! Green Groove is a tale of heartbreak, revenge and redemption. Well, don’t take it too seriously, because it’s really lighthearted and more importantly, a fun game. Presto, the lead music love bird, and Stacatto, the scorned spider, are the two central characters. Both have their hearts set on Bella, each have their own musical tastes. When Bella is swoon by Presto, Stacatto concocts a Mute spell that takes all the music away from the world. And so Maestro! Green Groove begins, in a side-scrolling quest to restore music and bring harmony back to Bella and Presto.
The central gameplay of Maestro! Green Groove involves strumming strings (ropes) or tapping enemies (like drum beats). This stylus control method is used to guide Presto as he runs along at a steady pace to different classical music. There are three classical music pieces in the game: Beethoven’s “5th Symphony,” Chopin’s “Nocturne n°2″ and Dvorak’s “New World Symphony.” Hit the notes perfectly five times in a row and a golden Star Note is earned. As more perfect or passing streaks are earned, a Bonus Green Bird follows Presto. Along the path are fruits that Presto can get for bonuses as well. Presto’s performance is measured on a A to F scale, with a B+ or better needed to successfully complete a level. A useful visual indicator on the screen that Presto is earning a passing grade on the level is a Crown that appears over his head. Make too many mistakes and a trail of sour red notes will follow Presto. Five sour notes means Presto is out of tune, and it is curtains. The first level is really an in-game tutorial which gets you up to speed pretty quick. Another unique, and alternate control (lucky for me) is the optional microphone input. To score the highest, the player will need to sing or hum while playing, which really makes things tricky.
Maestro! Green Groove offers a main Adventure mode and a Free Play mode. Adventure mode includes 9 main levels, with 3 Boss levels. The difficulty steadily ramps up from Easy to Medium to Hard. A Free Play mode allows the game to be played without scores and penalty (great for training or having fun). The Free Play mode also allows you to select the tempo, chords, and beats. Kudos to the interactive record player with Tracklisting option.
Throughout the first half of the game, it isn’t too difficult to get a B+ or higher. But when the tempo speeds up and ropes (strings to strum) change levels, things get especially tricky. Throw in the microphone control option, and it feels like you’re conducting a symphony. Seeing the visuals and matching melodies leads to quite a euphoric feeling, especially if you manage to pass the harder levels. If you have a DSi XL, use the slimmer stylus to strum, or else it may be difficult to see what’s coming next.
After every third level is completed, there is a Boss battle with Stacatto. The dual-screen boss challenge plays differently from the side-scrolling gameplay mode. Basically, the player must memorize and match the beats or strums on Stacatto’s web to inflict damage on him. Make to many errors and Presto’s life meter goes down. It’s a nice mix to the main gameplay, although the Boss battles were far easier than the levels.
Maestro! Green Groove isn’t too long of a game that shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours to complete. Essentially, there are three different levels (9 total) with a boss at the end (3 boss battles), which ramps up in difficulty 3 times. Mastering Maestro is another story, as the player may want to improve letter ratings or scores. Maestro! Green Groove is an innovative little DSiWare game and it’s a rewarding game experience. For $5 (500 Nintendo Points), it’s a unique enough game that is worth playing at least once.
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Thanks to Neko Entertainment for making this review possible.
