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GameCube (Games) Entertainment Games

Donkey Konga - Nintendo's Drumming Oddity Analyzed 67

Posted by simoniker from the samba-de-amigo-redux dept.
Thanks to Game Informer for its hands-on look at Nintendo's GameCube rhythm game Donkey Konga, the newly Japanese-released title "that has you pounding on a drum controller to match up with beats on-screen." As well as conga-ing in time to the beat of songs which include "a few classic Nintendo tunes including the Mario Theme, DK Rap from Donkey Kong 64, as well as other western songs like the original Mambo No. 5, and La Bamba", the player has other actions to do: "A special star-like icon indicates that you need to clap your hands together (the conga controller features a nifty sound detection device.)" Lik Sang has a few more pictures, including what's inside the drum controller, and Game Informer conclude by praising the quirky title and musing: "While Nintendo hasn't officially announced it for the US, we've heard rumors that it may appear stateside in the second quarter of 2004."
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Donkey Konga - Nintendo's Drumming Oddity Analyzed More

Donkey Konga - Nintendo's Drumming Oddity Analyzed

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  • I cant really see this taking off in the States, but I see huge sales potential for this device in Japan. I always like seeing Nintendo come up with some pretty weird stuff.
    • Why not? Dance Dance Revolution did well here. Kids like to beat drums. Unless the price is >$60, why would this fail?
      • I don't think the price is that much of an issue. Hey You! Pikachu did decently, even with its $100 price tag. Put the right franchise at the helm of something and you're bound to get a decent amount of buyers.

        Exceptions to this rule, currently: Tetra's Trackers. I don't know WHAT Nintendo was smoking when they came up with THAT idea.
    • I have a hard time understanding the news potential. Every arcade type game comes out on a home console sooner or later. Lightguns, the dance dance revo pad, etc... The local arcade has a drum arcade game and an electric guitar one also. I am not surprised that they would make something similar for home consoles.

      • BTW, I am in Arizona, USA. I guess since I lived in Taiwan and saw lots of Japanese arcade stuff, this may be different for more European type people. I personally don't find it an "oddity"

      • The local arcade has a drum arcade game and an electric guitar one also. I am not surprised that they would make something similar for home consoles.

        Me neither, considering the drum arcade game (Percussion Freaks in the states or Drum Mania in other markets) and the guitar arcade game (Guitar Freaks) have been available on both Playstations for years with drum and guitar controllers included. Granted, mainly as imports from Asia but popular ones, at that.

        I love Nintendo but as a fan of Percussion Frea

        • have been available on both Playstations for years with drum and guitar controllers included. Granted, mainly as imports from Asia but popular ones, at that

          Is it just me or does it seem like most of the really cool crap never makes it outside of Asia? Or Japan, really. My best theory has been that with fewer people (or at least fewer stores) in Japan it's easier to distribute something and not lose your ass if it doesn't sell. If you distribute guitar controllers to every Wal-Mart in America and they don'

  • Active Games (Score:5, Insightful)

    by NanoGator ( 522640 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @02:42PM (#7737092) Homepage Journal
    I'm really enjoying these games that require you be physically active. I hope this game is successful, I'd like to see more of them.

    I wonder if games like this could be used to teach music? Certainly this has to have an effect on hand-eye co-ordination. "Games are a waste of time -- my ass.
    • I think this could definitely be used as an aid in teaching music. It's probably not going to replace music lessons but for developing rhythm and synching your mind and hands together it could work well.

      Of course, if you wanted a way to teach music developing the software might not be that hard. Assuming we want a system that teaches how to play a wide range of instruments, we'll let the user supply the instrument. Then provide a good mic that can be wired up to receive the sounds you're producing. On scree

      • I think it's certainly popular. I think we're in for some interesting times ahead. If Nintendo starts a trend of creating interesting inputs to make fun games, we could be in for some exciting times down the road.
      • Assuming we want a system that teaches how to play a wide range of instruments, we'll let the user supply the instrument. Then provide a good mic that can be wired up to receive the sounds you're producing. On screen you can be shown notes and fingering positions and then the software can determine if you've produced the correct note or if you're too sharp or too flat. Clearly a possibility but perhaps a somewhat limited market...

        It's certainly possible. I have a piece of software on my computer (sharewar
        • Now that I think about it, wasn't there some really bad Aerosmith-branded software that came out in the mid to late 90's that tried to teach?
          • I'm not really sure. All I remember is some really bad Aerosmith arcade shooter game that involved CDs and possibly 'Say No to Drugs'. I've tried to block it from my mind.

            A quick google search brought up this:
            http://www.seanbaby.com/nes/egm10.htm
            http ://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=R&game_ id=9308

            and a boatload of cheap flash games.
          • Yes, there was. Can't find a link for it, though. Anyway, the input device was just a plectrum, you could play it against a tennis racket, and the game would work just fine.
      • I think this could definitely be used as an aid in teaching music.

        My little brother's PE teacher got a PS2, DDRMAX2, and 2 pads, and when they do "stations", where they move around the gym and do various activities, DDR is one of them. However, my brother has enacted the "N00b alert" in me by telling stories of her only letting kids play light songs... even when a few of the kids are skilled enough to do better... *shudder*
    • what does that say about people when they consider moving your wrists around a little bit "active", and focus on the gains made in hand eye coordination. it is about as active as me typing this response. if you want some activity, go shoot some hoops. play some street hockey. dont try and justify being attached to a television by slapping your wrists around. if that were true, masturbating to porn videos would be the new exercise craze.
      • "what does that say about people when they consider moving your wrists around a little bit "active"

        Is 'moving their wrists around a little bit' how you envision somebody playing congos? Heh. Oookay.

        "if that were true, masturbating to porn videos would be the new exercise craze."

        Since the internet was commercialized, I think it's far exceeded 'craze' phase.

  • DK Rap? (Score:5, Funny)

    by FeetOfStinky ( 669511 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @02:47PM (#7737163)
    I'm all for musical games, but the DK Rap makes me want to smash my head against the wall (rhythmically, of course).

  • Super MariOboe (Score:5, Funny)

    by AtariAmarok ( 451306 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @02:49PM (#7737186)
    This is to be followed by Super Mari-Oboe

  • Babaloo! (Score:4, Funny)

    by JasonMaggini ( 190142 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @02:49PM (#7737196)
    Hey Luuuuucy! You got some gamin' to do!
  • .. or does the inside of it look like a uterus? Anybody remember what a uterus looks like?
    • Never stuck my head in one to look around. Kinda doubt it'd have the wires and pressure sensitive pads...

      Call me crazy...
    • "or does the inside of it look like a uterus? Anybody remember what a uterus looks like?"

      I'm a test tube baby you insensitive clod. :I
    • Are you sure you mean uterus?
      The photo of it split apart had the twisted wires giving hints of a kind of pelvic shape, and maybe there was a kind of two-thighs/vulva proporioned 'gap' in between the drums. However, I'm having a hard time trying to get a uterus into any of the pictures.

      Phil
  • ...but I think DDR and Samba de Amigo were better ideas. Both are more physical, with Samba requiring you to shake maracas vigorously in different positions and DDR making you spin, jump, and tap all over the place. With drums you're just striking a stationary object repeatedly, (oh, and clapping apparently). DDR and Samba also have the advantage of being much more stylish than Donkey Konga is (judging by the current screenshots). I have a feeling the song selections will be better in those games too, o
  • Am I the only person that thinks "music" and "dancing" games are just not entertaining? On top of that, you don't make any real music or do any real dancing. To me they are nothing more than a computer controlled version of Simon Says.

    Mario Party is an example of a game that everyone loves, even those not playing. I remember I once threw Parappa the Rappa into the PS at one of our parties (it came on a demo disc). Five minutes in everyone was asking, "Is that all you do? Um, something else please". It didn
    • Am I the only person that thinks "music" and "dancing" games are just not entertaining? On top of that, you don't make any real music or do any real dancing. To me they are nothing more than a computer controlled version of Simon Says.

      I haven't played most of them, but I have found myself quite obsessed with Amplitude and Frequency. Most of the other 'rhythm' games don't appeal to me. That being said, Amplitude and Frequency are not games that I play with friends, either (though my gf occasionally watches
      • The DDR games (And amplitude, for that matter) are all very fun to play with people. In fact, I almost never play single player unless everyone else is sweaty and exhausted from dancing. Get a room of about 6 drunks and there is always someone to call "I got next", and always at least 2 people completely out of breath/recovering.

        Plus, doing something that "looks stupid" in front of other people is a good icebreaker. I've only managed to find 3 people that outright refused to play. We even broke it out

    • Im sorry, even under the influence, I would rather watch someone read a book then watch four of my friends jam out on Mario Party 5.

    • Re:Entertainment? (Score:3, Informative)

      by bugbread ( 599172 )
      " Am I the only person that thinks "music" and "dancing" games are just not entertaining? "

      Probably not.

      "On top of that, you don't make any real music or do any real dancing."

      Unfortunately, that's the result of making the games much harder. I used to play Beat Mania when it first appeared in the arcades in Japan. The difficulty level was really low, which meant that you could hit notes during the intervals between notes without a score penalty. Most of my gaming ended out being "make a new intere
      • With the newer Bemani's, though, they gave a score penalty to any note struck besides the ones on screen, meaning each player played the exact same song.

        It sounds like a metaphor for the entire Japanese culture...

  • Why do I see.. (Score:3, Funny)

    by Rudy Rodarte ( 597418 ) * on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @02:59PM (#7737325) Homepage Journal
    This game being insanely fun. Better yet, make it a drinking game as well!!
    On a side note, the DK rap that gets stuck in my head is the one from Smash Brothers Meele. You know, the one where you are fighting the Mini DKs. Yea, that's the one.
  • When I first read through that and saw him mention "western" songs, I thought of Country-Western...

    Just think how scary a Dixie Chicks version of La Bamba or Alan Jackson doing Mambo No. 5 would be...ok, the second one could be pretty funny
  • It was called "my brother": I'd drum on his empty head every time he annoyed me playing NES games.
  • They have video of it here [ign.com], and they have an index of their stories about it here [ign.com] (The index also links to screenshots)

  • I'm waiting for the Neil Peart edition (Score:3, Funny)

    by leviramsey ( 248057 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @03:26PM (#7737619) Journal

    ...except the controller would have to revolve and have forty buttons.

    It would quickly be copied in a much less tasteful manner by the Mike Portnoy edition.

  • In an attempt to be informative... (Score:3, Informative)

    by Gothic_Walrus ( 692125 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @04:01PM (#7738076) Journal
    ...here are the lyrics to the DK Rap. [animelyrics.com]

  • Quest for Fame (Score:3, Interesting)

    by pagercam2 ( 533686 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @04:22PM (#7738311)
    IBM beat Nintendo to this one! The "Quest for Fame" game for the PC had on screen cartoonish graphics that showed a high schooler's bderoom, in which you practiced with your V-Pick (virtual guitar pic). The V-pick was a triangular piece of plastic that contained two contacts, when you made a strumming motion the contacts touched and this was read by the PC's parallel port. They played classic rock songs from Aerosmith and others but featuring Aerosmith. You got scored as to how close your timing was compared to the song. After getting a passing score you graduated from bedroom to garage band to road house to club and finally to stadium where you "rocked" with Aerosmith. A lot of fun but I never got past the garage band level.

    http://www.rockthisway.de/game_questforfame.htm

  • Great (Score:2, Funny)

    by rf0 ( 159958 ) *
    Now I've got an excuse to dance like my dad does.

    Rus
  • I wonder if, in the growing trend of X vs Y such as Predator vs Alien and Krueger vs Jason, eventually they will release a Donkey Konga versus Dance Dance Revolution, where you have a dance/drum off, and the less rhythmically skilled person's head explodes. I would pay at least $4 for that.

    In other news, does anyone remember the original pad play game Nintendo Track and Field, where the damn athlete never seemed to match the rate at which you ran on the pad, no matter how coordinated you were?
    • Konami's own games have already connected together before.

      Beatmania and DDR had combinations to play together in a horrid Club mix.

      Keyboardmania, Guitar Freaks and Drummania also all link together for up to a 5-person jam session.
      • That's amusing. I really only meant the post as a joke but now I feel stupid since they will probably actually do it - I should never question the Japanese.

  • Music games are fun but.... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by MarcoAtWork ( 28889 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @05:50PM (#7739425)
    I just wish there was an area at the bottom of the screen where the beats you have to perform are written in standard music notation: it would definitely help with having kinds being able to sight read etc. etc.

  • Incredible! (Score:2, Interesting)

    by SuperMo0 ( 730560 )
    After watching about 4 of the movies, I started to attempt to play along with the game on "air bongos". If that's not a sign of a good game, that you play along with a preview video... then I don't know what is.
  • "(the conga controller features a nifty sound detection device.)"

    A microphone! What will they think of next?

  • Mambo what now? (Score:3, Funny)

    by arnex ( 238036 ) on Tuesday December 16, 2003 @10:02PM (#7741477)
    the original Mambo No. 5

    You mean Mambo 5.0?

  • not very impressed (Score:2, Informative)

    by AuntJemima ( 223020 )
    I am usually a big fan of these kinds of games. I picked up the Taiko no Tatsujin controller set alongside my PS2. I own both versions of Samba de Amigo as well as two pairs of the official maracas controllers. Whenever I'm near a game center, I usually stop in to play through a few songs on Guitar Freaks. And so on.

    I had the chance to play Donkey Konga in the store the other day (Nintendo seems to be doing a huge push for this game in Japan--most stores had several pallets of the controllers). I was

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