Easily one of the most beloved aspects to Final Fantasy, is the music. So it only made sense that there would be a rhythm game at some point, though Theatrhythm Final Fantasy isn’t quite your average rhythm game. By adding a battle aspect and cute remodels, Theatrhythm tries to stand out in a rather cookie cutter genre.
Unlike most rhythm games, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is stylus based. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a completely stylus based rhythm game, but Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is certainly more complex. This is because you need to do far more than simply keep the beat. First you have to be aware of the three different types of actions and more importantly how they’re done. Next you have to plan ahead. There will come a time when something quite complex will come up and if you’re not ready for it, then you might end up failing the actual song.
As mentioned earlier, there are three different inputs you have to perform. One is the simply taping, which is indecated by being red. These are extremely easy to perform and shouldn’t give you a problem past timing. The next type are yellow, which requires you to move in a direction. This sounds a lot easier than it really is. From what I could see, the notes can go one of roughly 9 directions and it’s quite difficult to keep the input these if you’re not planning ahead. The final type are green, which require you to follow around. Unlike the other two, your margin of effor is quite high. Provided you’re not completely off, the game will still give you credit for the input.
Despite sounding very simple, it will take some getting used to before you really “get it”. This is almost competely due to the yellow inputs. These will typically catch you off guard and will most likely get harder as you progress.
Besides gameplay, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is one of the cleaner looking 3DS titles. Naturally the quality is nowhere near the Vita, it does look good while playing. Also the art style is fun, though make sure you like it prrior to picking it up.
In all and all, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is a pretty solid title. The iconic beats combined with interesting settings makes Theatrhythm Final Fantasy stand out. Sadly the learning curve might turn you off, though there is more than enough content for long standing fans. While it is far from the best mobile rhythm game I’ve played, it is easily the best one on the 3DS.
