7 Rhythm Game Songs That Changed My Life

Let me start with a bold statement: claiming that game music changed your life might sound laughable to some. However, the truth is that my passion for music was sparked by rhythm games. I first encountered them during the summer of my second year in junior high, and from then on, I spent my adolescence almost living in arcades, much like a delinquent, though not in the typical sense.

I’ve previously written a post about playing rhythm games at home using the PLAYTECH PTK300 portable keyboard, so please check that out if you’re interested!

Related Article: [STAY HOME, PLAY GAMES!!] Play Music Games with the PLAYTECH PTK300

Now, let’s get back on track. Here are the seven ultimate rhythm game songs that have truly transformed my life! If you’re into rhythm games, you might resonate with this. I’ll be listing songs from a rather limited set of games that I’ve played extensively. So, let’s dive in with some appropriately descriptive introductions!

Let’s start with a famous one—
“Mei” from beatmania IIDX 12 HAPPY SKY. The genre within the game is labeled as human sequencer, but it’s actually a well-composed track featuring drum ‘n’ bass rhythms and beautiful piano. Of course, there’s no time to calmly listen to the music while playing the game... But the second half, often referred to as the ‘winning lap’, always hits hard no matter how many times I hear it.
In the game, this track is the final boss song for the highest in the rank certification system. Its combination of a difficult slow section and what was, at the time, the highest number of notes (2,000) leaves a lasting impression on game players.

Hard dance music is awesome, right? “Be quiet” from beatmania IIDX RED is a prime example. The memorable sampling voice is famous, but what stands out more is the heavy kick drum and thick bassline, similar to what you hear in another of Ryu☆’s well-known tracks, “Second Heaven”.
At the time, Ryu☆ was better known for bright, happy hardcore tracks, so this intense hard dance song surprised many. He’s still very active today, and I love many of his tracks in the beatmania Series, like “Aurora”, “Go Beyond!!”, “Do it!! Do it!!”, and “VOX UP” (You might be asking me why I’m listing minor songs in this lineup to introduce you to Ryu☆…)
By the way, the DAW I use for my music production is Steinberg’s Cubase. I chose it because I heard that both Ryu☆ and kors k (whom I’ll mention later) use it. While many people select their DAW based on functionality, I think choosing one because your favorite artists use it is a perfectly valid approach!

Next up is a relatively recent track, “Amazing Mirage” by lapix, a well-known figure in the HiTECH NINJA scene.
I’ve been a fan of Hi-tech Fullon tracks, like those by Mystical Complex, but lapix’s music has a uniquely Japanese, chaotic vibe. Hi-tech Fullon is a subgenre of trance, or more specifically, it’s derived from psychedelic trance - fullon. Some people categorize it as a subgenre of hardcore techno, and while the Japanese Hi-tech Fullon scene might align with that, the overseas scene, including artists like Mystical Complex and Blastoys, seems more rooted in traditional fullon. I might explore Hi-tech Fullon further in a future post.
I love this song along with kors k’s “Insane Techniques” from the previous beatmania IIDX 21 SPADA!

When it comes to early beatmania IIDX classics, “I Was The One” is my personal favorite. I first came across this track through the remix by NAOKI, “I Was The One (80’S EUROBEAT STYLE)”, but it was the original version that made me appreciate the beauty of house music. Both versions were included in the rank certification system when I was playing this game, but unfortunately, they’ve since been removed, which is a bit disappointing.
In SP mode, which uses only one side of a symmetrical arcade setup, this song was rated at a maximum difficulty of LV3 (the highest difficulty in the game being LV12), making it relatively accessible for beginners. I highly recommend it for those just starting out.
Additionally, good-cool has many other excellent tracks, such as “CHECKING YOU OUT” from 4th style and “Sense 2007” from beatmania IIDX 14 GOLD. He has also released best-of albums, so if you’re a fan of house music, be sure to check them out!

Even if you’re not familiar with the beatmania Series or rhythm games in general, you might have heard this track at least once. It first appeared in beatmania IIDX 11 IIDX RED and, as the title suggests, the song is themed around the color red. It later became popular in MAD videos on Nico Nico Douga.
Speed rave, a genre of Euro beat, is well-known for its association with tracks from Initial D and other similar works. The in-game visuals for “Red Zone” feature a car race, which seems to align perfectly with the music’s theme. I first encountered this track through the MAD videos mentioned earlier, and only later did I discover it in rhythm games. At the time, I didn’t even realize it was a music game track—I thought it was background music for a car race or something like that.

It’s all about those fast, hard, and heavily distorted kicks!
When it comes to leading the Japanese hardcore scene, I can’t help but mention DJ TECHNORCH. His album was the first ‘best album’ I ever bought, and it was filled with fascinating tracks. As I mentioned earlier, his music embodies that chaotic, uniquely Japanese style. His work is incredibly diverse, yet it captures the essence of the hardcore genre.
Freeform hardcore is a subgenre of hardcore techno that I’ve discussed before on my blog, and it’s heavily influenced by trance. In its early days, freeform hardcore often featured distorted kicks influenced by the hardcore trends of the time, though not with the same fast BPM as this track.

Related Article: Hardcore Techno Day 2020 for Club Music Lovers! - Recommended Happy Hardcore Techno

As for this particular track, it’s called “Sokushin Jobutsu”, which translates to ‘attaining Buddhahood in this very body’. It was unlocked in the game by meeting specific conditions, though I wasn’t able to unlock it myself... However, I later got to play it through a crossover event with another game called jubeat, and it became a staple track in subsequent versions of beatmania, which I played extensively. DJ TECHNORCH’s earlier track “KAMAITACHI” in beatmania IIDX 14 GOLD was also freeform hardcore, so it’s no surprise that I got hooked on it. His music often features complex and unique titles like “Nijuuichi no Mae” or “X↑X↓ (Tenjou Tenge)”, which are just as intriguing as the tracks themselves. I highly recommend diving into the world of DJ TECHNORCH!

Let’s wrap things up with this track—it’s a must!
Originally featured in jubeat knit APPEND and later included in beatmania IIDX 20 tricoro, this track isn’t actually a beatmania IIDX original. Despite that, it’s incredibly well-known among rhythm game fans, often cited as a classic.
And for good reason—it holds the record for being included in the most rhythm game titles ever. With a staggering 18 different games under its belt, including ones from other companies, this track’s reach is truly impressive!
jubeat, REFLEC BEAT, Dance Dance Revolution, beatmania IIDX, pop’n music, GITADORA, Dance Evolution ARCADE, Mirai Dagakki, maimai (Sega), GROOVE COASTER (Taito), Taiko no Tatsujin (Bandai Namco), BeatStream, CHUNITHM (Sega), SOUND VOLTEX, Synchronica (Bandai Namco), MUSECA, Nostalgia, and DANCERUSH STARDOM (in release order).

The track is a subgenre of hardcore techno, primarily based on trance, with a distinctive lead that feels like it’s cutting through the mix. DJ YOSHITAKA’s compositions typically feature a melody in the first chorus that is slightly altered and reused in the second chorus to add variation. “FLOWER” follows this structure, with a catchy melody at its core that keeps it engaging no matter how many times you listen to it. Additionally, the sound effect in the track is used as the track selection sound in beatmania IIDX 15 DistorteD and has been used in several other tracks by DJ YOSHITAKA under his alias Suzaku, making it a fan-favorite tune.

So, what did you think? Honestly, the world of rhythm games is full of other captivating tracks that I’d love to highlight. If you enjoyed this, I’d be happy to introduce more songs from different games, so feel free to share your thoughts!