UlasanAnime.com – This article offers a preliminary look at the Idolm@ster Channel game for the PlayStation 3, providing insights into its features, content, and overall value, especially for fans of the Idolm@ster franchise.
The Idolm@ster Channel is a free download available on the Japanese PlayStation Store. The base game itself is approximately 3GB, with additional song packs requiring another 2GB each. Installation took around 20 minutes, though the download time was not precisely tracked.
Upon launching the game, players are presented with a main menu offering various options. The channel connects to the internet upon startup, presumably to check for new content updates, though this functionality was not fully tested.
The background music on the main page features off-vocal versions of classic Idolm@ster songs, with instrumental arrangements playing in the main menu.
One of the primary options launches “Shiny TV,” which functions as a PlayStation 3 port of the Shiny Festa game. Instead of a traditional story mode or anime viewing experience, players can engage with song packs in “stage” mode or tackle challenges within “Shiny TV” mode.
The game engine exhibits several notable differences from its predecessors:
You might also be interested in : The Value of Legal Streaming
- Calibration: A calibration feature allows players to adjust for lag, including an “auto” function for sound and TV timing synchronization. Manual adjustment is also possible via a slider.
- Silence Tone: A default silence chime is available for players who prefer their inputs to be inaudible.
- Scoring and Timing: The scoring system and timing windows appear to have been slightly adjusted, potentially feeling tighter than on the PSP or iOS versions. It may be easier to achieve lower grades, though this could also be attributed to player performance.
- Gravure Mode: This mode is described in more detail later in the article.
The author admits to not having extensive time to delve into all the game’s intricacies, despite spending a considerable amount of time playing. The song “Machiuke Prince” is highlighted as an AKB48-style track that offers a refreshing change of pace, potentially justifying the price of admission for some.
The free download of Idolm@ster Channel includes one song, “We Have A Dream.” While initially a bit funky, it’s suggested that the song might grow on the listener with repeated plays, a common experience with much of Idolm@ster music.
For those who have already purchased Shiny Festa, the song packs for Idolm@ster Channel may feel repetitive, as approximately two-thirds of the content is a rehash of existing material. For example, song pack 2 includes “READY” from iOS/PSP, while “Hamburger” is a new addition. Other songs like “VampKyun” and “Yakusoku” are expected to be similar to their iOS/PSP counterparts, especially given “VampKyun’s” existing quality. “Machiuke Prince” is new but appears in every pack so far. “Kiramekirai” is largely identical to its PSP/iOS version, with the exception of Gravure Mode.
Gravure Mode introduces a third video track to the stage mode in Shiny TV. This feature is available for one song per pack and replaces the usual video with an experience akin to the G4U (Get For You) feature. This is seen as a significant improvement, offering an interactive game where players can direct the camera while an idol like Haruka or Yayoi poses in the background, a concept the author finds appealing.
The author suggests that the content is “totally worth the 1500 yen,” humorously noting that Tanake is the next idol to be featured.
The G4U mode appears to be similar to previous iterations, though not extensively explored by the author. For 300 yen, players can unlock gameplay similar to the Blu-ray bonus items from the Idolm@ster anime or the limited edition PS3 game. There is speculation about potential price increases for this content.
The free download also includes a “demo” version of G4U #1, which functions as expected.
Beyond the gameplay, Idolm@ster Channel includes various voice clips, allowing players to cycle through different idols gracing the main menu and speaking to the player. The sub-menus feature different background tracks. The home page selection opens the web browser, and the DLC page directs players to the PlayStation Store.
Two additional placeholder spots marked with “???” are present in the main menu. The game also offers login bonuses and unlockable pictures. It is assumed that the game integrates with the G4U image sharing service, facilitating easier online sharing, though this was not tested.
The author expresses a need to play more to adjust to the PS3’s timing, finding it somewhat annoying to re-learn the timing for familiar songs.
Overall, even without any purchases, Idolm@ster Channel is considered a good value as a free download. The added content is also deemed worthwhile if purchased, as players likely have specific reasons for doing so, which are presumed to be valid.
A postscript notes a difference in graphics for some songs in the English iOS version of Shiny Festa. Specifically, “Kimi wa Melody” features toned-down graphics compared to the PSP version, with the iOS version showing Takane in a meadow wearing a winter school uniform instead of her beach routine. The author wonders if the Japanese iOS versions have similar changes and ironically speculates that “Kimi wa Melody” might be the Gravure Mode song from pack 03.
