2/25 - Beer, Beer and More Beer!

By Ann Nakamura

At Round 1, you have bowling, you have the massive arcade and you have karaoke rooms to sing the night away. But of course, for some, a good time includes a nice tall glass of beer on a late night.

Yes, whether you’re coming to Round 1 to play games or to bowl your heart out, their Beer bar makes a great add to the experience! And as some regulars have noted, the beer prices here are FANTASTIC! All bottled beer (including but not limited to Heineken, Smirnoff, Guinness, and more) goes for $4 to $5 a pop while their tap beers go for $6.50 a pint (minus Coors and Bud Light which go for $5.50).

You can take a look at the pictures below to see what they have! Of course, if beer isn’t your style, they do have some apple ales and some other bottled drinks as well.

Taps include Bud Light, Angry Orchard, Modelo, IPA, 805, Stella Artois and more!

Bottled drinks include (but aren't limited to) Heineken, Guinness, Mike's Hard Liquor, Smirnoff Ice and more!

Rochelle Lopez, one of the regular barkeepers here at Round 1 gave some of her recommendations to the people who don’t know what beer they want. “It really depends,” she goes, “but if I have to make any suggestions, it’d be Stella (Artois) for a light beer and 805 for dark beers. They go down smooth, but it really depends on your tastes.”

Lopez, showing off the Leinenkugel with a sugar rim a couple of weeks back.

The bar tends to get hectic during game times, so you may be fighting for some seats of for Rochelle’s fine pouring skills. But there has been some agreement with customers that the beer selection is decent and the prices are pretty reasonable as well in comparison to some restaurants and bars that serve beer at $8 a glass. So if you want to get your drink on while being on a budget, come on down!

2/17 - How to Make the Most out of Official e-Amusement!

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF OFFICIAL e-AMUSEMENT

By Andy Castro

The time has come. You’re finally going to play at an arcade that supports e-AMUSEMENT! Maybe you’re at a Round 1 in America or you’re in another country with an arcade that supports the service. Regardless, it’s time to read up on how to make the most of your experience!

1) Buying an eAMUSEMENT Pass

If you want to play on eAMUSEMENT, you’ll need a pass to do so. In America, Round 1 locations are typically supplied with the standard gray card (usually priced between $7 and $10)

You may find that this card is totally bland and void of personality. If you do, I don’t blame you. Other card designs exist but are not sold in America, thus forcing you to search for cards using other means. I recommend searching http://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/ for any good deals!

So many card designs!! @A@

2) Playing your first games of eAMUSEMENT

Did you know that certain KONAMI arcade games have your first game FREE?

The very first time you use your eAMUSEMENT pass on select games, you won’t have to pay for your first game! Neat, right? Put you Round 1 card away! You don’t have to worry about a thing for your first go at Sound Voltex! Just tap your eAMUSE Pass and you’re good to go!

The following games are free to play on your first game:

Sorry, IIDX lovers...

For American players, this may only be two different games (possibly three if MUSECA is added to the list), but that’s valuable credits you can put into another game! Great, right? Enjoy your first game on the house, with love from Konami.

3) Registering Your eAMUSEMENT Account

Okay you’ve enjoyed your first games or so, and now you want to set up your account.

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to do such:

1. Go to http://p.eagate.573.jp/

What a beautiful site~

2. Click on the blue button on the right side of the page

3. A sign up information sheet will appear. For the weeb impaired, here’s a summary of everything it’s asking:

1. Your Location - DO NOT EDIT THIS.

a. It is preset to Japan, which you WILL WANT. Trust me.

2. Your Language

a. As the person from Japan you TOTALLY ARE,

Japanese will be the only option. You get used to it eventually.

3. Your KONAMI ID Name

a. Whatever you want your username to be here

4. Your Email Address

5. Your Password

a. For your account here, not your email

6. Security Question - must be written in Japanese

a. The very first question asks for your mother’s maiden name.

b. You know what it is? 冥? It’s totally 冥. Just copy and

paste the character for Mei as your answer. Super easy to remember.

7. Would You Like News from Konami?

a. The second option is no.

8. Your Nickname (screenname)

a. Use all the English you want

9. Your Gender

a. Sorry to nonbinaries out there

10. Your Birthday

11. Blood Type

a. Not required but people like to know it I guess

12. Region in Japan you Live In

a. Just pick one

Lastly, type in the captcha and agree to the terms and conditions! You’re good to go! Check your e-mail for the confirmation and the rest should be easy to navigate on your own.

4) Adding Your eAMUSEMENT Pass To Your Profile

Log in to the website using the red button above the blue one you used to sign in. If you’re already signed in, click on the red button anyways. You’ll be redirected to your profile page!

Here’s mine for reference

You can see there are a row of buttons at the very top of the page (with MY PAGE selected). To add your pass, you’ll want to click on the one that says e-AMUSEMENT. From there, you should see a little menu towards the left with multiple different options with pictures of cards. Simply click on the one with a “+” on a card to register your own pass.

This page will ask you for the 16 digit card code on the back of your pass, as well as the 4-digit pin number you’ve been using for your games. Voila! Your pass is connected to your eAMUSEMENT profile! You’re now good to go to access your player information on the respective game webpages, add paseli, and more!

That should be all that you need to know for now! If any other questions come up, I’ll be sure to answer them ASAP! Be sure to also check out my other articles: “Making the Most Out of Your Round 1” and “PASELI: Why You Want It and How to Use It” in the future! Thanks for reading!

--

Andy Castro is a field correspondent for The (Unofficial) Round 1 Arcade Hub. A huge music game enthusiast, Andy likes to wiggy wiggy wiggy on Sound Voltex Booth but in his spare time, likes to assist newcomers and veterans alike with new rhythm game information and insights. Got questions for him? Contact him through Facebook!

APPEND! MUSECA gets a update two weeks into R1!

By Ann Nakamura

Thanks to Paul Richardson at Bemanistyle, we had gotten a tip regarding an update that was supposed to change some minor flaws (not necessarily bugs or glitches) regarding MUSECA's gameplay. This update also dramatically improves readability during gameplay. Let's take a look!

The update comes after two weeks of reporting MUSECA entering Round 1 USA's gamefloor. The update, according to Richardson, allows players to now change the lanes from the "W-shape" (default MUSECA play lane, three blue buttons on top, two yellow buttons on bottom) to a "M-shape" (inverse of the play lane, two yellow buttons on top, three blue buttons on bottom) and to a flat shape, where the buttons are all in one line. There were also changes to the UI system as well, making the interface cleaner and somewhat easier to navigate. The song selection screen has also improved in terms of loading time. However, we were unable to locate the options for lane brightness or the note colors both in-game and on the e-amusement site for MUSECA. There was one other change that we noted where "Story Mode" had been moved out of the main menu, and the player can now opt out of it. 

The one really notable change with the February 10th update.

Our field correspondents, Andy Castro and Oliver Wing had gone to Round 1 and gave MUSECA a try with the updates. I asked them if they had any change of heart about the game after getting this update from KONAMI. 

 "MUSECA is a little better now, but it should have been like this from the start." Oliver says. "More than ever it feels like we got a beta version that was missing important features like, you know, 'flatten the lanes'." Wing does note the UI change in the game, and how it has actually improved navigation. "The UI is better now that it's been decluttered a little." He also noted that, "The option screens now have better mini-images and less explanation text, and that they actually inset the 'turn this button to scroll your Grafica/songlist/frame options' diagrams in a much more visible way." 

Andy looked at the update with an overall approach, explaining: "The game is now a lot easier, but it does not make the game conceptually better". Andy states after trying out a couple of games with the new update that, "It still has a lot of hurdles that it needs to fix, but this update has proven that what they [KONAMI] are doing is listening to our input and willing to adapt. They're open to suggestions and it's a very good step in the right direction."

Despite Castro's words about the game not being better overall right now, he is very positive that the game will start to improve as time goes on. He explains how Sound Voltex Booth (herein SDVX), another music game by KONAMI, had similar issues that MUSECA is currently having with its first installment. Andy reiterates that the current iteration of SDVX has improved tremendously since the very first release, and is now a very popular, user friendly game. While MUSECA is still in its early stages of release, it may take some time (months or even years) before a general consensus can be made about the game. 

(Slightly) New Addition! Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam Next

Over last weekend, the mechanics went ahead and swapped out some fighting games that were not seeing a lot of play, and put in something different, but notable! Let's take a look!

Mobile Suit Gundam fans, rejoice and be glad! Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam vs. Gundam Next is a four-player action game where you fight head to head against different Mobile Suits, ranging from the original Mobile Suit Gundam to the more modern Gundam Seed. But don't let this game fool you! This game requires some strategy and thought while executing devastating combos to your foes. You will find both minor and major differences in each mobile suit: no two suits are ever the same. Some suits are equipped with guns and rifles for long range support while some are pure melee and rely on you to execute fast and deadly actions. The game allows the player to also choose from a couple of different levels, meaning that gameplay will get increasingly harder and harder with each round. 

While no two suits are the same, no two controls are the same either! You may notice during gameplay that the same button you use for guns and ranged attacks may not always be the same for the next suit. Also, each Gundam has its own "super attack" which requires to hit a certain combination of buttons and of course, is different depending on the suit you choose.

Whether you are playing solo or with a friend, you and your opponent have their own Battle Gauge with 6,000 points. The team that depletes their opposing team's gauge wins. You do this by defeating the opposing team's Gundams. Every time a Gundam is defeated, the Battle Gauge depletes and respawns the player or CPU. The amount of Battle Gauge the Gundam depletes can range from 1000 points to 3000 points, meaning that more strategy and thinking is required to keep your Gundam alive, especially if your Gundam is defeated and it takes half the Battle Gauge to respawn.

If you are a fan of Gundam or have played Gundam vs. Gundam Next on the PSP, go out and give the arcade game a try! Only 4 credits a play!

New Addition! MUSECA

MUSECA arrived at Eastridge Round 1 on January 23^rd, 2016. A new music game created by Konami (as usual), this game has had a lot of buzz surrounding it, both some good and bad. Let’s take a look.

The current setup of MUSECA in Round 1 SJ Eastridge. Photo courtesy of David Aerts.

The object of the game is simple if you are a seasoned music game player or are familiar with the music/rhythm game genre. There are five lanes that scroll down with notes on them. The player hits the corresponding circle note on the screen with the button on the game panel and tries to get the highest score without trying the fail the song. If you have played Pop’n Music before, or Neon FM, it is the same concept except for two additions: one, there are “spin” notes which requires the player to spin a corresponding note rather than hit it, and the foot pedal which a player steps on (shown by a pink strip on screen) when prompted.

Title screen of MUSECA with its mascot.

The cabinet screen is vertical, similar to Sound Voltex Booth’s machine. The game comes equipped with five circular buttons that you can push and spin, and also comes with foot pedals for players to hit during gameplay. There is a story mode for this game but unless you have knowledge of the Japanese language or are a Japanese speaker, then the player will be somewhat confused as to what is going on.

Galen Borson, 27, was one of the very first people on Saturday to try the new game out.

On the first day of arrival, several arcade goers (newcomers and regulars alike) flocked to MUSECA to give it a go. Twitter posts started to come in the day that MUSECA was set up and for some of the crowd, it was fairly positive. Twitter user "Skwuck" (@skwuck) tweeted: "Ok got to try museca. Going through the story is a bit slow but I think I'm going to enjoy this rhythm game." Another user, ミュゼカ最高だ (@Raydere) went, "museca at round1 erm? (screaming "saikou" while giving two thumbs up intensifies). But long time rhythm game players, Galen Borson and Oliver Wing, had a LOT to say regarding MUSECA.

While both Galen and Oliver were not really impressed with the game (be it the slim, recycled music choices, control scheme, etc.) What bothered both players a lot were the menus itself in-game. "Navigating the menus takes almost twice as long as actual gameplay!" Oliver exclaimed. "The song selection screen is clunky and choppy – which surprises me, since it’s a problem I’d expect from an upgraded mix on old hardware, not a completely fresh first iteration." And with Galen, not only did he note the long menu navigation, but also the difficulties for the songs. "I want to play more than just 10s for my first stage." says Borson. "That sort of grinding just to unlock difficulties that I feel should be available from the get-go annoys me to no end."

Although the game has many elements that are left to be desired, there are of course some positives. "THE ART IS GORGEOUS!!" Oliver says. "Holy Falafels, just give me this kaleidoscope of hi-res anime babes. And anime hunks. And, uh, furries. All of it." His enthusiasm for the artwork of the Grafica's and the overall design of the game is paramount. However, Oliver goes on to explain a small disadvantage of the visuals: "In-game, having to split your focus with the chart kind of detracts from the visuals," he explains. "But lower levels are comfortable enough that you can relax your gaze, and the game almost becomes a scenic drive. It’s also a treat for onlookers!" Galen also agreed that "the turntables (buttons) are kinda cool, I guess." He also noted that "the songs that I recognize from other games are nice too."

The small crowd of casuals who gave the game a try on its first day out on the arcade floor.

A lot of new and casual music game players were trying out the game on Saturday. Galen agreed that, "MUSECA seems like a very casual-friendly game, despite the impossible to navigate menus." He also noted that, "All the hardcore players are going to stick to SDVX (Sound Voltex Booth), and the less hardcore crowd will gravitate towards MUSECA when the SDVX lines get too long". When we asked Oliver if this game will succeed with the casual American crowd, he had a very different answer, "I don't see this game ever taking off with American casual gamers." His reasoning was pretty logical as well. "The interface is entirely in Japanese," he explains. "and since the story component and missions are so pervasive, it’s almost impossible for foreigners to navigate." MUSECA does incorporate a lot of songs that anime and video game fans may recognize. Songs from Touhou such as "Night of Nights" and "Bad Apple!!"are in MUSECA along with "Setsuna Trip" from Vocaloid.  

At the end of our interview, we asked both individuals what would be the one thing they would change for MUSECA so far. "I’d shorten the menus HEAVILY." Oliver emphasized. 

"Song selection, with an optional Grafica select screen, and that’s it." Galen's opinion in regards to changes was rather unique: to not have a storyline/story with the game. "Nobody I know got into any hardcore rhythm game because of the story line." he notes. " I got into it because I loved the music in all its variety, which Konami seems to be forgetting about." MUSECA, like other music games such as Beatmania IIDX and Sound Voltex Booth, has incorporated a storyline element into the gameplay. Story lines in music/rhythm games have been a recent implementation in Konami's line of BEMANI, and while some say that having a story line element gives the games a little more depth, others feel that it's unnecessary.

So while this game already has a lot of mixed opinions so far, only time will tell if MUSECA has better luck with an American audience than their Japanese audience. Many individuals who follow Konami's music games on both Twitter and Facebook have strongly stated that MUSECA has not been really successful overseas where Japan is concerned. While this game has just arrived at Round 1 SJ's doors, we still have a couple of months to determine where its success or failure lies.

--

Special thanks to Galen Borson and Oliver Wing for contributing their thoughts to this article.

Have an article in mind that you would like the Round 1 Blogger to write about? Have an article of your own? Maybe you want to be interviewed for your thoughts on some of the games at Round 1 SJ! Shoot us an email at helloround1blogger@gmail.com if you have anything!