The Origin of Rhythm Games

Origins
The true beginnings of rhythm games can be found somewhere between:

-Simon, made in 1978, an electronic pattern game that was a staple of '80s households where players had to repeat patterns shown to them, and

-Parappa the Rapper, made in 1996 for the Sony Playstation, a pioneering rhythm game where players had to tap buttons in time with music to repeat raps taught to the player

But while rhythm games may not have been born in the deafening, hyperactive world of the Japanese arcade, that is undoubtedly where it matured.

Pioneers
Major publisher and developer Konami’s Games & Music Division, later renamed the Bemani division in a nod to its breakthrough game, was the original pioneer of peripheral-led rhythm gaming. Its game Beatmania, made in 1997, with its five keys and imitation record turntable, became an unexpected success in the arcade, and the company soon found itself at the centre of a national phenomenon.

The late 90’s saw the genre expand from a few experimental dance mats and pattern-matching programs to a broad selection of machines with a catalogue of hundreds of hyperactive Japanese pop songs, all under the impetus of a single division of a single publisher.

Notable Titles
Before 2000, Konami’s Bemani division had released the following titles:

-GuitarFreaks, where players strum a plastic guitar in time with music to score points
-DrumMania, similar to GuitarFreaks but with a drum set instead of a guitar
-Dance Dance Revolution, where players press large arrow keys with their feet in time to music to simulate dancing
-Pop’n Music, where players tap buttons in time with music

All iconic music-game franchises that are responsible for the genre as we know it – and which still define it in Japan to this day. The scrolling note charts, coloured prompts and peripherals that define modern rhythm-gaming are all Konami creations. Under the skin of every music game made since 1997 beats a Bemani-engineered heart.

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Next: Rhythm Games in the East

Glossary
Publisher: A company that funds the development of games, and manufactures and distributes the final product.
Peripheral: Accessories used in gaming, such as controllers. In this case, used to describe the accessories used to play rhythm games, such as a plastic guitar and drum set.
Scrolling note charts: The main method of gameplay in rhythm games, where a note scrolls down towards a predetermined point, and players have to do a task when the note reaches that point, for example, strum a guitar.