Pop’n Music 6 (6 Potsupunmiyuzitsuku 6 or Popun Myujikku 6) was Konami’s sixth release in their popular Pop’n Music music/rhythm video game franchise for original PlayStation.
Similar to other Bemani games, players navigate a character down rows of color-coded notes (known as Pop-kun). As players perform well, their Groove Gauge increases and completed songs in Fever mode cause their character’s animation to change accordingly.
Mechanics
As with other Bemani series games, Pop’n Music 6 Rom includes a “Groove Gauge,” which indicates how well players perform during songs. Playing correct notes will cause the gauge to rise, with any song completed while having it within its red portion reaching clear status being seen onscreen as red bar segments. Additional options can be selected by pressing 0 on the gamepad: GAUGE TYPE adjusts difficulty of building groove gauge between NORMAL, EASY, HARD or DANGER modes; Cools displays current statuses along with song details displayed next to it on-screen!
Although the game includes 104 songs (91 normal, 61 hyper and 18 extra), certain more challenging ones require completion of an Arcade Mode challenge to unlock them. Most songs offer both normal and hyper versions for easier listening experience; additionally some feature extra modes offering additional notes or chords for greater complexity.
This game features both familiar bemani characters as well as Princess Yuko. When starting a song, players can select which character will remain used throughout its entirety; just like in other bemani games, each character’s animation and actions vary based on how well they performed in that song.
The game features four previews of later pop’n music arcade titles in-game, as well as several DLC offerings. Its song list is significantly larger than its predecessor portable, featuring new charts for many popular pop’n music songs as well as over one hundred normal, hyper, and extra songs (though no licenses or ee’MALL songs exist). Also unlike its predecessor portable it allows for autoplay songs; although unfortunately the option does not work quite as effectively as before; similarly there is now Party Mode similar to Adventure Mode but which only permits 5-button charts while not permitting Cools to be used; unlike its predecessor portable it also comes equipped with Party Mode; which requires only 5-button charts without Cools allowed!
Gameplay
Pop’n Music, Konami’s cheerful third entry in its Bemani rhythm game series, follows beatmania and Dance Dance Revolution. However, unlike its predecessors, Pop’n Music does not simulate an instrument but instead relies on hitting large colorful buttons with your hands. Each song contains musical notes called Pop-Kun that scroll along the bottom screen in time with the music; hitting these notes correctly increases a groove meter that will increase when hit accurately; when this has filled enough you may move onto another tune; pop’n Music includes reggae, salsa eurobeat and forms of electronica styles!
Console players select their character and play through the game as that character throughout its entirety. A selection of songs are accessible right away; additional songs are unlocked through various methods like Arcade Mode and using “key discs”. In addition, the game offers an extensive jukebox and customizable skins for its controller for an experience unlike anything offered before.
First ever PS2 pop’n music with an easy user interface and unlocking system for songs, the song list included 91 Normal songs and 61 Hyper versions; Osusume mode recommended songs to players based on their performance in Expert Mode.
Visual banners on the song select screen were notable taller than in later installments and more closely resembled those found in DanceDanceRevolution than any subsequent BEMANI series game; unfortunately they weren’t carried over to subsequent CS pop’n music games and eventually got dropped completely.
Pop’n Music Classic Series introduced the e-AMUSEMENT system, enabling players on other e-AMUSEMENT cabinets to compete online against each other and unlock additional songs for the game in real-time. Osusume Expert Mode introduced as well as Net Taisen Mode were both new types of expert mode introduced as well as using second chances exclusively within Cho-Challenge or Expert modes – first ever use of second chances was allowed within pop’n music Classic series titles!
Graphics
Pop’n Music differs from Konami’s Beatmania series in that its buttons do not represent instruments. Instead, players use a combination of palms, fingers and elbows to hit buttons in sync with a song’s rhythm – more accurately pressing buttons results in higher scores! Each song also includes a “Groove Gauge”, which measures player performance during song – rising when they hit notes correctly before peaking during “Great” notes that add an additional bonus score boost and cause their character to perform an animation!
Pop’n Music 6 features songs from multiple genres such as eurobeat, j-pop, and dance rock, with more songs than its predecessors than before – such as eurobeat, j-pop, dance rock. Furthermore, EX charts from Pop’n Music 5 CS are included as preview tracks!
Bemani 2 features graphics with vibrant, solid hues that contrast sharply with the metallic and textured interfaces seen in its predecessor, Bemani 1. Additionally, characters and other sprites in this version are more detailed than earlier releases and include full Internet support for e-AMUSEMENT cabinets as well as real-time play against players connected over network connections – perfect for multiplayer gameplay on any system over an open network!
This Pop’n Music game marks a first with its inclusion of an artificial intelligence-powered Net Taisen mode (NETDui Zhan modo or “Net Battle Mode”) for users to compete against each other online, as well as featuring one of the largest song lists ever seen on PlayStation bemani games.
As with other ROM’s on this site, it’s important to keep in mind that downloading and playing unlicensed ROM’s is considered piracy and is therefore illegal. Furthermore, we do not endorse illegal usage of emulators. Luckily there are legal methods of playing these games on a PC – such as home console emulators for bemani games as well as MAME which enables arcade cabinets on PCs.
Sound
Konami has introduced its newest rhythm game series – Pop’n Music Series – into the market. Similar to beatmania and Dance Dance Revolution, these games use an analog controller with four rows of buttons in two rows arranged like musical instruments: four on top and five at bottom. Each button corresponds to a note on screen; pressing one produces song notes as well as feedback ranging from Great (hit song perfectly on beat) to Cool (missed note completely and broke combo). There are multiple extra modes included with the game such as an expert mode that makes songs much harder; additionally this series of rhythm game games comes equipped with many extra modes like expert mode that further challenges players!
Pop’n music 6, the final BEMANI title on PlayStation, boasts one of the largest song lists of any BEMANI title released for that console. There are 104 songs available in pop’n music 6 to be played; these come in Normal and EX modes respectively. Furthermore, this game contains 10 exclusive licenses (songs from anime/video games/other media) that must be unlocked by playing each course at least once in EX mode (except Xiang be!gandamu can be previewed via Pop’n music 5 CS as preload).
An exciting change from earlier pop’n music games is the ability to unlock “secret” songs by performing certain tasks, like completing the ARCADE mode. Once unlocked, these “secret” tracks can be heard in Omake section but cannot be played through Challenge mode or autoplay.
The game also introduces new Drumkits, which utilize layers of the same sample for dynamic sound effects depending on how hard a player hits the pads. Furthermore, more special effects have been included than in previous releases – including “sample” effects that mimic hitting drum pads, echo effects to make players seem as if recorded from faraway microphones, as well as “Rhythm” mode for controllers which allows players to play simple rhythm patterns using the arrows located on the right side of the screen.