Tap 'n Slap 'n?

[Jigsaw Girl]

If you have had the opportunity to play Pop 'n Music in the arcade, then you know how fun it is to really get into this game. Not only is there a wide range of music, but it is fun to really go at it and slap at all nine buttons. Needless to say, it is not your average arcade game.

Since there are so few Pop 'n Music arcade machines in America, it is very likely to have to the home version and console, or "mini", controller as a substitute to hold you over. I have had the opportunity to play both at the arcade and on a mini controller. Sadly though, the mini controller doesn't do this game any justice. The entire controller itself is roughly the size of two and a half buttons on the arcade style controller.

The size of the mini controller is hard to get used to if you've learned in the arcade. Rather than using your whole hand, you now need to use just your fingertips. I find this to be the biggest hinderance. The size of the controller makes the game experience change quite drastically.

"Tap 'n Slap 'n Pop 'n Music." This has become a slogan for Pop 'n Music, and it is definitely appropriate. But unfortunately, when using the mini controller you don't quite get the "slap 'n" effect. This controller is good, however, if you don't want to hand over $250 for an arcade style controller. It is also good for practicing site reading or unfamiliar patterns. This way, you can finally get that one pattern down without wasting all of your money and failing the song. The mini controller is good for some things, especially if you don't have the access or the money to play on an arcade style controller. But if you can play on an arcade controller, don't pass up the chance. It is much more fun when it really is Tap 'n Slap 'n!