Which IIDX Games Are Absolutely Worth Owning?

[Chacranajxy]

I'm new to the Beatmania series, but I've been playing the shit out of 9th Style for the last week and I've got RED on its way right now. Of course, there's a ton of other IIDX CS games available, so I was wondering which ones are definitely worth having and which ones I can do without. I was under the impression that 9th Style and onward was where the series got amazing, but I could very well be wrong.

Edit: Also, I don't suppose that songs from DDRMAX1 (US) like Take It To The Morning Light and Stomp To My Beat ever made it onto a Beatmania game, did they?

[JhOpZzZz]

I think all the latest versions of Beatmania IIDX are the best.

Not to mention beatmania IIDX Gold CS will be released this May.

[aroomwithaview]

Comprehensive IIDX FAQ + Controller Tutorials

[vader_seven_]

3rd-13th are out

Owning 9th, 10th, RED, Happy Sky, and DistroteD is a great start. If you still love the game, go get 3rd-8th.

[[NesS]]

8th-13th. 8th is soooo fucking good

[afex.racer_X]

7th-13th, cut out 9th IMO. I agree with NesS about 8th, but I also feel 7th was really good. If you pick up any of them definitely go for 10th, it has an amazing song list.

[Chacranajxy]

Originally Posted by afex.racer_X

7th-13th, cut out 9th IMO. I agree with NesS about 8th, but I also feel 7th was really good. If you pick up any of them definitely go for 10th, it has an amazing song list.

7 and 8 both looked like they could be good, so I was definitely considering those as well. Is there a point where the series suddenly jumps in quality, or certain installments that just kinda sucked? I've heard 5th was pretty weak, but I dunno if there's any others.

As for Gold, I've got that shit preordered.

[Dara-G.]

me personally i started on 13 then got 9 and 11 and stil wasnt impressed with their song list. mainly because 9th had alot of stuff repeated on bmus and 13. but so far ive got 8 9 11 12 and 13 and my fav is stil 13. 13 was the style i used to get better. from that i learned to play 9's and up. i believe the way i learned the more variety of songs you can play the better you can get. now i can play most 10's and a couple of 11's and ive been playing for about 6 months. so long story short try out 13 DD now and get 14 when it comes out. but right now my favs are 13th 8th 13th 11th and then 9th at the end.

[DKW]

I'm pretty much the last person you'll ever want to ask to even identify the minute differences in quality between the installments of a consistently excellent video game series (let alone compare them, ye gods).

Based on your current experience, however, I think you should go with either 8th or 7th. Nothing too overwhelming (e.g. Mei, Due Tomorrow, The Dirty of Loudness), lots of unique songs you'll never see anywhere else, and the overall difficulty is what you're already used to.

And since you're getting into this, a few things I should point out.
- There's a BIG difficulty jump from 9th to 10th, Happy Sky, or DistorteD (and Cardinal Gate isn't the half of it). Even the jump from 5th-6th isn't as big. I definitely suggest sticking with Gold for a while before considering any of the other later Styles.
- Note how much cuteness, melody, peace, tranquility, harmony, prettiness, fluffiness, softness etc. there is in 9th? That's not the exception, and it's never going away. This is the kind of music that's popular in Japan. If you were ever under the impression that IIDX was blood-curdling, soul-wrenching, bone-rattling, dark, angry, bitter, demented, twisted Music From Hell* (let alone "all trance"), well, it isn't. Happy Sky is about three times the level 9th is, as is DistorteD (and believe me, that was a genuine shock for a lot of us). Gold not quite so much, but it's also more humorous, less serious (One word: Ghostbusters. Two words: Gold Rush). Get used to Pop 'n Music style music, Para Para Paradise style music, and, yes, Dance Dance Revolution style music. It's all here.
- Drill Mode may or may not help you. Same with Sudden+. It depends on your style, how far you've advanced, and just how badly you want that AAA. Find what works for you and don't get too choked up if something's not working out.
- There is no such thing as "not appropriate for IIDX". Don't ever go there. (And Taka was a rocker long before he was a successful disc jockey.)
- The brunette is Mika Tsukuba, the amber-haired one is Yuri Aida, and the blonde is Akane Tsugo. Don't make me repeat this.

* Okay, there's Rage Against Usual, but trust me, that stuff ain't too common.

[O-Yama]

You know how crisp 9th looks? When you go to 8th style and below the graphics get a little fuzzy. Don't get me wrong, 8th had some stellar songs but if you're used to the 9th style interface you may be in for a little bit of a shock.

[Chacranajxy]

Hmm... my copy of RED showed up today and I definitely like this way, way, way more than 9th Style. Like, more than I thought possible. Tempts me to make 13 mine pretty soon...

The only reason that I went with 11 over 13 for now is because 13 was OOS at NCSX, and I didn't particularly want to wait to get a new game. But it seems to have turned out quite well.

Anyway, so 7 and 8 are definitely worthwhile, then? People don't seem to be as enthused about 3-6, and the timing issues the FAQ brings up worry me, since that'd be frustrating as hell.

[my58vw]

6th is my favorite mix - and many of the songs were never revived - Romeo and Juliet, Night on Fire, Yesterday, Ave de Rapina, etc. etc. Also 9th has emotion - romantic extra - 2003 - my favorite song in all of beatmania!

[Resonance|ESK]

ITT my favorite style...

[word]

9th only.

[zonic505]

Happy Sky & DistorteD (I'd choose DD over HS). Or you could wait till Gold.