Title: Samba De Amigo
Console(s): Sega Dreamcast, Arcade (Naomi)
Developer: Sonic Team

Sega Naomi (Arcade) Release Dates:
Japanese Release Date: December, 1999

Sega Dreamcast Release Dates:
European Release Date: November, 2000
US Release Date: October 17, 2000
Japanese Release Date: April 27, 2000

Genre: Puzzle/Rhythm
Rating: E
 
  The Story:
A young monkey named Samba grew up in a family who were very poor. Samba grew up down and sad until one day he walked to the grocery store and saw a pair of maracas in a music instrument shop. He loved them and his life has changed in a good way ever since.
 
  The Gameplay:
The best way to play Samba De Amigo is with the Maracas Controller. I'd suggest locating one of those, which were at $80.00 at release. The DC controller pad isn't the best way to enjoy a game of Samba De Amigo.

The game is played to like, there are six indicators. Blue spheres (Rhythm Balls) shoot from the middle into the indicators. Your goal is to destroy the blue spheres before they enter the indicators. The faster or slower the music gets, the blue spheres will get. Point the Maracas toward where the spheres are going and shake them each time the sphere gets into the middle of an indicator circle.

The indicators work like this:
Top left: Shake the left maraca high.
Middle left: Shake the left maraca midway.
Low left: Shake the left maraca low.
Top right: Shake the right maraca high.
Middle right: Shake the right maraca midway.
Low right: Shake the right maraca low.

Using the controller isn't as fun, but it's entertaining. Just like the maracas, you must point the controller using the D-Pad or the A and B buttons to destroy the blue spheres.

Using the Maracas are simple. First, pick your height. When shaking high spheres you'll need the maracas at your head length. Low spheres, you'll need it at your hips and maybe slightly crouching. There's a grade scale, If you get a D, you fail. C and up gets success, though your goal is to get an A. You can get combo's by hitting the spheres a number of times. The fans boo when you miss big time or many times and cheer when you hit correctly.

There's 3 dificulty settings, Easy, Normal and Hard. Each dificulty is much, much harder then the other. If your a rookie, I suggest you start with easy and make your way up. The harder it gets the faster the spheres go.

Every once in a while a stick figure appears holding maracas. Your job is to do the exact pose as it has. With the controllers you must point the D-pad, A and B buttons to the correct location in the indicators. Using the Maracas you must pose like the stick figure on the screen.

The grade ranks from below E to an A+. You start off a game with a C and have to work your way up. When you reach an A+, Samba turns into Super Amigo. When you get below an E, it's game over unless in Easy Mode. When you get an E, Samba skulls fill the screen as Samba is very sad.
 
  Here's information on the game modes:

Arcade: This mode plays exactly like the original arcade version.
Original: You can collect and play the tunes that you've played once in the Arcade Mode, the tunes you've won in challenge mode, and downloaded from the Internet. You can also choose any tune regardless of what stage it is.
Challenge: Clear each challenge, one after another to become Maracas King!
Party: Various Mini games, such as the love test.
Training: Practice makes perfect.
Internet: Visit the official Samba de Amigo website to download songs.
 
  The Music:

The game has tons of different famous to not so famous Latin songs to dance to. Each version of the game has some different songs. The songs are as follows:

Arcade (Japan) Version:

Samba de Janeiro
Tubthumping
Mambo Beat
Livin' La Vida Loca
Cup of Life
Macarena
Mas Que Nada
Take On Me
La Bamba
Tequila
Love Lease
Soul Bossa Nova
The Theme of Inoki

Dreamcast (Japan) Version:

Samba de Janeiro
Tubthumping
El Ritmo Tropical
Mambo Beat
Macarena
Mas Que Nada

Hidden Songs:
Take On Me
La Bamba
El Mambo
Tequila
Love Lease
Soul Bossa Nova
Samba de Amigo
The Theme of Inoki

Downloadable Songs:
Open Your Heart
Rent A Hero No. 1
Super Sonic Racing
Samba de Amigo
After Burner
Burning Hearts
Opa! Opa!
The Theme of Inoki
Magical Sound Shower
Sonic - You Can Do Anything
Dreams Dreams
Tequila
Love Lease
Soul Bossa Nova

Dreamcast (US) Version:

Cup of Life
Samba de Janeiro
Tubthumping
El Ritmo Tropical
Al Compas Del Mambo
Macarena

Hidden Songs:
Livin' La Vida Loca
Take On Me
La Bamba
Tequila
Love Lease
Soul Bossa Nova
Samba de Amigo
Ali Bombaye

Downloadable Songs:
After Burner
Burning Hearts
Dreams Dreams
Super Sonic Racing
Opa! Opa!
Sonic - You Can Do Anything
Magical Sound Shower
Open Your Heart
Rent A Hero No. 1

See other Samba De Amigo Sections

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