Review: Let’s Tap

Did Naka Tap into More Genius, or the Mundane?

When Sega first announced that Yuji Naka would be leaving the Sonic Team to form his own independent (but still partially Sega funded) development studio, the scope of his creative genius that was now lost was immediately felt.  Naka left Sega right in the middle of development of the 2006 Sonic the Hedgehog, and what was felt to be the hedgehog’s return to the high pedestal of glory, in practice, saw the hedgehog fall to the cold ground below, feet first.

It would take two years for Sonic to make any step of progress without one of his key fathers leading the way.  While Sonic Unleashed is considered by most to be a step in the right direction, there are still some who wonder if Sonic will ever be the same without Mr. Naka offering at least some input.  And just what is he up to anyway with that Prope studio?  There were rumors that he was working on a Sonic-esque IP, perhaps a total and completely non-plagiarist re-imagination of the franchise he helped create.

Let’s Tap is not such a re-imagination.  And it’s not supposed to be–even if that Bubble Voyager looks an awful lot like the spiky blue dude if you look at him the right way, at a certain angle, in a certain shade of sunlight.  But it’s still pretty good fun.

Others who have reviewed the game believe this collection of unique mini-games may have best served their purpose as a launch title for the Nintendo Wii, as a means to display the true versatility of the Wiimote’s technology.  I say: Where’s the fun in that?  For those unaware, you won’t be flailing your arms in the air with the controller in hand to enjoy what Let’s Tap has to offer.  You’ll need to lay the Wiimote down on a flat surface that can be tapped on–the game recommends a tissue box, for example.  Your fingers tap down on the box, and the resulting vibration produced is sensed by the Wiimote, controlling your moves.

Though certainly one of the more ingenious and innovative control techniques I’ve ever experienced, it can also be very frustrating to get used to if you’ve chosen the wrong box.  I don’t use tissues (how unsanitary am I?!), so I had to hastily dig up a box which a small spindle of DVD-Rs once occupied.  It was flimsy–no flimsier than an empty tissue box, I thought–but there was the problem.  Constantly, I found myself trying to reset the controller’s position, as it was falling off the box.  This wasn’t happening from “tapping too hard”, either, as the game occasionally warns players about discreetly on the top right of the screen.  It’s certainly not a game breaker, but constantly having to have one eye on the screen at first and the other on my controller while tapping–particularly during Tap Runner–was annoying, at best.

Fortunately, the mini-games like Tap Runner are cute and innovative enough that I don’t mind the pursuit of a perfect tapping box.  We might as well start the game analysis with that race-centric mini-game.  You won’t be racing with cars, rather with gel people, through the planets of the universe in a very sleek, simplistic environment.  Much like the racer of record–Mario Kart–trying to get too much of a head start with your fingers will cost you.  But once you get going, you face either your friends or computer opponents, all of whom are traversing the same obstacle courses that involve sprinting, sliding, swinging, jumping, and caution.  Getting sucked into the wrong black hole or hitting an electrode will cost precious seconds in the competition, and that’s no good if you’re going for the record.  I guess Yuji Naka couldn’t shake off that need for speed that he injected into the blue hedgehog we know and love.

In fact, the character you control in the game’s Bubble Voyager mode looks vaguely familiar as well.  Unfortunately, not even the spirit of Sonic can save this from being the least appealing mode in the bunch.  Though there is an array of both power-ups to collect and enemies to traverse, the sensitivity of the control mechanics mean only the most intricate and expert of tappers should apply.  I never quite got the hang of making my way through the course or landing on the pad, and to be honest, I didn’t feel like there was a unique set of appeal in Bubble Voyager that didn’t already exist in Tap Runner.  That’s not the mode’s fault, and I’m sure some will enjoy its Battlefield mode, but it is for some, and probably not for most.

I had a similar overall opinion about Rhythm Tap.  A mode that can best be described as DDR for lazy people, players accumulate points by taping at varying strengths to the beat.  In theory, having to execute varying strengths of tapping as instructed would require the pinpoint skill and care that a typical game under Yuji Naka’s direction possesses–especially given the quick yet tense nature of music synchronization.  In practice, players can just tap their way through the variety of song offered–most of which are quite catchy and good played standalone, by the way–and much of the skill is lost.  Given how players will likely tap at will anyway when the difficulty is turned up, much of the Rhythm’s Tap true point is rendered useless.

The bright spot in Let’s Tap is a mode that probably could have been released standalone as a WiiWare or even a web game to rousing success–Silent Blocks. The mode combines the best bits of Jenga, Bejeweled, and old fashioned nerves of steel.  In the basic mode, players take turns removing individual blocks from a stack.  That in of itself is fun, as it requires fine tuning of your tapping skills.  Add to it the Silent Blocks Alchemist mode–and add to that a four player “race” mode–and you have many entertaining hours in front of you, potentially.  The multiplayer race mode has rules that can be modified by the user, and that allows for a lot of variety and replay value.  Silent Blocks may look stone cold boring at first sight, but it’s easily one of the most satisfying modes in the game, by yourself or with your friends.

I was also drawn to the most surreal modes of the bunch–those under the Vizualizer mode.  Picture your media player or Winamp visualizer evolving and changing to each beat of the tune.  That, in a nutshell, is what I compare Visualizer to, except you’re controlling the environment by tapping.  From setting off fireworks to rippling through a river and even trying your hand at some calligraphy with ink, Visualizer is a perfect mode for chilling by yourself.  The Gem Game within does reap some reward, but overall, you’ll be spending your time just messing around, perhaps triggering random tap combos, and generally sharing in the serene feelings Visualizer is meant to evoke.  It is a breath of fresh air that Yuji Naka and Prope still have the creative license to release items like these–games and fun trinkets that don’t have a story, plot, or a general sense of rhyme and reason.  They’re just fun.

Overall, that’s how I feel about Let’s Tap.  Its fun lies in its simplicity and innovative control mechanic.  Though a tad frustrating for me to adapt to at first, the setup shows that developers have merely scratched the surface of the versatility Nintendo’s Wii has to offer.  This isn’t a revolutionary set of games, but they’re nothing to sneeze at either–especially given Sega’s budget conscious price point for Let’s Tap.  I’m not sure I would recommend the game to those who have no friends to play with, even though there’s still plenty to enjoy in a single player experience.  But if you have a few acquaintances who are willing to try something different, they all are sure to have a blast.  Let’s Tap is not revolutionary, but it’s a step in the right direction, and shows immediate promise for the future of Prope.