December 1st, 2024 - Arcaea, SDVX IV, DDR EXTREME, ITG
a strange title indeed... you've seen SDVX EG on here often, and maybe even SDVX VW if you go all the way back, but SDVX IV? from before i even got into rhythm games? but how? ...well, it's (mostly) a secret that i'm not sure i can discuss on this account... but as part of an anniversary party, i found a cab that ran the game and got to set some scores on it!!! but first! a word from our sponsor: SUPER AMBULANCE [FTR-10] EX+ on the ride to the place in question :]
...between leaving for and arriving to the place, that's thankfully the only score i got as i was just trying to deplete my world mode stamina. but as soon as i was dropped off in seattle and got myself something to eat (could feel myself fainting in the moment... not very good gaming condition), i hopped on the train to the Certain Spot:tm: and met with the beautiful holy cab... the SDVX IV cab!!!! ...and so, although it was mostly just stuff i'd already played in SDVX EG, it was the thrill of the classic theming and experience (and 60hz-ness ig?) that was the main appeal... i even got a volforce class up pop-up!!! (though i'm not sure how volforce works in this version, so i'm not sure if it means anything despite getting it in a single set) ...and i also got a silly little fail on Kita Saitama 2000 [EXH-18]... maybe i'll get it on SDVX EG when i play it?
while getting to play SDVX IV for the very first time was incredible, it wasn't the sole (or even main) reason i was here... no, i was actually here for the DANCE GAMES the place mainly took pride in! and continuing from SDVX IV the trend of rhythm game versions older than my interest in them, here's a rhythm game version that's even older than ME!!! that's right baybee, it's DDR EXTREME!!!! the first and only time i'd ever played on an EXTREME cab was a super ugly and busted cab where almost every background animation was missing... but this one, on the contrary, was a full-fledged DDR EXTREME PRO setup with everything intact (and with great pads too!) . struggled getting used to Vivid and all the background effects, but i managed to close out my set on the cab with a GFC on CARTOON HEROES (Speedy Mix) [HVY-9]... followed by another GFC on the signature Extra Stage song, The legend of MAX [HVY-10]!!! (or [ESP-15] if we're talking modern levels www)
what an incredible experience!! and yet somehow, it wasn't even the main reason i was here either!!! no, the main reason i was here was to play... IN THE GROOVE BAYBEE!!!! sure, i have my own pad at home, but it's not a whole ass awesomesauce arcade pad like the one here is... and the display isn't as good as this one either!!! if anything, this is the prime ITG experience... a bit complicated and basic, sure, but in terms of gameplay, i think the scores speak for themselves...
...okay yeah it was incredible . haven't even had as good of a dance game experience on DDR at Round 1 as i had on this cab, it's just THAT GOOD!!! and while i didn't stick around for long (guess why . it's homework . again . it's always homework), i deeply cherished the time and scores i got on this game session despite how absolutely annihilated and exhausted i was from playing iL-Artifact [13] specifically (oh my GOD there's so many streams i was gasping for breath afterwards), followed by an okay GFC on Odo [11] immediately afterward!!! (the GFC was impressive as the chart was littered with footswitches, but then again i coulda had better acc... ah well, maybe next time!!!)
