Keyboardmania

Infobox VG
title = Keyboardmania


developer = Konami
publisher = Konami
designer =
release = 2000
genre = Music
modes = Up to 2 players simultaneously
cabinet = Custom
arcade system =
display = Raster, standard resolution, horizontal, two 19 inch monitors
input = Piano Keyboard (24 keys);
Effector wheel
platforms = Arcade

"Keyboardmania" (alternately "KEYBOARD MANIA", and abbreviated KBM) is a rhythm video game created by the Bemani division of Konami. In this game up to two players use 24-key keyboards to play the piano or keyboard part of a selected song. Notes are represented on-screen by small bars that scroll downward above an image of the keyboard itself. The goal is to play the matching key when a note bar descends to the red play point line. The arcade cabinet has two screens - one for each player.

There is also a simulator called "DoReMi Mania" [http://www.geocities.com/doremi_eng/] , which uses *.pms files. However, players can use a midi-to-pms converter to simplify editing.

Arcade Release

Keyboardmania has three Japanese arcade releases.
*Keyboardmania 3rdMIX [Released Q1 2001]
*Keyboardmania 2ndMIX [Released Q3 2000]
*Keyboardmania [Released Q1 2000]

*Keyboardheaven [Released Q1 2000] : Korean release edition of Keyboardmania (1stMIX).

uper Linking Session

Keyboardmania 3rdMIX has a linking feature with Drummania 4thMIX/GUITARFREAKS 5thMIX and Drummania 5thMIX/GUITARFREAKS 6thMIX with a dozen songs.

Home Version

Keyboardmania has 2 home versions for Playstation 2.
*Keyboardmania [Released 9/21/2000]

*Keyboardmania II (2ndMIX & 3rdMIX) [Released 2/28/2002]

The Home Version of keyboardmania has Modified controller similar to the Arcade keys.

One other notable version is for Windows PCs and it is shipped with the Yamaha EZ-250i Keyboard, which is used to play [Released Q2 2003] .

Notable songs

*Frozen Ray - this song has crossed over to beatmania IIDX 6th Style and Dance Dance Revolution EXTREME after debuting on 3rd Mix.
*Pink Rose - this song has crossed over to pop'n music 5 (for the Japanese PS2), Dance Dance Revolution EXTREME and beatmania IIDX 12.HAPPY SKY.
*The Least 100sec - one of the dozen songs that can be played in the Super linking Session. In addition to being in Keyboardmania, drummania and Guitar Freaks, this song also appears in pop'n music, Dance Dance Revolution EXTREME, beatmania (5key), beatmania III and beatmania IIDX (for the Japanese PS2).

External links

* [http://www.konami.co.jp/am/keyboard/ keyboardmania Official homepage] in Japanese
* [http://www.konami.co.jp/am/km3/ keyboardmania 3rdMIX Official homepage] in Japanese
* [http://www.konami.co.jp/am/km2/ keyboardmania 2rdMIX Official homepage] in Japanese
* [http://www.bemanistyle.com/gameinfo/games.php?series_id=11/ Bemanistyle] in English
* [http://www.keyboardmania.org/ keyboardmania Hong Kong FanClub] in Chinese

References