Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! (Japan Version) Nintendo DS

The set-up is suitably Japanese (read: clinically insane). You're given control of a group of three cheerleaders (the titular Ouendan, or "Cheer Squad") who, in a bizarre quirk of fate are not scantily-clad orbulously-breasted young females - no Tecmo game this - but a trio of trenchcoated males with appropriately weird hair. Think Neo on Prozac and you're halfway there. These three are called into action by people who've managed to get themselves into various scrapes, and who need some cheerleading assistance. Whereupon the Ouendan spring into action with a J-Rock soundtrack, some shouting and no end of painfully hip (or indeed, painful-hipped) dance moves. The folks requiring the help range from a restauranteur attempting to attract customers whilst cleaning up cat piss, to a concert violinist suffering from an acute case of the runs whilst on a train. And it's every bit as outrageous and hilarious as that sounds.

All this immaculately-choreographed rescuing is accomplished via the stylus and touchscreen, with a manga-styled cartoon sequence telling the story on the top screen, and a host of numbers appearing with the Ouendan on the bottom, with the player tapping, dragging or circling the stylus in time with the numbered touch-points which appear during each song. A power bar of sorts lets you know how you're doing, with perfect hits netting you 300 points and letting the meter refill, whilst complete misses and mistimed taps will see the bar rapidly decreasing and the Game Over screen appearing once it's disappeared.

And as far as mechanics goes, that's about it. The game never deviates from that basic template, but it never needs to - later difficulty levels change the rhythm and the speed of the beats, with the harder stages requiring some precise rapid-fire touching and spinning in order to see you through. There's never any reason to get frustrated either, given that the difficulty curve is almost perfect, despite spiking at the 15th and final song of each section. It's a game that, whilst ostensibly quite challenging, allows the player to advance further each time. The lunatic presentation of each scenario and the wonderfully catchy tracks - giving the DS sound chip a healthy workout and sounding great through a set of decent headphones - make it worthwhile. There's also one outstanding stage, which, while not wishing to spoil things, is quite simply one of the most remarkably lovely and surprising gaming treats you'll experience in this genre. Longevity is guaranteed via a multiplayer mode, with sections unlocked by achievements in single-player, while the fearsome challenge of Very Hard mode and the appeal of besting your own high scores should ensure that Ouendan remains in your DS for a fair old while.

The chief appeal of Ouendan, though, lies in the sheer feel of the thing. You see, tapping and dragging the stylus across the screen in time with the musical accompaniment is something tangibly rhythmic - as appropriate as bashing away at a pair of Donkey Konga bongos or shaking your Samba de Amigo maracas. It's never anything too complicated, just something enchantingly simple that's simultaneously (and rather appropriately) simply enchanting.

If anyone is still in any doubt, Ouendan is further proof of that other Nintendo mantra: Touching is good.

by Chris Schilling - Press Start Online