Rhythm game timeline effort: First music/rhythm games

So what were the earliest music/rhythm games? I guess Parappa's probably among the earliest, what was there before?

Also, what games feature small bits of music/rhythm gameplay? I'm thinking Zelda Ocarina/Wind Waker, or the DDR-ish bit in Geist. There must be loads of examples I'm forgetting, can anyone help out?

 

I know the NES had the Power Pad but can`t recollect any dance/music games etc

They did have a keep fit one but don`t think that counts

 

There's Bust a Groove on the PSX. I think it's earlier than Parappa. Internal Section and Vib Ribbon responded to your music CDs, but I'm not sure they'd count as rhythm games.

There was a Karaoke sequence in Takeshi Kitano's Famicom game - since the original famicom had a microphone.

But I'd guess the precursor of most rhythm games would have to be "Simon", an awesome toy from the late 70s and early 80s. I'm sure there's an Atari 2600 game that mimics that gameplay, but I can't remember the title.

Edit: Yes. There is a "Dance Aerobics" game for the Power Pad, and you could also edit music sequences with it. I have the cart.

 

There's a Simon (very much so) but played to music in Stubbs the Zombie.

 

Thanks for the help.

Anyone know what early console versions of Simon there were? I can find references to a homebrew 2600 game, but that doesn't really count.

How did this work? Did it give you a score or something? Can't imagine the Famicom having the power to do much wave analysis.

 

From what I know, you just had to yell into the microphone for a couple of hours.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeshi_no_Chousenjou

http://www.kotaku.com/gaming/famicom/the-craziest-famicom-game-evar-162647.php

there's some info

 

What a crazy game. Did any games use the microphone properly?

 

It's hard to say.... I'd say that among the earliset are Break Dance (Commodore 64) and Groove's Music Maker (Atari 2600), although it didn't quite made it to the market (but exists in prototype form).


Besides, there is a DDR like sequence in Pinocchio for the Genesis and Super NES (sort of...):shrug:

 

Thanks for the info. Can't find out anything about "groove's music maker" on the 2600 though (and would've thought the LSFR sound hardware would be prohibitive of any music software anyway)

 

Didn't Laserdisc system have kareoke functions? Wouldn't that count as a rythm game?

 

It's not only a crazy game, it's a horrible game, utterly painful to play! For the most part it's not even funny.

The console is only capable of detecting whether or not the microphone is being spoken into (like a 1-bit sound detector), unfortunately there isn't a ADC to digitize the sound. The microphone was really just a little gimmick for kids to hear their voice through the TV. The games known to have anything to do with the microphone (even as eastereggs) are:

FDS Legend of Zelda
FDS Parthena no Kagami (maybe?)

Doraemon (not sure which)
Family Basic
PlayBox Basic
Raid on Bungeling Bay
(and Takeshi no Chosenjyo)

 

Is the microphone put directly through to the TV as an analogue signal then? And what could the microphone possibly be used for in Family Basic?

 

I'm sorry, it is actually Grover's Music Maker.

There is a review about in on gamefaqs: http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/a2600/review/563242.html

and some screenshots on the vgmuseum: http://www.vgmuseum.com/images/02/grover.html

 

there was Dance Dance Dance game for Playstation, but not very good.

 

Thanks for all the names, everyone. Very helpful.

 

I still suspect that Break Dance (Commodore 64) was the first "true" rhythm game... Anyway, it was not even HALFWAY decent, so ASSEMbler got a point here.

 

How about the little music-based subgames in Toejam & Earl 2?

 

Never played that. What did you have to do?