maimai DX
What is the front-loading washing machine looking arcade game called maimai? Early advertisements and promo materials had different joke catchphrases sprinkled in, such as "It's not a washing machine!" and "No water." At its first deployment test, maimai had "NO WASHING" written on its cabinet.
Various notes appear on the circular touchscreen. Tap, hold, or slide on the touchscreen or buttons in time with the music. 5 types of timing judgments range from 'Miss' to 'Critical Perfect' and indicate if they are 'Late' or 'Early'. In-game settings allow display customization for player preference.
The types of notes in the game include:
Tap: A pink ring that needs a tap at the screen edge.
Hold: A pink hexagonal bar requires holding for full length. Releasing early or midway lowers score/accuracy, resulting in 'Fast/Late Perfect', 'Great', or 'Good' rating.
Slide: A star followed by a path. The player must tap the star and then trace along the path.
Paired: Combination of tap, hold or slide notes; colored yellow for simultaneous taps.
Touch: A blue note (yellow with multiple notes) in screen center needs a tap when arrows close in.
Touch Hold: A multicolored note in the middle of the screen that requires holding for the entire length.
Break: A red-yellow ring/star, requires tap for bonus score/accuracy. Needs 'Critical Perfect' for full note score. Breaks can pair with normal Pair note or another Break note. As of maimai DX FESTiVAL, new songs can also include Hold and Slide paths that are Break notes, carrying extra accuracy.
EX: Non-Touch/Slide path notes (including break notes) that glow brighter than other notes. Any non-'miss' judgment is a 'Critical Perfect', unless it is an EX Hold note that has been released early, which results in lower accuracy as per usual.
Many players wear gloves for better button control, smoother screen sliding, and reduced friction injuries at higher difficulty levels.
If you ever wished to play this game in the US, come visit Game Nest arcade in Las Vegas, NV. We take so much pride in maintaining our machines. We’re located in Chinatown, just a few minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip.