Review : Space Channel 5 Special Edition for PS2

I love my music and dance games. I am nowhere near as good as BBQ at them but I was counting down the day until the US release of Space Channel 5 Special Edition for PS2. They are a strange beast. The genre is a chimera of interactive music and graphics that resembles a musical toy more than a traditional videogame. But then again what exactly is a traditional videogame? Space Channel 5 is the Dreamcast's answer to Parappa the Rapper and was developed by the same team at Sega that developed Rez

This is the PS2 port of the original Dreamcast game of Space Channel 5 Part One and the never before released here Space Channel 5 Part Two. This should have been one of the last US Dreamcast games but it was canceled at the last moment along side Shenmue 2. Sega recorded an English version of the game but shelved it until the European PS2 release much later.

This game's gameplay is a bit like the old kids electronic toy Simon. You have four directions and two buttons to match a sequence of musical keys in perfect order and timing. This is not a real cerebral game but you can learn to play it in a matter of seconds and most importantly it is fun.

What really sets this game apart is the 60s swank art style and 60s hip big band swing sound. The look and feel of the game is a retro 60s with a good dose of campy humor. The design is whimsical and fun. The game should really appeal to girl gamers of all ages. Not to mention that Ulala is one of the hottest video game divas ever. The game actually got a Teen rating even though there is no nudity, swearing or non-cartoon action. I would have given this game an Everyone rating but I guess Ulala's skirts, leg boots and belly button is to sexy.

The game's main character is Ulala a instant video game diva she is a swank dancing space reporter and she is out to save the universe from evil dancing aliens and robots by out dancing them and spreading love. I know that should pretty whimsy and lacking videogame testosterone but it ends up that it is a blast to play.

Now there is two bits of controversy surrounding the English version of the game. Originally when Sega was developing Space Channel 5 on the Dreamcast they had a contract to have Lady Kier of the former modern disco band Dee-lite provide the voice and performance for Ulala. Even the name of the character is based on Lady Kier's signature phrase "U- la la, la la la la la La". Sega then decided to pull out of the contract and hired another actress for the roll. But the performance was essentially and undeniably based of Lady Kier. She put up with it for a couple years until the European Release of Space Channel 5 part One and Two on PS2. She is now suing Sega for trademark infringement and I think she actually has a pretty good case considering it looked like they were going to hire her for the part in the first place.

The other controversy is about Space Michael. In one of the latter stages of the first game you encounter a Michael Jackson impersonator called Space Michael. It ends up that the weird gloved one liked this and he asked to be officially included in the sequel. Michael Jackson was also in the old Moonwalker Sega Arcade and Genesis/Megadrive game. Since the US popularity of the singer has plummeted like a rock after several criminal charges and assorted creepy weirdness they designers chose to take all mention of Jackson in the game and it might be the reason why Sega was reluctant to release it in the US.

I can't understand why Sega of America opted out to release this game but they licensed it to the videogame publisher Agetec. For $30 you get a copy of both Space Channel 5 part one and two. That is a great deal and this would be a great gift to any girl with a PS2 this holiday season. But the real thing you need to ask yourself is what you think about Parappa. If you dug Parappa that Space Channel 5 should be in your PS2 library.