Back in late January, one of the first surprise location tests of the year to pop up was for a mysterious new arcade rhythm game by the name of “Penda Beats” from Bandai Namco. This went on test in Japan completely unannounced, but quickly created a small buzz online, and received several other tests over there in the following months. Things then went very quiet for it, with still no official announcement of its existence by the company, but it did receive a new trademark which made it look like the game would be renamed. Bandai Namco have now announced it for real – let’s take a look at Penlalive.
Note that this is a post about a game that is headed to location test, the arcade industry equivalent of a beta test, in Japan. The final product may differ greatly from what you see below, or the game may not reach full production. There is no indication at this time that it is headed West, however, there is always a possibility of a limited release through Round1USA, or a wider release, depending on how the game performs.
Bandai Namco Officially Announces Penlalive
For those who did not catch our original coverage of the game earlier this year, Penlalive is a brand new original rhythm game from the house of Taiko involving a very different kind of stick-based gameplay. Players use two light-up ‘wotagei’ pens, beloved by the wota (fans of Japanese idol singers), in a rounded playfield to tap, scroll, and shake their way through various J-Pop songs, with a similar downward-facing notes presentation to the likes of Guitar Hero, Sound Voltex, and Chunithm.
In terms of what’s different from those initial tests besides the name change, from what can be seen in the below trailer the cabinet has been through a little bit of a revamp too with some new artwork, as well as slightly fewer LED lights (which is unusual, as most cabinets can’t resist using more these days…). Perhaps that’s a cost or power consumption reducing move from Bandai Namco though. It also looks like the pen shaking gameplay is a lot more front and center than it was before, which is something that most expected of it at first (given how wota pens are used), so that’s unsurprising:
The game is set to be going back on test in Japan this month, for a period of five days from the 8th at Namco’s flagship Ikebukuro location in Tokyo (where the original Penda Beats test was also held). Players who go along and answer a questionnaire on it also receive free Penlalive-branded light wrist bracelets, which is a cool touch. You never see that kind of thing done with location tests over here, that’s for sure… it and announcing them like this would help in creating more excitement, but that’s another discussion.
It’s very possible this will be one of Bandai Namco’s new exhibits at Japan’s Amusement Expo in November, seeing as it has only been receiving tests over there so far. That and BN still sorting things out with the less-than-ideal things that stalled the US launch for Taiko makes it unlikely it will be at IAAPA that month too (even moreso than Resident Evil 2: Arcade, which is already unlikely), but I would suggest never say never when it comes to the future. It’s also interesting, and unusual, for a game like it to have no visible network features even on test in Japan, as this one doesn’t – although that could still be added in at a later date. So perhaps it will take a few years and Taiko being more established in the West, or maybe the Western arm of Bandai Namco will throw us for a loop with a little surprise.
What do you think of Penlalive? Would you like to play this new Bandai Namco arcade rhythm game?
