Musika

{{Short description|2007 video game}} {{Infobox VG | title = Musika | image = Musika Logo.png | developer = NanaOn-Sha | publisher = Apple<br>Sony BMG | modes = Single-player | designer = Masaya Matsuura | released = August 7, 2007 | genre = Music | platforms = iPod }}

'''''Musika''''' is a music video game created for the iPod by Masaya Matsuura. Originally called ''Rhythmica'',<ref>Plunkett, Luke. ''[http://kotaku.com/gaming/this-is-new/musika-play-a-decent-game-on-your-ipod-286229.php Musika: Play A Decent Game On Your iPod] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014105428/http://kotaku.com/gaming/this-is-new/musika-play-a-decent-game-on-your-ipod-286229.php |date=2008-10-14 }}''. Kotaku. 6 August 2007.</ref> ''Musika'' was created exclusively for the iPod click wheel interface and is considered similar in format to the rhythm game, ''Phase'', also for iPod.<ref>''[http://www.mobygames.com/game/musika Musika] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101112041443/http://www.mobygames.com/game/musika |date=2010-11-12 }}''. MobyGames. 5 December 2007.</ref> Matsuura has said in interviews that his decision to make the game for the iPod was a simple decision because "[m]any years ago Apple's tools first opened [his] eyes to the power of music and multimedia, so it's exciting [for him] to release [his] first game for this device."<ref>Kumar, Mathew. ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20070811210836/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=15016 Masaya Matsuura (Parappa) Releases musika For iPod]''. Gamasutra. 7 August 2007.</ref>

== Gameplay == ''Musika'' is a music-generated game and as such it is played using the songs already on the iPod it is played on. To play, the player selects a song from the list of all songs available and plays it. As the music plays, the player is challenged to press the Select button (the only button used to play the game<ref>Sanches, João Diniz. ''[http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPod/Musika/news.asp?c=3828 PaRappa the Rapper creator unveils Musika iPod game - One-button gameplay based on your music collection] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113013956/http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPod/Musika/news.asp?c=3828 |date=2008-01-13 }}''. Pocket Gamer. 7 August 2007.</ref>) as soon as a character (letter or number) from the song's title appears in the field. The faster this is done, the more points are earned.<ref>Cook, Brad. ''[https://www.apple.com/games/ipod/musika Musika: your music is the game] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209051108/http://www.apple.com/games/ipod/musika/ |date=2010-12-09 }}''. Apple.com. Retrieved 27 November 2008.</ref> For every 5 letters selected correctly and for every completed song, score multipliers build up the more correct letters you get in a row. High scores can lead to development of bonus icons, which act to protect the player against misses, passes and blocks.<ref>Dredge, Stuart. ''[http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPod/Musika/review.asp?c=4653 Musika - It's all about the music, maaan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223220103/http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPod/Musika/review.asp?c=4653 |date=2008-12-23 }}''. Pocket Gamer. 7 November 2007.</ref>

== Development == ''Musika'' began development in 2006. Matsuura brought up the idea to the NanaOn-Sha team, who proceeded to make an early prototype of what would become Musika. Soon after at the Tokyo Game Show in 2006, now defunct record and publishing company Sony BMG Music Entertainment was fond of the prototype that the NanaOn-Sha team had created, and soon after became the publisher for ''Musika'' on the iTunes store.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matsuura Got Rhythm: The State Of NanaOn-Sha's Founder |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/matsuura-got-rhythm-the-state-of-nanaon-sha-s-founder |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=www.gamedeveloper.com |language=en |archive-date=2024-09-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240918192127/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/matsuura-got-rhythm-the-state-of-nanaon-sha-s-founder |url-status=live }}</ref>

According to Matsuura, the creation of Musika was made during a "jam session" type of development. By the time the games development was complete, the NanaOn-Sha team had already moved on to their next project, however Sony BMG decided to publish Musika on the iPod. The NanaOn-Sha team did not have an iPod developer, so they sent the source code to a development company in Texas, who proceeded to convert the game to iPod.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matsuura Got Rhythm: The State Of NanaOn-Sha's Founder |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/matsuura-got-rhythm-the-state-of-nanaon-sha-s-founder |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=www.gamedeveloper.com |language=en |archive-date=2024-09-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240918192127/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/matsuura-got-rhythm-the-state-of-nanaon-sha-s-founder |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Reception == {{Music ratings | rev1 = ''Macworld'' | rev1score = 3/5 | rev2 = ''Pocket Gamer'' | rev2score = 6/10 | rev3 = ''Destructoid'' | rev3score = 8/10 }} ''Musika'' released on August 7, 2007. The game was published by Sony BMG Music Entertainment and was priced at $4.99 on the US iTunes store.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-08-07 |title=New iPod game Musika available |url=https://www.engadget.com/2007-08-07-new-ipod-game-musika-available.html |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Engadget |language=en-US}}</ref>

Critics praised the art style, visual effects, and transitions, however the game received criticism for the lack of gameplay variation outside of the main gameplay loop.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Review: Musika for iPod |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/187931/musika-2.html |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Macworld |language=en |archive-date=2025-01-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250124155817/https://www.macworld.com/article/187931/musika-2.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.apple.com/games/ipod/musika The ''Musika'' page on Apple.com] *{{moby game|id=/musika}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090506013904/http://www.musikagame.com/press.html The Official ''Musika'' Website]

Category:2007 video games Category:IPod games Category:Music generated games Category:Music video games Category:NanaOn-Sha games Category:Single-player video games Category:Video games developed in Japan