Get Ready to Dance: Space Channel 5 is Back in the Spotlight!
It’s been almost two decades since SEGA debuted their cult-classic SpaceChannel 5, and for the first time since its original launch the game is making a comeback. Space Channel 5, a rhythm-based game developed by renowned video game designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi, has returned from obscurity in grand fashion—with a remastered version of the game and a brand new installment. It’s safe to say that with this latest resurgence, Space Channel 5 is back in the spotlight, and players everywhere are dancing with joy.
In the world of Space Channel 5, players star as Ulala, a pink-haired reporter who must report on a series of strange events occurring across the universe. Every level in the game consists of Ulala and her Channel 5 crew entering different parts of the galaxy to investigate the mysterious occurrences they hear about. In each area that they investigate, they come across a group of aliens and a dance-off ensues. It is up to Ulala and her crew to dance their way past these aliens in an effort to discover the truth behind their various plots.
At its initial release, Space Channel 5 was met with both critical and commercial success. Game critics praised its unique blend of rhythm-based gameplay and groovy soundtrack. Additionally, its unique art style and simple control scheme helped cement its place in pop culture, as players could easily lose hours navigating Ulala’s offbeat universe.
When SEGA decided to revive the classic game more than twenty years later, they did so with the goal of recapturing the same amount of excitement that players first experienced. With this goal in mind, it was obvious that a remaster was the best way to go, as it would ensure that the game’s visuals and audio would remain true to form whilst also delivering improved performance on modern consoles. But SEGA also went one step further, announcing a sequel alongside the remaster—Space Channel 5: Part 2.
Space Channel 5: Part 2 keeps the same basic formula of its predecessor, but it expands on its existing systems to deliver a deeper and more rewarding experience. For instance, the game features an expanded cast of characters, allowing players to switch between Ulala and other members of the Channel 5 crew as they investigate the plots concocted by the aliens. Additionally, the structures of each level have been fleshed out, offering more complex dance-based puzzles that require careful finger work to complete. Of course, any good rhythm game shouldn’t skimp on the music. To that end, the developers ran an extensive search for talented musicians to compose the game’s soundtrack, allowing them to create some truly unique pieces of music to accompany Ulala’s space-faring adventures.
Not only has the remaster and sequel provided Space Channel 5 fans with a worthy addition to the franchise, it has also renewed the game’s visibility. With the game’s newfound popularity, more and more players are picking up the remastered version and one could even make the argument that Space Channel 5: Part 2 may be the best in the series.
Space Channel 5 has always been a game designed to get players up on their feet and get them grooving to the beat, and with its return to the limelight it’s doing just that. With its improved visuals and remastered soundtrack, Space Channel 5: Part 2 captures the same magic of its predecessor whilst taking the franchise to new heights. And of course, the addition of the game-changing sequel is only making the game more attractive to fans of the rhythm genre. If you haven’t already, grab your controller and get ready to dance - Space Channel 5 is back in the spotlight.
