Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX — Adorable overload

Super kawaii: Miku started off as an adorable mascot for a voice synthesiser software but is now a global phenomenon and superstar in her own right.

Japan’s virtual pop idol Hatsune Miku finally gets an English release. And oh my goodness, this is the most adowwwable rhythm game we’ve ever played!

Japan has such a weird fascination with technology and cuteness that I wouldn’t be surprised if they accidentally instigated the most kawaii robot apocalypse ever. Take, for example, its creation of Hatsune Miku: she started off as an adorable mascot character for a voice synthesiser software but has since evolved into the world’s first virtual pop star and a beloved cultural phenomenon.

At this point, she’s a global media juggernaut starring in her own music videos, manga, merchandise and, of course, a series of rhythm games. Just like the 3DS title we’re going to talk about today, Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX.

Vocaloid life

I’m a huge Miku fan, so I was already super excited when I heard that this hitherto exclusively Japanese game starring Hatsune Miku and her friends was getting an English release.

HANGING OUT WITH VOCALOIDS: Seriously, you can do a bunch of entertainingly aimless things with the Vocaloids, from having jam sessions to snack times.

However, if you had asked me in the weeks before its release what I thought Mirai DX was going to be about, I’d have said, “it’s mostly a rhythm game featuring songs from Hatsune Miku’s popular music videos like Senbonzakura and World Is Mine, of course”.

Oh, but how naive I was, underestimating the strange ways that Japan designs it games. It turns out that the Play Rhythm Game option is just a tiny button on the main screen.

BONKERS TINY: Check out the size of that purple "Rhythm Game" button on main menu! The rhythm game may be the core of Project Mirai DX, but it's surrounded by a massive amount of fluffy, cutesy extras.

A large part of Mirai DX is instead dedicated to an aimless yet strangely enjoyable (or enjoyably strange, because Japan). Bonus: a slice-of-life simulator where you get to hang out with Miku like she’s a Sim or Tamagotchi.

Miku and her fellow Vocaloid buddies – Rin, Len, Luka, Kaito and Meiko – all appear in their adorable chibi forms (small bodies, big heads, all cute) and you can spend countless hours playing mini-games and playing dress-up with them, as well as decorating their houses or feeding them snacks.

HEY GUMI!: You don't just get to hang out with the Vocaloids Miku, Rin, Len, Luka, Kaito and Meiko – you occasionally get visitors too, like Gumi.

Technically, I should be complaining about how incredibly pointless these activities are, but the lively animations and charming expressions you get from interacting with the Vocaloids really sells the charm. I honestly appreciate Mirai DX being cute simply for the sake of being cute. Either I’m crazy or a large part of this videogame was built for people who enjoy random adorableness.

Tap tap revolution

If you want to purchase costumes and cakes, you’ll need to spend money (Mirai Points) which is earned from playing the rhythm game. And, that reminds me, there’s actually a rhythm game in this Vocaloid life sim!

ALLOWANCE: Can't decide what clothes or snacks to buy for your friends? Give them an allowance and let them do their own shopping! Aww, they're all grown up.

Joking aside, Mirai DX actually has a very polished rhythm game system built into its core. I’ve loaned the game to several people (partly for this review, partly to find new converts to the cult of Miku) to see their reaction: the system was simple enough that it was enjoyed by six-year-old kids, working adults and my mum alike. Yet, it was challenging enough that hardcore gamers had to work to earn that freaking S-rank in a song.

The basics of playing the game are easy: after you pick a song and the music video starts to play, a moving “track” appears with different coloured notes.

FINDER: Your mileage will vary, but I found the stylus mode way easier to play with than the button mode.

You’ll need to hit the corresponding notes as a cursor travels along the “track” – if you choose to use the stylus, you’ll need to tap or swipe across the touchscreen as indicated; if you choose to use buttons, you’ll be tapping on ABXY.

I found that the best thing about the gameplay is how it lets you play the way you like. Playing on Easy is so laidback that it’s mostly there for you to enjoy Hatsune Miku’s songs. (Sorry, Rin/Len/Luka/Kaito/Meiko fans: the song library is 90% Miku.)

WORLD IS MINE: Although the song library features popular Miku songs like World Is Mine, I am aghast that they didn't include Miku's waffle song. Aghast, I say!

In stylus mode, you only have one colour of notes to worry about, and in button mode, you only need to press the A and B buttons.

Crank up the difficulty, however, and the game starts to beat down on your ability to keep a beat: Normal difficulty is for people who like a challenge, but heaven help you if you try button mode on Hard, because not only do need to keep an eye on all four ABXY buttons, you’ll also need to go cross-eyed and use the direction keys simultaneously.

DOREMI FA RONDO: Miku's rondo is such a happy, relaxing song... unless you're playing in buttons mode on Normal or Hard, in which case you'll be frothing at the mouth trying to maintain your combo.

More Miku for you

Although the rhythm game systems offers a lot of ways to customise how you play – going so far as to let you spend 3DS Play Coins to make the game easier or harder (there’s a sudden death mode!) – much of your enjoyment of Project Mirai DX will depend on how much you like deliriously cheerful, upbeat Japanese pop songs.

That said, the good news is that you don’t really need to have prior knowledge of Hatsune Miku, her friends or her music to have fun here. In fact, this game is a perfect introduction to the Miku cultural phenomenon – see “new converts” above.

SENBONZAKURA: Of course the catchy Senbonzakura song is on the playlist. You can even buy a Senbonzakura poster and Senbonzakura costume in the game!

If you’re curious to try tapping out a beat to Miku’s songs, you can download the demo from the Nintendo eShop.

Or, for a small sample of the animated cuteness and the upbeat music, check out the original Project Mirai opening with the Yume Yume tune at youtu.be/-4dwTHnjgYQ.

Or, if you already have the game and just want more Miku, be sure to download the AR cards from miku.sega.com/miraidx so you can see adorable lil’ Vocaloids perform live on your coffee table.

End game

I’m giving Mirai DX a perfect five out of five, because I’ve obviously gone off the deep end of (virtual) idol worship. Could I objectively recommend this game to anybody else, though?

Yes. I totally can and will. Mirai DX has a great rhythm game system and a library of catchy, upbeat pop music that any gamer, newcomer or veteran, can play along to. Plus, the game is just so adorable that it’ll make a Miku fan out of anyone, assuming the game’s extremely cheerful and sweet visual design doesn’t turn them diabetic first.

This, incidentally, is how I suspect robots will inevitable conquer us. When our software becomes aware and comes after us, they won’t send robotic endoskeletons after our resistance fighters. They’ll just create avatars so cute that we’ll find them irresistible.

Pros: So adorable and kawaii desu; a well-polished rhythm game behind all the cuteness.

Cons: If you don’t like Miku’s J-pop style of songs, the saccharine sweetness isn’t for you.

Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX
(Sega)
Rhythm game for 3DS
Website: miku.sega.com/miraidx
Rating: 5/5 stars
Price: US$39.99 (RM170)