Bravely Default’s New Rhythm Mini-Game on Switch 2 Showcases Joy-Con Mouse Mode in a Brilliant Way
Bravely Default is a Square Enix franchise that may be lesser known than some of the big names like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, but nevertheless has carved a strong following in the JRPG world. In fact, Bravely Default was originally designed as a sequel to Final Fantasy spin-off, The 4 Heroes of Light. During the early April Nintendo Direct Showcase for the upcoming Switch 2, a remaster of the game was announced as part of the upcoming console entries. As we learn more about this remake, one especially intriguing aspect has come up: the rhythm mini-game.
What is Bravely Default?
When Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster for Switch 2 was first announced, I outlined exactly what to expect from the game.
The game follows the warriors of light as they attempt to save the world from destruction by awakening the crystals of the realm. Besides turn based combat, the game also features a job system, where players can customize their characters and strategy in a variety of ways. This style of mechanics allows for tons of replay value as players delve into different styles each time they start over.
Several changes are coming to the remastered version of Bravely Default. First, there will be graphical enhancements for modern HD gaming. The remaster will also have quality of life improvements, such as a fast-forwarding function, redesigned UI and upgraded online capabilities. With the Nintendo Switch 2’s new joycon mouse feature, the game is also adding mouse controlled mini games.
Square Enix has been doing a great deal of Remakes and Remasters of late, and not just with their largest franchises. Attempting to capitalize on the growth of the RPG genre, large developers like Atlus and Square Enix continue to revisit past IPs and bring them to modern console gaming to reach a wider audience and worldwide markets. Bravely Default is set up to have success in the same way the past remasters have.
What Is So Intriguing About Bravely Default’s Rhythm Mini Game?
One of Nintendo Switch 2’s new features is the ability to use the updated Joy Cons as a mouse, which is something that will really benefit games that develop well for PC. That said, it will also allow for dual mouse games, something that is fresh and different. Fans got a brief look at that with Super Mario Jamboree upgrade, and even Drag x Drive, but those are not the only applications of the new feature. It appears Bravely Default will push the capabilities to the max, with the new rhythm mini game coming to the HD Remaster.
Eric Switzer from The Gamer got a behind-the-scenes look at the new game, and while as a whole he was not overly impressed, he did have plenty to say about the new mini-game.
The mini-game is called Luxencheer Rhythm Catch, which feels like an appropriate name for a game called Bravely Default. This rhythm game will be familiar to fans of touchscreen Japanese arcade machines like Maimai or ReRave that throw a bunch of icons up on the screen that you have to touch, tap, or hold, depending on the symbol. Luxencheer takes that concept and reimagines it for dual mouse controls.
With boy Joy-Cons on a flat surface, you control two onscreen cursors simultaneously. As icons appear on screen you’ll interact with them in different ways. Sometimes you’ll need to spread your hands apart, creating a line between the cursors that you’ll need to pass through each note as it appears. When you see a long thin line, you have to bring both hands together, keeping them in the center of the line and clicking R and L as they pass by. It’s just as much about timing as it is positioning, which makes this a really unique spin on the rhythm genre.
It’s a bit like a 2D version of Beat Saber, and a lot like the ultra-competitive game Osu – now with two mice instead of one. I don’t know what levels will look like on the hardest difficulty (I only had time for a couple of songs on normal) but I bet they’re incredibly complex.
It appears that the Joy-Cons for the Switch 2 will really give developers a chance to play around with new thoughts, ideas, and creations. The ability to use two separate cursors opens a variety of opportunities. At first, the system release will likely start with basic, experimental, easy to learn concepts. However, as the system progresses, so too should the ideas that creative teams come up with to push the envelope. The rhythm mini-game in Bravely Default is a nice starting point that hopefully many studios will use as a benchmark to build off of.
