The Samba de Amigo franchise has sat dormant since 2008 when it was revived for the Nintendo Wii. A decade and a half later, the arcade rhythm game franchise is ready to reintroduce itself once more. Samba de Amigo: Party Central is set to arrive on Switch later this month, and is looking to offer a refreshing modern take on the IP.
During my time with Samba de Amigo: Party Central, I got to see how SEGA is using the Nintendo Switch technology to inform gameplay. You play with one Joy-Con in either hand, shaking them like Maracas to match the on-screen notes. The notes are laid out in a hexagon shape, with an avatar in the middle indicating where you’re supposed to move the Joy-Cons.
Source: SEGA
Most notes can be hit with either Maraca, allowing you to have a little fun and be creative with your body movements as you try to strike some perfect notes. Certain sections of a song will require you to use a specific hand for a note, or hold a position for a prolonged period of time. The game’s library of songs includes several modern hits, including some of the top songs from the last decade, including Ariana Grande and Zedd’s Break Free.
Rhythm games have been a hit on Nintendo consoles ever since the company introduced motion controls to its systems. With that, it’ll be interesting to see if Samba de Amigo: Party Central is able to find a decent audience. It won’t be long until we find out, as the game is set to be released later this month on August 29, 2023.
