The era of the "Guitar Hero" inspired music game is surely waning. But as we look back on the glory days of fake plastic instrument peripherals and the family and friends that played them, let us not regard it as a mere fad. Instead, let us allow Second Impact, the developers of Super Crazy Guitar Maniac Deluxe 4, latest in the series of browser-based music games, to remind us why we all played these games, and how fun it is to rock out at home, even if we don't have the chops to make it on tour.
Like other entrants in the series, Super Crazy Guitar Maniac Deluxe 4 (I may never tire of typing that) is all about re-imagining the Guitar Hero experience for your home PC, so if you are unfamiliar with these sorts of games, you should take a look at the helpful in-game tutorial. Use the [1234] keys (or [ASDF], if you select that preference in the Options menu) to play long notes with your left hand, and the [arrow] keys for shorter attacks in your right. Play the keys indicated by the passing icons to successfully rock out; flub your timing or accuracy and experience the ignominy of lameness.
The controls sometimes seem a bit loose or clumsy, but are generally responsive and suitable for mimicking the Guitar Hero controller on your keyboard. The set list lets you thrash to a broad, if obscure, variety of fine head-banging tracks, from classic-sounding metal to ska to "boss-fight" guitar noodling. Super Crazy Guitar Maniac Deluxe 4 improves over its predecessors with amusing presentation and a host of new options and features. You can play every song in two difficulty levels, garner achievements for epic thrashing or embarrassing failure, and battle egregious enemy bosses like the diabolical Puppet or the innocent Pizza Guy through the shear power of Rock. Or you can just put on your headphones and sneak a quick jam in a break in your day. Either way, let Super Crazy Guitar Maniac Deluxe 4 let you remember how much fun rock music games can be.
Walkthrough Guide
(Please allow page to fully load for spoiler tags to be functional.)
All the Secret Achievements:
Screen it All
See Every Menu Screen
(including the one by clicking "Go Back" in-song)
Skin of your Teeth
Just scrape a Star Award
(Just play a song, and once you barely pass the bronze mark, stop playing.)
Premature Articulation
Hit a Lot of Buttons Before the Music Starts
(Got mine on Presumed Dead)
Analysis Paralysis
Spend a while Choosing a Song
Crack of Dawn
Play the Game at 6 AM
(or just set your clock back for a moment.)
4'33"
Press Nothing for a Whole Song
...Makes Perfect!!
Play the Same Song Five Times
Posted by: Lloyd | February 3, 2012 12:50 PM
Here's a few things I've found that nobody's mentioned yet.
How to get more guitars:
As mentioned above, you get one by peeling back the paper near the whale on the title screen.
Every boss has a guitar that you earn the first time you defeat it.
You also get a new guitar when you complete all the achievements in a row of the achievements screen.
Finding secret songs:
When you complete the top row of achievements, you will be given a new guitar. Select this, and you'll immediately be thrown into a new song. Same goes for the guitar unlocked through the second achievement row.
My favourite song in the game is the second secret!
Boss #4:
On the song select screen, there will be a purple line dancing around one of the songs. Select and complete this song and return to the song select screen. When you do this, an energy ball will appear in the lower-right. (Going to the main menu makes this disappear thogh) The boss will challenge you if you select the swirly song while you have two energy balls.
Posted by: Albert | February 4, 2012 1:00 PM