Beatmania IIDX 13: Distorted

Beatmania IIDX tasks the player with performing songs through a controller consisting of seven key buttons and a scratchable turntable.[1] Hitting the notes with strong timing increases the score and groove gauge bar, allowing the player to finish the stage. Failing to do so depletes the gauge until it is empty, abruptly ending the song.[2]

The core gameplay remains the same in Distorted, but with several minor additions, such as the ability to change the High Speed setting used in-song by holding down the start button. Double and 2-player notecharts can now be flipped (so that the 1P side would be on the 2P side instead and vice versa). In addition, High Speed 4.5 and 5.0 options have been added.

Also, in Class mode, this version introduces a new grade called "Kaiden", designed for the most skilled, most consistent players in the world. It consists of four out of the most difficult songs available in the version.

Distorted switched the e-Amusement system to the new standardized e-Amusement Pass system. e-Amusement was also required to save progress in the new extra stage system, the Cardinal Gate.

Unlike previous versions of IIDX, Distorted features 4 different extra stages in a setup known as the Cardinal Gate. The system is based on the Four Symbols in Chinese mythology. The 4 main songs are identified by their artists in the menu, and are done under aliases of the main IIDX artists. The 4 songs are Contract by 朱雀 (Suzaku), Ganymede by 玄武 (Genbu), waxing and wanding by 青龍 (Seiryuu), and 華蝶風雪 (Kachoufuusetsu) by 白虎 (Byakko). The One More Extra Stage for Distorted is 嘆きの樹 (Nageki no Ki) by 金獅子 (Kinjishi). The OMES is accessed by A'ing all the other songs on Another with Hard Mode enabled.

To access it, one must get a B or higher on the first stage, and get another B or higher on the second stage (with the second song being of equal or higher difficulty than the first). On the last stage, the player must either full combo a 5 or 6-leveled song, finish a level 7 song with a full Groove Gauge, or pass any song with an 8 or higher.

The system is not used on machines in "beat#2" mode (which unlocks all songs). All of the Cardinal Gate song feature different frames for the gameplay interface. When a Cardinal Gate song was beaten, its corresponding frame would be unlocked to use in regular play using Konami's IIDX mobile site.

Notable songs from this version include:

• Zenius -I- vanisher - a Cyber Opus song by Tatsh. The song's name is shared with a recently established Bemani fansite, and the end of the video hinted at a possible sequel to the song on a later mix.
• iFUTURELIST - a song by Akira Yamaoka, the lead single and title track of his newest album.
• Go Beyond!! - one of the several exclusive songs found in the Console version of DistorteD, by Ryu☆ and Sōta Fujimori. The song is a Level 12 song on Another, which is known to have a complicated middle section.
• 嘆きの樹 (Nageki no ki) - The OMES of DistorteD, this song is the 2nd in IIDX history to have exactly 2000 notes, with the 1st being 冥 (Mei) in Happy Sky.

The PlayStation 2 version of Distorted was released in Japan on August 30, 2007. It contains all the new songs from Distorted (except one, SAMBA DE JANEIRO[3]), 12 new songs, a selection of revived tracks, a preview song from Gold, and in honor of the 10th anniversary of Beatmania, 6 songs from the original 5-key beatmania series. The training mode on Distorted CS also features the Regul-Speed modifier option.

• Official home page (in Japanese)
• IIDX Gateway (in Japanese)