The third main entry arrives with an electrifying Fever system and a fully reimagined art direction. One hundred tracks and ad hoc co-op probably make this the most generous portable DJ Max.
Your verdict
Category
Rhythm1 player3+
Description
Third main entry in the series bringing a Fever system and a renewed artistic direction. Published by Neowiz Games, released in North America in May 2010. One hundred electro and J-pop tracks, Fever gauge unlocking visual effects, ad hoc co-operative mode, new background animations. North American NTSC release.
DJ Max Portable 3 review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
A pillar of the Korean rhythm scene, the game unfurls an electronic repertoire of wild richness, from K-pop to trance through hip-hop. Each track, original and stylish, rewards precision with an unmatched high. This sharp selection, polished down to the detail, makes the game a benchmark of the genre.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
A polished visual overhaul, a modernised interface and an ever richer music selection: this third entry pushes the series toward a new elegance. The pleasure of precision stays intact, and the genre diversity keeps the urge to unlock everything alive. Stylish, accessible and deep, a rhythm game that pairs spectacle and virtuosity with impressive mastery.
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Measuring your taps across stylish charts and a modernized interface drives you to retake each track until the combo is perfect. Unlocking titles and challenges, aiming for a better rank and feeling your progress sustain the session without let-up. The technical bar stays high, but the visual and musical class of the whole keeps a tenacious hold on the initiated.
A third main entry in Pentavision's rhythm series, DJ Max Portable 3 renews the art direction and introduces a Fever system rewarding perfect chaining, in the in house note scrolling. The varied catalogue, the modernised staging and the depth of the difficulty system make an ambitious franchise entry, accessible but demanding for experts. The slick aesthetic appeals. For a fan of rhythm games or of the Korean music scene, the title keeps an assertive intensity and style.
