Space Channel 5 dances Ulala through high-energy rhythms. Pop colours, sixties nods and simple yet thrilling gameplay. A cult Sega treasure to savour.
Your verdict
Category
Rhythm4 players3+
Description
A United Game Artists and Sega rhythm game released in 2002, a PS2 port of the 1999 Dreamcast game. Ulala, a space TV reporter, traverses five episode-channels to free hostages with rhythmic dance moves (chu, chu, hey). Futuristic sixties pop aesthetics by Tetsuya Mizuguchi, simon-says gameplay. A cult rhythm niche. Distributed simultaneously in Japan and Europe.
Space Channel 5 review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
A tangy retro-future, bright shapes and frenzied choreography: everything evokes a 1960s pop reread in garish colours. Ulala's flamboyant silhouette and the geometric sets compose a style as groovy as the game's spirit. This visual whimsy, gleefully kitsch, keeps an irresistible charm.
Impossible to resist the retro groove of "Mexican Flyer" and the call-and-response dance exchanges that pace Ulala's adventure. Sparkling funk and colourful disco turn every level into a supercharged TV show. This offbeat, joyful sonic identity remains one of the most original of the rhythm game.
Gameplay
"Solid"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Matching the dance steps of zany aliens to funky beats, mic in hand as an intergalactic reporter: the idea is as goofy as it is adorable. The fun springs from that 'left-right-shoot' call-and-response that quickly grows irresistible. Stylish, retro-futuristic and brimming with charm, a unique rhythm game that puts a smile on your face at once.
A PS2 port of United Game Artists and Sega's cult rhythm game, Space Channel 5 stars Ulala, a space TV reporter, who frees hostages by repeating dance sequences to the rhythm set by her opponents. The futuristic sixties pop aesthetic, the offbeat charm and the synchronised call and response mechanic create a unique, personality filled experience. The lack of precision in the detection and the short length weigh. A singular rhythm game to recommend for fans of eccentric pop worlds and stylish retro futurism.
