Game info

• Title Samba de Amigo: Party-To-Go
• Developer Sega
• Publisher Sega
• Year 2023
• Platforms iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac
• Genre Music

Join Amigo, Sonic, and others in this exciting SEGA music rhythm game! With 3 exclusive tracks from Lady Gaga, PSY, and Fitz and the Tantrums: The Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga, DADDY by PSY, The Walker by Fitz and the Tantrums. These tracks join a growing playlist featuring 40 hit songs from some of the world’s most popular genres. Also, in a first for the series, Apple Arcade users have access to an exciting new Story mode! Embark on a thrilling quest with Amigo to return lost music to the world. Along the way, you'll visit Amigo's hometown, meet interesting new characters, and complete a variety of increasingly challenging missions.

Player Select

I was not aware of this game before seeing it appear in the Apple Arcade new and notable section, although it’s been around for quite a long time across a few different platforms. As a concept, I thought it would be right up my street, I do love the music platform games where you’re matching the patterns with whatever controllers you have - in this case, tying up to the maracas shown on screen.

It’s in the Game

As a basic music pattern thumping game, this one does exactly what you want it to do. It’s obviously best with a controller via the Apple TV, and then you can bash the buttons to make the maracas do what you want them to do in time with whatever song is playing. But simple as that sounds, I found it really, really difficult. The moves aren’t really that natural and take a while to get your head around, and the distraction levels are off the charts.

I’m fully aware that it is part of the game play of this style that there will be things moving around and distracting you from fully concentrating on the task in hand, but this really was next level. Such colour, brightness, things moving, characters jumping around, it was almost headache-inducing. So I didn’t get very far, if I’m honest. I certainly didn’t see that Sonic appeared at some point - I feel like that would be an incongruous level to play through. Is Sonic musical?

Thoughts

In summary, this is a style of game that I like and I think people that enjoy the party atmosphere of a music game will enjoy this - it’s got some great songs in there. But it was just a bit too much for me, and not one I’d be looking to go back to.

Rating: 1 / 5