A game you have to try!
Honestly, when I first saw the game, I didn't think too much of it. I thought it was probably going to be another "Elite Beat Agents" game, something that was getting old in a whole market of music themed games. After trying however, I changed my mind.
Firstly, Ontamarama has a more complex system of gameplay. Instead of the usual "listen to the music and smash some buttons", Ontamarama requires both hands to play. Simply put, one has to use the stylus to prod little squishy things called Ontamas as well as the D-Pad or X,Y,A,B buttons. You have to smash the little Ontamas to fill up notes that appear on the Ontamabaton at the top of the screen. Only then can one execute the note when it reaches the end of the baton.
Another feature boasts the usage of the mic (blowing into it) to clear all the Ontamas on the touch screen which makes it a very nifty feature and useful when you're in trouble!
Secondly, Ontamarama has the usual 3 difficulty settings, but the difficulty levels are so wide apart that players ranging from young to old can play. Those seeking for a real challenge can even try the Hard mode which, in my opinion, is almost impossible to complete.
Thirdly, there are some extra goodies to unlock while playing, things like auto-notes or auto-Ontamas and extra songs. One thing worth unlocking are the extra graphics that can be unlocked by getting a S-Rank for a song.
Lastly, the quality of the song during each stage will depend on the performance of the player. In other words, if you are needlessly mashing buttons, you'll find the song very weird with many extra sounds. Similarly, miss any notes and you'll find that the song seems to be missing its main melody. I find this part pretty interesting as most games do not indicate your poor performance directly in the song.
While the game seems to be extremely fun and exciting (and often times it just sucks you in), the game is without its flaws. Some songs do not have the notes in sync with the song itself. The storymode is fairly short and lacks depth.
In summary, I feel that Ontamarama is a game that everyone should try! Most of the songs are well composed and very pleasing on the ear.