My import copy of Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2 showed up this morning, and, since our man in Japan, Brian Ashcraft, refuses to play the game, I'll lend you my impressions.

As fans of the first are probably aware, in the sequel you'll be challenged by a rival team of Ouendan who make their appearance after you've completed the first song in the game. That first level sees you checking in with Tsuyoshi, the student from the original Ouendan, to the tune "Zenryoku Shonen." The game's trademark semi-surreal situations continue, but I've yet to see anything on par with the giant mouse versus salaryman battle from the first. Watching a doctor "heal" a microwave, however, was hilarious. I also hear there's a bedwetting level. Yeah, bedwetting.

You'll take control of the rival Ouendan soon after their nautical arrival. The world map with all of its needy denizens, is bisected by a river with the Blue team aiding the eastern half and the original Black team cheering on the other. Both teams play identically.

Many of the improvements iNiS added to the Ouendan formula for Elite Beat Agents have found their way into the sequel, including an extended tutorial, easier "Easy" mode and the ability to skip the storytelling intro for each level. The world map also uses the same 3D look, but retains a flat plane, unlike the globe map in EBA. The game also supports the DS Rumble Pack, but, unfortunately, I don't have one. Sorry!

While the game is absolutely more of the same, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Ouendan 2 is still hilarious fun and the development team has clearly put more effort into the background artwork and end-of-round illustrations. Most of the sound effects, however, appear to be lifted directly from the original.

The soundtrack choices may not be to everyone's liking, but I prefer the J-pop and J-rock selections over the Elite Beat Agents tunes. So far, I've found nothing overly offensive to my pop music-sensitive sensibilities. On the other hand, there are few breakout hits that make me want to seek out the original artist. It's going to be a matter of taste.

So, should you import Ouendan 2? I'd say "in a heartbeat". Given that the game is highly unlikely to see a release outside of Japan, due to the cultural differences, music choices and tons of embedded Japanese language dialogue, don't expect a cheaper localized release.

Any questions? Michael McWhertor