houndrot:

my cool and amazing friend scanned their nintendo power article about rhythm thief for me and im crying 

its kinda blurry so ill try my best to type it down, its kinda long:

“By day, Raphael is an upstanding Parisian citizen. He’s reliable to his friends, outstanding at his job, kind to the elderly, and helpful to those in need. He’s also a pretty snazzy dresser. By night, however, he becomes Phantom R, a fleet-footed thief who’s an even snappier dresser and will do whatever it takes-legal or not- to uncover the mysteries surrounding the disappearance of his father three years prior.

As Phantom R, Raphael’s motto seems to be, “Do it with style or don’t bother doing it” Every leg of his quest is about to flash as much as it is about substance, and every caper turns into a jazzy, pop-infused, toe-tapping spectacle. The game begins with Phantom R entertaining crowds with an Elite Beat Agents-style dance performance in front of the Eifel Tower, in which you slide the stylus up, down, left, right, or in a circle on the Nintendo 3DS system’s touch screen in time to the music. 

Later stages, however, feature completely gameplay mechanics. When Phantom R decides to infiltrate the world-famous Louvre museum to obtain the Bracelet of Tiamat which contains a clue about his father. You need to rhythmically tap colored icons so he can strike a pose so he can hide in the silhouettes of statues, thus allowing him to sneak right under the guards’ noses. On the way out, you’ll have to evade the Paris Roller Skate Brigade by jumping (press A) and sliding (press B) to the beat of the music.

When it comes to wacky action, roller-skating cops are only the tip of the iceberg. Napoleon Bonaparte has apparently returned from the dead, and for some reason he’s in pursuit of both Phantom R and his newfound friend, a violinist named Marie. When Napoleon orders his henchmen (known as the Knights of Diabolique) to capture the duo. You’ll discover that Phantom R can fight as well as he can dance-as long as you’re able to press the Control Pad and the A button in rhythmic fashion. In other episodes you’ll find yourself cooking (press the touch screen to cook the food, flick the stylus to serve it), shaking maracas á la Samba de Amigo (complete with authentic music), and battling a pesky private eye by knocking back the soccer ball he kicks toward you. We’ll even get to control other characters; in one mission you’ll play as Raphael’s dog, Fondue, and tilt the Nintendo 3DS hardware from side to side in order to catch delicious chunks of meat, and in another you’ll control Marie and slide the stylus back and forth to play the violin.

But engaging in an assortment of rhythm-based activities is only part of what Rhythm thief & the Emperor’s Treasure is about. In between musical shenanigans, you’ll explore the streets of Paris, visiting a variety of famous locales (including Notre Dame cathedrell and using the touch screen to investigate your surroundings and speak to other characters). By tapping the environments you can also find medals that you’re able to exchange for bonus features or use to purchase power-ups that enhance your musical abilities (such as an item that prevents your “groove meter” from decreasing if you mess up). 

In addition, as you explore you’ll be able to capture various sounds using a recording device, then use them to overcome obstacles. When you need to get through an area guarded by a timid cop, for example, you can use the sound of a growling dog to scare him away, and when you need to bypass a voice-activated lock, a recording of a snoring guard does the trick. (Don’t ask us how that one works.) There are numerous puzzles to solve, too- almost all of them are audio-based. In one you’ll have to press buttons to play songs from high to low, and in another you’ll have to listen for tones that match each other.

To top it off, the game features some absolutely gorgeous anime cut-scenes (presented in full steroscopic 3D) and boasts an intrigue-filled story that would give National Treasure a run for it’s money. Rhythm thief & the Emperor’s Treasure is quirky, fun, and without question one of the most promising original title we’ve yet seen for the Nintendo 3DS.

-Chris H.“