OSU! is a game that needs no introduction to be honest. It’s a free to play rhythm game that features these ‘beatmaps’, game levels that are played to songs of different lengths. These songs are either anime opening theme songs or remixes of some of your favorite tracks. The objective of the game is to hit these ‘hit objects’ that appear on your screen in the correct order. Whether you’re someone new to the game or a veteran, we’re going to make this very helpful for you. In this article we’re going to tell you all you need to know if you want to play Osu! the best way possible. If you are looking for the best drawing pad tablets for OSU!, we have also got you covered.
What is Osu!
In case you’ve been living under a rock let us tell you what Osu! really is. Osu! is a free to play rhythm game that was developed, published and created by Dean ‘peppy’ Herbert almost 20 years ago. The game was released back in September 2007 for Microsoft Windows. But over the years, Osu! has made its way to a lot of other platforms including our beloved smartphones. This has surely made the game a lot easier to play for everyone out there. Despite how mobile phones and rhythm games have gone in the past, Osu! works wonders on Android and IOS. It’s easy to get on these platforms just like your PC.
It also brings back a lot of memories and nostalgia since the game is inspired by the likes of Elite Beat Agents among others. Honestly, it’s hard to not see the similarities yourself. But the game has had a lot of content added to it over the years and there’s more to come in the near future for sure. With four modes to choose from, a flexible difficulty curve that can be adjusted by the player, Osu! is a great experience through and through.
I doubt anyone of you would play the game and say that it’s boring. It’s very enjoyable and a total treat for all the anime fans out there. That’s because the game has this anime vibe to it that you can’t help but love to pieces. Also, it’s easy to add a lot of your favorite anime songs to the game and play through these ‘levels’. Honestly, it’s like you’re the orchestra, breathing life into the music and seeing the magic happen right in front of your eyes. It’s a great feeling and you should experience it in case you haven’t already. Osu! Is one of the biggest games on the planet for a reason.
What’s Osu! gameplay like
After you’ve gotten Osu! for your preferred device, now comes what Osu! Gameplay is really like. Well, if I were to describe the gameplay, I’d say that it’s like you’re controlling the music itself. A lot of these classical and fan favorite songs aren’t possible to imitate on your own if that makes sense. But with Osu! you feel like you’re controlling the pace. You define the rhythm and hit the notes in rapid succession to bring the song to life. You can play the game using a keyboard and mouse. But this can be switched to a mode that uses the mouse alone. Furthermore, a lot of people prefer using drawing tablets to play and that makes it a lot easier. That’s exactly why the deco mini7 is our pick for playing Osu!.
The game rewards you with a higher score for hitting these different beats perfectly. As a result, there’s a sense of achievement that feeds your drive to improve. I think that’s the best part of the game. Combine that with great music and you’ve got one of the most complete rhythm game experiences out there. It can get a bit overwhelming at the very beginning. That’s because Osu! gameplay is something different for people new to the rhythm genre. But you’ll get used to it in no time. Trust me when I say this, the game is super addictive.
How to play Osu!
Well, all this is great and all, but one question has to pop up in your head for sure. That very question being, how do you play Osu!. Well, we’re here to help you with that! Being a rhythm game, Osu! requires great reflexes and a lot of practice to really get good in a short amount of time. But at first, you need to learn about the basics.
While there are other custom game modes you can add to the client, there are four basic game modes in Osu! :The standard, Taiko, catch and mania.
- The standard mode is where you should start. In this game mode, you have to click circles to the beat of a song.
- Mania is a vertical scrolling rhythm game that mostly takes inspiration from Beatmania and Stepmania. In this game mode, notes fall vertically in different lanes. You have to use keys to tap for each lane.
- Taiko simulates playing on taiko, a Japanese big drum. This game mode features a row of blue, red, and yellow balls that appear at random and have gaps that alter in time with the music. All you have to do is press the appropriate shortcut keys at the right times so the balls hit the fixed target on the left.
- Last but not least, catch makes the player move a catcher left or right in order to catch fruits falling from the top of the screen. You need to try it for yourself and see which game mode works the best for you.
How to get Osu!
Since it’s free to play, you can just head on to the Osu! website and download the game for free. It takes no time to install and set it up. Afterwards you can just boot up the game and explore through all the different levels. As mentioned earlier, we recommend checking out the standard mode first and then making your way through the rest. Otherwise, it’s easy to feel like there’s a lot of stuff that doesn’t make sense!
I still remember when I first played the game. I couldn’t keep up at all to be honest. It took me a lot of time to get the timing right and not get drained both mentally and physically. However, this was back in 2012 and I had a potato PC at that time. You don’t have to play it the wrong way like me. It’s 2024 and technology has got a solution for every problem known to man in this day and age. Here we’ve got some gadget suggestions that would take your Osu! experience to the very next level.
Whether you’re someone who constantly works on a graphic tablet or someone starting a new, the XPPen deco mini7 is sure to help you. I’ve used it for a couple of weeks at this point and trust me when I say this, it’s made my life a lot easier.
Sure, I’m recommending it as one of the best tablets for Osu!. In order to level up your gameplay. But at the same time, I can’t stress enough how useful it is for any creator out there. Students can take great, concise notes in class, aspiring manga and webtoon artists can hone their skills without having to blame it on the equipment that they’re using. Not to mention the mini drawing tablet comes with a lot of other features and it’s like having the perfect device in your hands.
With the deco mini7 you can really elevate your Osu! gameplay. The artistic benefits come as the ‘perfectly added’ bonus. Whether you are taking notes in the class or drawing fanart for some of your favorite series and characters, the deco mini7 has got you covered. It’s easy to use, fun to draw with and an essential when it comes to both art and utility itself. You can carry it around without having to worry about anything. Also, those shortcut keys can make playing OSU! more convenient than ever.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, Osu! Is a must-play rhythm game. The game has come a long way from its humble beginnings and even has a competitive side at this point. But you decide for yourself whether you want to play casually or competitively. The best way to start would be to download the client to play around. Rather than dragging the mouse to keep up with the game, it can definitely enhance your performance by touching the screen directly.
