Rhythm games sure have come a long way. Starting from one of the first pioneers of rhythm-based gaming, Dance Dance Revolution -- which is still growing and very much relevant today -- this sector of the industry has grown to include such explosive hits as Rock Band, Guitar Hero and Just Dance. Most current platforms have had their own iconic rhythm game sit in the saddle, as it were, and especially recently we've seen just how far developers can stretch these titles to the point that they wear them out completely. Thankfully, while we're still very much in the phase of dance-focused titles and are currently contending with all the backlash that has come with that, the incessant milking that was once led by Activision in particular has now ceased for the most part.

In the midst of all this hoopla, we've had some pretty interesting experiments come to Nintendo platforms over the past decade. One of these is Donkey Konga (pictured above), a game I regretfully never had the opportunity to play. The use of an additional peripheral in this case (the DK Bongos) was completely warranted and it offered a style of play that really hadn't been attempted before. That allure is likely what led Nintendo to developing a whole series out of it.

Along with that, there have also been some innovative one-off's as well, with the easiest example to point to being Elite Beat Agents. Just stemming off that, you could say that the DS in general sure had its healthy share of games for the musically inclined, from frenetic and addictive mix-ups in Rhythm Heaven; to the classical, more obscure themes of Maestro! Green Groove; and the more avant-garde style present in the likes of Electroplankton. Some of these have grown to become well-regarded, positive spins on the genre, which is great to see considering this genre isn't nearly as flocked to as it once was. I'm happy to report that thus far, we've been seeing this spirit of innovation carry forward moving over to the 3DS, with SEGA offering us a new face to inspect with Rhythm Thief R. We'll get into more detail on that subject later on this week, though.

For now, all things considered, I think you'll agree that it's time for rhythm-based gaming (and its sub-categories of music and dance) to step it up once more. With this becoming more of a need now that we're on the brink of moving past these trendy projects, we're looking to get you to think about rhythm games all week here at Wiiloveit. In analyzing where rhythm games are moving (if they are), do you think the Wii U will breathe new life into this challenged area of gaming? Could we see something as innovative as the likes of Wii Music, but without the controversy? Consider these and other topics as you explore the different reviews and articles we've prepared for you this week. Hopefully this initiative will give you something to think about for the upcoming year.

2011 was a great year for Wiiloveit with plenty for us to get excited about, and we're looking to continue building that momentum as we move deeper into 2012. We have some big plans ahead but first we need to ensure that we're delivering content to satisfy our current audience before we implement initiatives to expand our reach. To help facilitate that, it is with eager anticipation that we announce our search for a new Contributor to join our five-person team.

The ideal candidate for this volunteer position will be a self-motivated individual who has a place in their heart for Nintendo that they can't keep to themselves, but can still look at the gaming scene from a critical perspective when called upon to do so. In keeping with what we do here, an appreciation for niche titles is also very much valued. The new addition to the team will be responsible for submitting editorial as assigned and reporting to the site's Editor for consultation, but we're also looking for someone who is very much comfortable with pitching their own ideas without necessarily being told to do so. Other responsibilities include collaborating to create entertaining, team-based features, attending occasional meetings, and assisting with the up-keep of the Team Blog. When it comes down to it, we're looking for someone who is confident in their ability to create engaging and well-written content, which in turn would mesh well with what we already do as a team.

While we admire ambition, it is important to note that we are not a big site. Therefore, we are not offering anything in the way of monetary compensation. Each and every one of us are volunteers with a drive to see this site grow, and we're looking for someone who fits the same bill. What we do offer is an environment where you can grow as you receive useful feedback on your submissions that you can take with you moving forward. Not everything has to be all serious, though. We have a lot of fun behind the scenes too!

Does this sound like something you'd like to be a part of? If you've got a good feeling this would be a good fit, please do get in touch! If you need more information on logistics or anything else, don't hesitate to ask. We look forward to hearing from any and all applicants, but please remember to do so before February 13th, 2012. Thanks for your co-operation and we look forward to hearing from you!

    However, the point of the title isn't the "joke" (if it can be called that). No, surprisingly enough, the point of the title is to briefly explain what this post is actually about. Which is our rii- sorry, redesigned site. If you're a frequent visitor of Wiiloveit, you'll no doubt remember our previous background, with the vivid blue design embedded with large flowing Wii-style rings. Well, after sticking by that design for a while now, we've decided it's time for a change.

Remember back in the day when licenses were given proper attention in video game form? Even now, titles like Ducktales and Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers are often referenced as great examples of the kind of effort we have seen in the past and really should be seeing now. Other titles like Cool Spot (shown here) have created their own groups of followers who either clamor for a second helping or reminisce on how enjoyable the games were. Sadly, I think most will agree that the overall quality of licensed games has dropped significantly as we've moved further and further away from systems of past generations, to the point where quality licensed games are becoming more and more of a rarity.

All this week, we'll be doing something out of the ordinary here at Wiiloveit. Patrick and I have prepared a week-long schedule consisting of game reviews of various licensed material that will culminate in a special two-person feature. As a community, we all harp on this sector of gaming at length -- justifiably in the eyes of some -- but it's unfair to write off all licensed games completely. As you may very well find out, there are some (yes, even recent ones) that are actually worth your time. As you check out our content this week, give thought to the experiences you've had over the years and reflect on what changes you feel are needed with licensed games moving forward.

First off, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support this past Saturday. Participating in the 24-hour Extra Life charity event was one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had in recent memory. More than that, though, the amount of donations I received surprised me tenfold. I didn't expect to reach such a large sum at all! 

For those of you that made a donation, thank you so much for taking the time to do that. This is a wonderful cause -- one that I will most definitely be supporting next year as well -- and I'm so thrilled to see Children's Miracle Network will be receiving over $300 just from my list of supporters alone. In total, though, Extra Life raised over $1,000,000 which is totally amazing. If you didn't have an opportunity to check out the livestream on Saturday, here's a summary of that day's activities! (Even if you did, please keep reading. There is some important news below.)

After fixing a technical problem I ran into right off the bat, the first game I started off with was Art Style: light trax, a game I have been meaning to get back into for quite some time. As I was playing, there was some discussion going on as to which of the Art Style games is the best, which was nice to see. I was so happy that I started off with this game in particular, because not only did I have some good fun in Freeway mode, but I also was able to finally clear the Brillia Tour and unlock Hyperlight Tours mode! I was able to accomplished a goal right up front, which turned out to be a positive encouragement for the other games that followed.

After that, I played a bit of Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast, which was nice to get into again after a long hiatus. Shortly after that, I booted up Sonic Riders, and was quickly reminded of how superior the original is to the sequel on the Wii. Next, I started a campaign in Star Fox 64, which not only turned out to be a lot of fun, but this was the point in the marathon where we had the most viewers (20 if I'm not mistaken). I had some embarrassing moments like when I took longer than usual to clear an early boss (which resulted in Falco's departure from the team). Plus, at one point, someone challenged me to play only in first-person mode but I didn't feel up to it. All in all, it was a fun run-through.

At around Noon, I headed to Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing to see if I could get some online matches going. Although there weren't a lot of players at the time, I was able to get a few short matches in so that was kind of nice. After that, I played Sonic the Hedgehog for a bit, but I lost interest in continuing to play by the time I reached Spring Yard Zone. (Remind me again why people hold this game so near and dear to their heart when better experiences have come along?) Much more enjoyable was the time I spent playing Magnetis. I didn't beat any high scores or anything, but it was just fun to play as usual.

As per request, I hosted a Mario Kart Wii session next, with Billy & Jack signing themselves up for this part of the program. At one point, Billy challenged me to beat him on the next level to receive another donation. Thankfully, the level that was chosen was Daisy Circuit -- a level I'm somewhat good at -- and I ended up winning! Score! Appropriately, I closed off our fun session by playing the Credits tune.

After that, I played chick chick BOOM for quite some time, trying to attempt some custom challenges created by the tons of bits team as they watched and provided commentary. They were kind enough to provide me with the tunes for the three arenas so I didn't have to worry about playing unrelated music. I felt proud to be able to clear two of the challenges they invented for me. One where I was able to shoot just about all of Corncobman's corns off (I'eve never seen him stick around that long before!) and the second where I used only special attacks to eliminate the opposing team! Although I didn't succeed at their third challenge (defeating 50 chicks in Pro Mode), I did set a new personal best so that was good enough for me.

Once the developers called it a day, I decided to begin my Super Monkey Ball marathon. I started off with the original Super Monkey Ball on the Gamecube, clearing the Beginner stages easily, except I didn't like the fact that I had to use a Continue to do it so I went at it again. I moved on to the Advanced stages after that and cleared it somewhat quickly (despite the guitar level slowing me down a bit), and that's when I lost interest in continuing to play. As I moved on to Super Monkey Ball 2, I was a bit unsure what to attempt, but in the end, I decided to take a stab at the Master stages. Although one of the viewers we had at the time taunted me for my failed attempts, I managed to clear some of the difficult stages. Advancing to Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, I played some levels here and there and a few mini-games. I didn't play it for very long as I was more interested in playing Step & Roll with the Balance Board. That was pretty fun as well.

Following that, I played Mario Super Sluggers by request, and followed up with Sonic Heroes -- something I had been looking forward to all day. Then, for the first of two times that day, I played Bomberman Hero for a while and made some progress in the game. Patrick and I then had a few tense matches in Tetris Party; I was surprised I actually won a few! (I knew he was going easy on me though -- his way of making me a charity case, I guess.)

As fun as it was to face Patrick, playing Excitebots: Trick Racing with Wiiloveit reader Odnetnin was even more enjoyable, especially since I haven't played in the longest time. By the time we finished with that, it was around midnight and I decided to stream me playing the last level in Portal. I was really into the game for about an hour I believe, but it was at this point that I started to feel sleepy. It wasn't until I heard GLaDOS' death threats over the intercom that I became less interested in taking a nap and more focused on escaping with my life! In the interim, Patrick hosted a giveaway of Back to the Future for PC.

As the early hours of the morning started to hit home, I migrated back to Bomberman Hero and made even more progress. I was having a lot of fun but I actually started to doze off for a while. At the time, Jack came back to the stream and even made fun of me as he watched me defeat a boss in my sleep -- literally! After some more nodding off and a bit of playtime, I concluded with some online dodgeball matches in Mario Sports Mix. By the time I was finished, it was 8:00 AM. I called it quits and headed to my bed for a well-deserved rest.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to play all of the games I wanted to. I was disappointed that I didn't get to play Tower of Druaga, Elebits, escapeVektor: Chapter One, MotoHeroz, Mario Party 2, Super Smash Bros. and Jett Rocket. I was really looking forward to playing all of those. Overall, though, I had a blast and I can't say "Thank You!" enough to the many supporters I had throughout this ride.

At this point and time, I would like to officially announce that my experience with Extra Life 2011 is not over. Due to the overwhelming support that Extra Life received this year, it was recently announced that not only is this Saturday an official Extra Life "make up" day, but donations will be accepted until mid-November. In light of this, I have decided to continue streaming in support of Extra Life on Friday's and Saturday's until donations are closed. Which means, in the coming days and weeks ahead, you can look forward to more streams, more footage, more surprises, and hopefully direct audio! See below for a tentative schedule of times where streams will likely begin:

Fri. Oct. 21 - 4:30

Sat. Oct. 22 - 7:00

Fri. Oct. 28 - 4:30

Sat. Oct. 29 - 1:00

Fri. Nov. 4 - 4:30

As this list isn't final, please stay tuned to our Twitter account for announcements on these events! Please email me at anytime at ks8@wiiloveit.com if you have challenges that you'd like me to attempt, games you'd like to see me play, or any other ideas that you have with the event. If you weren't able to make it this Saturday, I really hope you'll be able to find time to attend one of the other streams I'll be hosting for the next few weeks. 

This is an important bulletin for all our readers! This Saturday, I will be participating in the annual Extra Life charity event for the first time this year. Extra Life is an initative focused on gaming community outreach. Each year, participants are tasked with raising money for Children's Miracle Network simply by playing video games for 24 hours. It all goes down this Saturday at 8:00 AM. There is some leniency with the time limit and the start time, which you can read up on here. 

Having been quite inspired lately, I jumped at the chance at giving back within my means and I would greatly appreciate your support! If you would like to donate to the cause, please stay tuned for more information on the donation process. Even $1 or $5 would mean the world to me; just image how much those less fortunate will appreciate it. In the interest of full disclosure, all, I repeat, all donations/proceeds will be given to Children's Miracle Network. I do not stand to profit from this event. I plan on registering officially in the next day or so, at which point you can make donations freely. First, I need to set a goal to work towards! But I'll have all the logistics worked out over the next three days. 

As part of the event, I will be doing a livestream using a new Dazzle capture card I purchased. My heart is pumping just thinking about it! I have spent hours trying to work out the kinks in preparation for the stream, and while I am determined to make things work one way or another, please be advised that there is a possibility that the stream will be presented without audio due to technical difficulties. With or without these hiccups, we are hoping that the charity event will remind you of what this presentation is really for. But don't read too much into this for now. We'll figure things out -- even if that means creating our own music. 

I will be playing Wii, VC, WiiWare, as well as Gamecube games to keep things as entertaining and varied as possible. Throughout the event, I will be holding online gaming sessions, so please let me know in advance if there's a particular game you'd like to play. Whether that be Mario Kart Wii, UNO, MotoHeroz, or Tetris Party, I would love to have that kind of support from people as well. Also, while I won't be recording these sessions, I would be happy to play online games on the DS as well, including Diddy Kong Racing and Clubhouse Games. In addition, I plan on having two main marathon sessions. The first will involve doing speed runs in Sonic Heroes, while the second will involve playing four different Super Monkey Ball games. Right now, I am in the process of compiling a list of other games to consider playing, and I may share a list of scheduled games in the coming days ahead

Throughout the event, I am aiming to set goals for myself in the games I choose to play. For example, I want to see if I can make it to Floor 10 in Tower of Druaga (VCA). For those of you who are fans of Game Center CX, I am also considering going through Sonic the Hedgehog in its entirety and completing challenges in other games, like making it through multiple rounds of Meteor Mode in Driift Mania. I would love to have readers set challenges for me to attempt, so I encourage you to please give it some thought! Instead of aimlessly switching from game to game, I want there to be some secondary purpose behind me doing so (beyond the cause itself). 

All you WiiWare developers out there: If you'd like me to play your game during the livestream, please do get in touch! Everyone else: If you have any games you would like to see me play, please do let me know! I would especially appreciate suggesions on games that will prevent me from falling asleep into the wee hours of the morning -- like Mario Sports Mix where I can keep my adrenaline up. There will be laughs, some surprises and maybe even... cake? But don't worry, it's all for a wonderful cause. I'm getting so excited just thinking about it, and I'm really hoping you'll join me on this experience! If you are planning to donate or just watch the livestream, please send me a quick email at ks8@wiiloveit.com so I can start measuring early support levels.

Thanks guys! You'll hear from me again soon.