Maimai: Gameplay

In this article I'm going to show you the various notes that will appear on Maimai. 

1. Tap

Tap is the simplest note. Let me show you how it looks like:

Do you see two pink circles on the right side of the picture? Those are called taps. What you have to do is, as the pink circle approaches and touches the edge of the screen (the red dots), gently tap the button corresponding to that side. Remember: you have to press the button where the pink circle is headed to. If you press another button, it won't record your tap.

2. Both

Both is when you have two taps on the same time. Both is coloured yellow to make it distinctive to tap. Here are few examples:

The important thing about both is that upon seeing it, you have to register where the two holds are located. Note that there are 28 possible combinations of both, so note where the two notes are in relation to each other. Then, by the time the two notes hit the dots, tap the two buttons corresponding those notes.

3. Hold

Hold occurs when a tap is elongated, forming a tubular shape with a pointed edge. Here is what it looks like:

When the hold touches the ring, press the button correspondingly, and 'hold' the button (don't let go) until you see the hold note disappear. 

4. Slide

A slide occurs when a rotating blue star appears. Here is an example:

Firstly, treat the blue star as a usual tap. After you've tapped the blue star, a pathway will appear. It will look like a line connecting two dots. What you have to do is: after tapping, 'slide' the screen following the pathway. Slides come in different variations of form and speed, so this will take time to get used to.

5. BIG Slide

A big slide looks like a slide, but it has a wider area. Here is an example:

When a big slide appears, treat is as a normal slide, but when you see the wide pathway, use your two hands and drag them across the screen. Whereas a normal slide has one target dot, the big slide has three target dots, so it's important to hit all of them.

6. Break

A break is a tap, both, or slide that has a different colour and is worth more points. Here is what it looks like:

When a break occurs, treat is as a normal note, as it's basically the same. However, you get more points on hitting a break as opposed to hitting a normal note. Breaks are usually inputted at a crucial point of the song (normally before the ref or the ending).

To make matters more complicated, "both" may not only be for tap. There are occasions where there are both holds, both slides, and even both breaks. The mechanism remains the same, it's just that instead of one hold/slide/break you have two of them.

Now, here is the note scoring system:

There are four judgments for the notes:

• Perfect is when you hit the notes precisely when you're supposed to hit it or very near to it.
• Great is when you hit the notes a bit too soon or a bit too late.
• Good is when you hit the notes much too soon or much too late.
• Miss is when you didn't hit the notes at all.

Here are the values/points for the notes (PERFECT judgment)

• One tap is worth exactly 500 points
• One hold is worth exactly 1000 points
• One slide is worth exactly 1500 points

As for breaks, it's a bit more complicated:

• If you hit it with pinpoint accuracy, it is worth 2600 points
• If you hit it ever so slightly too late or too soon, it is worth 2550 points
• If you hit it a tad too late or too soon, it is worth 2500 points
• If it gets GREAT judgment, it is worth 2000 or 1500 points
• If it gets GOOD judgment, it is worth 1000 points
• If it gets MISS judgment, you don't get any points

Don't worry, learn one thing at a time! Don't let this complicated scoring system confuse you. What's important is quality over quantity. Aim to get as many PERFECT judgment as possible and avoid GOOD or MISS, especially on the break, as it's the highest valued notes of all of them.

Use this article as a reference, and keep playing Maimai!