Genius Products Inc. (GNPR)

[fredman]

Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, Itchin’ for a Scratch!

“Go DJ, cuz that’s my DJ. Go DJ, cuz that’s my DJ.” I’ve been a fan of all kinds of music for a very long time. I’ve been a fan of rhythm and music games for a very long time. I’ve often wondered though if hip-hop would ever find its way into the mainstream beyond being on a soundtrack. I’ve played my share of Guitar Hero and Rock Band but this is something different. It’s different not only from a music standpoint but from a control standpoint. And to be honest, I’m starting to like it. I’m starting to believe in Scratch: The Ultimate DJ.

This game brings a sort of “Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo” type of vibe upon me that is getting harder to ignore especially as I channel my innermost Turbo and Ozone. Couple that with the fact that Numark is involved and this game has a major leg up over “that other DJ game”. Numark is a long time maker of DJ equipment and they’ve put their mark on the Scratch Deck you’ll be using with Scratch: The Ultimate DJ. The Scratch Deck combines two essential elements of the DJ and hip-hop experience – a free-spinning, touch sensitive turntable with a crossfader and 5 Akai Pro MPC-style drum pads.

The turntable allows players to add their own style and manipulate the songs in real time, while the MPC-style drum pads give players the opportunity to perform and customize tracks by triggering samples using the very same pads that are the cornerstone of professional hip-hop beat production. Samples can either be pre-loaded into the game using 60 unique battle records that will ship with the software, or players can record and upload their own samples using a compatible USB microphone. And it doesn’t matter if you’re left-handed because you can flip the turntable. The Scratch Deck is also wireless!

This game is coming at a perfect time for me because I just got a pair of kick ass headsets that would be almost perfect for a turntable. “Hey DJ won’t you play my song, keep me dancing all night long.” If I had to play one of these DJ games, I’d have to choose Scratch: The Ultimate DJ by a very long mile over DJ Hero. The authenticity of the equipment and the music selection is all win. The music alone puts this game on classic mixtape status. If you’re a fan of music, you can literally just let the game’s set list play because it’s shaping up to be that good.

I just hope Genius Products LLC., QD3 and Numark are prepared for what I think will be a steep climb. It’ll be a challenge indeed to make this the next music genre sensation.

Source: http://www.unscripted360.com/2009/06/15/scratch-the-ultimate-dj-itchin-for-a-scratch/