Genius Products Inc. (GNPR)

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Scratch: The Ultimate DJ Preview

In an age where plastic game-controller instruments far outnumber the real ones, the majority of gamers use games to sate their melodious appetites. The recently-released DJ Hero covers the urban and dance genres, while Rock Band and Guitar Hero (and their genre-blind DLC) cover most, if not all other forms of popular music this side of symphony. However, since variety is what makes the world and the industry so great, it was inevitable that DJ Hero would have some stiff competition. And if newly-appointed developers Bedlam Games have their way, gamers will be saying, "DJ Hero who?"

First things first. Bedlam's Scratch: The Ultimate DJ is not a DJ Hero rip-off. Quite the contrary, in fact. Scratch was formally announced and even had playable code and a tentative release date back when DJ Hero was nothing more than a glint in Activision's eye. Truth be told, Scratch's development history has had just as many battles and twists as the history of the hip-hop music it hopes to represent.

Let’s start at the beginning. Back in October of 2008, Genius Products and Genco Media partnered up to create a new music game experience with Scratch: The Ultimate DJ. Teaming up with turntable crafters Numark and music legend Quincy Jones III (QD3), Genius and Genco recruited then-independent developer 7 Studios to create the finished product. With a distinctly urban sound (read: NO Gwen Stefani) and a unique spin on the crowded music genre, Scratch immediately gained attention from critics, would-be fans, and main market-share rival, Activision.

Not wanting to spoil the chances of their own newly-confirmed DJ Hero, Activision sought to buy the rights and technology behind Scratch but Genco and Genius refused. They believed that what they had created with 7 Studios was good enough to topple any plans the Guitar Hero giant could muster. In a contest resembling a classic rap battle, Activision then responded by buying out Scratch developers 7 Studios, which effectively put the brakes on the entire Scratch project.

What Activision didn't see coming was that the buyout breached the original project's confidentiality agreement. Scratch creators Numark and Genius responded by filing a lawsuit against the megapublisher, claiming that they'd conspired to stop Scratch's release in order to further their own DJ game's sales. Activision may have seen its actions as just good business, but failed to grasp the seriousness of violating confidentiality and licensing law. The court ruled against Activision and the company was ordered to return all "pre-existing developer software tools and technology" to its original owners. 7 Studios was also disallowed from discussing code or trade secrets with its new parent company. When the dust finally settled, Scratch had found itself a new development home at Bedlam Games.

While that battle may have ended legally as a victory for the little guy, it's looked for some time like Activision won the war. DJ Hero was released last month with many Scratch similarities, while Scratch remains in development. Upon closer analysis though, the seeming "Scratch Curse" may have reaped a few unforeseen benefits for the title. The extra development time has allowed Scratch to grow beyond its initial scope, adding a host of new gameplay elements and songs. Players can utilize samples and freestyling in-game without penalty, which goes far beyond DJ Hero's four or five repetitive samples. And rumors still abound that players will be able to plug a USB microphone into the Scratch deck peripheral to create their own unique samples (though Bedlam hasn't mentioned this feature in some time).

Then there's the Scratch controller, called the Scratch Deck, which is another advantage the game has on DJ Hero. Looking more like the decks used by actual DJ's, the controller has a touch-sensitive scratch record that can be attached to either side of the unit, allowing either-handedness of gameplay. The body of the unit also has five color-coded, touch-sensitive buttons comprising its main interface, and a cross-fader that works similarly to that of DJ Hero, though a little more fast-paced. Needless to say, these differences probably preclude the interchange of peripherals.

Upon its release, Scratch will feel both familiar and new to fans of music-based rhythm games. Basic gameplay is similar to what you’d expect in a rhythm game, with stylized notes scrolling along a track that players must time their button presses against. However, Scratch is all about expression and customization. You won't be penalized for trying out alternative notes or simply not pressing certain ones, and experimentation may actually earn you more points. The story mode starts you off as a local house party DJ and follows you as you climb the ranks, eventually becoming a world-renowned star. The music track list includes 60 songs from both well-known and underground rap musicians so if you’re not rap-savvy, you may not know who NAS or Whodini are. Online gameplay is still being worked out, though the developers have stated in previous interviews that it's something they plan to incorporate.


According to its official Facebook page, Scratch is scheduled for a Spring 2010 release on Xbox 360 and PS3. Things are looking good for the game with new developer Bedlam Games obviously committed to the project and critics already calling it more in tune with rap culture than DJ Hero, albeit with a slightly higher difficulty curve. Scratch: The Ultimate DJ has had more than a few bad cuts on its development spin, but come next year, it looks to bring the noise.

Source: http://gamesabyss.com/articles/1075-scratch-the-ultimate-dj-preview