What is EZ2AC
EZ2AC series
EZ2AC (formerly known as EZ2DJ, pronounced "easy to DJ"), is a series of rhythm games first introduced by (now defunct) Amuseworld in 1999 and continued by SQUARE PIXELS in 2012, eventually taking on the EZ2AC name in 2013. It is a game heavily inspired by and with many similarities to beatmania or beatmania III, but has its own unique differences in terms of control scheme, gameplay, music, and visual style.
Cabinet information
EZ2AC's controller layout consists of five keys (three white, two blue) along with one turntable on each player's side. The turntable for the left player's side, Player 1, is on the left of the keys, while the one on the right player's side, Player 2, is to the right of the keys. Additionally, there are 4 red effector buttons above both players' controls, alongside both player start buttons, and underneath the cabinet are two foot pedals, one on each player's side.
The cabinet is typically fitted with a 4:3 display (although some cabinets will use a 16:9 display, with the game stretched to fill), and features speakers in many locations along the top, center, and lower parts of the cabinet, all fitted with lights. Each 'mix' in the series gave a new selection of songs, and older returning songs, along with a new graphical theme in each entry.
Gameplay
Songs in EZ2AC are measured by a difficulty level system, which varies from game to game. A reference for difficulty level ranges across games are as shown:
- EZ2DJ The 1st TRACKS: 1-7
- EZ2DJ The 1st TRACKS Special Edition → EZ2DJ 2nd TRAX: 1-10
- EZ2DJ 3rd TRAX → EZ2DJ 7th TRAX Ver 1.5 (?): 1-13
- EZ2DJ 7th TRAX Ver 2.0: 1-15
- EZ2DJ 7th TRAX CLASS R: ~CODENAME:VIOLET~ → EZ2AC ENDLESS CIRCULATION: 1-18
- EZ2AC EVOLVE → EZ2AC FINAL:EX: 1-20
Gameplay varies between multiple modes in the game, with varying amounts of buttons and turntable usage. In almost all modes, with some exceptions, the general gameplay is the same: small horizontal bars fall down the columns of the mode, and the player must press the keys corresponding to the lane as it reaches the receptor at the bottom of the playfield. In addition, there are long notes that must be held until they reach the end; for scratch notes, the turntable must be spun in one direction until the note ends. Keys 1, 3, and 5 are white, keys 2 and 4 are blue, the scratch lane is pink, the pedal lane is green, and the effector lanes are red. Every time a key is pressed, the scratch is played, the pedal is pressed, an instrument is played to complement the song. In order to hear the song correctly, the player must hit the bars in time with the music. Depending on how accurately the note is played, you will receive a judgement above that note, ranging from KOOL, COOL, GOOD, MISS, or FAIL (contrary to the naming, MISS is hitting too late/early, and FAIL is for completely missing a note). In comparison to other rhythm games, EZ2AC's timing is rather strict, so precision is a requirement to perform well.
The goal of the game is to clear the song by avoiding emptying the life meter before the song is over. It starts at the maximum, and increases or decreases depending on how well you perform in a song. KOOLs, and COOLs will increase the life meter, while MISSes and FAILS will decrease it. If the life meter empties out, you fail the song. Getting life back is much more difficult than it is to lose it, so care must be taken to not mistime or miss too many notes.
If you clear the song, you will receive a grade at the end, based on how accurately you played the song. The scoring system and grading for accuracy generally varies between certain games in the series.
The grade system for accuracy in the most recent game in the series, EZ2AC FINAL:EX, is based on the amount of score earned, divided by the theoretical perfect score, times 100; while the theoretical perfect score is the total amount of notes in the song, times 300.
The ranks for accuracy are as follows:
- F: 0.0% - 49.9%
- D: 50.0% - 59.9%
- C: 60.0% - 69.9%
- B: 70.0% - 79.9%
- A: 80.0% - 84.9%
- A+: 85.0% - 89.9%
- S: 90.0% - 92.9%
- S+: 93.0% - 94.9%
- S++: 95.0% - 97.9%
- S+++: 98.0% - 99.9%
- S++++: 100.0%
In addition, if a high score is reached on a song, the player is allowed to enter their name into the high score entries for that particular song.
Game modes
5K ONLY
This mode was added in EZ2AC EVOLVE. It only features the 5 keys on the control panel, with no turntable, pedal or effector buttons. It is the simplest mode in the series, and is the first selected mode when starting a new game.
5K RUBY / Ruby Mix
This mode was added in EZ2DJ 2nd TRAX. It is similar to the 5K STANDARD / 5 Street Mix game mode, using 5 keys, the turntable and pedal, but features easier charts and a much more friendly, cartoon-esque UI. Most charts in this mode do not go over a difficulty level of 10, however there are some exceptions.
5K STANDARD / 5 Street Mix
The standard game mode, using 5 keys, the turntable and pedal. Select a song per stage, and try to clear it. In earlier versions, an easier selection of songs are available, with gradually harder songs appearing for selection as you progress in stages. Modern versions allow you to play all songs regardless of stage.
7K STANDARD / 7 Street Mix
A slightly more complex game mode, similar to 5K STANDARD / 5 Street Mix. This mode includes 2 of the effector buttons closest to the player's side, alongside 5 keys, the turntable and pedal.
10K MANIAC / Club Mix
A difficult mode that uses the 5 keys on both players' sides, both turntables, and the pedal (either pedal can be used). From EZ2DJ The 1st TRACKS to EZ2AC ENDLESS CIRCULATION, instead of standard song selection like 5 Street Mix, an initial song was picked, and other songs were instead played back to back without breaks, using Player 1's turntable for song selection, rather than for hitting notes. This was changed with EZ2AC EVOLVE, with Player 1's turntable now being included in all charts, and song selection becoming as it is in other standard modes.
14K MANIAC / Space Mix
This mode was added in EZ2DJ 2nd TRAX. It is the most difficult standard game mode, using the 5 keys on both players' side, and all 4 effector buttons. This mode went to a similar change of song selection like Club Mix, changing from nonstop gameplay using the turntables to select songs, to standard song selection.
5K - 7K - 10K - 14K COURSE / 5 - 7 Radio Mix
A unique mode, unlike the standard game modes, where instead of picking songs manually, you select different 'courses', with a preset selection of 4 songs (in EZ2DJ The 1st TRACKS and The 1st TRACKS Special Edition, 5 songs), and unique charts unseen in the standard modes, with a level assigned to the course for how generally difficult it is. Some courses will hide some or all of the songs in the course. All songs in the course are played back to back, with only momentary breaks on the song results screens.
EZ2CATCH
This mode was added in EZ2DJ 3rd TRAX. A 'casual' gameplay mode that only requires the turntable. Unlike other modes where rhythm and timing is required to clear, you instead move a character along the bottom of the screen with a bowl, catching objects falling down the screen before they pass. Despite being considered a casual mode, it is quite difficult, with many of its charts requiring a lot of practice and skill to clear without failing. This mode would later go on to be used as heavy inspiration in osu!'s Catch The Beat / osu!catch mode.
TURNTABLE
This mode was added in EZ2DJ 4th TRAX. A 'casual' gameplay mode that uses 5 keys, and the turntable. Despite using the turntable, it does not contain a lane, and instead only has the 5 keys. However, anytime a note needs to be hit, the turntable must also be spun at the same time. Like EZ2CATCH, despite being considered a casual mode, it is very difficult in comparison to other modes, with many charts often being much harder than their 5K ONLY / 5K STANDARD counterparts due to how they are charted. The gameplay of using the turntable to hit notes is very similar to rhythm games such as Guitar Hero, or GITADORA; rather than using a strum bar to hit notes, the player is using a turntable instead.
CODENAME VIOLET II / 2.5
This mode was secretly added in EZ2AC NIGHT TRAVELER version 1.45, initially requiring a secret command to be used to access it, and eventually made accessible by simply swapping categories during mode selection in EZ2AC FINAL:EX. In this mode, there is a vast selection of unique, gimmicky charts, consisting of different modes, songs, and difficulties. Due to its design, the charts featured can be vastly more difficult than any other charts in standard gameplay. As of EZ2AC FINAL:EX, there are 99 total charts to choose from. The mode is comparable to similar modes in other rhythm games, such as CHUNITHM's WORLD'S END, maimai's 宴会場, or オンゲキ's LUNATIC charts.
Difficulties
NM (Normal)
This is the easiest difficulty. All songs contain NM charts across almost all modes.
HD (Hard)
This is the standard difficulty. Most, if not all songs contain HD charts on almost all modes.
SHD (Super Hard)
Added in EZ2DJ 7th TRAX Ver 1.0. This is the second-highest difficulty. They are almost guaranteed to be harder than NM or HD charts, being vastly more challenging to clear. Not every song will have a SHD chart on every mode, however many songs do contain SHD charts on multiple modes.
EX
Added in EZ2AC EVOLVE (?). This is the highest difficulty. It consists of some of the hardest charts in the game, requiring a mastery of the mode in order to be cleared. There are not nearly as many EX charts as there are SHD charts, and not all modes have EX charts to begin with.
Some songs contain charts that sound differently from the original song.
Gameplay modifiers
EZ2AC contains assorted gameplay modifiers that allow for unique changes to how the game is played, be it visually, or with changes to the chart itself.
Song Select Modifiers
These modifiers can only be selected before playing a song. In earlier entries, these were changed in the song select without any sort of menu, however in later entries, they must be accessed by pressing the 1st/left-most effector button; categories can be swapped between and the modifiers menu closed using the same effector button.
Chart Modifiers (Effector 2, Category 1)
- RANDOM (R) - Note columns are assigned to a random key. Scratch and pedal notes are unaffected by this modifier.
- SUPER RANDOM (S) - Notes are shuffled at complete random. Scratch and pedal notes are unaffected by this modifier.
- PLATINUM SUPER RANDOM (P) - Notes are shuffled at random every other measure, and returns to normal every other measure. Scratch and pedal notes are unaffected by this modifier.
- MANIC RANDOM (M) - Notes columns are assigned to a random key, including scratch and pedal notes.
- HYPER RANDOM (H) - Notes are shuffled at complete random, including scratch and pedal notes. From EZ2AC EVOLVE version 1.6 to 1.7, long notes are unshuffled, and do not overlap with regular notes. The behavior of long notes being shuffled is returned in version 1.8 and beyond.
- PLATINUM HYPER RANDOM (PH) - Notes are shuffled at random every other measure, and returns to normal every other measure, including scratch and pedal notes. This modifier was removed in a later entry.
- FRAME RANDOM (F) - Exclusive to 10K MANIAC / Club Mix. Player 1 and Player 2's notes are shuffled separately. Pedal notes are unaffected by this modifier.
- KEY MIRROR (K) - Mirrors all keys from left-right to right-left.
- SP MIRROR (SP) - Swaps scratch and pedal notes.
- NOTE MIRROR (N) / ALL MIRROR (A) - Mirrors all columns from left-right to right-left.
Note Skin Modifiers (Effector 3, Category 1)
Visually changes the look of your notes to something else. The selection is generally different between game versions, however, the current available selection of note skins as of EZ2AC FINAL:EX is as follows:
- Default
- 2nd TRAX
- 1st S/E
- Simple
- Steel
- 3S (from Sabin Sound Star)
- 3S RB (from Sabin Sound Star: Renascence Burst)
- Circle
- Disc
- Star
- Turtle
- Gear
When playing in EZ2CATCH, this modifier instead allows you to change the appearance of your character.
You are not allowed to adjust your note skin when playing in 5K RUBY / Ruby Mix, as it is tied to your current gear skin (see below).
Auto Modifiers (Effector 4, Category 1)
Using these modifiers will essentially reduce your score by not counting any notes automatically played.
- SCRATCH AUTO (S) - Plays the turntable automatically.
- PEDAL AUTO (P) - Plays the pedal automatically.
- SCRATCH-PEDAL AUTO (SP) - Plays both the turntable and pedal automatically.
- LEFT/RIGHT SCRATCH AUTO (LS/RS) - Exclusive to 14K MANIAC / Space Mix. Plays the corresponding turntable automatically.
When playing in EZ2CATCH, this modifier instead allows you to change the appearance of the objects you catch.
When playing in TURNTABLE, this modifier changes to MODE SWITCH, allowing you to change the method of hitting notes from the turntable to the pedal.
Fade Modifiers (Effector 2, Category 2)
- FADE OUT (F OUT) - Notes fade away and disappear as they approach the bottom of the playfield.
- FADE IN (F IN) - Notes fade in and appear as they approach the bottom of the playfield.
- BLINK (B) - Notes gradually appear and disappear regularly.
Scroll Modifiers (Effector 3, Category 2)
- REVERSE (Я) - Notes scroll from the bottom to the top of the playfield, rather than from the top to to the bottom of the playfield.
- 4D NOTE - Each lane has its own random scrolling speed.
- 5D NOTE - All notes have their own random scrolling speed.
Visual Modifiers (Effector 4, Category 2)
- VISUAL (V) - Default. BGA is left on and the background of the playfield is semi-transparent.
- BLACK PANEL (BP) - The playfield's background turns black, becoming opaque and hiding the BGA underneath.
- OFF - BGA is turned off, replaced with a static image.
Gear Skin Modifiers (Pedal, Category 1 & 2)
Pressing the pedal allows you to change the appearance of the playfield, from different games across the EZ2AC series.
In 5K RUBY / Ruby Mix, this also changes the appearance of the notes.
In-Game Modifiers
These modifiers can only be adjusted in-game, just before or while playing a song.
- Effector 1 - BASS BOOST: Audibly boosts the sound of the bass.
- Effector 2 - TREBLE BOOST: Audibly boosts the sound of the treble.
- Effector 3/4 - SPEED DOWN/UP: Lowers or increases hi-speed in increments of 0.25.
- Start + Turntable - PRECISE SPEED DOWN/UP: Spinning the turntable while holding start allows you to precisely change the hi-speed by 0.01 increments.