History of Notable Changes in beatmania IIDX
Table of contents
Introduction
This is a condensed timeline of IIDX versions and significant or notable gameplay features introduced in each version. For detailed history, visit Remywiki and bemaniwiki.
Dates in parenthesis are release date in Japan. The “era” names are made up for organization purposes and not official or established in any way.
TWINKLE era (1999-2003)
beatmania IIDX (1st style) (February 26, 1999)
- Difficulty rating from ☆1-5
- Modes: 4KEYS, 5KEYS, 7KEYS, and EXPERT
- Options: ANOTHER, RANDOM, MIRROR
beatmania IIDX substream (July 27, 1999)
- Supported linked play with DDR 2nd Mix CLUB VERSION and CLUB VERSION 2
beatmania IIDX 2nd style (September 30, 1999)
- Added BATTLE mode
- Added HI-SPEED
- Difficulty rating from ☆1-7
- BPM display in song select
- Introduced “beat” based phased unlock system
beatmania IIDX 3rd style (February 25, 2000)
- Added SUDDEN option
- Added LIGHT7 / LIGHT14 modes (equivalent to NORMAL difficulty charts)
- Difficulty rating from ☆1-7
- Removed 4KEYS mode
- When both BATTLE and MIRROR were enabled in DP, only 1P side would be mirrored, which is effectively the first instance of DBM
beatmania IIDX 4th style (September 28, 2000)
- Added EASY gauge
- Added FREE MODE
- Added progress bar during song
- In DP, first version to have 4 windows for BGA display (two on each side), although it was always a generic BGA
beatmania IIDX 5th style (March 27, 2001)
- Added new difficulty level - flashing 7 (commonly denoted as 7+)
- Expanded HI-SPEED option to HI-SPEED 1-3
- SP And DP charts can have different difficulty rating
- Added AUTO SCRATCH option
beatmania IIDX 6th style (September 28, 2001)
- DVD-reader used for BGAs, replacing VCD reader in previous versions
- Added DJ LEVEL to result screen (AAA, AA, etc.)
- Added HARD gauge; however, the 30% threshold for reduce damage did not exist.
- Options can be changed in song select; previously this was only accessible in title screen and/or mode select.
- Can change between chart difficulty between LIGHT7 and 7KEY during song select
beatmania IIDX 7th style (March 27, 2002)
- Removed separate 5KEY mode and adds it as an in-game option
- Added class mode (dan-i-nintei) up to 10th Dan
- Added stage fail after 50 consecutive POORs
- First version with ONE MORE EXTRA STAGE
- First version to show actual BGA from the song in DP, as opposed to a generic one – but limited to new songs only
beatmania IIDX 8th style (September 27, 2002)
- Added 30% threshold for class mode DAN gauge
SD / e-AMUSEMENT era (2003-2012)
beatmania IIDX 9th style (June 25, 2003)
- First version with e-AMUSEMENT with magnetic card reader
- Hardware upgrade: switches over from PlayStation-based TWINKLE hardware to PC-based system
- Removed CONTINUE
- Added BEGINNER MODE
- Added folders in song select
- In DP, all songs will now play their own BGAs
beatmania IIDX 10th style (February 18, 2004)
- Added DJ POINT
- Expanded ☆1-7+ difficulty scale into ☆1-8
- Introduced FULL COMBO effect
- Allows 1P and 2P to independently select play options
- In DP, allows 1P side and 2P side to have different options. It was possible to set different speed modifiers on the two sides, or have different assist options, such as setting 5KEY modifier but only on left hand.
- Added JUDGE display option (in-game counter UI for PGREAT, GREAT, etc.)
beatmania IIDX 11 IIDXRED (October 28, 2004)
- First unlockable song with e-AMUSEMENT
- Added HI-SPEED 4, RANDOM+ options
- Added CLEAR RATE display
- Expanded ☆1-8 difficulty scale into ☆1-8+
- Shows BPM range in song select (as opposed to just the initial BPM)
- Added pacemaker graph
beatmania IIDX 12 HAPPY SKY (July 13, 2005)
- Establishes NORMAL, HYPER, ANOTHER system, replacing LIGHT / 7KEY / 14KEY modes
- Expanded from ☆1-8+ to ☆1-12 difficulty scale
- HI-SPEED option now ranges from 0.5 to 4.0, stepping at every 0.5
- Added HIDDEN+ and SUDDEN+ options
- Added JOINT DOUBLE option in operator menu, which allowed DP to be played with just one credit. This was also called Double Premium – the same terminology as DDR. Previously DP required double the credits
- In DP, no longer possible to have different speed modifiers for the two sides
beatmania IIDX 13 DistorteD (March 15, 2006)
- Increased HI-SPEED to 5.0
- Added FLIP option in DP
- Added Kaiden (皆伝) in class mode
- e-AMUSEMENT PASS support added (first generation RFID card, replacing magnetic stripe cards)
beatmania IIDX 14 GOLD (February 21, 2007)
- New cabinets introduced, upgrades to USB 2.0 based I/O board with lower latency (previously USB 1.1)
- Shortly after release, on March 7, game updated to slightly increase timing windows
- Added REGUL-SPEED (fixed BPM at 150)
- Can have 1P and 2P play a different difficulty chart
- Added ASSIST CLEAR lamps (e.g., if 5KEYS or AUTO-SCRATCH option was used)
- Can close folders with black key
beatmania IIDX 15 DJ TROOPERS (December 19, 2007)
- Added WEEKLY RANKING
- When two players are playing, BATTLE is turned on by default. Previously, BATTLE was off by default. (BATTLE off = two players both play left and right side of the DP chart; BATTLE off = both players play SP charts)
beatmania IIDX 16 EMPRESS (November 19, 2008)
- Added HAZARD mode
- Added textured turntable surface, commonly referred to as “EMP mat”
- Added green number display
- LIFT option added as a hidden option, had to be enabled online before it showed up on menu
beatmania IIDX 17 SIRIUS (October 21, 2009)
- Added CHARGE NOTES and BACKSPIN SCRATCHES
- Added LEGACY NOTE option which removes CN and BSS
- Added FAST/SLOW display during gameplay
- Added LIFT option (now available by default)
- In DP, combines the two option screens into one for both sides. No longer possible to use different assist options on each side. Adds SYMMETRY RANDOM And SYNCHRONIZE RANDOM.
beatmania IIDX 18 Resort Anthem (September 15, 2010)
- Started to accept PASELI as payment
- Added PREMIUM FREE mode
beatmania IIDX 19 Lincle (September 15, 2011)
- Added DJ VIP PASS GOLD and PLATINUM
- Removed “beat” based phased unlock system.
- FeliCa-based “touch” RFID readers added to cabs for e-AMUSEMENT PASS (switched from slotted readers)
- Added song preview in song select screen
- Added min and max BPM display during gameplay
- Can set PACEMAKER to a precise percentage value using key pad
- Added FREE PLUS and STEP UP modes
- Added EX-HARD gauge, and EX DAN gauge in class mode
- Added SUDDEN+ TYPE B, in addition to existing SUDDEN+ which is now TYPE A
- Added QPRO player avatars
- Removed BORDER BONUS and PERFECT BONUS from money score
- When two people are playing, BATTLE is now always on, with no option to turn off.
HD era (2012-2019)
beatmania IIDX 20 tricoro (September 19, 2012)
- Hardware upgrades to support HD (720p) resolution
- New cabinet type with e-AMUSEMENT card reader built into the VEFX panel, SSD storage
- First version with e-AMUSEMENT Participation
- FAST/SLOW display in the result screen via VEFX button
- Added Tran Medals
- Added beginner option screen and advanced options (blue menu)
- Removed SUDDEN+ TYPE A/B distinction and replaces with SUDDEN+
- Added Floating HI-SPEED
- Added timing offset adjustment option
- Added ability to switch pacemaker graph side
- Added DP options SYNCHRONIZE RANDOM, SYMMETRY RANDOM
- Removed HIDDEN and SUDDEN
beatmania IIDX 21 SPADA (November 13, 2013)
- Can switch between SP and DP during song select; JOINT DOUBLE option removed from operator menu as a result.
- In Japan region, PASELI play is required to access EXTRA STAGE in standard mode, and to play higher level charts in STEP UP review folders
- Added V-DISC system, adds LEGGENDARIA charts (as a separate “song”)
- Added DJ VIP PASS BLACK
- Result screen updated to always show FAST/SLOW counts, SP/DP, song difficulty, and note count and measure count if gauge ran out during the song
- In DP result screen, pressing EFFECT button showed separate judge count for left and right side
beatmania IIDX 22 PENDUAL (September 17, 2014)
- Added EX COMBO option (replaces combo counter next to judge with EX score)
- Added R-RANDOM, EXPAND-JUDGE
- Class mode courses forcibly turned on MIRROR option when FUTURE phase was active
- In DP result screen, removed the ability to see separate left and right side judgement by pressing EFFECT
beatmania IIDX 23 copula (November 11, 2015)
- Added HELL CHARGE NOTE
- Added ASSIST EASY gauge
- Added ALL BEGINNER folder
- DP class mode has 4 songs – previously DP had 3 songs in each course
- Added Chuuden (中伝) in class mode
- Class mode can be played with MIRROR modifier
beatmania IIDX 24 SINOBUZ (October 26, 2016)
- Added daily bonus (different benefits for playing on Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / etc.)
- Added TIME HAZARD and TIME FREE on certain days
- First version to update over the network
- Added PACEMAKER NEXT
- Added NORMAL RETRY (hold EFFECT+VEFX on result screen to retry song)
- Added bingo card system
- Added customization for pacemaker graph background
- Added robo-rivals
beatmania IIDX 25 CANNON BALLERS (December 21, 2017)
- Hardware upgrade - newer PCB, moves to Windows 7 (from XP), adds cameras
- Added TIME HELL and ARENA modes
- LEGGENDARIA folder can be accessed in any stage, not just extra stage
- Expanded VEFX modifiers (adds compressor, chorus, gargle…)
- Internal audio engine changes to reduce keysound latency
- Added option to hide the gauge
- Lane background brightness can be decreased
beatmania IIDX 26 Rootage (November 7, 2018)
- Distributed I/O upgrade kit for 1st-9th style era cabinets to improve turntable accuracy
- Added Korean translation
- Removed 5KEYS, EX-COMBO options
- Added Practice Exam folders in STEP UP
- Result screen can also show DJ LEVEL per-key and over time
- Added option to completely hide the gauge and percentage value
- Added display for minimum and maximum green number
- Added NORMAL HI-SPEED
- Added display for first set of notes in the beginning of a song
- Added playlist feature
Lightning Model era (2019-)
beatmania IIDX 27 HEROIC VERSE (October 16, 2019)
- New cabinet type: Lightning Model (released on December 16, 2019), adding 120Hz display, headphone ports, second touch screen, adjustable turntable, and so on. Running Windows 10
- Official US region release (LM cab only), adds English translation
- Removed SP/DP selection screen, only in-game switches are permitted
- Combines Beginner and Leggendaria charts which were previously separate song selections; each song can have up to 5 charts (Beginner, Normal, Hyper, Another, Leggendaria)
- Added notes radar for songs, similar to groove radar seen in DDR
- NORMAL HI-SPEED expanded to 20 levels; CLASSIC HI-SPEED option added; FLOATING HI-SPEED adjusts by 0.25 increments as opposed to 0.5
- Offset can be changed by 0.05 increments, previously 0.1
- Added M-RAN option
beatmania IIDX 28 BISTROVER (October 28, 2020)
- Removed money score entirely; renames EX SCORE to SCORE in a few UI elements
- Added BPL BATTLE mode
- Shows used options in the result screen
- Added ability to record gameplay on LM cabs (Play Record)
beatmania IIDX 29 CastHour (October 13, 2021)
- Added MSS (multi-spin scratch)
- Added random gacha ticket system
- Added auto offset adjustment feature, can also change offset during play
beatmania IIDX 30 RESIDENT (October 19, 2022)
- Lightning Model upgraded to native 1080p (FHD). For standard cabs, HD and FHD are supported (depending on monitor in use)
- Premium Free available for coin play, outside of Japan; also gives V-Discs upon entry
- Reduced cost of playing Leggendaria chart from 4 V-Discs to 1 V-Disc.
- Removed all daily bonus except Saturday bonus (removes Step Up level folder restrictions)
- Added option for separated FAST/SLOW display for scratches and notes
- Added medal system (achievements)
beatmania IIDX 31 EPOLIS (October 18, 2023)
- GELDJ-JX hardware upgrade kit required for legacy cabinets (see this page). Running Windows 10
- Removed H-RANDOM And EXPAND-JUDGE
- Same-RANDOM retry option for LM (PASELI only)
- Play customization can be done on LM touch screen
- More customization options added: beam length, note thickness, LIFT image, animated pacemaker background, subscreen background
beatmania IIDX 32 Pinky Crush (October 9, 2024)
- Categories added to filter folders in song select
- BGA thumbnails added to song select
- Play Record feature can now upload to YouTube directly (for most songs)
- Extra Stage requirement has been simplified (Level 6+ assist clear or better)
- Free/Free+/Hazard modes deleted. 4 minute Premium Free added for J-region cabs without PASELI
- HARD and EX-HARD gauge folders added to STEP-UP mode