Nostalgia is a powerful thing and motivator in our world. It looks like all of you who have been pining for an update or sequel to Amplitude are going to get your wish as long as you are ready to pay a little. Harmonix has started up a Kickstarter for this game that many have fallen in love with over 12 years ago on the PS2. Why the campaign? Well it is to bring Amplitude to the PS3 and PS4 for all of you to enjoy again or, for those who missed out before, to hop onto the band wagon and enjoy.
Not sure what Amplitude is and haven't turned to Google yet? Well in a nut shell it was the second large title that Harmonix produced back in 2003. The pre-Rock Band and pre-Dance Central days. It was a music game that had players piloting a ship down music tracks to "free" the notes and get the song playing again. All of this done with just a DualShock controller. It featured popular music at the time and also had a rather interesting multiplayer mode where you had to screw up the other players trying to do the same thing all while keeping on your own track. I remember it as good fun times on lonely weekend nights.
Now, Harmonix is looking to get backed just under a million dollars to get Amplitude back out in the wild as there is no PS3 or PS4 "HD Version" or backwards capability for those who owned it over a decade ago. Their following Kickstarter campaign video can explain more but in another nut shell Harmonix is busy working on Chroma and Fantasia: Music Evolved (Both funded by outside companies) to be able to dedicate time and team to what the "fans are asking for." Makes sense, but as they joke in the video, is it true?
As I mentioned above, I rather enjoyed Amplitude back in the day but for a company that has evolved the music/rhythm game genre it feels like this would be a step back as they are just remaking Amplitude and updating for the current systems and music out there. I guess if the fans out there really want it then Harmonix would be dumb not to take the money and keep the company funds rolling in while they work on their other titles, but it really feels like a nostalgia thing that all of the HD remakes out there now are capitalizing on. When will people give that up or truly catch on?
It is nice to hear that most of the team that built Amplitude before are still around to do it now if Harmonix gets the funds from us all. At least there we know that they are not going to be handing their baby off to "the nanny" and them raise it and hope it turns out like its predecessor. The same loving and nurturing group will be the village to raise this metaphoric child.