Mad Maestro!

An extremely satisfying experience and, if nothing else, certainly renewed my appreciation for classical music and for conductors, in general.

Once I got used to the orchestral score, Mad Maestro was surprisingly enjoyable, long and difficult (which isn't exactly the norm in the genre). [May 2002, p.107]

While it is a tad disappointing that the game doesn’t have its conductor’s staff, the overall selection of music encountered and execution makes for a refreshing departure from the status quo in the genre.

Although Mad Maestro is plenty novel, quirky, and cute as a button, it doesn't have enough depth or replay value to justify its price.

You get the feeling that this could be a nice little game that is more than the sum of it’s parts, but sadly this is not the case.

Mad Maestro!'s repetition, missing variety and sundry flaws make it the runt of the litter so far.

Pressing one button over and over at different pressure levels doesn't ring my bell, and I doubt it will ring most of yours.

This is one of those games that few people know about, and that's unfortunate. It makes unique use of the PS2's pressure sensitive buttons to create a new kind of music and rhythm game: one where you are the conductor of a ragtag orchestra. The characters are a cute and a bit bizarre; your orchestra pit features instrument playing lions, robots and other misfits. The game provides little re-playability outside of the music sessions, and the story is a bit thin. The gameplay, however, is addicting and difficult. If you find this game in a bargain bin, give it a home. You may be surprised at how fun it is.