Korg DS-10 Synthesizer is, to be completely accurate, not a video game. It is, instead, an accurate recreation of the Korg MS-10 synthesizer of yesteryear. Yes, what was a huge synthesizer "back in the day" can now be completely ported over to a small handheld video game console.
The big thing about the Korg is the fact that it is an analog synthesizer. That means that instead of having set incremental changes you can change all kinds of knobs, adjust things manually or by presets, etc.
I mean, I have to be honest - I'm not a synthesizer guy and this game (for lack of a better word) completely intimidated the heck out of me. It's beyond detailed, it's comprehensive, it's powerful, and you can do all kinds of crazy things with it.
And it's even multiplayer! If you know other people with it up to 8 people can join together, with one being the "master" (setting the beat) and the other seven people adding to the beat. You have up to 18 save files, and each save file can have 16 different patterns of 16 beats. At 150 beats per minute a save file can go as long as five minutes of music, but you have full control of the beats per minute.
Not only do you have full control over the beats per minute but you can even change it to make it swing (a "bum ba-bum" type pattern rather than "bum bum bum"). But that's not all.
First off, you have six tracks per pattern. Two of these are mono synth tracks and the other four are drum tracks. You can change all of these individually using different methods, and later you can tie them together and adjust them in groups. A sequencer allows you to change volume, panning, stacatto, etc. on the notes while a chaos pad allows you to take advantage of the analog nature and change things dynamically.
You can even use patch cords to reroute sounds!
You can use a mixer to add effects and record via an onscreen keyboard or a drumpad. After you lay out patterns in a sequence of 100 you're able to listen to your music, and if you need help, there are two demo save files. There's no direct support to save files other than on your DS but you can run a line from your "Line out" on your DS to an appropriate recording device.
Korg DS-10 Synthesizer is due out in fall of 2008.
I'm a 29 year old senior network and systems engineer for a consulting firm in the DC area. I'm mostly into MMOs and FPSes (on the console), and I'm a big pro football fan. In my other spare time I like to write and tend to read copious amounts of history and military sci-fi. I'm also into cooking and bad action movies.
