Game: Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan! (DS)

A Japanese rhythm-action game about male cheerleaders? Yes, and despite the obvious kitsch value (I'm not a fan of kitsch, y'see) I love this game.

It did take me a while though. A deliberately slow start fooled me into thinking that pressing dots on the DS's touchscreen in time with music playing was not that enjoyable after all. However, five or six levels in and it's become easy to see how it cannot be anything but.

Of course, fantastic as the gameplay mechanic itself is, it's not only that aspect that makes Oeundan! such a joy to play. Other factors include the cool music, the sense of achievement completing a level and the (entirely Japanese and therefore unreadable by me) comic strip plot.

I even feel cheered up by the characters within the game after I've played! Great stuff.