[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/SambaDeAmigo_4985.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:200:''SAMBA!'']]
Developed by SonicTeam, released in 1999 as an arcade game, and for the Dreamcast in 2000, ''Samba De Amigo'' was a RhythmGame that had elements that were ahead of its time: such as motion controls, a diverse soundtrack of mostly pop music (primarily from Latin pop artists like Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez, along with many others ... like ReelBigFish for some reason!), an early form of DLC (going online merely "unlocked" them, as they were apparently on-disc already. They were mainly remixes from other Sega franchises), and a vibrant cast of characters headed by a crazy looking monkey in a sombrero.

The game is simple enough, as balls travel to the music into an array of rings representing various angles and heights (low, middle, high, and left and right), you shake a maraca (or two for more points) at that angle or location (the arcade version used magnetic sensors, the Dreamcast used infrared sensors, while the Wii uses the Wiimote, of course). There's also moments where you have to correctly strike a pose. As one performs well, the environment transformed into a wild party atmosphere. Doing poorly, on the other hand, does not.

And of course, the game was a mucho hit in both America and Japan; scoring a 32/40 from foremost Japanese gaming authority Famitsu, a Best of 2000 award from [=GameSpot=] (where, as many music games of the time were, it was classified as a ''puzzle'' game. Yes, you heard us.) It even spawned a MissionPackSequel, ''Samba de Amigo ver. 2000'', which added more songs, new modes such as "Hustle" (which adds more posing to the mix) and "Survival" (multiple songs in a row), and more. It almost got released in the U.S. in 2001, except this came at around the same time the Dreamcast was being phased out, so it was left unreleased.

Gearbox (of ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' fame) ended up producing a [[VideoGameRemake remake]] for the Wii in 2008, which maintained many of the original songs, added more features (like a Career mode, some modes from the [[NoExportForYou "Ver. 2000" that got cancelled for the U.S.]], and paid DLC -- it was the first Wii game to support such content.), and uses the much more rigid motion tracking system already provided by the console (Maraca shells for Wiimotes not included. They ''do'' exist though). While it didn't get as much acclaim as the original, it's still quite good.

!!This series provides examples of:
* ArtShift: In the Wii opening, Amigo, Linda and Rio are briefly shown in 2D
* {{Bishonen}}: Rio has a feminine figure and way of dress.
* BootstrappedTheme: While it was a previously existing (and licensed) song, Samba de Janeiro (by Bellini, now Paffendorf)[[hottip:*:Which also appears as a remixed version also called "Samba de Amigo"]] is considered to be the theme song of the game, and tends to come up whenever the game gets referenced in other games.
* DamnYouMuscleMemory: Playing the {{Wii}} version after the {{Dreamcast}} original can be disorienting.
* DerangedAnimation
* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: Amigo and his sister Amiga
* TheCameo: The game was popular enough for Amigo to make cameos in other Sega games (primarily the MassiveMultiplayerCrossover ''SegaSuperstars'' series); and in return, ''SonicTheHedgehog'' and ''SpaceChannel5'' themed stages also make appearances in the Wii version.
* SceneryPorn: It gets ''crazy''.
* SpinOff: A spin-off was released in Japanese arcades known as ''Shakatto Tambourine''; it's basically Samba de Amigo ... [-[[RecycledInSpace WITH A TAMBOURINE!]]-] (and with at least one ''InitialD'' song too)
* WingdingEyes: Sometimes Amigo will have star eyes.

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8th Mar '13 5:50:40 PM LittleMissCute

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20th Feb '13 10:50:49 PM SamMax

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30th Dec '12 5:22:27 PM LittleMissCute

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