History VideoGame / GITADORA

In its homeland of Japan (which is, as usual, the [[NoExportForYou only place you'll really find plenty of it]]), you'll rarely find matching versions of the two games separated from each other. In fact, when new versions come out, they now come out at the same time, the UsefulNotes/PlayStation versions always compiled the two games together, and the PortmanteauSeriesNickname ''Gitadora'' (ギタドラ) is used as shorthand to refer to both GF and DM at once, and became the official name of both games beginning on the 2013 version (which also introduced new cabinets best described as white, downsized versions of the XG cabinets. So much so that the guitar cabinet only supports ''one'' player now).

** Similarly, songs from ''[=GuitarFreaks=]'' 1st mix and 2nd mix supported edit data from their respective UsefulNotes/PlayStation versions. Similarly, this feature was supported through 4th mix.

* ExcitedShowTitle: GF/DM V6 is subtitled ''BLAZING!!!!'' (yes, four exclamation points).

* BonusBoss: Early mixes of [=GuitarFreaks=] had Extra stages that are played if you do well enough. Starting with GF 4th, Encore stages are also playable if you do well enough on the Extra stage. Early [=DrumMania=] mixes actually had no Extra and Encore stages until DM 3rd.
** Starting with GF/DM 10th/9th, any song can be selected as the Extra stage but only the actual Extra stage songs (usually colored red) will let you play the Encore afterwards. And from GF/DM V3 onwards, throughout the "life" of a mix, new bosses are cycled in as the extra and encore.

* SequelDifficultySpike:
** Its not as bad as Beatmania's difficulty curve, but songs have been getting harder as time goes by, ''especially'' on drums (and ''especially'' drums on XG).
** ''XG'' introduces two additional fret buttons a la ''Guitar Hero'' and ''Rock Band'', two more drums, and one more bass pedal, resulting in a more difficult experience all across the board.

* ExcitedShowTitle: GF/DM V6 is subtitled ''BLAZING![[UpToEleven !!!]]'' (yes, four exclamation points).

* DifficultySpike: The first [=GuitarFreaks=] had a relatively noticeable one for beginners by nature of not having many songs, and also not allowing players to play a song more than once per credit. After most likely playing "Cutie pie" and "Chicago Blue", the player had to select from the much tougher and faster remaining four songs as their final stage.

** Songs from ''[=GuitarFreaks=]'' 1st mix and 2nd mix had Secret notes in 2-player play. They would be revealed in a section of the song once a player played one of them. The secret notes feature was supported through 4th mix, although though no songs introduced in 3rd mix and 4th mix had them.

** "Member Introduction" from GF 2nd mix append CS also has a staff roll in its video, and cannot be failed.

** Though GF 6th mix, the charts would have separate charts for each player. A code had to be entered to have both players play the 1-player chart.

* MisbegottenMultiplayerMode: Normally averted; the games encourage multiplayer play through "Session" play that allows for up to two players on ''[=GuitarFreaks]=]'' and one on ''drummania'' for a band experience. However, two early versions of ''GF&DM'' allow linking up with ''Keyboardmania'' for a five-player "Super Session" game, which would be great if the Super Session songlist wasn't a mere ten songs.

** Similarly, songs from ''[=GuitarFreaks=]'' 1st mix and 2nd mix supported edit data from their respective PlayStation versions. Similarly, this feature was supported through 4th mix.