Bryn Williams of GameSpy found IIDX harder than the original Beatmania, because songs that take advantage of its seven keys have more notes than those made for five keys. According to Foster, many players were initially not impressed with performing old songs on upgraded hardware, so they switched to Beatmania 4th Mix. He called the game 'a rocky start' for the Beatmania IIDX series, since it had music from Beatmania 's first two iterations ( 1st Mix and 2nd Mix) paired with new songs and remixes. Neil Foster of Hardcore Gaming 101 noticed that player one's controller had the turntable relocated to the left side, which was advantageous to 'some players.' He commented that with the addition of a widescreen monitor, the black keys were given easily identifiable lanes. The controller was one of components used in the game's Benami Twinkle cabinet, along with a large 40-inch widescreen monitor, large speakers, eight spotlights, and the Effect Fader (located in the control panel) the last of which is used to alter the sound during gameplay. While its predecessor used five keys, the IIDX controller had seven. It was designed to simulate the experience of a DJ performing songs live at a music venue which gave it a 'club Visual Jockey feel.' The game was released on February 26, 1999. : 54–58 : 297 Bemani conceived Beatmania IIDX as a sequel to Beatmania. The studio made more music-themed video games following its release, including Pop'n Music and Dance Dance Revolution. Its surprise success prompted the developer to rename itself Bemani, a portmanteau of the game's title. In 1997, Konami distributed its Games & Music Division's (G.M.D.) Beatmania in Japan as an arcade DJ simulator, significantly influencing rhythm games. Clearing four or more stages in Internet Ranking results in a password, which can be submitted to Konami so that the player's score is registered and shown in worldwide rankings. The 7 Keys mode utilizes all buttons and Expert has the player select a course and obtain the highest score. 5 Keys is a mode where the player uses '3 white keys on bottom and 2 black keys on top' like in Beatmania.

The controls in the 4 Keys mode are limited to only the white buttons. IIDX has four play modes: 4 Keys, 5 Keys, 7 Keys, and Expert. Failing to do so depletes the gauge and can prematurely end the song. Hitting notes with accurate timing increases the player's score and groove gauge bar, allowing the player to finish the stage. The objective of Beatmania IIDX is to perform songs using a controller with seven key buttons and a scratchable turntable.

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