GuitarFreaks is a rhythm game based on a guitar, originally released in arcades by Konami in 1998 before being ported to the PlayStation. It is part of Konami's "Bemani" line of rhythm games.
The gameplay is simple as the corresponding buttons would appear on the screen from left to right, and the user must hit the buttons at the correct time. Scoring is based on how closely the player's performance and timing matches the original song. Two players can play simultaneously and compete for higher scores.
As the game is structured like an arcade game--even on the PlayStation--players select from a handful of songs and earn points across a session of songs. You can play up to one to five songs with a single session of gameplay, but also get access to extra songs by achieving a great score within the game. The PlayStation version of the game adds hidden notes that allow for additional scoring opportunities.
In arcades, bulky guitar controllers are attached directly to the cabinet. At home, Konami sold PlayStation-compatible guitar controllers that are smaller and thinner than the arcade versions. The home version of the game can be played on a standard PlayStation controller, if desired.
Though later installments ("mixes") of GuitarFreaks would add cover versions of popular songs, much of the first game's music is original material from the publisher's own soundtrack team.
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