Skip to main content
Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • Big Preview
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
    • View Video
    • Video
    • GR+ Replay - Submit Your Clips
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Crimson Desert
  • Arc Raiders
  • The Boys S5
  • Best turn-based RPGs
  • Submit your clips. Win prizes
  1. Games
  2. Fighting Games

Custom Beat Battle Draglade [import] review

Where music is the food of love

Reviews
By GamesRadar published 21 June 2007

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

GamesRadar+ Verdict

Pros

  • +

    Constructing beats for attacks

  • +

    Tuning notes to create melodies

  • +

    That it's well-animated

Cons

  • -

    The audio's not as sharp as Ouendan

  • -

    The slightly limited move set

  • -

    It can be pretty difficult

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

Custom Beat Battle: Draglade is literal murder on the dance floor; a beat-'em-up with jazz hands. Okay. So no actual dancing takes place - Mortal Kombat starring Fred Astaire it's not - but rhythm is the key.

On the surface this bears a striking resemblance to DS fighter Bleach. The camera zooms around wide multi-tiered arenas as spiky-haired fighters unleash flaming uppercuts and sword jabs upon one another. With a slightly more limited move-set than the combo-loving Bleach, this is a tad more pickup-able, and the absence of Bleach's dramatic screen-wide visual pyrotechnics are also much appreciated - it means you actually stand a chance of dodging the attacks Draglade throws at you.

Article continues below

Tapping L enters Beat Combo mode. A beat bar displays a series of notes, or attacks, which you play to unleash combo chaos. Sound complicated? It's really not. In musical terms, the yellow notes represent one beat (a quick stab), while orange notes last for two (a fiercer swing) and three-beat-long reds launch weapon uppercuts. Tapping out the note pattern on the Y button is all it takes to wipe hundreds of points from your opponent's health.

A series of pre-set tunes are available in the game, but the real fun lies in tuning each note out beforehand in order to create an actual melody. Doing so doesn't alter any of the attacks one bit, but it does make the brawlers sound like two accordions having a go at it. Brilliant.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
Nintendo Platforms
GamesRadar
GamesRadar
The GamesRadar+ Team

GamesRadar+ was first founded in 1999, and since then has been dedicated to delivering video game-related news, reviews, previews, features, and more. Since late 2014, the website has been the online home of Total Film, SFX, Edge, and PLAY magazines, with comics site Newsarama joining the fold in 2020. Our aim as the global GamesRadar Staff team is to take you closer to the games, movies, TV shows, and comics that you love. We want to upgrade your downtime, and help you make the most of your time, money, and skills. We always aim to entertain, inform, and inspire through our mix of content - which includes news, reviews, features, tips, buying guides, and videos.

Latest in Fighting Games
Grandpa Gohan in Sparking Zero
Fighting Games Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero's next DLC will add over 30 characters, including the biggest omissions from the roster
 
 
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 screenshot showing two player characters
Fighting Games The new Dragon Ball game that everyone thought was Xenoverse 3 has finally been confirmed as Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3
 
 
Alex art in Street Fighter 6
Fighting Games Capcom attempts to patch Street Fighter 6's controversial incest storyline, but it's really not any better
 
 
Two players battle on a snowy arena in Dueling Grounds.
Fighting Games Dueling Grounds codes (April 2026) for Coins and Gems
 
 
Close up Noob Saibot's face in Mortal Kombat 2 trailer
Action Movies Mortal Kombat 2 trailer shows actual levels from the game and confirms Sub-Zero becomes Noob Saibot
 
 
Street Fighter 6
The Legend of Zelda Street Fighter 6 director says Shigeru Miyamoto is "a North Star guiding all game creators"
 
 
Latest in Reviews
Two Cities of Sigmar Grenadiers painted by Will Salmon.
Tabletop Gaming Warhammer: Spearhead – City of Ash review - "If you've never played Spearhead before and want an easy way into the game, then – finally – this is it"
 
 
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop with lid facing camera on a wooden desk
Laptops The new Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 is doing a lot with its extra wattage, but I'm bracing myself for the price tag
 
 
Hand holding 8Bitdo M30 2.4GHz controller in front of desk with Japanese Sega Mega Drive connected to Sony Trinitron CRT TV with BLÅHAJ Ikea shark on top and Golden Axe title on screen.
Retro I’m punching myself for not buying an 8Bitdo M30 sooner, as it’s a near-perfect wireless Sega Mega Drive controller
 
 
Photo of the Mchose V9 Turbo headset on top of its box.
Headsets & Headphones The MCHOSE V9 Turbo looks like an off-brand Razer headset, but looks can be deceiving for this mighty pair of cups
 
 
Samara and Amani stand in their Goddess food truck mech in Dosa Divas key art, cooking up a big meal for surrounding villagers
RPGs Dosa Divas review: "I came for the culinary mechs and Jet Set Radio vibes, I stayed for the emotional rollercoaster"
 
 
Pragmata screenshot taken on PS5
Action Games Pragmata review: "Blasting and hacking in sync has me locked in for Capcom's sci-fi shooter"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Musashi examines the oni gauntlet with a confused expression in Onimusha: Way of the Sword
    1
    Capcom knows it's on a roll, threatens another banger after Resident Evil Requiem, Monster Hunter Stories 3, and Pragmata: "We're not done with 2026 yet"
  2. 2
    Ghost of Yotei star says Sucker Punch is "bold" to "leave behind safety and comfort" to tell new stories with fresh characters, but the actor doesn't know "what might come next"
  3. 3
    Maybe some N64 games are better left forgotten, but don't tell that to the reconstituted Star Fox studio seemingly teasing a Buck Bumble revival
  4. 4
    Blizzard lawsuit kills huge private World of Warcraft server as a cease and desist ends another
  5. 5
    Meet the dev who quit Rockstar Games during GTA 6 fever to make his own game, a single-player MMO-like where you tank for NPCs

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...