Beatmania IIDX 21: Spada

Gameplay

For more information about the gameplay of Beatmania IIDX in general, please refer to Beatmania IIDX#Gameplay.

Beatmania IIDX 21: Spada still retains the same basic gameplay since the start of the series. Players are required to hit notes that fall from the top of the screen at the hit zone using keys or turntables which are required to be scratched. Hitting the notes correctly will fill up the Groove Meter, while failure to do so drains it. Players must attain at least 80% of the meter at the end of the song to pass. Two gameplay variations introduced in Beatmania IIDX 17: Sirius: Charge Note (notes required to be held) and Backspin Scratch (spin the turntable at one direction and spin it at the opposite direction at the end) are once again present. Players can now freely change between Single and Double Play during song select screen. The Results Screen have also been overhauled. The keypad used for inputting e-Amusement code can now be used to sort difficulty and music folder in-game.

Spada†leggendaria

In this game, players can still access the normal Extra Stage with the same requirements from previous games; similar to Beatmania IIDX 20: Tricoro's Limit Burst Unlocking System, new boss songs were added with the new system called "Spada†leggendaria". In addition to fulfilling the normal Extra Stages, the player must play a specific set of songs (all are in Final Stage) to obtain new boss songs. These boss songs are exclusive to this version and the authors of the songs are based on the name of the Swords. As like Limit Burst, there are no One More Extra Stage. The songs are:

Similar to Limit Burst, the player can only access the ANOTHER chart of the song initially; the NORMAL and HYPER charts are added through the period of two weeks after the song is released as the next Spada†leggendaria song is added on the first weekday of the month (until July).

Starting on April 23, 2014, Players playing via PASELI (Which were also the only way to access EXTRA Stages after the change for the Japanese Arcades) can also access the alternate version of the previous Spada†leggendaria songs by spending six V-Disks (or three if both players were playing) out of seven given at the start under the LEGGENDARIA folder. Those alternate version of the songs are generally the same as the first (songs with "†leggendaria" simply added on their title), except that it has difficult ANOTHER charts.

Upon the release of PENDUAL on September 17, 2014, all the songs (including alternative ANOTHER Charts) will still be locked and can only be accessed on EXTRA Stage via PASELI on the LEGGENDARIA folder.

Qprogue

Qprogue is the first unlockable event of the game (based on a Role-Playing Game) which started on December 25, 2013. In this event player can control their avatar (or Kupuro) through the map by controlling through the game keyboard or the numerical buttons upon every credit of gameplay. While players can defeat monsters by reducing the enemies HP (reducing the player's stamina in the process), the avatar will level up (up to 28) as well as unlocking more charts, items, weapons and skills (can be toggled by pressing Effect Button) thus giving the player the advantage upon certain enemies. In order to progress to the next phrase's map, the player must have unlocked the ANOTHER Chart of the boss song of this Chapter before the player can move on (the player can revisit the maps by visiting the portals. For QProgueDX, it can be toggled on VEFX Button). Some songs are also locked in forts and players must play the required note charts of certain songs under forced difficulty (depending on the level chosen in each playthrough) to unlock them.

After April 30, 2014, the 4th map, QProgue DX, is made mandatory to play for all players. Players who did not unlock the songs after this date maybe unlocked in this new map. If all the charts has been unlocked and all enemies were defeated, the player has completed the event and all the accessories can be used for regular gameplay.

There are four maps in this event and 25 songs have to be unlocked for regular play. The event ended on September 17, 2014, which unlocks all the songs automatically.

Super Star Mitsuru Revival Event

Super Star Mitsuru Revival Event was started on March 26, 2014. Through this event, the player can unlock eight customisation designs and shop items (billed as "Only One" items) by fulfilling the in-game conditions which relates to the wordplay number 326 in the first three stages of gameplay (similar to LEGEND CROSS from IIDX Tricoro) For every time the condition is fulfilled (such as getting 326 on the note counts or BPM Total, or play songs that relates or come from the numbers 3, 2 and 6), new items will be made available on the Shop (but it is not mandatory to purchase them in the case of unlocking the song). If at least four criteria were fulfilled and have at least four customisation items available for purchase, Smug Face -どうだ, オレの生き様は- (ONLY ONE EDITION) will be unlocked automatically for regular gameplay. Unlocking all the eight customization items in the shop will also unlock I will be back -オレは帰ってきた-.

Like QProgue, the event ended on September 17, 2014, which automatically unlocks the two songs (some of the accessories and customization items were discounted).

Music

Currently, there are 90 new songs. While 21 songs from the older versions has removed, the remaining songs have returned for a total of 846 songs available in this game, although some songs must be unlocked by fulfilling requirements in-game.

Song names in parenthesis represent the direct translation of Japanese titles. Song names in bold represent the official in-game translation through the arcade machine's LED marquee.