If the brains behindMajor Minor’s Majestic March— designer Masaua Matsuura and New York artist Rodney Alan Greenblat — weren’t the same folks behind the now-classic PlayStation music titlePaRappa the Rapper, I’m not sure I’d be writing this.

Visually, we’re in “pre-school” territory here, with the pastels, and marching bears and dogs. Without looking deeper, it’s likely most gamers would just write it off. But it’s entirely possible (even likely) the NanaOn-Sha developed music title — being developed exclusively for the Wii — may turn out to be a surprisingly deep experience.

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Players control band leader Major Minor, and the game turns the Wii Remote into a baton that is used to keep tempo in a Pide Piper-like parade of animals. By adding up to 15 different instruments (brass, woodwinds, percussion, etc.), players can alter up to 25 popular marching band songs and original medleys with varying results.

Kirby Grammy Award nomination

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The Steam logo wearing a Christmas hat with discounted games in the background.

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