Beatmap Spotlights Season 6: Spring 2022 - High Speed

Spotlights rivals, assemble! With a brand new theme, Spring Season 2022 is finally here. Get ready for a high-speed ride with a fresh set of 240+ BPM beatmaps!

With last season hitting the highest playcounts in modern Beatmap Spotlights history, we're introducing you to the new season.

The theme for this run is high (240+) BPM beatmaps. If you've got some fast fingers, or enjoy an exhausting experience of fast tapping in general, the first playlist of the season is definitely your cup of tea!

In this season we haven't got a lot of changes to cover, but we've got some new features to announce. We will also announce the results of the recent Beatmap of the Season community voting, so make sure to read on below if you're interested!

If you just can't wait to try out the new maps, the Beatmap Spotlights lobbies are now open for play on the osu!(lazer) client. If you've got no idea how to get started with things, read on below!

How do I participate in the Beatmap Spotlights?

To participate in the Beatmap Spotlights, download the latest version of the lazer client from its GitHub releases page.

Once you're done installing and logging into your account, head on over to the playlists tab in the play section and find the Spotlights lobbies as denoted by a little pink bar. You can also filter the lobbies to Spotlights only in the top right corner.

Changes and updates

Beatmap label and filter

Along with the new season start, we're introducing a brand new shiny beatmap label that will appear on Spotlights-featured beatmap cards and listings next to the song title, which will help to ensure that outstanding maps selected by the curators get a proper dose of deserved visibility.

In addition to that, mentioned maps can be searched using the new Spotlighted beatmaps filter on the beatmap listing, go ahead and give it a try!

Beatmap of The Season - results

With this season launch, we're going back to the roots, reviewing the Beatmap of The Season competition. This time both Spotlights Curators and Spotlights League players got to vote on the favourite beatmap from the Winter Season 2022 beatmap pool in each game mode.

The creator of each winning entry will be awarded with 3 months of the osu!supporter tag for their hard efforts.

Thank you all for the votes casted for your favourite beatmaps and enjoy the results below!

osu!

Curators' Pick

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Robot Stop [REDLIGHT (VIP)], mapped by olc
primarily suggested by Omgforz
described by Omgforz, with some help from DeviousPanda

If you feel like there's a lack of western song representation in osu!, then look no further.

olc is no stranger when it comes to western songs that are hard to map, and has made plenty of wonderful additions to the Ranked section. But this map ticks all the right boxes for players and mappers alike.

Fun and engaging gameplay mixed with high-quality mapping that's also suitable for tournaments. As you would expect of a tiebreaker, you'll see a consistent difficulty spread throughout the entirety of its 5-minute runtime. What makes this map stand out from the rest is the masterful way olc represents each section and sound in the song in its own unique way, carefully crafting patterns and angles around slight changes in the music so that this map never has a dull moment.

If you decide to give this map a go, make sure to untick the "ignore beatmap hitsounds" option before playing.

Players' Pick

Ado - Odo [Dance], mapped by Heilia
primarily suggested by ChillierPear, DigitalHypno, and Nowaie
described by ChillierPear

With Ado making her debut in osu! just under 2 years ago she and her music have certainly taken the community by storm. Alongside other songs such as Bocca della Verita and USSEEWA, Odo has quickly become a fan-favorite, having 4 mapsets across 2 different game modes. When combining this absolute jam with an all-star mapper such as Heilia, you should certainly get ready for the show.

With outstandingly exciting pattern choice and a difficulty that is comfortable for players of all ranges, it's no wonder the set has picked up more than 300,000 plays in under 6 months (and earned the good favor of 3 different curators for nomination). The refreshing combination of 1/3 and 1/6 patterning alongside the more chaotic slider sections makes this map nothing short of a masterpiece.

osu!taiko

Curators' Pick

mafumafu - Hello Dystopia [Collapsing Reality], mapped by JarvisGaming
primarily suggested by Nepuri
described by Axer

Coming in hot this season's osu!taiko Spotlights, we have JarvisGaming's rendition of mafumafu's Hello Dystopia!

His emblematic "Collapsing Reality" difficulty is an exemplary demonstration of both structuring and patterning, with notes carefully arranged to fit the song like a glove yet still being fun and entertaining for the player. Ranging from the faster chorus sections down to the break-off and deceleration in the second half of the theme, it all climaxes into an extraordinarily grandiloquent experience.

And yes, the top diff still slaps extremely hard.

Players' Pick

TUYU - Daemonisch [KTYN's Inner Oni], mapped by KTYN
described and primarily suggested by Axer

Arriving at the demand of player's choice, we have KTYN's interpretation of TUYU's Daemonisch, hosted by certified TUYU enjoyer gaston_2199!

KTYN's Inner Oni proves that simplicity can be just as striking as catharsis, with a structure that is simplistic when necessary, getting more frantic as the song progresses, and culminating into a grand finale that spikes the density with carefully crafted piano streams. This is a map that can be enjoyed by a wide audience (as long as you can survive it, that is!).

osu!catch

Curators' Pick

Chroma - Made In Love [Rei's MAXIMUM], mapped by Bunnrei
described and primarily suggested by wonjae

There are few maps in osu!catch I can think of that is mapped to the song as well as Bunnrei's MAXIMUM for Made in Love.

The map masterfully manages to convey all of the distinct parts of the song in a way that highlights each section's own distinct theme. Whether it be the less dense introduction, the more technical and synth-heavy middle, or the denser streams mapped near the end, everything is mapped in a way that highlights noises and themes in the song.

While not the most technical or difficult map Bunnrei has ever mapped, this map is one that any experienced fruit catcher can enjoy for themselves.

Players' Pick

SHK - Halloween Party [Juansy's Rain], mapped by Juansy-
primarily suggested by x_angelkawaii_x
described by Nelly

Although it may be either slightly too late or too early into Halloween, you can't deny the fact that this diff on this set is comfortable enough to play either for the casual fruit fan or to the hardcore maniac catch enjoyer.

Juansy's Rain in particular is balanced enough to maintain the overall intensity of the difficulty, featuring a few empty gaps in between at the beginning and a consistent but yet not relaxing ending.

Maybe that was spooky enough after all.

osu!mania

Curators' Pick

Camellia - dreamless wanderer [flying in the void of deep-dream], mapped by paradoxus_
described and primarily suggested by lenpai

Rarely do we come across a map that provides bold concepts with nuanced gameplay elements to the table.

dreamless wanderer is easily one of those charts with its integration of LN grace elements more commonly found in 4k and technical, reading-intensive, patterning. This yields a combination which is quite a rarity even for unranked! While the highlights of the chart are found in the intense complextro bits, the intentional usage of pattern repetition and build really wraps the chart together.

I definitely see this chart setting the groundwork for more expressive charting in the future for 7K Ranked. Good job paradoxus_!

Players' Pick

Camellia - #1f1e33 [Future], mapped by Murumoo
described and primarily suggested by [ Decku ]

This spectacle of a map #1f1e33 mapped by Murumoo really has a lot of extraordinary concepts and representations, but the Future diff is a must-play for people who enjoy comfortable gameplay, which is everyone!

The wubs and synths are represented in contrast to the hi-hats, which creates a perfect balance and makes the map a lot more entertaining. But let me tell you, the kiai is by far one of the most important areas of a map, and Murumoo really does pull it off here.

This map will trip you up in excitement and pour a feeling of satisfaction when you see that pass on your screen, truly a wonder to behold.

Full Players' Pick voting results

Check out each respective game mode's player voting full results:

• osu!
• osu!taiko
• osu!catch
• osu!mania

Inside the Spotlights Team

This season, we will say farewell to some of our members as well as welcome some fresh blood to the ranks of Spotlights Curators. Thanks for all your hard efforts to deliver the seasonal dose of outstanding beatmap material!

Curator additions:

• osu!: DeviousPanda
• osu!taiko: [Zeth], Nifty
• osu!catch: Nelly, wwwww
• osu!mania: Antalf, Protastic101

Curator resignations:

• osu!: Ryuusei Aika
• osu!taiko: Arrival, Nardoxyribonucleic
• osu!catch: Snowless, x_angelkawaii_x
• osu!mania: [ Decku ], BringoBrango, Kaito-kun

Hydria will also be stepping away as the osu!mania curators' team leader after almost two years of service, while CrumpetFiddler will be the one to ensure things go smooth on the mania side from now on.

OnosakiHito will also say farewell to the osu!taiko curators' team after leading it since the very first season of modern Spotlights, but worry not, because Hivie will take over his tasks.

For the full Spotlights Team members list, check out the Beatmap Spotlights wiki article.

Season schedule and leaderboards

The Winter Season 2022 leaderboard will be available over at the Beatmap Spotlights Spring Season 2022 wiki article once the first batch of lobbies conclude in the coming weeks.

Rewards

Badges	Bracket tier	Placement
	Rhythm Incarnate	The best of the best
	Diamond	3%
	Platinum	3% - 10%
	Gold	10% - 25%
	Silver	25% - 50%
	Bronze	50% - 70%
	Copper	70% - 95%
	Iron	95% - 100%

The percentage values may vary a little depending on the game mode and/or participant counts.

The Rhythm Incarnate tier threshold is picked manually based on season's participant count and general size of other tiers, though it is an absolute number that ranges between top 2 and top 50 in most cases.

Winter Season 2022 first playlists

osu! (led by Nowaie)

Playlist A (high speed)

• Otsukisama Koukyoukyoku - ultima Thule (Kyle Y) [Ky's Hard], suggested by Nowaie
• Aitsuki Nakuru & Kabocha - Lilith (Akito) [Hard], suggested by ChillierPear
• Laur - Nostalgic Blood of the Strife (VINXIS) [VINXIS' EXHAUST], suggested by Nowaie
• [Kyoro] - Mochio- (Snow Note) [Insane], suggested by Riot
• ELFENSJoN - Naraku no Majo (Woood13) [Woood's Insane], suggested by Lefafel
• FELT - RESISTANCE (Kalibe) [ENDURANCE], suggested by Omgforz
• KikuoHana - Hikari yo (SMOKELIND) [EX], suggested by Riot
• Iyowa feat. KAFU - Kyu-kurarin (0ugi) [Anxiety], suggested by DeviousPanda
• Yousei Teikoku - Zetsu (Mazzerin) [Mazzerin's Extreme], suggested by Omgforz

osu!taiko (led by Hivie)

Playlist A (high speed)

• 7_7 - Mousou Chikan Express (Cychloryn) [Muzukashii], suggested by Hivie
• Remo Prototype (CV: Hanamori Yumiri) - Sendan Life (katagiri Bootleg) (iceOC) [Muzukashii], suggested by Axer
• KAF - Montage (uone) [uone's Oni], suggested by Hivie
• AZKi - Fake.Fake.Fake (X a v y) [Xavy's Light Oni], suggested by Hivie
• Camellia - Xeroa (_DUSK_) [Oni], suggested by Hivie
• UNDEAD CORPORATION - The Empress (Raiden) [Hell Oni], suggested by uone
• dev - memories (WTHBRO) [nostalgia], suggested by [Zeth]
• UNDEAD CORPORATION - Flowering Night Fever Guitar Inst-hen (Greenshell) [Inner Oni], suggested by Axer
• Kobaryo - Cartoon Candy (Hivie) [Inner Oni], suggested by Axer

osu!catch (led by SadEgg)

Playlist A (high speed)

• Umeboshi Chazuke - Bison Charge (Benita) [Benita's Platter], suggested by x_angelkawaii_x
• TUYU - Anoyo-iki no Bus ni Notte Saraba. (Souvenir) [Platter], suggested by SadEgg
• xi - Last Resort (Kukkai) [Kukkai's EXHAUST], suggested by SadEgg
• Kuroneko Dungeon - Ryoushi no Umi no Lindwurm ([_-Kukkai-_]) [Rain], suggested by SadEgg
• Kaneko Chiharu - iLLness LiLin (tasuke912) [TASUKE'S EXHAUST], suggested by x_angelkawaii_x
• nao - Towa naru Kizuna to Omoi no Kiseki (rew0825) [Miracle], suggested by x_angelkawaii_x
• Doma Umaru [CV.Tanaka Aimi] - Kakushinteki*Metamaruphose! (CLSW) [CrystalSeed's UmaruDosE!!], suggested by x_angelkawaii_x
• Horie Yui - The World's End (Bastian and Greaper) [Bastian & Greaper's Finale], suggested by wonjae
• Rish feat. Choko - Punai Punai Taisou (Kukkai) [271 271], suggested by x_angelkawaii_x

osu!mania (led by Crumpey)

Playlist A (high speed)

• DJ TOTTO - Crystalia (Critical_Star) [CS' Hyper], suggested by Crumpey
• katagiri - HIVEMIND (DannyPX) [Hyper], suggested by Crumpey
• Umeboshi Chazuke - Bison Charge (_Asha) [Insane], suggested by Crumpey
• Five Hammer - fffff op.2 (biemote) [bie's Insane], suggested by lenpai
• Frums - Star of the COME ON!! (Kawawa) [INSANE!!], suggested by lenpai
• Camellia - * Erm, could it be a Spatiotemporal ShockWAVE Syndrome...? (Dubstek) [YABAI], suggested by Crumpey
• Hypernite Industries - Speedcore 300 (nowsmart) [Extra], suggested by Crumpey
• Imperial Circus Dead Decadence - Shinbatsu o Tadori Kyoukotsu ni Itaru (Evening) [Till November Night (reprise)], suggested by Crumpey
• Frums - VIS::CRACKED ([Crz]Crysarlene) [Mipha vs. Crys's Oblivion], suggested by Crumpey

Playlist B and C will be available on the Beatmap Spotlights article as we open the playlist lobbies, so stay tuned!

The Future

The new Beatmap Spotlights is still a project in its early development stage and depends a lot on community feedback and engagement to improve. Many things can (and will) change for future seasons, and it all depends on your feedback!

What do you want for the next season? What needs to be fixed? What are your opinions on the current system? You can voice out all your opinions here and we will keep note of every suggestion, so please let us know how you feel about things.

We do hope you enjoyed the Winter Season 2022 Spotlights, and, of course, we do hope that you'll enjoy the Spring Season even more!

See you in the upcoming lobbies!

Join us over at the osu! community Discord server and assign yourself a role to keep up with Spotlights changes and announcements, or visit the osu!dev Discord server to help us push this project even further!

You can find out more about the Beatmap Spotlights on the osu! wiki.

—Venix