BUDDiES PLUS

maimai でらっくす BUDDiES PLUS (宴), released on March 21, 2024, is the mid-cycle upgrade to BUDDiES. This version brought back two long-absent features from the pre-DX era: the maimile currency returns for the first time since ORANGE PLUS, earned by completing weekly missions and spendable on items such as Weekly Area progress 2x tickets and Tour Member EXP 5x tickets, and the partner affection system returns after being absent since FiNALE, allowing players to give presents to partners to unlock partner-specific nameplates, frames, and icons. The favorites system was expanded — songs can now be favorited directly from the results screen, and collection items gain their own favorites and random select functionality.

On the competitive and system side, the internal rating threshold for X+ notation was lowered from X.7 to X.6, causing broad chart re-ratings. All dan standings were reset with an entirely new set of courses. The rating color-change animation now persists until skipped, and rival scores on the song select screen can be toggled by tapping the rival score area. The Party Area 2 progression map opened, and cross-game unlock events with CHUNITHM and Ongeki continued. Friend Match classes carried over from BUDDiES at reduced tiers. Several legacy original chiho were retired with their songs made permanently available, English notation was added across the UI, and new invitation appeal messages were introduced. The version's visual identity continues the party theme under the subtitle "宴" (banquet/feast).