diff --git a/osu.Game/Beatmaps/Formats/OsuLegacyDecoder.cs b/osu.Game/Beatmaps/Formats/OsuLegacyDecoder.cs
index c6aac3bb71..4c540fa8cf 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Beatmaps/Formats/OsuLegacyDecoder.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Beatmaps/Formats/OsuLegacyDecoder.cs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // Licensed under the MIT Licence - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ppy/osu/master/LICENCE
 
 using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Globalization;
 using System.IO;
 using OpenTK.Graphics;
@@ -31,6 +32,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Beatmaps.Formats
 
         private ConvertHitObjectParser parser;
 
+        private readonly Dictionary<string, string> variables = new Dictionary<string, string>();
+
         private LegacySampleBank defaultSampleBank;
         private int defaultSampleVolume = 100;
 
@@ -56,36 +59,39 @@ namespace osu.Game.Beatmaps.Formats
             TimingPoints,
             Colours,
             HitObjects,
+            Variables,
         }
 
-        private void handleGeneral(Beatmap beatmap, string key, string val)
+        private void handleGeneral(Beatmap beatmap, string line)
         {
+            var pair = splitKeyVal(line, ':');
+
             var metadata = beatmap.BeatmapInfo.Metadata;
-            switch (key)
+            switch (pair.Key)
             {
                 case @"AudioFilename":
-                    metadata.AudioFile = val;
+                    metadata.AudioFile = pair.Value;
                     break;
                 case @"AudioLeadIn":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.AudioLeadIn = int.Parse(val);
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.AudioLeadIn = int.Parse(pair.Value);
                     break;
                 case @"PreviewTime":
-                    metadata.PreviewTime = int.Parse(val);
+                    metadata.PreviewTime = int.Parse(pair.Value);
                     break;
                 case @"Countdown":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.Countdown = int.Parse(val) == 1;
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.Countdown = int.Parse(pair.Value) == 1;
                     break;
                 case @"SampleSet":
-                    defaultSampleBank = (LegacySampleBank)Enum.Parse(typeof(LegacySampleBank), val);
+                    defaultSampleBank = (LegacySampleBank)Enum.Parse(typeof(LegacySampleBank), pair.Value);
                     break;
                 case @"SampleVolume":
-                    defaultSampleVolume = int.Parse(val);
+                    defaultSampleVolume = int.Parse(pair.Value);
                     break;
                 case @"StackLeniency":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.StackLeniency = float.Parse(val, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.StackLeniency = float.Parse(pair.Value, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
                     break;
                 case @"Mode":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.RulesetID = int.Parse(val);
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.RulesetID = int.Parse(pair.Value);
 
                     switch (beatmap.BeatmapInfo.RulesetID)
                     {
@@ -104,107 +110,135 @@ namespace osu.Game.Beatmaps.Formats
                     }
                     break;
                 case @"LetterboxInBreaks":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.LetterboxInBreaks = int.Parse(val) == 1;
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.LetterboxInBreaks = int.Parse(pair.Value) == 1;
                     break;
                 case @"SpecialStyle":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.SpecialStyle = int.Parse(val) == 1;
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.SpecialStyle = int.Parse(pair.Value) == 1;
                     break;
                 case @"WidescreenStoryboard":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.WidescreenStoryboard = int.Parse(val) == 1;
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.WidescreenStoryboard = int.Parse(pair.Value) == 1;
                     break;
             }
         }
 
-        private void handleEditor(Beatmap beatmap, string key, string val)
+        private void handleEditor(Beatmap beatmap, string line)
         {
-            switch (key)
+            var pair = splitKeyVal(line, ':');
+
+            switch (pair.Key)
             {
                 case @"Bookmarks":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.StoredBookmarks = val;
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.StoredBookmarks = pair.Value;
                     break;
                 case @"DistanceSpacing":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.DistanceSpacing = double.Parse(val, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.DistanceSpacing = double.Parse(pair.Value, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
                     break;
                 case @"BeatDivisor":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.BeatDivisor = int.Parse(val);
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.BeatDivisor = int.Parse(pair.Value);
                     break;
                 case @"GridSize":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.GridSize = int.Parse(val);
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.GridSize = int.Parse(pair.Value);
                     break;
                 case @"TimelineZoom":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.TimelineZoom = double.Parse(val, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.TimelineZoom = double.Parse(pair.Value, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
                     break;
             }
         }
 
-        private void handleMetadata(Beatmap beatmap, string key, string val)
+        private void handleMetadata(Beatmap beatmap, string line)
         {
+            var pair = splitKeyVal(line, ':');
+
             var metadata = beatmap.BeatmapInfo.Metadata;
-            switch (key)
+            switch (pair.Key)
             {
                 case @"Title":
-                    metadata.Title = val;
+                    metadata.Title = pair.Value;
                     break;
                 case @"TitleUnicode":
-                    metadata.TitleUnicode = val;
+                    metadata.TitleUnicode = pair.Value;
                     break;
                 case @"Artist":
-                    metadata.Artist = val;
+                    metadata.Artist = pair.Value;
                     break;
                 case @"ArtistUnicode":
-                    metadata.ArtistUnicode = val;
+                    metadata.ArtistUnicode = pair.Value;
                     break;
                 case @"Creator":
-                    metadata.Author = val;
+                    metadata.Author = pair.Value;
                     break;
                 case @"Version":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.Version = val;
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.Version = pair.Value;
                     break;
                 case @"Source":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.Metadata.Source = val;
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.Metadata.Source = pair.Value;
                     break;
                 case @"Tags":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.Metadata.Tags = val;
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.Metadata.Tags = pair.Value;
                     break;
                 case @"BeatmapID":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.OnlineBeatmapID = int.Parse(val);
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.OnlineBeatmapID = int.Parse(pair.Value);
                     break;
                 case @"BeatmapSetID":
-                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.OnlineBeatmapSetID = int.Parse(val);
-                    metadata.OnlineBeatmapSetID = int.Parse(val);
+                    beatmap.BeatmapInfo.OnlineBeatmapSetID = int.Parse(pair.Value);
+                    metadata.OnlineBeatmapSetID = int.Parse(pair.Value);
                     break;
             }
         }
 
-        private void handleDifficulty(Beatmap beatmap, string key, string val)
+        private void handleDifficulty(Beatmap beatmap, string line)
         {
+            var pair = splitKeyVal(line, ':');
+
             var difficulty = beatmap.BeatmapInfo.Difficulty;
-            switch (key)
+            switch (pair.Key)
             {
                 case @"HPDrainRate":
-                    difficulty.DrainRate = float.Parse(val, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
+                    difficulty.DrainRate = float.Parse(pair.Value, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
                     break;
                 case @"CircleSize":
-                    difficulty.CircleSize = float.Parse(val, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
+                    difficulty.CircleSize = float.Parse(pair.Value, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
                     break;
                 case @"OverallDifficulty":
-                    difficulty.OverallDifficulty = float.Parse(val, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
+                    difficulty.OverallDifficulty = float.Parse(pair.Value, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
                     break;
                 case @"ApproachRate":
-                    difficulty.ApproachRate = float.Parse(val, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
+                    difficulty.ApproachRate = float.Parse(pair.Value, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
                     break;
                 case @"SliderMultiplier":
-                    difficulty.SliderMultiplier = float.Parse(val, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
+                    difficulty.SliderMultiplier = float.Parse(pair.Value, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
                     break;
                 case @"SliderTickRate":
-                    difficulty.SliderTickRate = float.Parse(val, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
+                    difficulty.SliderTickRate = float.Parse(pair.Value, NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
                     break;
             }
         }
 
-        private void handleEvents(Beatmap beatmap, string val)
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Decodes any beatmap variables present in a line into their real values.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="line">The line which may contains variables.</param>
+        private void decodeVariables(ref string line)
         {
-            string[] split = val.Split(',');
+            while (line.IndexOf('$') >= 0)
+            {
+                string[] split = line.Split(',');
+                for (int i = 0; i < split.Length; i++)
+                {
+                    var item = split[i];
+                    if (item.StartsWith("$") && variables.ContainsKey(item))
+                        split[i] = variables[item];
+                }
+
+                line = string.Join(",", split);
+            }
+        }
+
+        private void handleEvents(Beatmap beatmap, string line)
+        {
+            decodeVariables(ref line);
+
+            string[] split = line.Split(',');
 
             EventType type;
             if (!Enum.TryParse(split[0], out type))
@@ -236,9 +270,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Beatmaps.Formats
             }
         }
 
-        private void handleTimingPoints(Beatmap beatmap, string val)
+        private void handleTimingPoints(Beatmap beatmap, string line)
         {
-            string[] split = val.Split(',');
+            string[] split = line.Split(',');
 
             double time = double.Parse(split[0].Trim(), NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
             double beatLength = double.Parse(split[1].Trim(), NumberFormatInfo.InvariantInfo);
@@ -321,12 +355,14 @@ namespace osu.Game.Beatmaps.Formats
             }
         }
 
-        private void handleColours(Beatmap beatmap, string key, string val, ref bool hasCustomColours)
+        private void handleColours(Beatmap beatmap, string line, ref bool hasCustomColours)
         {
-            string[] split = val.Split(',');
+            var pair = splitKeyVal(line, ':');
+
+            string[] split = pair.Value.Split(',');
 
             if (split.Length != 3)
-                throw new InvalidOperationException($@"Color specified in incorrect format (should be R,G,B): {val}");
+                throw new InvalidOperationException($@"Color specified in incorrect format (should be R,G,B): {pair.Value}");
 
             byte r, g, b;
             if (!byte.TryParse(split[0], out r) || !byte.TryParse(split[1], out g) || !byte.TryParse(split[2], out b))
@@ -339,7 +375,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Beatmaps.Formats
             }
 
             // Note: the combo index specified in the beatmap is discarded
-            if (key.StartsWith(@"Combo"))
+            if (pair.Key.StartsWith(@"Combo"))
             {
                 beatmap.ComboColors.Add(new Color4
                 {
@@ -351,6 +387,12 @@ namespace osu.Game.Beatmaps.Formats
             }
         }
 
+        private void handleVariables(string line)
+        {
+            var pair = splitKeyVal(line, '=');
+            variables[pair.Key] = pair.Value;
+        }
+
         protected override Beatmap ParseFile(StreamReader stream)
         {
             return new LegacyBeatmap(base.ParseFile(stream));
@@ -390,42 +432,39 @@ namespace osu.Game.Beatmaps.Formats
                     continue;
                 }
 
-                string val = line, key = null;
-                if (section != Section.Events && section != Section.TimingPoints && section != Section.HitObjects)
-                {
-                    key = val.Remove(val.IndexOf(':')).Trim();
-                    val = val.Substring(val.IndexOf(':') + 1).Trim();
-                }
                 switch (section)
                 {
                     case Section.General:
-                        handleGeneral(beatmap, key, val);
+                        handleGeneral(beatmap, line);
                         break;
                     case Section.Editor:
-                        handleEditor(beatmap, key, val);
+                        handleEditor(beatmap, line);
                         break;
                     case Section.Metadata:
-                        handleMetadata(beatmap, key, val);
+                        handleMetadata(beatmap, line);
                         break;
                     case Section.Difficulty:
-                        handleDifficulty(beatmap, key, val);
+                        handleDifficulty(beatmap, line);
                         break;
                     case Section.Events:
-                        handleEvents(beatmap, val);
+                        handleEvents(beatmap, line);
                         break;
                     case Section.TimingPoints:
-                        handleTimingPoints(beatmap, val);
+                        handleTimingPoints(beatmap, line);
                         break;
                     case Section.Colours:
-                        handleColours(beatmap, key, val, ref hasCustomColours);
+                        handleColours(beatmap, line, ref hasCustomColours);
                         break;
                     case Section.HitObjects:
-                        var obj = parser.Parse(val);
+                        var obj = parser.Parse(line);
 
                         if (obj != null)
                             beatmap.HitObjects.Add(obj);
 
                         break;
+                    case Section.Variables:
+                        handleVariables(line);
+                        break;
                 }
             }
 
@@ -433,6 +472,15 @@ namespace osu.Game.Beatmaps.Formats
                 hitObject.ApplyDefaults(beatmap.ControlPointInfo, beatmap.BeatmapInfo.Difficulty);
         }
 
+        private KeyValuePair<string, string> splitKeyVal(string line, char separator)
+        {
+            return new KeyValuePair<string, string>
+            (
+                line.Remove(line.IndexOf(separator)).Trim(),
+                line.Substring(line.IndexOf(separator) + 1).Trim()
+            );
+        }
+
         internal enum LegacySampleBank
         {
             None = 0,