A handheld dancemat? (Elite Beat Agents (DS))

Member Name: mchitty

Product:	Elite Beat Agents (DS)
Date:	21/10/08 (59 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great fun, great songs, great visuals

Disadvantages: I guess it could be a bit difficult for some players

I've always been quite a sucker for any kind of dance / music co-ordination game. Back when Dance Mats first appeared, I was delighted and instantly addicted (much to my girlfriends amusement!). The same with Singstar (or 'Wailstar' as we call it!) and of course Guitar Hero. The only real limitation of these games is the set up, and the additional hardware needed.

This is why Elite Beat Agents is great. At first, I wasn't completely convinced. Dancing? Great. Microphone? Great. Plastic guitar? Great... tapping a screen with a stylus?! I think I was at first put off by the lack of any relationship between the movements the game wants you to make and any actual musical concept (except perhaps the stylophone). As a musician myself, I enjoy the similarities between playing guitar hero and playing a guitar, and of course dancing on a dancemat with dancing and singing in singstar with well... singing!

However, despite these initial doubts, I was soon hooked, headphones on, tapping away with my stylus. On the train, in the kitchen, in the garden, the versatility is unmatchable.

Songs

The selection of songs is interesting and fun. Personal favourites that were surprising to hear in a DS game - Let's Dance (Bowie) and Street Fighting Man (Rolling Stones).

Gameplay

The gameplay is basically this: Colourful blobs pop up on the screen. You prod them with the stylus to the rhythm of the music. However, it's not all prodding blobs. There are a variety of blobs, blobs you have to slide up and down, blobs you have to spin around - this variety is part of the fun. Each level, especially on the hardest difficulty modes, requires perfect stylus choreography. And it's a great deal of fun!

Visuals

The visuals are great fun. Basically they are quirky animated stories, and the outcome depends on the performance of your 'Elite Beat Agents'. Of course, if you slip up too much, the Agents will fail. If you are perfect, there will inevitably be a happy ending. The stories are funny and off the wall, and remind me of the Warioware games.

So, fancy a portable dance mat that you can play on the move? I would definitely recommend giving Elite Beat Agents a go.

Summary: Surprisingly good - A really fun 'pick up and play' type game.